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Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats










The Urban Life Experience Book discussion Series has been immersed in the outrage against racial injustice, mass incarceration and the killings of unarmed citizens by the police. Imagine how we responded when asked by the New Haven Free Public Library and the Long Wharf Theatre to read the book Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats. The book features black and white photos taken by Michael Cunningham. Journalist Craig Marberry provides the mini-bios of the women pictured. The group met on Saturday April 14th and actually had one of the best discussions ever.

The oral history provided in the women’s stories, although not so much concerned with criminal justice or race relations, was yet meaningful, providing another facet of African American culture. The forward was written by Maya Angelou, who asserted that “Truly the Civil rights Movement was begun In the Black Church.  She made the connection between African head coverings and African Americans covering their heads for church in submission to God. Of course submission evolved to adornment:

Addie Webster: “When I get dressed to go to church, I’m going to meet the King, so I must look my best.”

Among the women featured in the book one was a state representative, six were college professors, several were teachers, at least two were business owners. In spite of the book’s focus on head covering and adornment, there is some social history interspersed throughout.

Nancy Carpenter: “Back when I got my first hat, blacks could shop only in certain stores…In the sixties, we were finally allowed to in Montaldos.”

On the day of our book discussion, Shelara led us off with such issues in the book as colorism, feminism, economic empowerment, and desegregation. She related how even though the society told us we weren’t ladies, we adorned ourselves. Lenslie told us how even though the dress codes had been relaxed when she went to Bennett College, her aunt had gone before her and had to wear the hats gloves, and stockings every time they went off campus. One of the women in the book, Ms. Ollie Mc Dowell relates her story from her Bennett College days.



Ms. Dora Lee Brown, the oldest member of our book group, asserted, “I’m 81 years old and grew up in Kentucky. Church was where we had to wear our best things. Even at 16 years old I had my white gloves…I think that today we can have a little more respect for the church. Dolores Colon co-signed on this adding, “Even at funerals, people don’t dress to show the proper respect.
We all agreed that church on Sunday was the one day Black people could congregate. Betty pointed out that “the house servants and the field workers could be together in church. Church was where the Dr. Kings and the Andrew Youngs were started."

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