Art, fashion and culture were the themes of the night at the California African American Museum on Wednesday, Oct. 2. For two hours, the museum transformed into a beautiful oasis of dope people with a common appreciation for art, education and Hip Hop.
This night was a night to remember and a blast from the turbulent but reverent journey of Black America’s past.
‘Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop’ celebrated the ‘90s with new exhibit Cross Colours: Black Fashion in the 20th Century. The free event had food trucks outside and live DJs in the building, with sets by Jasmine Solano and Earry Hall. The live DJ sets were followed with performances by Timothy Washington and Culture Shock.
Lines spilled out of the doorways of each exhibit, which included Dust My Broom: Southern Vernacular from the Permanent Collection, LA Blacksmith, Making Mammy: A Caricature of Black Womanhood, 1840-1940 and Timothy Washington: Citizen/Ship.
But, the most popular exhibit of the night was Cross Colours. The moment you step into the space, your eyes are caressed with the beautiful reds, yellows and greens that signify the motherland of Africa and the Afrocentrism of the 90s. Centerpieces consisting of mannequins adorned with Cross Colours attire add to the cool, classy but still hood sophistication of the night. A timeline of the history and evolution of civil rights and the activist movement in the U.S. line the walls. Wall writings and TV footage tell stories of how the movements of Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King influenced black culture and fashion. Near the end of the exhibit, photos of cultural icons, such as Diddy and Magic Johnson, paint the walls. A TV shows clips of Mary J. Blige rocking colorful fashion on Yo! MTV Raps.
The fashion line Cross Colours was created by Carl Jones and TJ Walker in the 1990s. It wasn’t until Will Smith wore the brand on his popular show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air that the LA based clothing brand started to take off. The apparel “appealed unapologetically to a black aesthetic, while strategically using product placement, social justice messaging, and community outreach to address these pressing issues.”
The exhibit is curated by History Curator and Program Manager Tyree Boyd-Pates and Assistant History Curator Taylor Bythewood-Porter.
Cross Colours will be at the California African American Museum until March 1, 2020.
