Slavery is America's dirty little secret, which is why there's so many misconceptions and misinformation that's in history books and circling around society today. The hierarchy of slavery, the business that it took to make it work and become successful, and the slave societies that thrived as a result of it are all not often talked about. Listen in to a fascinating converstaion that starts with the origins of slavery, to the ships, and then to the plantation. Regardless of which part you look at. a slave trader was involved every step of the way.

So what's in a name? Well, in African tradition, alot! Naming someone is more than just an identifying label, African names mean something. Whether it represents an event that happened that day like a storm, or because you were born on a certain day of the week, or even in honor of something or someone, African names have a purpose. They also are granted through a special ceremony, regardless of how old you are. Renaming ceremonies for those from the diaspora are becoming a must do part of the homecoming ritual in several African countries. Here's the story of mine.

Years ago, there was this big craze or "discovery" of what was called Ebonics or Black Slang. Well, first of all, its not new. For many reasons, enslaved people chose, out of resistance and as a way of holding on to their cultural identity, to create and speak an indigenous English based Creole language.

The art of sewing sweetgrass baskets is a time honored West African skill that's been passed down for generations. Today, those beautiful pieces of art are valued and often on display, but hundreds of years ago, the baskets had functional and practical use around the house. Basket sewers today are following in the footsteps of our ancestors by keeping the skill alive and broadening its appeal. Of course, like all things, there are challenges. With time and development, just like cultural land being erased, so are the fields where the sweetgrass grows.

It's not often thought of our Gullah Geechee ancestors as conservatives, but when you think about it, that's how they lived. With traditional skills and practices from West Africa, they used their community and daily way of living to be self-sustaining and self-sufficient. Those time honored skills of independence and strength also were rooted in the characteristics of fierce loyalty and patriotism. Our ancestors were built with all of the survival skills that they needed to to survive and thrive.

Today taking time to celebrate the holidays has become tradition. For enslaved people, the coming new year might have been a time of fear, dread or the anxious time that they've been waiting for to escape.

For generations, celebrating Kwanzaa from December 26th to January 1st has been a end of the year holiday tradition that's becoming more widely known and practiced. So what is Kwanzaa and why are the seven principles so important to our daily living? Intrigued? Here's a deep dive into this valued African American holiday that's based on family, empowerment and economic development.

The Watch Night Service is a tradition that grew out of slavery, yet still is an important part of how, for many African Americans, is the only way that a new year should be brought in. The practice, called “Freedom Night” or named the Watch Night Service, began in 1862, when anxious slaves were waiting on confirmation of their freedom based on the Emancipation Proclamation. Today, the service continues in the church with prayers of gratitude for another year and blessings over what’s to come.

Living on an island and the isolation that comes with it, made Gullah holidays a little different, but special nonetheless. Getting ready for the sea island holidays was a year long process which made the seasonal harvests an an important part in the preparation that involved the entire family, from children to the elders.

Sometimes, we forget that the ancestors left behind all of the tools that we need for success. Through creative storytelling, proverbs, and skills, they passed us all a toolbox full of ways that they, even though they were beaten, found ways not to be broken.