Clothings, Foods, Music and Traditions

Clothing

Black Women

Did you know, black women wear hats to church? I was very curious when i saw many black people wearing formal hats to church it turns out that this is one of their long lived tradition and it symbolizes a lot of things! how cool is that? You know what's even cooler? they believe that this fancy hats could catch god's eyes and they hope that He will listen to their prayers. 

White women

What about white women, do they wear similar clothes like the blacks in 1960s? As a matter of fact, they still wear their boring and classic 50s full skirt and sheath dresses. booooo. I'm pretty sure you know who John F. Kennedy is, but have you heard of his wife Jackie Kennedy? In the 1960s white women idolizes her for her fashion and i can see why. In 1960s a lot of people love wearing heels whereas she wears her low heels shoes. Her dresses is also well fitted and simple.

White men

Similar to women, white men's wore the same thing in the 60s as they did in the 50s boooo. The only changes that they had was their pants got tighter and a lot of them began to wear sweaters and scarfs. For casuals, they wear polo shirt was one of their main clothing at that time.

Black men

Black men on the other hand wore a simple t-shirt as their casual clothes ''wooo classic'' haha. For those who can afford a blazers, they will wear it. You can see how they dressed up based on the image on the right. The picture was taken during the civil right movements in 1960s. They look cool here. B)

Food

Soul food

I know a lot of you guys love foods, just talking about food makes them appear in front of you. Have you ever heard of soul food? It is one of the most famous dishes in the Souths now! Look at the picture, are you craving for it right now? I am sure you are wondering why it is called ''Soul'' food. In the 1960s, the word ''soul'' is use to describe black's culture in this case we have Soul food! What's even more interesting is that you can find at least one soul food in an African american community. Nowadays Soul food has spread everywhere through many different places in America which gives you more opportunity to taste soul food. However

Music

Have you ever wondered what Lily and Rosaleen listened to when they turn the radio on? I know I do. I’m very sure boy bands haven’t been introduced yet back then lol. And although I’m not very keen on the idea of not having a group of cute guys with dreamy voices and synchronized dancing to fangirl over, I’d like to imagine that Lily might have a favourite song. One she dances along to when it comes on the radio. Maybe even Rosaleen danced to it a little.

Let’s explore the possibilities, shall we? Let's get to know a bit about what genres of music they listened to back in the 1960's and how music was expressed by both the whites and the coloured.

                       Roots Rock and Hard Rock

Have you guys ever heard of rock and roll? Of course you have! Well, roots rock actually emerged in the mid to late 1960's as a combination of several genres of music that were popular at the time; folk music, blues, country, you name it!

Bob Dylan, a very famous musician, is thought to be the FIRST EVER PERSON to explore this type of music with his album Blond on Blonde. Other bands that created music in the style of this genre included The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Beatles, The Band, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Not long after this, roots rock eventually evolved to other genres of rock and roll like Surf Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Folk Rock and Protest Music.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you can’t relate to this genre because well, we didn’t even exist yet back in those days. But I’m pretty sure our Mums would recognize a few of these bands. I can’t wait to ask her later!

Now, all this might sound very mundane. But the history of African American music is anything but that. In fact, this style of music was frequently associated with the Southern Civil Rights Movement. ‘How’, you may ask? Surely, they couldn’t have simply sung their way to equality now could they?

Motown and R&B

The "Motown Sound", a very famous record company back then and popular R&B music played a huge significance in the Civil Rights movement and integration in American society during the sixties.

Bear in mind that this was the time when it was a taboo to speak to African Americans besides when giving orders. They were THAT low.

Motown records consisted mainly of African-American singers, songwriters and management. Their musical AND business success proved that knocking down the barriers of segregation was indeed achievable.

It also granted African-American performers a chance to redeem much of the success credited to WHITE rock 'n' rollers and pop artists who had success in singing "black music" during the previous decade.

Three of the most influential groups to come out of the Motown sound were The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, and The Drifters.

  

  Only a few pictures managed to capture the PASSION and PUPOSEFULNESS of the Southern Civil Rights Movement as powerfully as the freedom songs that were both played and sung during the campaign against racial injustice.

Wherever and whenever they were sung, freedom songs would always remind them of one thing; the urgency of the struggle towards freedom.

Tradition

In the Secret Life of Bees, Rosaleen was arrested for pouring snuff juice on Shoe and his friends after they provoked her. Shoe wouldn’t rest until Rosaleen gave him an apology, something she wasn’t very generous at.

Shoe and his friends waited in front of jail before Rosaleen and Lily even showed up, and as a sign of protest, he smashed a flashlight into Rosaleen’s forehead, right in front of the police officer. While Rosaleen tried to get up on her feet, head bleeding trails of blood, Shoe and his friends got away scot-free.

I don’t know about you but that wasn’t justice to me. Have you ever wondered why the people of Sylvan were so hostile towards blacks?

When the new civil rights movement was first introduced, which was about the same time as Rosaleen’s scene happened, some whites embraced the prospect of a new interracial land. Many more reacted with hostility, as they feared the social change that was bound to happen.

Their way of life was commonly known as the “Southern way of life” and was already racist to begin with. For instances,

• Blacks always addressed whites as “Mr.” or “Mrs.,” though whites rarely bestowed such courtesy titles on African Americans.
• Blacks worked for white families as nannies, cooks, maids, and yardmen.

Through the long years of slavery and segregation, white Southerners came up with cruel stereotypes about African Americans:

• Blacks became either clowns or savages, with no area in between.
• They were unclean, unintelligent and oversexed.
• If blacks were submissive and uncivilised, whites were strong and dignified.
• Blackness meant degradation; to be free was to be white.

 All this happened for so long that many white Southerners came to believe that African Americans have accepted their roles as second-class citizens.

While the civil rights movement made its breakthrough in the South during the 1950s and 1960s, it exposed the ugly truth of the matter. African Americans were finally able to voice out their discontentment.

The finally demanded dignity.

Black rebellions clash so sharply with white perceptions that many couldn’t believe their own eyes. And as activists led a mass movement for black equality, whites rose up in resistance.