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Gentlemen prefer Bronze
I enjoy during research, and so I thought I’d share more vintage ads and photos portraying the beauty of black women that were produced by us and for us. Black folks reclaimed our image (see the ad below for an example) even during segregation.
There’s still a misconception out there regarding how black folks used to live. Far too many times Hollywood and even books portray us as downtrodden and usually in the position of a domestic.
No matter what (segregated) society may have thought or stated erroneously about black culture, we did our own thing. Part of which meant black women were thought of as sex symbols in our community even though mainstream media ignored beautiful sistas as cover girls.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Cover girl for Bronze Thrills mag 
This publicity photo was used for the cover of the book Vintage Black Glamour by Nichelle Gainer. The book can be purchased on Amazon. Click the photo to be redirected. 
Singer Joyce Bryant and Eartha Kitt, sex symbols of the 1950s -
The Queen of Comedy, a tale of Black Hollywood
I wanted to do something special for African American history month, so I think I’ll release The Queen of Comedy. While there is romance in the book, there’s also a lot of history. It’s an epic, generational tale that spans the 1920s until the present day.
I’ve posted a five chapter excerpt of The Queen of Comedy and I’m going to have a free download this week on Amazon with fifteen chapters (this book is long). It’s more for those who enjoy fictional history, especially the history of African Americans who were stars and were wealthy during a time period that had barriers, both visible and invisible. In addition, there’s the rivalry between family members when one becomes a bigger star than the other.
It’s an exploration of family dynamics, and how black women were viewed during that era, especially those who were highly independent.
Brilliant comic. Flawed woman. One legendary career.
Most people recognize the face, if not the name. That apple cheeked, rich brown face with the inviting smile that adorns baking products worldwide. Older movie goers fondly recall her role as the friendly, wise cracking maid in over one hundred films. But to her family and spurned lovers, the tongue of Honi Hawkins was brutally uncompromising and anything but funny, as she strived to become THE QUEEN OF COMEDY. ©