black southern belle

July 23, 2017

15 African American Pageant Images We Adore

Michiel Perry / Home Decor & Fashion, Uncategorized / African American Pageant, African American Queen, Black Pageants, black southern belle, Miss Black USA, Pageant Queen / 0 Comments

Pageant culture is a big deal in the South. From sequins to HBCUs, Black Southern Belle women love a good pageant. We have curated 15 African American Pageant Images we adore. These ladies exude all of the style and grace of a Black Southern Belle and are definitely an inspiration for a shopping trip. Check out our 15 African American Pageant Images We Adore and be sure to share your favorites with us!

1)These stylish pageant ladies look adorable in their flowy dresses. A classic look that is always in style.

2) These beautiful ladies are beaming after wining their pageants. We can’t get enough of their gorgeous bouquets!

3) This is a classic image of pageant queens showing off all of their poise and style. Can’t get enough of these ladies!

4)These ladies are smiling from ear to ear after they win their awards. Such classic beauties!

5)These stylish women are waiting behind the scenes to make their pageant debut. They look so stylish even under all the pressure.

6) These gowns and gloves are to die for. We want these outfits just to display in our office closet!

7)These stylish ladies are giving us all the 1960s style we can take! These dresses are exactly what dream of in a ball gown!

8)After weeks of preparing for a pageant, everyone needs a chance to rest and smile. Smiling in style is even better!

9)These women are in perfect formation as they get ready for their pageant. We adore their vintage style!

10)We all deserve the chance to ride in style. This pageant lady is showing us exactly how to do it!

11)Pageants are the perfect time to bust out the sequins. These classic 80s looks are everything!

12)Half the fun of being a Black Southern Belle Pageant girl is riding a float. Check out these stylish ladies as they enjoy the perks!

13) It is a special moment to pass the pageant torch to the next queen. We love this image of sisterly support!

14)A skirt never hut anyone. These ladies look adorably stylish in their fashionable looks!

15)Feathers and sequins are always a good idea. This is the classic pageant look and we can’t get enough!

July 21, 2017

7 Pieces of Neutral Seating We Love from Taylor King

Michiel Perry / Home Decor & Fashion, Uncategorized / black southern belle, home decor, interior design, Pieces of Neutral Seating, seating, seatingb, sofa, southern decor / 0 Comments

Are you a Black Southern Belle newlywed looking to add some great seating to your first home? Maybe you are a recent grad or new home owner decorating your first real space. Today we have 7 Pieces of Neutral Seating We Love from Taylor King that will look good in any room in your home. Seating is very important to any home, it should be stylish and comfortable and anchor your entertaining spaces. These 7 Pieces of Neutral Seating will help you do just that. Check out our favorites and get inspiration for your next decor project and pair them with this art!

1)MILANO CHAIR

Shown in “Vinca Indigo,” a vibrant floral print, the Milano Chair brightens up any living room, bedroom, or sitting area. Sleek, tapered legs in a “Brierwood” finish add an elegant touch.

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2)VANCE SWIVEL CHAIR

Shown in “Inverno Creekside” fabric, the Vance Swivel Chair features an exposed wood frame in a “Hazelnut” finish. The wood outlines the frame and highlights the clean lines of this sharp design.

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3)VINCENT CHAIR

“Navarro Otter” fabric lends a velvet-soft hand to the Vincent Chair. The luxurious details continue with button tufting on the seat and back, clean-lined wings, and subtle nail head accents. Tapered legs in a “Brierwood” finish complete the design. blobid2_1492447186645 7 Pieces of Neutral Seating We Love from Taylor King

4)DARCY SWIVEL CHAIR

“Murphin Linen,” a botanical woven, gives eyecatching texture and contrast to the Darcy Swivel Chair. The fabric leads the eye vertically along the design, complementing the waterfall skirt and highlighting the chair’s precise tailoring.

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5)CARSYN SOFA

“Myth Haze” fabric covers the Carsyn Sofa’s frame and cascades into a waterfall skirt. This lovely “new traditional” design is equally comfortable as it is elegant.

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6)BERKLEY SOFA

The Berkley Sofa exudes a bright, airy personality with a lightly textured fabric, “Brentwood Vanilla.” The exposed wood frame and legs are shown in “Mineral,” a new light wood finish.

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7)RHETT SOFA

The Rhett Sofa features wide arms and block legs for a bold, modern look, with pillow-style back cushions that exude comfort. “Luxe Platinum” fabric pairs perfectly with the new “Mineral” wood finish.

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July 21, 2017

African American History Books You Need On Your Coffee Table

Michiel Perry / Home Decor & Fashion, Uncategorized / african american history, African AMerican history books, black southern belle, history books / 0 Comments

Are you history buff looking to add to your book collection? We are in the same boat. So today we decided to curate a few of our favorite picks of African American History books that will inform you and also look great on your coffee table. There is nothing better than curling up to a great book while relaxing on your porch and these are some of the bests. These African American History Books should be in everyone’s home and make great gifts for recent graduates or newlyweds looking to decorate their first home. Send us some of your favorites and we will be sure to add to the list!

