Introducing Down Home Diaries, a blog dedicated to celebrating the simple joys of Black Southern culture. Join us as we share heartfelt stories that inspire warmth and connection while wrapping you in nostalgic moments. Find the beauty in every small-town experience with Down Home Diaries.
Her Sankofa Way: The Education of Dr. Delia Cook Gillis and Her Unfettered Southern Roots from Virginia to Missouri, Greenwood to Ghana, and Beyond
Nothing in Dr. Gillis’ career as an African historian and professor spanning three decades is more consistent than the gravitational pull of her small-town Virginian roots and her innate ability to “look back” to advance the African American agenda. Sankofa is a word in the Akan language of Ghana that means “go back and get it” and can translate as “to look into one’s past in order to move forward.” This is the common denominator in Dr. Gillis’ personal and professional life – it’s her Sankofa way.
To The Moon: An Inception Of Black Love And Black History With The Pendletons
If you’ve ever witnessed the black excellence portrayed in the movie ‘Hidden Figures’, you will understand the depth of discovery we have truly found with getting to know former NASA scientists Dr. Walter and Dr. Alice Pendleton. They’ve overcome adversities, segregation, and broken boundaries that were meant to anchor down their ambitious dreams. We traveled to the couple’s home located in Hempstead, TX, just down the way from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), a historical black college, to learn more about this dynamic duo whose love story started over 49 years ago.