February 2025 Edition

Culture, History, & News

Princess Yennenga

What are you willing to sacrifice for your dreams? And for what kind of dream?  These must have been some of the questions in the mind of Princess Yennenga as she faced her father’s expectation for her life path and the path she wanted to take for herself. She lived during the 12th century (1100-1200 C.E.) in the Kingdom of Dagomba, northern Ghana. As the only child of the king, she was trained to be the next monarch and was such a great warrior that she led her father’s army. She received much praise for her accomplishments, still she longed to marry and have children. The king refused her to wed and insisted her focus remain on leadership. There was no middle ground between her father’s demands and the desires of her own heart.

Bravely, she decided to pursue her own life path and fled into the night with help from the king’s horseman. On their travels they were attacked by Malinka warriors, Princess Yennenga was able to escape but her countryman was killed. She found shelter in the home of a hunter. They fell in love and she gave birth to a son, Ouedraogo, and their lineage can be found in the royal line of the Mossi people.

Princess Yennenga is revered as the queen mother of the Mossi people in present-day Burkina Faso. She is immortalized in stories, street names, and statutes. Even the national football team is named in her honor. What an amazing legacy of dreams fulfilled by a woman’s warrior spirit. Happy Black History Month!

💖For Additional Reading

1.) The Yorks Shona Gallery: The Mossi Tribe 

2.) The Standard: Traditional King in Burkina Faso Wins Africa Peace Award (2017)

*Notice: The article “Princess Yennenga” was first published in the October 2019 Edition. To view click here.

Art/Film/Literature News

Saint Valentine

Saint Valentine was a priest during the time of the Roman Empire. Rome’s imperial ambition to expand their empire required the ability of strong soldiers to conquer other nations. The Emperor Claudius made a law in which soldiers were forbidden to marry, so they could focus strictly on military life. But the emperor underestimated the power of love and the power of a priest named Valentine. Learn more about this historical story in the book: Saint Valentine: The Legend of Saint Valentine – A Bilingual Book in English and Spanish (Around the World by Magic Spells for Teachers LLC) By Marisa Boan (43 pages, 2022, kindle edition).

Young soldiers who desired to marry their sweethearts, would ask Valentine to perform the wedding ceremony. He conducted several secret marriages until he was imprisoned and later martyred. He died on February 14th, 269 C.E. This children’s book has a simple storyline and cute illustrations. A good book for both children and adults!

Valentine’s Day includes the traditional red roses, chocolate, and the card giving custom. But what are the other origins of this romantic holiday? This holiday has both pagan and non-pagan roots. According to History.com (2022): 

“The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred…others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia…Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture…” ¹ 

So, this holiday has an interesting back-story. For those of the Judeo-Christian tradition the approach to this holiday does not involve the worship of a pagan deity. It’s a moment to show love for family and friends, which should be year-long. But honestly, who doesn’t appreciate a bonus day that celebrates the gift of love! Happy Valentine’s Day!   

Bibliography

(1) History.com Editors. “History of Valentine’s Day.” History. A & E Television Networks. Originally published December 22, 2009. Last Updated January 24, 2022. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2

*Notice: The article “Saint Valentine” was first published in the February 2024 Edition. To view click here.

Business/Non-Profit/Inspirational News

Earl Carl Institute

The Earl Carl Institute at Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law is working with underserved communities to understand inheritance and property title laws. The previous era of African American homeowners left homes to descendants to maintain generational wealth and family stability. Today, these beneficiaries encounter obstacles related to gentrification, lack of estate planning, multiple heirs, and foreclosure. According to BlackNews.com: “The loss of land and property due to heirs’ property issues disproportionately impacts African American communities, where homeownership and land assets often represent the primary form of wealth. Without legal support, these families can quickly find themselves at risk of losing their homes, sometimes to investors eyeing high-value properties in neighborhoods ripe for redevelopment.”

Texas HBCU Expands Free Legal Support to Protect Family Property for Houston’s Underserved Communities

Book Review

The Brown Betty

This mother (Linda) and daughter (Norrinda) duo share family recipes that will satisfy your sweet tooth and warm the heart in the book: The Brown Betty Cookbook: Modern Vintage Desserts and Stories from Philadelphia’s Best Bakery (232 pages, 2013, kindle edition). Many of the recipes are named for different matriarchs of their family and historical tidbits are given about each woman. There are photos and recipes for various types of poundcake and buttercream frosting. The instructions are easy to follow with several tips to make the final product fabulous.

After 12 years, they closed their Philadelphia bakery the Brown Betty Dessert Boutique to focus on the wholesale market. They have partnered with singer Patti Labelle and Walmart. This cookbook remains a testament to the heart and soul of their baking tradition. A great read!

💖Book Quotes:

“I love this strawberry cake so much that we flew it across country to California for my wedding.”

“It is a lovely, light chocolate cake with a sweet, but slightly tart raspberry puree filling – a match made in cake heaven.”

“Sure enough, when Leon got back from the war, he and Betty began a courtship that led to a fifty-five-year marriage.”

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