Charlotte (NC) (Black America Series)

As in many cities in the early 20th-century South, the African-American citizens of Charlotte created their own society that mirrored the larger white community. Yet, black Charlotte was always self-sustaining, with its own schools, library, and businesses. Second Ward High School (1923-1969) was the area’s first high school for blacks, and although the school and much of its surroundings have since been razed, the photo archive at the Second Ward Alumni House Museum helps keep alive the memories of the school and the entire black community.

Nashville, Tennessee (TN) (Black America Series)

From Nashville’s earliest days as a pioneer town in Middle Tennessee, the black population has provided a
valuable contribution to Nashville’s growth and development as a premier Southern city. Possessing a
heritage rooted in slavery, emancipation, Reconstruction, and Civil Rights-era reforms, the black community has persevered through their determination, spiritual strength, and the unique leadership fostered by the visionary city they call home.

Hertford County (NC) (Black America Series)

When Hertford County was established in 1759, Eastern North Carolina had served as a home to African Americans for more than 170 years. Over time free blacks and the Meherrin people married, creating a unique free black community of farmers and artisans. Since that time, residents, enriched by diversity, have enjoyed the countyÃs small-town feel and picturesque landscape.

Hampton, Virginia (VA) (Black America Series)

From the Civil War period, Hampton’s African-American community has fashioned strong churches, institutions, businesses, and a major university where political and economic leaders have emerged. The indefatigable spirit of a people once called “contraband” has a remarkable story illustrated by vintage photographs of Emancipation Oak, Freedom Fortress, Aberdeen Gardens, Little England Chapel, Bayshore Beach, and other historic sites.

Macon, Georgia (Black America Series)

In this engaging new visual history showcasing Macon’s African Americans, vintage photographs illuminate the contributions and achievements of black citizens who have lived and worked in the heart of Georgia for more than one hundred and fifty years. Local landmarks, such as the Douglass Theater and the Harriet Tubman Museum, and unique African-American communities, such as Summerfield and Pleasant Hill, are testament to the indelible mark left on Macon by its enterprising black residents.

African American Women (Double Exposure)

Volume 3 of Double Exposure highlights NMAAHC’s rich collection of photographs of African American women, some of whom are cultural icons. This volume demonstrates the dignity, joy, heartbreak, commitment, and sacrifice of women of all ages and backgrounds, with photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Beverly Conley, Robert Galbraith, Ernest C. Withers, Wayne F. Miller, P.H. Polk, Joe Schwartz, and Milton Williams.

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

Kadir Nelson’s Heart and Soul—the winner of numerous awards, including the 2012 Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Honor, and the recipient of five starred reviews—now features eight pages of discussion and curriculum material. The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. This is the story of the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton for their masters; it’s about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it’s about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It’s a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination, and triumphs.

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

“We are the ship; all else the sea.”-Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League. The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.

Life Upon These Shores: Looking at African American History, 1513-2008

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., gives us a sumptuously illustrated landmark book tracing African American history from the arrival of the conquistadors to the election of Barack Obama. Informed by the latest, sometimes provocative scholarship and including more than seven hundred images—ancient maps, fine art, documents, photographs, cartoons, posters—Life Upon These Shores focuses on defining events, debates, and controversies, as well as the signal achievements of people famous and obscure. Gates takes us from the sixteenth century through the ordeal of slavery, from the Civil War and Reconstruction through the Jim Crow era and the Great Migration; from the civil rights and black nationalist movements through the age of hip-hop to the Joshua generation. By documenting and illuminating the sheer diversity of African American involvement in American history, society, politics, and culture, Gates bracingly disabuses us of the presumption of a single “black experience.”

July 18, 2017

9 Images of Vintage Bridesmaids Style

Michiel Perry / Home Decor & Fashion, Love & Dating, Uncategorized / black southern belle, bridesmaids, southern weddings, style, vintage bridesmaids style, wedddings, whitley gilbert / 0 Comments

It happens to all of us. One day we are enjoying life, the next thing you know we are asked to be a bridesmaid. We are so excited for our friend but also terrified of what we will be wearing. With that in mind, we compiled a few images of Vintage Bridesmaids Style to remind us that is about making the memories and not what we are wearing.

Today’s Vintage Bridesmaids Style was one of our favorite pieces. From cocktail style dresses to flowing gowns, bridesmaids style is continually changing but one thing remains the same and that is the love you feel for your friend who is getting married. It is an honor to be a bridesmaid and if you have to wear an explosion of tulle for your Whitley Gilbert Bridezilla you will do it and return the favor when you get married 🙂 Thankfully most Black Southern Belle brides are stylish and you won’t have to worry about that 😉

1)Can’t go wrong with a classic cocktail dress and sheer shawl. These ladies look precious!

