The Collaboration
Known for unifying culture and community through individual expression, Cruvie Clothing Co. is expanding its reach into empowerment merchandising through a collaboration between Southern University student-athlete (tennis), Mackenzi Stewart.
The Collection
Know Your Truth? is empowerment apparel designed to educate and inform the masses about key concepts, events, people, etc. that were conveniently and intentionally left out of our history books. KYT? steps in where the K-12 educational system never picked up, providing basic, fundamental facts and truths about pivotal people, places and ideas in our society.
Slave Patrols
Did you know that the history of policing has some pretty dark origins? During slavery, slave patrols were typically armed, poor, white men that were employed to police the movement and behaviors of enslaved people. Policing as we know it today evolved directly from the evil practices of the slave patrols who often used brutality and force to control enslaved people.
Atlanta Race Riots
Atlanta is known as the city too busy to hate, but that wasn’t the case in 1906. The Atlanta Race Riot of 1906 was a culmination of many factors: job competition between Blacks and whites, an emerging class of elite Blacks who were gaining economic, political, and educational power, etc. As you can imagine, whites were not too happy about Black folks experiencing so much success. On September 22, 1906, after a heated governor’s race and multiple allegations that Black men were assaulting white women, tensions finally gave way. White mobs destroyed Black businesses, killing and injuring large numbers of Black people in the process.
Paramour Rights
“The most disrespected woman in America is the Black woman. The most un-protected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” – Malcolm X
“Paramour Rights” refer to the assumption that white men have a “right” to use Black women and little girls for sex regardless of whether or not they are willing or married to someone else. During enslavement, Black women and little girls were the sexual property of white enslavers. After the Civil War, that attitude continued. What’s not spoken about Paramour Rights is the role that white women played with their silence. Which makes the women’s movement very complicated for Black women…but that’s a whole ‘nother truth.
The Blue Vein Society
Turns out, white supremacy is not only an evil that consumes some white folks. It also can infect the hearts and minds of Black folks too. When it does, it shows up in ideas like the Blue Vein Society. Blue Vein Societies were exclusive clubs formed by lighter-skinned Blacks to separate themselves from the, so called, less desirable darker skinned Blacks. The last thing we need as Black folks is another thing to cause division and dissension between us. Yet here we are. Which is quite unfortunate. Because at the end of the day, we’re all the same kind of Black to racists.
HeLa Cells
Mrs. Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. During the tumor biopsy, doctors, without her consent or permission, took a sample of her cancer cells and sent them to Dr. Gey’s research lab. To his surprise, he discovered that Mrs. Henrietta’s cells could survive and reproduce indefinitely. Mrs. Henrietta’s cells were widely distributed and used in experiments that led to ground-breaking discoveries for modern medicine. Her cells have been patented and commercialized thousands of times, yet her own children struggled to afford basic healthcare. Check out NPR’s feature on Mrs. Henrietta’s story. You can also learn more about Ms. Lacks, her legacy and the good folks who are working to make things right at henriettalacksfoundation.org
Colorism
Turns out, white supremacy is not only an evil that consumes some white folks, it also can infect the hearts and minds of Black folks too. When it does, it shows up in ideas like colorism. The National Conference for Community and Justice defines colorism as: “A practice of discrimination by which those with lighter skin are treated more favorably than those with darker skin. This practice is a product of racism in the United States, in that it upholds the white standards of beauty and benefits white people in the institutions of oppression (media, medical world, etc.).” The last thing we need as Black folks is another thing to cause division and dissension between us. Yet here we are. Which is quite unfortunate. Because at the end of the day, we’re all the same kind of Black to racists.
Know Your Truth?
Our flagship signature tee that poses a simple question to the masses. Based on all the lies we’ve been spoon-fed in the K-12 educational system, this question is valid and deserves to be answered with knowledge.
Black Wall Street
Move on they say. Forget about the past and live in the present they say. Well… we’ve tried that several times. The destruction of Black Wall Street proves that no matter what we do, until we condemn white supremacy in this country, Black folks won’t be able to live peacefully. To learn about one of our nation’s worst acts of domestic terrorism, click the learn more link:
Atlanta’s Berlin Wall
With all this talk from White American leaders about building walls, it’s important to note that 45 wasn’t the first. In the heart of the City Too Busy Atlanta, Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. ordered barricades to be built across two Atlanta streets to discourage Black citizens from purchasing homes in an adjacent all White neighborhood. The wall was intended to separate White and Black sections of Peyton and Harlan Roads in Atlanta. This was in December 1962 by the way. Just for context, my maternal grandmother was two years old and she’s still alive today; so much for racism only existing during slavery. There’s a lot to be learned here, so check out the following link for a very well written and informative article by Paul Crater of Atlanta Magazine:
The Heritage
The Heritage is the story of the rise, fall, and fervent return of the athlete-activist. As athletes, we have a tremendous platform where some of us have been blessed to reach millions, to impact the world. For Black athletes, with that blessing comes a responsibility to speak on and speak out against social injustices. And for those of us with the bank accounts to do it, we have a responsibility to put dollars behind the movement. Not everyone, however, is equipped to be the voice and face of the movement. The Heritage by Howard Bryant is a must read book for student-athletes who want to learn more about athlete-activism; how to do it right and how to do it wrong. This Know Your Truth original is a salute to those Black athletes who made sacrifices for The Movement. Sacrifices that cost some such as Paul Robeson, John Carlos, Tommie Smith and Muhammad Ali more than any of us could ever know. Click the learn more link to learn more about Howard Bryant and his work.
