A Tribute To A Legendary Poet

Maya Angelou

"In honor of the legendary poet, Maya Angelou “And Still I Rise”. A literary voice revered globally for her poetic command and her commitment to civil rights, a novelist, actress, educator & activist. A national treasure has passed beyond the veil, faded from view... -Bishop T.D. Jakes"

 Dr. Maya Angelou, a woman of unwavering faith in the Creator and in the transformative power of love.  Maya Angelou lived with so much style, grace and humility.  

The revelation that changed Maya Angelou's life, is when she fully realized the essence of the word Love.  A powerful word, which brought her comfort she says, when interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.  

We know and believe that this word has a source, and that source is The Almighty God, the creator of the universe.

A lesson from this interview shows us how Maya stopped and thought and actually got the true meaning of the word "Love".  A word that we all take for granted.  But when we stop and think, it is much greater and deeper than what we really think. Simply because its source is God!  

In the book of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, it defines this powerful word.

It says and I quote; 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Enough said, get the picture from the interview of Maya Angelou by Oprah Winfrey 

 The poem that speaks volumes to me, and probably to most of you, is  " And Still I Arise"

 This is my personal favorite. I would not dare miss this poem in this  Tribute to Maya Angelou.

Please listen to this powerful poem of hers.

No doubt you are now in your eternal mansion that the Lord has prepared for us all. (John 14:2: "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.")

Born:  April 4, 1928 St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Died:  May 28, 2014, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

The Art of Photography

Meet Gosta Peterson

In my previous post, I mentioned Gosta Peterson the photographer, a man who saw beyond colour, the man who against all odds, made a model's dream come true.  Naomi Sims.

Peterson, a Swedish born who migrated to the US in the late 1940s.  As an illustrator and a self-taught photographer, Gosta Peterson worked as a  fashion photographer with the New York Times. His images are what I describe as works of art and purely timeless in their own style. 

Here are a few of my favorite shots

Super Model Naomi Sims

 

Source

http://www.gostapeterson.com/image19.html

http://www.davidtucker.me/blog/gosta-peterson

Beauty Surpasses Prejudice - Naomi Sims

Naomi Sims, youngest of the three daughters, was born in Oxford Mississippi, the USA in March 30th, 1948.  She grew up in a single parent home after her father left at a very young age.  It is said, because of her unusual height,  Naomi did not have it easy growing up as she was constantly teased by other children.  Little did anyone know, that the features they thought were odd, was the very thing together with her constant determination, which paved the way for her amazing career in the world of beauty and fashion.

Before the Iman's, Alek Wek's, Tayra Banks, and Naomi Campbell, there was Naomi Sims.  The first African American who paved the way for the rest of the brown ladies in the world of fashion models.  I can just but imagine how difficult it was back in the 20th century to have a breakthrough in a mainstream Fashion Industry which was, back then predominantly a "white affair".
"When she decided to become a model, however, her early encounters with the agencies were not encouraging; all turned her down, some taking the trouble to explain that her skin was too dark.  Deciding to bypass the agencies altogether, she went directly to fashion photographers - a tactic that paid off when Gosta Peterson, a photographer for The New York Times, agreed to do a shoot for the cover of the newspaper's August fashion supplement"
With her determination, she achieved worldwide recognition.  Naomi's shots appeared in prestigious fashion magazines in the late '60s, one of them being the "Life" magazine cover of October 1969. Kudos to her!

"As the designer, Halston told The New York Times in 1974; Naomi was the first.  She was the great ambassador for all black people.  She broke down all the social barriers"

As much as I hate thinking that race could be a factor, the reality is, this case was an issue. Therefore it is our obligation to acknowledge and appreciate people like her and many others who went through mental, and in some cases physical war, to make a statement for themselves and others.  We appreciate them all a great deal! 
I choose to pay a  tribute to a great woman who made it to the top,  Naomi Sims.  She sadly passed away in Newark New Jersey, on August 1st, 2009 of breast cancer, she was 61, but she had achieved her dream.
 Read more http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/5978858/Naomi-Sims.html

There goes young Naomi!!

Impressed only by her beauty, Peterson offered his help and her photos became part of the history!

Source
http://fashionandoutfits.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/top-7-african-american-super-models.html

http://www.ciaovogue.com/2011/02/june-1972-us-vogue.html
http://mylittleboudoir.com/2012/02/05/supermodel-sunday-naomi-sims/
http://blackandbeautiful.fr/blog/en/2014/03/21/black-beauty-fashion-naomi-sims-first-black-supermodel/

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