As we celebrate Black History Month and the invaluable contributions of both African and African-Americans in areas of technology, entertainment, science, mathematics and the arts, we are reminded of their traditional roots in African textiles as well. From their colorful kente cloth from Ghana, bògòlanfini (mudcloth), and richly colored adire (indigo fabrics) from Mali, to their African lace of Nigeria, East African Kitenge and Egyptian cotton, African fabrics were hand-woven, painted, and dyed in tradition and meaning that sustains itself today. As well, we celebrate the symbolic Adinkra symbols of West Africa, storytelling wovens of Ghana, and abstract geometric shapes of the continent itself that can be found on printed cottons in many fabric stores and infused into the latest fashions.
Celebrating Black History Month Through African Fabric
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