2) Satin is always in for us and these off the shoulder cap sleeve dresses are classic elegance.

3) A little lace never hurt anyone and this classic A line dress is one you will want to keep in your closet even after the wedding.

4)It wouldn’t be a southern bride if there wasn’t a little bush. These flowy pink dresses were all the rage in 70s and is a classic wedding image.

5)This has to be the wedding of an AKA. If you can’t choose just one color, go with both!

6) Gloves, full-length gowns and mini veils will never go out of style in our book. We love this classic evening gown look on these bridesmaids.

7) These dresses are perfect for a bridesmaid or a guest. Such a classic cut that looks good on everyone.

8) Lavender is always a wedding go to. These flowing gowns in multiple shades were definitely a hit in the 70s.

8)Can’t go wrong with a sunhat and it is, even more, fun to wear as a bridesmaid. Perfect to protect from the heat in an outdoor wedding.

9) A sunhat and a cape are all we needed to see. This maid of honor is the epitome of vintage style and we think we need to borrow that cape for our next dinner party!

July 17, 2017

10 Items for Your Tabletop from Steve McKenzie’s

Michiel Perry / food, Home Decor & Fashion / black southern belle, dinner party, Items for Your Tabletop, southern soiree, table decor / 0 Comments

Hosting a dinner party or a family gathering and want to add some style to your table? Today we are here to help the Black Southern Belle hostess add some modern southern style to her tabletop. Here are our 10 Favorite Items from Your Tabletop from Atlanta Based, Steve McKenzie’s These pieces are the perfect items for your tabletop and will be sure to impress even your pickiest guest. From all price points, you can splurge or add style on a budget with these items. Happy hosting and feel free to email us with your entertaining questions!

1)ALLURE ARMOIRIES APPETIZER PLATE ORANGE

Allure is a dinner service designed with a genuine feel for refinement, by ceramic artist Olivier Gagnère who has drawn on original and distinctive Gien features for this study. Allure, a state-of-the-art tribute to the heritage and craftsmanship of Gien. This is the perfect piece for the Delta in your life.

2) WOOD COASTER PLAID – SET OF 12

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Looking for a classic set of coasters to add to your next dinner party or cocktail affair? These letterpress printed wood coasters are it. Add these to your table for a relaxed formal look that will be sure to impress your guests and protect your furniture.

Looking for a way to display your favorite sweet potato pie or pound cake? The Kerry Cheese/Cake Dome is exactly what you need. When you aren’t using it to display desserts, it is a perfect place to display fruit or a floral arrangement.

4)LOOP INDIGO BUTLER TRAY

Love serving drinks or adding a DIY cocktail station to your dinner party? This piece adds the perfect punch of color to your party and will be a crowd favorite for sure. Not to mention you can use it every day or as decor on your coffee table. Definitely, a piece to add to your collection.

5)FLORAL WIRE BOWL BLUE

This piece is a perfect place to create a unique bread basked. Just add your favorite linen napkin and you have a stylish bread basket. This piece can also substitute as a linen or utensil tray and is the perfect size for any table.

6) PEWTER KENTUCKY CUP 12 OZ.

Mint Juleps are a must at a southern soiree. This Kentucky Cup is a perfect piece to add to your drinkware collection and tabletop. You can never go wrong with this southern classic.

7)R. WOOD STUDIO DIPPING BOWL

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We love our sauces in the south. From honey to barbecue, you can never have enough. A dipping bowl is a great way to add some color to your table and stylishly display your favorite regional sauces.

8)ARABESQUE CLEAR PITCHER

Whether you are serving sweet tea or peach sangria, a pitcher is a must for a dinner party. A clear pitcher is always a great option as it displays well and will go with any color scheme you choose.

9)ACRYLIC V & A WATER GOBLET

These goblets are a showstopper for any party and are perfect for outdoors and indoors. If you want to have a piece that will work well with any event, this is a great option.

10)MELAMINE SERVING SET

Often overlooked, serving ware is a must for any dinner and can add a lot of fun to your decor. This durable piece is perfect for a shrimp boil or family gathering and adds the perfect splash of color to any white serving dish.

Pre Conference VIP Reception (24 of 157)

July 17, 2017

Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

Michiel Perry / food, Travel, Uncategorized / african american wine, black owned vineyards, black owned vineyards in the south, black southern belle, food, southern travel, travel, travel noire / 0 Comments

Do you love wine and the South? We have the perfect road trip for you. Today we are featuring a few of our favorite Black Owned Wineries in the South. Whether you are a novice or a pro, these vineyards are the perfect place to get your wine fix and learn more about the South. Plan a romantic weekend or a girlfriends getaway with some of our favorite Black Owned Wineries in the South. If you know of others, be sure to share and we will add to the list!

