As a Black girl who’s always loved history and antiquing, things can get… weird. I see this type of “memorabilia” all the time, and while I’d be embarrassed to sell it (let alone display it), clearly, some people aren’t—because it’s everywhere.
What’s wild is how it always stops me in my tracks. I’m sure most people just walk past it without a second thought, but for me, it stirs up so many emotions. It’s not just anger—though that’s there—it’s also this deep, complicated feeling. Almost like empathy for my ancestors. It’s strange to think about how they endured seeing themselves portrayed like this, and here I am, in 2024, still seeing it.
What’s even more baffling? This stuff isn’t cheap. In antique malls, most things are priced fairly low, but this type of memorabilia is always higher. It’s just… a lot to take in.
So what should you do when you come across things like this? Should they be bought? Preserved? Donated?
source