Ajuan Mance, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Berkeley, Black Men

1001 Black Men #905

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My love of barbecued ribs is second only to my love of buffalo wings, and I crossed paths with this brotha during a recent trip to Smokey J’s Q House, on Shattuck Avenue, in Berkeley, California. The background in this drawing is based on one of those old-fashioned picnic tablecloths. Smokey J’s uses no such decor, but their food makes you feel like you’re eating at a classic old-time barbecue hut. I recommend the ribs and the chili. My main criticism of the place is that they have no iced tea.

Ajuan Mance

Ajuan Mance, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Black Men, Comic-Con, Nerds

1001 Black Men #904

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I don’t know how I missed posting this drawing from Comic Con 2015. I was only there for a day, but I had my sketchbook at the ready to make drawings of the brothas I encountered in the convention center. One thing I love about Comic Con is that there are so many Black people in attendance that it would be impossible for me to capture even one tenth of the number of Black folks who are there. I’ve definitely been to my share of conferences at which you could fit all the Black people in a walk-in closet, so I don’t take this opportunity to commune with sci-fi and comics fans of African descent. It is an absolute joy to be surrounded by so many unabashedly nerdy Black folks; and each of my trips to Comic Con is so very special to me because, however long or short my time there, for a few hours or a few days, I am truly among my people.

Ajuan Mance

African Diaspora, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Black Men, New York, Subway

1001 Black Men #903

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I spotted this brother wearing a kufi during my last trip to New York. He was on the subway, and in real life, he was actually wearing a coat (it was kind of chilly, but not fully cold). I noticed him because he was reading a newspaper on the train, a common sight during childhood trips on the Long Island Rail Road, but a rare occurrence in the current era of smartphones and tablets.

Ajuan Mance

Ajuan Mance, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Bearded Men, Beards, Black Men, San Leandro

1001 Black Men #902

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I recently walked into a Chili’s restaurant. I was in the midst of a long and stressful workday, and I need to get away from my office to relax and clear my head. I was looking for a sports-oriented restaurant where I could watch a little ESPN or Fox Sports  and have some buffalo wings.

Curiously enough, Chili’s does not serve buffalo wings. They do, however, begin their happy hour at 11am. That likely explains the number of people seated at the bar in the middle of the day. The man in this drawing was part of a multi-racial, multi-ethnic group of construction workers seated around the bar enjoying French fries, televised sports, and large glasses of beer. For a few minutes, I sat at a nearby table taking in the surroundings and imagining what it must be like to go to work so early in the morning, that after work drinks begin around 2pm.

Then, after confirming that the only buffalo “wings” at Chili’s are boneless (in other words, breaded chunks of chicken breast with no dark meat anywhere in sight), I got up from my table and headed back out to my car.

Next time I’m seeking the peaceful diversion of sports and spicy wings, I’ll stop in for lunch at Ricky’s Sports Theater. They’ve got over 90 screens of sports programming, and chicken wings are always on the menu.

Ajuan Mance

 

Ajuan Mance, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Black Men, New York, Whitney Museum

1001 Black Men #901

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At the Whitney Museum, New York, New York.

***

On my recent research trip to the Brooklyn Historical Society, I traveled to Manhattan to see the Archibald Motley exhibit at the Whitney Museum. If you’re not familiar with Archibald Motley, he was a wonderfully talented Modernist painter, frequently associated with the Harlem Renaissance. I’ve been familiar with Motley’s work because of my work in Harlem Renaissance literature. I’d seen a few of his paintings in books; but I’d never seen even one of his paintings in real life, until I stepped out of the elevator and into this exhibit. For a moment, the experience of being in the same room with so many of Motley’s works took my breath away.  I don’t even know how to express the impact of experiencing the work of a Black man, born in the nineteenth century, who dared to make his art his life. He paved the way for so many of us. How can I not work to the best of my ability? How can I not strive to prove myself worthy of his path?

Ajuan Mance

Ajuan Mance, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Black Men, Black Writers, Mills College

1001 Black Men #900

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Today marks the 900th drawing in the 1001 Black Men series, and a milestone post like this demands a very special portrait. For this drawing, I have chosen my portrait of African American poet and activist Lateef McLeod. Lateef is a former student of mine, and I consider myself very privileged to have had the opportunity to work with him.  He is a committed activist in the area of disability rights, and he is an accomplished poet and essayist. The quote I’ve included in this portrait is from his poem, “I Am Too Pretty for Some Ugly Laws.” You can read the full text of this poem and others at his website.

Poet Lateef McLeod holds a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Mills College. He is the author of A Declaration of a Body of Love, a collection of poems on the themes of family, disability, the body, and coming of age. Lateef has written for The Huffington Post,  The Disability Visibility Project, Disability Right Now, Konch Magazine, and many other publications. He is currently an intern for Sins Invalid, organization that “incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities.”

Ajuan Mance

 

Ajuan Mance, Art, Black Men, African American, Artist, Black Boys, Black Youth, Oakland

1001 Black Men #897

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I am not really a dog person. I don’t particularly like the idea of scooping poop, and dog kisses are a bit wetter and slimier than I can tolerate. Also, I’m allergic to most dogs; and German Shepherds, Huskies, Malamutes, and similar breeds can launch me into a sneezy, congested, throat-closing allergic frenzy.

Despite all of this, I melted a little when I saw this kid standing on the corner of Foothill and 50th, cradling a sweet pit bull puppy. There was something about the gentle way he held the dog in in the crook of his arm–and something about the way the dog looked up at him with complete trust–that told me this dog would never be in a fight, would never be neglected, and would never go without.

Posted by Ajuan Mance

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