As we all know, this Black History Month has been a rough one. Have you seen the requests to move the party to the summer and end on Beyonce’s birthday? On this last day of the month, instead of remembering what we all want to forget, let’s review all of the good things that beautiful Black folks achieved in fashion, beauty, music, and film.
Fashion & Beauty
- Actress Zendaya Coleman has been named the newest ambassadress for the beauty powerhouse, Lancome Paris. This uber-talented young lady joins fellow Black Hollywood icon, Lupita Nyong’o as ambassadress. Can you just imagine the marketing with both of them in it? GORGEOUS!!!
- Kerby Jean-Raymond, founder and designer of the super dope and hella conscious luxury fashion line, Pyer Moss, will be honored with the Pratt Institute’s Visionary Award. Jean-Raymond is being recognized for his extraordinary designs and his ability to use fashion as a way to spread timely and important messages. The award will be handed out in May.
March Magazines
Lupita Nyong’o- Marie Claire
Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris- Essence
Angela Bassett- W Magazine Directors Cut
Cardi B- Harper’s Bazaar (Side note: Remember when her and another female rapper got into a fight at this magazine’s fashion week party and folks were saying that Cardi would never get invited to the “party” again? Hmph… take that, haters!)
Grammy Award Winners
Childish Gambino
- Best Rap Sung Performance
- Record of the Year
- Song of the Year (all three awards for “This Is America)
H.E.R
- Best R&B Performance: “Best Part” ft. Daniel Caesar
- Best R&B Album: H.E.R
Ella Mai
- Best R&B Song: “Boo’d Up”
The Carters
- Best Urban Contemporary Album: Everything is Love
Cardi B
- Best Rap Album: Invasion of Privacy
Drake
- Best Rap Song: “God’s Plan”
And we have a tie…
Best Traditional R&B Performance
- P.J. Morton: “How Deep Is Your Love” ft. Yebba
- Leon Bridges: “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand”
Best Rap Performance
- Kendrick Lamar ft. Jay Rock, Future, and James Blake: “King’s Dead”
- Anderson. Paak: “Bubblin'”
Academy Award Winners
Regina King: Best Supporting Actress- If Beale Street Could Talk
- First Oscar win for King… and it’s about damn time!!!
Ruth E. Carter: Costume Design- Black Panther
- First African-American woman to win in this category
Hannah Beachler: Production Design- Black Panther
- First African-American woman to win in this category
Mahershala Ali: Best Supporting Actor- Green Book
- Controversial film (with good reason), but he’s a terrific actor. So, he deserves.
Spike Lee: Best Adapted Screenplay- BlacKkKlansman
- First Oscar win for Lee. 30 years overdue, btw…
Peter Ramsey: Best Animated Film- Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse
- First African-American director to win in this category
And last but certainly not least…
Billy Porter: Best Dressed on the Oscars Red Carpet Before Anyone Else Showed Up
- May we all stan a fashion icon who can slay a Christian Siriano tuxedo gown.
I know that it seems like the Black community took a few L’s this month, but look at all the wins we got. We did pretty good, y’all! Let’s continue to strive for greatness… beyond February.
