The Village: PAST. PRESENT. FUTURE

by Jay Simon, Curator

Lawndale: A Living History

Minneapolis, MN, where George Floyd was murdered

Photo credit: Manny Khawaja

“It takes a village to raise a child”  - African Proverb 

"It takes a village to raise a child" is an African proverb that means that an entire community of people must interact with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. The villagers look out for the children. This does not mean an entire village is responsible for raising a child or the children of a crowd.

“The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” - African Proverb

Toni Morrison, quoted in Essence, July 1981: “I don’t think one parent can raise a child. You really need the whole village.”

So, What is the village?

By definition the Village is a self-contained district or community within a town or city, regarded as having features characteristic of village life. 

By definition the Community is a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. 

One of the questions that I was recently asked was: How do you think about history when you're living through history? I think about history by studying the eras and timelines of history, observing the past in order to better craft the future. Listed below are some bullet points reflecting the state and climates of various eras, and insights into them from a music soundtrack perspective.

The Village Breakdown by Era 

80s Era

• Ronald Reagan is President  | Reaganomics | War on Drugs 

• Crack Epidemic 

• Job Market Unemployment Rate: 7.2% (Recession)

• Music Soundtrack: Kendrick Lamar | "A.D.H.D" | Section.80

Why "A.D.H.D" by Kendrick Lamar for the Music soundtrack? 

         

"A.D.H.D" Is a song about Kendrick and his knowledge of various drugs. 

The name of the album (Section.80) itself references two things:

Section 8 housing and the decade 1980s, specifically how Ronald Reagan cut the funding for Section 8 housing in half. This was also the decade Kendrick was born, so it directly relates to him. The song itself is about the drug epidemic that happened in the 80s and how the use of drugs (mostly crack cocaine) is very prevalent in his community and his generation. 

90s Era

• George Bush / Bill Clinton | Bush Oil and 1994 Crime Bill 

• Rodney King Beat Down & '92 LA Riots 

• Jordan Era 

• Job Market Unemployment Rate: 5.6%

• Music Soundtrack: Ice Cube | "How to Survive in South Central" | Boyz n the Hood

Why "How to Survive in South Central" by Ice Cube?

Police brutality and racial injustice was at all-time high in the streets of LA. 

The gang culture in the black and brown community was LIT, it was lo-key bussin. (That’s a slang term speaking in reference to the state and temperature of the culture.) Ice Cube eloquently describes and gives a blueprint on how to survive when in his neighborhood. 

2020 Era 

• Donald Trump is President | Trumpnomics 

• COVID-19 Pandemic, Global Pandemic, Protest and Riots 

• Job Market Unemployment Rate: 14% (Recession)

• Music Soundtrack: Kids See Ghosts | "Kids See Ghosts" | Kids See Ghosts

Why "Kids See Ghosts" for the 2020 Soundtrack?

I think it is safe to say with COVID-19, shelter in place, George Floyd's death, global protests, looting, and riots, that 2020 has scared the shit out of us. When Kanye West became a billionaire our eyes blinked like we saw a ghost.

LOL (Laugh out Loud) 

Real talk. 

So what does the village look like for the future?

To be continued…… The Village Pt. 2