American Ascendants

09/07/2026

Sissieretta Jones (1868/69–1933) was a world-renowned soprano who became the first Black American to perform at Carnegie Hall in June 1892. She performed at the White House, sang for four U.S. presidents and toured internationally during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite the racial barriers that excluded her from major American opera companies, Jones formed the Black Patti Troubadours, creating opportunities for Black performers while bringing opera, musical comedy and vaudeville to audiences across the country. She became one of the most celebrated and highly paid Black entertainers of her generation. PBS American Masters⁠

08/21/2026

Classic ❤️

My grandfather did this ALL the time.

That’s Mama on the left, Uncle Johnnie in front, and Uncle Johnnie’s girlfriend or wife standing behind him. I don’t know who the tall gentleman standing behind Mama is.

And then there’s my grandfather, kneeling on the right. I have so many photographs of him kneeling or crouching while everybody else is standing. I have no idea why he did it. He was about 5’8”, so maybe he didn’t like standing next to taller men. Maybe he thought he looked good down there. Maybe somebody kept telling him, “Richard, get in front.”

Whatever the reason, once I noticed it, I started seeing it everywhere.

Apparently every family has somebody with a signature photo pose. My grandfather’s was: find a perfectly good place to stand, then kneel down.

🎵 Music Note: “Moonglow” became a popular jazz standard during the 1930s. Billie Holiday recorded her version in 1936 with pianist Teddy Wilson, when she was still a young singer developing the distinctive phrasing that would make her one of the most influential vocalists in jazz history. I chose it because Holiday’s relaxed 1930s sound fits the period of this photograph beautifully.

06/29/2026

Every skill you learn today is a seed planted for tomorrow. A garden teaches you how to grow food, and canning teaches you how to preserve the harvest. In uncertain times, knowledge may become one of the greatest forms of wealth. Start learning—one seed, one jar, one skill at a time. 🌱

06/21/2026

Beautiful 🪏🌱❤️☀️

02/11/2026

When Queen Latifah traced her lineage back to 1766, she wasn’t just uncovering names on a chart, she was uncovering roots.

For many Black Americans, our story in this land stretches back centuries. Before trends. Before hashtags. Before narratives tried to define us.

We are not recent.
We are not temporary.
We are foundational.

American Ascendants are those whose blood, labor, culture, faith, and resilience helped shape this nation generation after generation.

Your ancestry is not just history.
It is evidence of permanence.

02/09/2026

To know yourself is to remember who you were before the world told you who to be. 🇺🇸

02/02/2026

Are you following Victory Boyd yet? 🤗