1)Bowman Vineyards

Bowman Vineyards invites you to experience our unforgettable muscadine wines from our family owned and operated vineyard since 2004. Bowman Vineyards spans 2 locations in Round O, South Carolina. On our Augusta Highway location, wine is produced and bottled. Several varieties of muscadines are grown and harvested on our Oakman Branch Road property. From our abundant harvest, distinctive flavors are derived from the sweet muscadine grapes to produce robust white, red and blush wines.

2)Taste Collection Cellars

Chef Rhonda Russell is an Executive Chef of Wine Arts and Winemaker, owner of Taste Collection Cellars. As the only African-American female to carry this title in the U.S. she works tirelessly to not only teach and educate and demystify food and wine lovers on unique flavor pairings and combinations she is also passionate on educating children on the love of good food.

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3)Williams Vineyard and Farm

The Williams Farm in Nesmith has a rich history, and one of its goals (besides producing juicy muscadine grapes) is to educate visitors about early African-American farm life in the rural South. The Rev. Gabriel Williams founded the farm in 1924, where he lived with his wife Mary and 20 kids in one crowded farmhouse as the first generation out of slavery. Today, the Williams Vineyard has won preservation awards for keeping their land and that farmhouse so intact. After his father’s passing, David Williams converted the farm from tobacco, cotton, and corn production to muscadine. The Williams make muscadine cider, but you have to go to Nesmith (northeast of Charleston, near Georgetown) to get a taste. Visit the farm for a tour and take home a bucket of grapes.

4)Tilford Winery

Tilford Winery is named after the late Sir Tilford Taylor of Utica, MS. Tilford Winery & Farms is a family owned and operated winery located in Kathleen, GA. Tilford Winery grows Organic Muscadine grapes in its vineyards throughout the Southeastern region of North America. Tilford Winery produces wine & juice. All products are organic.

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Feature Image by Aneris Photography

African_American_Pageant8 Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

July 23, 2017

15 African American Pageant Images We Adore

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July 21, 2017

7 Pieces of Neutral Seating We Love from Taylor King

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July 21, 2017

African American History Books You Need On Your Coffee Table

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July 20, 2017

How to Keep Organized this Fall with Storage from Overstock

Fall is coming before we know and it is the perfect time to get organized before the holidays. Be prepared to eliminate the morning madness with some simple storage solutions to keep the whole family on track. Here are a few of our favorite items to keep organized from the living room to the kitchen […]

frican_American_Church_Art2 Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

July 20, 2017

12 Pieces of African American Church Art We Love

Growing up as a Black Southern Belle, we all have memories attending church with our friends and family. There is something special about attending your hometown family church and seeing everyone you know in one room. Today we are showing 12 Pieces of African American Church Art that show just that. These pieces send us back […]

Darryl_Carter_RS_09 Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

July 19, 2017

Tips for Mixing Modern and Traditional Decor

Look for some refined design inspiration? The Darryl Carter Collection for Milling Road, Washington DC designer, Darryl Carter’s is the perfect place to look. If you are mixing modern and traditional decor this is a great place to start. According to ,Washington, DC, based Darryl Carter, “No two homes should ever be the same. ” […]

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July 19, 2017

Restaurant to Home: Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Crab Cake Biscuit

I grew up in the lowcountry which means seafood is king in my culinary world and I also love carbs, especially biscuits. When you mix the two together, you have a little piece of southern seafood perfection, better known as a Crab Cake Biscuit. If you are feeling inspired to try out this dish, we […]

Awendaw_Crab_Crack Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

July 19, 2017

Summer Seafood and African American Art – 5 Decor Pieces for the Foodie

Summer is here and it is all about shrimp and crawfish boils. There is something special about summer seafood in the South. Whether it is from the Gulf Coast or the Low Country, southern seafood is the perfect meal for any hot summer day. Here are at Black Southern Belle we love art and seafood. […]

Watermelon-Cubes-1 Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

July 18, 2017

3 Appetizers Perfect for Summer Networking

Hosting a client party or networking event this summer? You can make sure your event will stand out by including some great appetizers. There is one thing all Black Southern Belles love and that is good food. Today we have some help from Hamby Catering with 3 Appetizers Perfect for Summer Networking and should be […]

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July 18, 2017

9 Images of Vintage Bridesmaids Style

July 15, 2017

6 Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts In the South

Michiel Perry / Supporting our BSBs!, Travel, Uncategorized / bed and breakfast, Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts, black southern belle, southern travel, travel, travel noire / 0 Comments

Looking for somewhere to end the summer with a relaxing weekend trip or start off fall with romantic getaway? A Bed & Breakfast is your answer. We have curated a few of our favorites in the South and hope you add them to your travel list. These 6 Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts In the South are everything you dream of from southern hospitality.