Juneteenth: June 19, 1865
June 19, 1865 is the true Black American Independence Day. On July 4, 1776 when White folks was running and rejoicing through the streets about the independence they had won from Great Britain by way of the Revolutionary War (with the help of Black enslaved Americans no less), Black folks were still enslaved and had nothing to rejoice about.
Click the learn more link for more info.
Origin Stories Matter
When speaking about the plight of Black people in America, folks rarely start at the beginning. From housing, to economics, to eduction, to policing, there are reasons behind how these systems have been corrupted by racism. These reasons can be summed up in two words – people and policy. The next time you’re in a debate or discussion about race, start from the origin of whatever topic you’re discussing. As an aspiring education reformist, click the learn more link for insight on one of my favorite origin stories.
COINTELPRO
Understanding the Black American experience means understanding that our heroes don’t live to enjoy old age and the fruits of their activism labor. It’s not by accident of course. It’s all by design. COINTELPRO was a government-sponsored surveillance program that was created by J. Edgar Hoover to defame, discredit, intimidate and kill any leaders who presented themselves as Black American activists and leaders of Black Liberation.
Sundown Towns
According to www.blackpast.org, Sundown Towns are all-white communities, neighborhoods, or counties that exclude Blacks and other minorities through the use of discriminatory laws, harassment, and threats or use of violence. Check out the following link for more info on Sundown Towns so you can learn more truth and share it with others:
The Children’s Crusade
A lot of people will tell you that the March On Washington was a catalyst for change in the Civil Rights Movement. I will stand flat footed and tell anybody that the March On Washington was made possible almost entirely by the sacrifice of the African-American children who willingly participated in the Children’s Crusade in May of 1963. This tide turning event made all Americans finally pay real attention to the non-violent, Civil Rights Movement being led by Dr. King and other prominent leaders in the Black community. It was a tough decision for Dr. King and the leaders to make, but they had to do something to turn the consciousness of “White moderates” as he called them- White people who know racism was wrong, but will still tell Black people to wait until White people say it’s time to be free. Turns out all it took was unleashing water hoses and attack dogs on our babies to change a few minds. We always have to give blood sacrifices in order for the idea of first class citizenship to be a real idea for us. Woooosahhhh! For more on this pivotal, youth led event, check out this video: https://youtu.be/WV0k-3Hkjsw. And don’t forget to buy the shirt, join the movement and share truth.
The People’s Grocery
Have you ever experienced something that completely changed your outlook on life? Have you ever witnessed something that shook you to your core so forcefully that you had no choice but to act? Well, our ancestor, Ida B. Wells would answer “yes” to both questions. Click the following link to learn more about one of the most pivotal moments of her life and career– the brutal and unjust lynching of her dear friends, Thomas Moss, William Stewart, and Calvin McDowell, owners of the People’s Grocery in Memphis, Tennessee. Check out the following link for more info on The people’s grocery so you can learn more truth and share it with others:
AfroFuturism
When you think of AfroFuturism, what do you think of? Black Panther? Lovecraft Country? Do you think of magic-wielding, techno-savvy Black folks navigating mystical realms or traveling through time and space? I mean…all that sounds cool, but you know what seemed pretty magical and futuristic to our ancestors? The possibility that one day they could experience genuine freedom, independence, and autonomy. Click the link to learn more about AfroFuturism and its meaning in the Black community:
Plantation Politics
Recall what you know about the nature of interactions between enslavers and enslaved people or solely amongst enslaved people during American slavery. Now, think about Reconstruction. The Civil Rights Movement. Today. Has much changed? I mean, really think about it. Has plantation life and all the politics, trauma, and suffering that came with it really ended, or has it simply evolved? While some will try to relegate this term solely to politics, I propose that the magnitude of the psychological warfare that our ancestors and elders endured just to get through their everyday lives has shaped the way we’ve socialized, aka raised, our generations. Why do Black children have to show how good they can be by demonstrating obedience versus White children who get to frolic and play? Why is colorism such a stumbling block within the Black race? These and many other topics and norms can be traced back to the plantation and the politics of it all.
About Mackenzi Stewart
Fueled by her parents’ passion for racial and social justice, Mackenzi has been on the front lines of social impact since the age of six when her parents launched the family’s non-profit organization, L.E.A.D. Center for Youth. L.E.A.D. is a sport based youth development organization that uses baseball and tennis to teach Black boys and girls how to overcome crime, poverty and racism. Through volunteering, designing and organizing programming, and performing various administrative duties that include donor management and event planning and execution, Mackenzi developed her own conviction and discovered her calling in the social justice landscape: promoting and designing culturally responsive educational ecosystems. In 2019, Know Your Truth? was birthed from her own quest for more knowledge about the African Diaspora. Now, as the Director of Tennis for L.E.A.D., Mackenzi continues to regularly conduct Know Your Truth? sessions with L.E.A.D.’s Ambassadors, Jr. Ambassadors, and Lady Ambassadors, preparing them to be Atlanta’s next well-informed change agents.