A day at the Museum

Visiting our local Black History Museum in Chicago. The DuSable is full of rich historical artifacts and futuristic art.

What really made the greatest impact on me was the slave field cradle. The work never stopped and babies never stopped coming. The slaves had no time to rest and went back to work right after giving birth picture 11.

Our looks:

Zi'Joy thrifted denim dress with pink kisses. Thrifted Leopard print pants rolled at the calf. Pink moccasins Wal-Mart. Her signature thrifted red hat and custom made flower headband.

MaMa Donna upcycled custom made dress by Creative Flow designer Oshun Bey. Earring hand crafted. Thrifted heaswrap, flower pin, denim leggings. Shoes Wal-Mart. Surprisingly comfortable given we walked a museum.

I try to tie in our our looks with accessories. Today it was our flowers.

Have a great day and let us know What you think.

History on Jean Point Dusable. He was the first permanent settler in Chicago was a black man named Jean Baptiste Point DuSable. He was born on the island of Haiti around 1745 to a French mariner and a mother who was a slave of African descent.
DuSable was educated in France and then, in the early 1770s, sailed to New Orleans. From there, he made his way up the Mississippi River to Peoria, Illinois where he married a Potawatomi woman named Catherine in a tribal ceremony.

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27 Comments

  • RobinF replied 6 years ago

    I have missed your posts! Both of you are looking wonderful, love the denim touches. And thanks for the history! Very interesting!

  • Sisi replied 6 years ago

    You both look beautiful in those bright colors! Wonderful outfits. Thank you for the history.

  • Angie replied 6 years ago

    Little Nugget is getting a rich education at a young age. BRILLIANT. And so are your KILLER matching styles. 

  • Joy replied 6 years ago

    I have missed your voice and posts. Zi'Joy is a ray of sunshine. Your outfits are wonderful with the flower theme and color.

  • Laura G replied 6 years ago

    YLF in the green and blue outfit! 

  • Inge replied 6 years ago

    I have missed you too, Ledonna! Love both your outfits, the floral accents are such a brilliant touch! And your blue shoes are so fun!
    Thank you for providing extra info on the museum and history.

  • rachylou replied 6 years ago

    Love the big hat on Zi' and your wrap. Also: love the giant farmer painting you're standing in front of! Makes me want more walls! Lol :)

    Also: the slave cradle makes me think of Pearl S. Buck's book about China back when, The Good Earth. About the peasant farmer. Buys himself a bride and the woman delivers her baby herself and then goes back to the field. It's really an awful gruesome description...

  • Barbara Diane replied 6 years ago

    Wow, I don't know what to say re: the stuff at the museum. Heartbreaking.
    You two look so good. I've never seen such a big flower on a baby/child's hat. So stylish.

  • Ledonna N. replied 6 years ago

    Thank  you so much everyone.  I must say it it challenging writing typing out our day.  I have so many pictures We went to the zoo last weekend but I looked like a hot mess and did not even care we had so much fun. I included2 pictures. We saw a baby hippo and a peacock among other animals.

    Barbara I have a friend that makes the flowers into headbands.  I put the headbands on her hast in the summer and some can go on her winter knit hats.  Go big or go home. 

    Rachy Lou I've not read the Good Earth in a long long while.  Such a sad and great read at the same time. 

    Thank you so much everyone you know we love a bright color.  The museum was a black history museum and it was both uplifting and sad.  They will be installing a tribute room to President 44 Barack and Former 1st lady soon and some other art.  It was my 1st time back sense grade school.  I felt like I needed to go and to show Zi'Joy part of our American History.  I hope to visit all of the museums with her in Chicago then eventually bring her to Washington D.C.  to really open her eye to what American can be and will be once Again someday. 

  • Jaime replied 6 years ago

    Your posts are wonderful! ZJ is going to grow up to be one cultured woman with an unbeatable style. 

  • Lucy replied 6 years ago

    I join the throng in saying I have missed your posts the last few weeks! You look fabulous, and I adore the matching flowers. 

    I am a gender historian in my real life, and really, mothers have endured so much. That cot is a striking, sad reminder of how mothers have long had to juggle work and children - and of the savage exploitation of those mothers. So amazing that Zi'Joy will come to slowly know and understand all of this. 

  • Jeanie replied 6 years ago

    Omgosh....The style!!.....the cuteness !!!  Missed you both.