1) Morehead Manor: Originally built for the CEO of Liggett and Meyers, this splendidly redecorated, 8,000 square-foot, Colonial Revival Style home is located within walking distance to the Downtown area, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) and historic Brightleaf Square. Morehead Manor is just moments away from Duke University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, NC, RDU International Airport, and is easily accessible to both Interstates 85 and 40.

2) Clevedale Historic Inn: This 1913 Colonial home, accented with stately columns, spacious porches, and opulent fireplaces, offers an atmosphere of casual elegance to the common gathering areas as well as the guest rooms. The sun-kissed porches invite guests to unwind with a good book and a pot of tea or a refreshing pitcher of lemonade. With its crackling fire, the Foyer and Parlor are ideal places to chat with friends over a glass of vintage port.

3)The Painted Lady: Looking to explore Augusta, GA. Be sure to check out this beautiful inn right in the heart of the historic district. Enjoy southern hospitality in a charming home-like atmosphere.

4) Magnolia House: Magnolia House Inn is a tastefully restored Queen Anne Victorian inn located in the heart of Virginia’s historic Peninsula. It is the perfect base for exploring the entire Southeastern Virginia area. Its three large guest rooms are impeccably appointed and offer the height of luxury. You’ll enjoy the full breakfast and the personal concierge service.

5) The Hubbard Mansion: An elegant Greek revival home, features five guest rooms with suite combinations providing modern luxuries in the spirit of historic style and elegance. All rooms are furnished with period antiques and precious heirlooms. Don and the late Rose Hubbard built The Mansion over 15 years ago and modeled the facade after a Natchez, Mississippi Mansion, located on the Natchez Bluffs at the southern end of the Old Spanish Promenade Grounds overlooking the Mississippi River.

6) The Matriarch: Orangeburg’s most charming boutique inn is nestled in the heart of historic downtown Orangeburg, SC and along the SC National Heritage Corridor Trail, The Matriarch satisfies the need for a full service small to medium size venue featuring elegantly themed guest quarters and meeting rooms.

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July 17, 2017

Black Owned Wineries in the South You Must Visit

AfricanAmericanBeach_BlackSouthernBelle5 6 Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts In the South

July 17, 2017

12 African American Beach Portraits We Adore

Summer in the South is not complete without a trip to the beach. Scenic views, marshland, and Spanish moss are the hallmark of a southern coast. We all have memories of oyster roasts, crabbing, sun bathing and warm waters with our family and today we are sharing some of our favorite African American Beach Portraits […]

July 15, 2017

6 Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts In the South

July 13, 2017

10 Items To Pack In Your Travel Bag

It’s summer time, the season for travel! Are you planning a trip this summer and trying to prepare? Black Southern Belle is here to help with 10 Items to Pack in Your Travel Bag. Whether you are traveling by plane, train, or car, a travel bag is very important for a successful trip. Your travel […]

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July 8, 2017

NOLA Travel: Ace Hotel Tour with a Foodie Guide

Today we are featuring a tour of the beautiful Ace Hotel in New Orleans, LA. This beautifully styled hotel sits on the cusp of New Orleans’ downtown core, in the warehouse district at the corner of Carondelet and Lafayette streets.The hotel worked with interior design and longtime collaborators firm Roman & Williams to create Ace Hotel […]

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July 3, 2017

The Black Southern Belles Behind Forsyth Seafood in Winston-Salem, NC

Today we are featuring a Black Southern Belle mother-daughter duo who owns a seafood restaurant in Winston, Salem, NC. Virginia and Ashley Hardesty are the Black Southern Belles behind Forsyth Seafood in Winston-Salem, NC. Forsyth Seafood is a fresh to direct seafood market and cafe which has strong roots in Eastern North Carolina food traditions, with […]

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June 21, 2017

5 Main Beach Getaways in Texas

Are you a Black Southern Belle looking for a beautiful beach getaway? Add Texas to that list of beach getaways and be pleasantly surprised this summer. Find tons of new scenery on the coast of Texas that is fun and a little closer to home. For years Texas has been branded by the infamous Cowboy […]

EFWE-Edison-Guest-House 6 Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts In the South

June 16, 2017

4 Places To Get Married in Fort Myers & Sanibel, FL

Looking to get married where the weather is always warm? Add Fort Myers and Sanibel Florida to your list. You can never go wrong with southern beach weddings. You can make them as traditional or modern as you like and you are guaranteed to have great seafood. Boca Grande Boca Grande, the heart of Gasparilla […]

blacksouthernbelle79of79 6 Black Owned Bed & Breakfasts In the South

June 14, 2017

10 Ways to Save On Your Summer Vacation

Are you ready for a BSB summer vacation and lots of fun in the sun? Summer vacation can really put a dent in your funds. Whether your are planning a road trip to the cabin or a fancy island getaway, it all adds up. Don’t throw away your hard earned money, save it! With a […]

