#sablesouls

Mildred was the ultimate performer; she was a skilled dancer who knew how to wow a crowd and amaze them with her great dance and lively stage presence as is seen in the Hollywood movies she appeared in. On the side she appeared in Hollywood films because it was her dream to be in movies. Her beauty and outgoing personality helped her into movies like many white females. Mildred had an magnetic charm that couldn't be overlooked on stage and screen. Mildred introduced a new image of Blacks, she wasn't the common homely, sad, blue, and unintelligible type, Mildred was gorgeous, fun-loving, spoke intelligently, had poise and though sexy she was quite dainty and winsome. In Hollywood Mildred played the role of a maid in the pre-code era which meant Mildred wasn't forced to be demeaning or stereotyped. In the pre-code era, there were no rules, Blacks had more to do outside the stereotype and most importantly the films they appeared in not they were not just a maid or servant thrown in. Mildred added her own winning personality, sense of humor and spark; she simply glowed on screen. She entertained her white employees when they were down and out, educated them on life, and lifted their spirits. #mildredwashington #blackhistory #sablesouls #blackactress #1920s

Through his rigorous hustle as a DJ, DJ Quik became a mainstay in the mixtape world, utilizing the talents of rappers he’d befriended such as AMG, Hi-C. These mixtapes would propel Quik into a deal with Profile Records, with whom he released his debut Quik Is the Name (Profile-1991). While certainly inline with the head-nodding rap music of his West-Coast peers, DJ Quik’s sound teetered more in the realm of rhythm and blues, rather than straight-away Hip Hop. Quik Is the Name was significantly successful, yielding two top singles ot the R&B charts, with the bird’s-eye-view look at Quik’s neighborhood “Tonite” and the self-explanatory “Born and Raised In Compton.” Quik’s circle of collaborators remained tight as the album features joint-efforts with AMG, Hi-C and 2nd II None, all of whom had made their name on DJ Quik’s heavily circulated mixtapes. Guest appearances aside, a significant aspect of the album was DJ Quik’s ability to remain autonomous, as he produced every track on the album, as well as laid his rhymes down on each of them. #sablesouls #blackhistory #djquik #90srap #realhiphop #gangstarap #compton #crip #profilerecords #amg #hic #2ndiinone #bornandraisedincompton

Mya's father thought Mya could achieve more with her talent in singing. Sherman recorded a demo of his daughter and sent it to Hagg Islam, the President of University Music who, then forwarded it to Interscope. Long story short, Mya was signed to the label when she was only 18 years old. Assisted by Dru Hill, Babyface, Dianne Warren and several other renown musicians, the young and energetic singer recorded her first album "Mya". Surprisingly, 'Mya' gained a warm reception from music fans and it peaked at #29 on Billboard Hot 200 chart, a relatively good position for a newcomer. The lead single from the album 'It's All About Me' was thought to be the great starter for the success of the album, so did the next two singles 'Movin' On', and 'My First Night With You'. By October 1998 the album received platinum status. She was nominated at the 1999 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for the track 'Movin' On'. Mya received greater achievement when she collaborated with Pras Michel and Ol' Dirty Bastard in the song 'Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are') which was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Awards which took Mya to whole new different level as an artist. #mya #blackgirlmagic #sablesouls #blackhistory #1999 #grammy #movinon #interscope

Toronto native and New York transplant ⚜️Aurora James⚜️ founded Brother Vellies with two specific goals: to introduce her favorite traditional African footwear to the rest of the world, and to create and sustain artisanal jobs in Africa. Handmade in South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and Morocco, Brother Vellies shoes maintain the spirit and durability of their ancestral counterparts. While the company offers a variety of styles including boots and sandals it was built on the enthusiastic recep tion of its first model, the velskoen. Relatively unknown outside of Africa, traditional velskoen (pronounced “fell skoon,” and known colloquially as “vellies”) paved the way for the modern day desert boot. #aurorajames #shoes#designer #candian #blackhistory #blackdesigners #sablesouls #brothervellies

The Toronto native left a journalism program at Ryerson University for a series of creative stints: working as a production assistant, consultant, model agent, and curator. "I dropped out of school, but [Ryerson] tweeted that I graduated," she mentions as she recounts her path from Canada to Los Angeles and then Brooklyn. "I'm wondering if that's going to translate to an honorary degree. I'm going to send them an e-mail." She has that spark best summarized as hustle: naturally inquisitive, savvy, unintimidated by newness. "I've always been someone who's very hands-on," she explains. "That's how I learned about shoes, by getting into workshops and physically doing it." #aurorajames #sablesouls #shoe #designer #blackdesigner #kenya #africa #brothervellies

At the company’s workshop in Kenya, a small group of men and women assemble a few dozen pairs of shoes a day by hand, using techniques refined over multiple generations. All of the Brother Vellies workshops are open spaces that welcome artisans of all genders, sexual orientation, backgrounds, and tribes. James a former model agent and curator now finds herself traveling to and throughout Africa regularly to work with the local artisans, experience the diverse culture of the continent, and unearth new inspirations for the brand. #sablesouls #aurorajames #shoe #designer #blackdesigner #blackhistory #kenya #brothervellies

Mildred was on her way to becoming a full-time actress and studio heads were very satisfied with her previous work and beauty but it was her untimely death in late 1933 that stalled her escalating screen career. During an major earthquake in the spring of 1933, Mildred developed appendicitis when she fell running for cover from Graumans Chinese Theatre. Her death was caused by peritonitis following appendicitis, she died on a Thursday afternoon at the White Memorial Hospital during surgery. She was 28 years old. Her funeral was a star- studded one with many black and white stage and screen stars. #mildredwashington #earthquake #sablesouls #blackhistory #graumanschinesetheatre

Mildred was one of the few, very few, beautiful black women who played the maid roles ,she wasn't overweight or homely but beautiful, engaging, and scintillating, often stealing attention in scenes from leading white stars because of her beauty, talent and sex appeal. Her persona was certainly in the same fashion as Clara Bow, Alice White, and Jean Harlow. Though, Mildred had little to do on screen in a few of her movies, she still took advantage of getting herself recognized. Her maid costumes was just that...a costume, it didn't define her or her talent and that's what the black community loved about her. Mildred got fan mail, requests for her autographed photo, and she was featured in many leading black publications and newspapers. Whether Hollywood wanted her to be a stereotype or not is not the question, she took it upon her own initiative to present herself the way she wanted and she took her roles seriously and presented them the best she thought would entertain the public. "Hearts in Dixie" was one of the first black cast films made in Hollywood where Mildred co-starred, Mildred was said to have gave an excellent performance, the reviews were in Mildred's favor but sadly the film is believed to be lost. Her best role was in "Torch Singer" starring Claudette Colbert, in which she played a maid/confidante to Colbert. In this particular film she showed her awesome versatility and sincerity, where she went from dramatic to comedic naturally in good timing and she did some hot dancing. She was just so marvelous in her role that one would forget she was suppose to be a maid. #mildredwashington #sablesouls #blackhistory #1930s #blackactress