  • Ledonna N. replied 6 years ago

    Shevia I'm waiting for the day d
    She just wants to wear jeans and tennis shoes. Lol

    Jeanie lol thank you so much

    Lucy what a fabulous field of study. Women have been THEE GATE KEEPS throughout history. I'm in awe of how hard we as a collective ha e had to fight to be equal.

    I've missed the interaction of the group. I will try to post more .

  • DonnaF replied 6 years ago

    The two of you are so adorable!!! Love your WIWs.

    This museum is now on my list to see next month when I'm in CHI.

  • Lyn D. replied 6 years ago

    Thank you for this interesting post and the beautiful pics!

  • Bijou replied 6 years ago

    It is horrible to think of the hardship and cruelty faced by slaves. Seeing the chains is incredibly moving. Great to see this juxtaposed with the beautiful art and positive freedom movement. We need to remember the past and honor those who took a stand and were a force for good.

    Your outfits are beautiful. Zion'Joy gets more delightful in every post. Motherhood suits you so well.

  • Column replied 6 years ago

    Museums are meant to both educate and inspire, and it looks like this one does both. Thank you for sharing. Please keep us posted on President 44 and First Lady exhibit so that we can partake virtually and/or in person (and there is modeling in Nugget's future. She is GORGEOUS!)

  • ClaraT replied 6 years ago

    I love the report on the museum and (of course!) the outfits. The slave field cradles are heartbreaking. I can't even imagine :-( 

  • Ledonna N. replied 6 years ago

    Donna F. It was so many people from different backgrounds and ethnicities that went. The Sunday that I went that we went I think you would love it. It's really a sight to behold it's it's kind of sad in a way but there's so many of us so much history and so much promise for the future.

    Bijou the beauty of history and parts of our culture, parts of the American fabric you can see it's woven into this Museum. I wish I had a posted all of my pictures but there were photos from all the wars from the beginning of the history of America. Soldiers of black women in the armed services back in the day before it integrated womrn. Just beautiful and tragic and sad and beautiful and hopeful at the same time.

    Column I surely will I think I'll go back once a month because it's beautiful beautiful place. When winter settles in it will be nice to get out and see culture in the warmth of a beautiful Museum. I should inquire when they are going to have tne #44 tribute room up and ready.

    The slave cradle what can I say about it it is what it is makes me wonder if that was only for slaves because settling this country everyone had to be hands on. Babies were just a fact of life.

    Thank you all for again reading and taking this journey with us and accepting Zi'Joy in to our fashionable fold.

  • karen13 replied 6 years ago

    It is so good to "see" you two looking so great. Your baby is getting so grown up. The museum is inspiring and sobering. I would like to visit it with my DD.

  • JuniperGreen replied 6 years ago

    You are exquisite in that green and little nugget in her fuchsia!  

    What a special outing for the two of you to share together.  Thank you for giving us a peek! 

  • Ledonna N. replied 6 years ago

    Karen 13 I would highly recommend it.  Very historical and enlightning

    JuniperGreen You are so welcome.

  • Kate replied 6 years ago

    I’ve missed you, Ledonna. A pleasure to see you and Nugget in your denim. Thank you for the introduction to the DuSable Museum. I would like to visit it one day.

  • Stagiaire Fash replied 6 years ago

    I've thought of you, hoped you were doing just what you said you've been doing--so busy living life with your little girl that you haven't gotten around to writing. You both look great! Thanks for sharing her with us.

    I recall reading defenses of colonialism in Africa when my son was a baby. It is so hard to those horrific views of people in the midst of all the love and sweetness with a little one. These days I'm researching the history of ideas behind subdivisions in Tampa. That means things like Garden Cities and Greenbelts right along with racism and segregation.

  • Lisa replied 6 years ago

    I love how well the pink and green pair here. You two are adorable. And looks like an interesting exhibit too!

  • kerlyn replied 6 years ago

    Ledonna, thank you for sharing all your wonderful photos.  How great that little Nugget will grow up learning the history of our country; with all it's sadness, but also it's beauty and rich heritage.  The two of you are such a bright spot on this gray day!

  • Kari replied 6 years ago

    I love the snippets of your adventures with Z, and your colorful headwear (on both of you) made me smile. Zi'Joy Takes after her beautiful mama.
    The DuSable sounds incredible and moving. I'm struck dumb when I see chains used on humans-I don't have words for that kind of horror. I hope I can visit this important space someday.

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