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June 12, 2017

Juneteenth Celebrations 2017: Houston, TX

June 19, 1865 is forever remembered as the day the abolishment of slavery was announced. The day is marked as Juneteenth or Freedom Day, the celebration of the emancipation. June 19, 2017 marks 154 years since the ending of slavery! That’s a great reason to celebrate. If you live in or near Houston, Tx area […]

July 15, 2017

Our 5 Favorite Summer Pieces Made by Black Southern Belles

Michiel Perry / Home Decor & Fashion, Uncategorized / black southern belle, bsb, favorite summer pieces, Southern fashion, southern fashions, southern style, style / 1 Comment

Looking stylish is always a must for a Black Southern Belle and today we are helping to make sure you look your best. We have curated our 5 Favorite Summer Pieces Made by Black Southern Belles. These pieces are the perfect addition to your southern style collection and are classics that will be in style and keep you cool during the hot summer season. Happy shopping and be sure to share your outfits with us on social media!

1) Peplum for Summer: Rutledge top includes the cutest peplum you’ll every meet. Order it from Tiny Tassel here.

2) Off the Shoulder: Tradd top includes the cutest off the shoulder ruffle you’ll ever meet! Explore this piece owned by a Charleston Black Southern Belle here.

3) High Waist Fun: These sharp high waist “wear me now” trousers for women. Day or night be fierce, walk tall and throw in a hair flip. Order from Kentucky Black Southern Belle

4) Pencil Skirt Style: Looking for a fun and bold piece to pair with chambray, this pencil skirt is it. Check out one of our favorites from Emory James today here!

5) Off Shoulder Ruffled Blouse: Looking for a bold and classic summer look, this off shoulder ruffled blouse it. Check it out from one of our favorite Georgia Black Southern Belle hostesses at her shop here.

July 13, 2017

10 Favorite Vintage Images in the Kitchen

Michiel Perry / food, Home Decor & Fashion, Uncategorized / african American kitchen, black southern belle, Favorite Vintage Images in the KitchenFavorite Vintage Images in the Kitchen, vintage kitchen / 0 Comments

There is a special place in a southern home and that is the kitchen. Whether you are just enjoying a normal day, having a dinner party or hosting for the holidays, a kitchen is a special place in a Black Southern Belle home. Today we are featuring our favorite vintage images in the kitchen. These images evoke all sorts of memories of the past and past times with family. Use this favorite vintage images in the kitchen as a reminder to enjoy yourself at home and invite friends and family over at every chance you get.

Nothing like the holiday season in the kitchen especially when you are preparing the turkey and have a festive apron like the one pictured here.

Kitchens are for celebrations as well. Nothing like a beautiful sheetcake and linen to celebrate an occassion.

Embroidery is a beautiful thing especially as decor in your kitchen. This precious piece of vintage style stole our heart.

There is nothing like a little tea time in your kitchen. When you use fine china and silverware makes it even better.

We love seeing the vintage images of a kitchen especially the beautiful appliances. This picture is everything!

Kitchens are a great way to connect and this piece displays just that. Nothing like time with mom and grandma.

A dinner party is always a great time and this one makes us smile. Nice white linen and a happy family are all we need.

Babies love kitchens too. This one is precious! His all white outfit is a perfect accessory for this soft pink kitchen.

Cooking can be stylish and this the perfect example of it! From the black pumps to the sheer apron, this is a classic look that will never go out of style.

This picture shows the pride a Black Southern Belle has when she is preparing food for her loved ones. We wish we could see what she cooked!

July 13, 2017

10 Items To Pack In Your Travel Bag

Amiya Thomas / Travel, Uncategorized / african american travel, black southern belle, travel bag, travel noire / 0 Comments

It’s summer time, the season for travel! Are you planning a trip this summer and trying to prepare? Black Southern Belle is here to help with 10 Items to Pack in Your Travel Bag. Whether you are traveling by plane, train, or car, a travel bag is very important for a successful trip.

Your travel bag is the bag that is kept on your person while traveling to your vacation destination. While traveling you will have to take care of all your needs on the go. With these 10 items, you will get a great head start!

1 Travel Wallet

A travel wallet is number one on this BSB list for a great reason. To protect your CASH! Tourists and vacationers are targeted while having fun. Get a wallet that is small enough to fit in your bag, will keep your cash and cards secure, and still represents your southern style. 😉

2 Portable Charger

Cellphones are one thing no one will be leaving at home on this vacation. Buy a portable charger for your travel bag and never let your phone die on the go. Photographed is a basic portable charger, surf the web for solar powered, highly creative, or even custom chargers before your next trip.

3 Earphones

This one is probably a given for most…. but a good pair of earphones. You can get your big headphones or your small earphones, they both work! Keep the peace with the people around you and let your music soothe you.

4 Water Bottle

Portable water bottles are a must for any trip for me… even to the grocery store. the freedom of refilling your bottle at any water fountain is a perk that I willingly pay for. Grab one of these gorgeous water bottles for your travel bag.

5 Snacks/Gum

Pack some snacks alongside that water bottle. By bringing along these healthy treats not only are you saving your money on convenience store food (more like overpriced food), but your body will thank you by producing more energy for travel.

6 Mini Makeup Bag

You may not be carrying a huge handbag around for this adventure, but no travel bag is complete without a mini makeup kit. Every black southern belle needs a small treat in her bag and this makeup pouch will do just the trick!

7 Insta Camera

The 90s trend has come back with insta cameras. Taking selfies on your phone are no comparison to printing your memories out right then and there. This is optional, but I highly recommend you adding an insta camera to your travel bag this summer!

8 Travel Journal

What’s the point of having an insta camera if you’re going to lose all the pictures? Pack a travel journal along with the accessories to record your entire journey. Get creative and make your own travel journal to show off at your next BSB party.

9 Sunglasses

You can not leave you diva shades at home when traveling this season. Grab your favorite pair of shades to block the summer sun. Check out Black Southern Belle’s Vintage Summer Sunglasses for inspiration!

10 Comfy Socks!

Last but not least on this BSB travel list is for comfort. Grab your favorite comfy socks to make the long ride a little more bearable. I always travel with my fuzzy socks to keep warm and it helps me to sleep!

We hope you enjoyed this list of 10 Items to Pack in Your Travel Bag.

Photos credit: Pinterest

July 11, 2017

20 African American Cookbooks You Must Buy

Michiel Perry / food, Home Decor & Fashion, Uncategorized / African American books, african american chefs, African American Cookbooks, African American food, black lifestyle, black southern belle, lifestyle, Soulfood, southern food / 0 Comments

Are you looking to brush up on your southern cooking skills? We are here to help. A Black Southern Belle loves to cook and entertain for her family and we all need a little cooking inspiration from time to time. With that in mind, we curated 20 of our favorite African American Cookbooks that will help you dazzle your guests with true southern cuisine. These 20 African American Cookbooks are the perfect collection to add to your home library and kitchen decor and perfect gifts for a pair of newlyweds. Check out these classics and happy entertaining!

1)The Taste of Country Cooking: 30th Anniversary Edition

In recipes and reminiscences equally delicious, Edna Lewis celebrates the uniquely American country cooking she grew up with some fifty years ago in a small Virginia Piedmont farming community that had been settled by freed slaves. With menus for the four seasons, she shares the ways her family prepared and enjoyed food, savoring the delights of each special time of year:

2)New Orleans Cookbook

From Lobster Salad to Baked Stuffed Oysters and Crawfish Bisque, this compilation of recipes offers the best of New Orleans cuisine. Chef Lena Richards pulled inspiration from her southern roots and her experience in the catering business, to create delectable dishes. In addition to recipes, this comprehensive cookbook offers menu ideas for both formal and informal dinners.

3) The Dooky Chase Cookbook

Delectable Creole recipes from both the restaurant menu and personal files. Leah Chase spices her cookbook with stories that reflect her Creole heritage and document the origin of various recipes.

4)And Still I Cook

This second cookbook from Leah Chase not only comes with her famous recipes, but it also contains her reflections on life, business, family, and friends. Now in paperback, the collection includes menus for special events.

5)In Pursuit Of Flavor

Lewis draws on her childhood in Freetown, Virginia, to re-create some of the simple, honest dishes she grew up on. She shows readers ways in which to get the best possible flavor from foods bought in supermarkets and farmers markets.

6) A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen

In her first cookbook, a revered former cook at Savannah’s most renowned restaurant divulges her locally famous Savannah recipes—many of them never written down before—and those of her family and friends. Hundreds of thousands of people have made a trip to dine on the exceptional food cooked by Dora Charles at Savannah’s most famous restaurant. Now, the woman who was barraged by editors and agents to tell her story invites us into her home to taste the food she loves best.

7)Melba’s American Comfort: 100 Recipes from My Heart to Your Kitchen

Fresh from the kitchen of her legendary Harlem restaurant, Melba’s, the reigning queen of American comfort food serves up one hundred delectable recipes that put her own special touch on favorite dishes—and taste just like home.

8)Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories

Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories is the debut cookbook from sensational food writer, Jocelyn Delk Adams. Since founding her popular recipe blog Grandbaby Cakesin 2012, Adams has been putting fresh twists on old favorites. Adams has earned praise from critics and the adoration of bakers both young and old for her easygoing advice, rich photography, and the heartwarming memories she shares of her family’s generations-old love of baking.

9)Sweetie Pie’s Cookbook: Soulful Southern Recipes, from My Family to Yours

The beloved owner of the wildly popular Sweetie Pie’s restaurant, and star of the OWN reality television show Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s shares recipes for her renowned soul food and the lessons she’s learned on the path to success.

10) Sylvia’s Family Soul Food Cookbook: From Hemingway, South Carolina, To Harlem

Sylvia’s Family Soul Food Cookbook begins as Sylvia recalls her childhood, when she lived with both her mother and her grandmother — the town’s only midwives. The entire community of Hemingway, South Carolina, shared responsibilities, helped raise all of the children, and worked side by side together every day in the bean fields. Perhaps most important, the community shared its food and recipes. When Sylvia set out to write this cookbook, she decided to hold a cook-off back home in Hemingway at Jeremiah Church. Family and friends of all ages shared their favorite dishes as well as their spirit and love for one another. The recipes offered at the cook-off were then compiled to create this incredible collection, along with many of Sylvia’s and the Woods family’s own recipes.

11) Mama Dip’s Kitchen

For nearly twenty-five years, Mildred Council–better known by her nickname, Mama Dip–has nourished thousands of hungry folks in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Her restaurant, Mama Dip’s Kitchen, is a much-loved community institution that has gained loyal fans and customers from all walks of life, from New York Times food writer Craig Claiborne to former Tar Heel basketball player Michael Jordan.

12)The Black Family Reunion Cookbook

The Black Family Reunion Celebrations, organized by The National Council of Negro Women and held in seven cities across America every summer, celebrate and preserve the values, traditions, and strengths of the African-American family. Inspired by these festivals, The Black Family Reunion Cookbook contains more than 250 recipes from home kitchens across America, seasoned with warm memories and “homemade love.”

13)The African-American Heritage Cookbook: Traditional Recipes and Fond Remembrances From Alabama’s Renowned Tuskegee Institute

The African-American Heritage Cookbook was a Literary Guild Selection. Includes more than 200 recipes for beverages, appetizers, entrees, side dishes, breads, and desserts

14)Sweets: Soul Food Desserts and Memories

Growing up in a large African-American family in a small town in Michigan, Patty Pinner spent her childhood helping the women of the house-the Queens of Soul Food-whip up the sweet treats that crowned family dinners, neighborhood gatherings, and church socials. In SWEETS, Patty shares her family’s stories, maxims, and magical desserts, many named after family members like Cud’n Daisy, Aint Sug, and My My, her beloved grandmother. Part recipe book, part family history, this sweet-as-can-be cookbook is a heartfelt tribute to women who ruled the home and the kitchen with their wisdom, hearts, and cooking.

15)Soul Food: Classic Cuisine from the Deep South

In a book brimming with humor and vibrant personality, Sheila Ferguson presents 200 mouth-watering recipes, many of them part of her own family heritage. She explains the blend of African, Cajun, Creole, and other influences—such as gumbo and jambalaya—behind their enticing flavors, describing the meals of the slave quarters and elegant plantation houses and, along the way, passing on family anecdotes and kitchen secrets handed down from generation to generation.

16)The Church Ladies’ Celestial Suppers and Sensible Advice

The author of The Church Ladies’ Divine Desserts returns with recipes for all courses-and for every occasion. This delightful treasury offers not only crowd-pleasing recipes but also Church Lady words of wisdom on manners and decorum, along with engaging stories from the lives of the Church Ladies. More than 200 recipes for everything from salads to sides to seafood.

17)The Church Ladies’ Divine Desserts

No one more than a church lady is aware of the power of a creamy four-layer chocolate pie, Florida cookies that taste like sunshine, or a pound cake with a crumb as fine as face powder. This cookbook is filled with recipes for such irresistible treats-and a lot more.

18) Soul Food: Recipes and Reflections from African-American Churches

When Joyce White moved to New York City from Alabama, she left small-town life behind and landed ajob as a food editor at a major women’s magazine. Weekends, however, found her visiting churches in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvestant, looking for a taste of home. Food has long been a part of the spiritual life of African-American churches, and what she found there, along with what she missed from home, was the comforting blend of cooking and fellowship that feeds both the body and soul.

19)Spoonbread & Strawberry Wine: Recipes and Reminiscences of a Family

Spanning over a century of African-American life and culture, this classic oral history celebrates one remarkable family’s heritage as told through photos, reminiscences, and recipes–now back in print after six years.

20)Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie Way: Smokin’ Joe Butter Beans, Ol’ ‘Fuskie Fried Crab Rice, Sticky-Bush Blackberry Dumpling, and Other Sea Island Favorites

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July 10, 2017

4 Southern Garden Books for a Black Southern Belle

Michiel Perry / food, Love & Dating, Uncategorized / african american garderner, black gardenders, black southern belle, gardens, southern garden books, southern gardens / 2 Comments

Summer is a time of fresh fruits and vegetables in the South. And if you are a Black Southern Belle, gardening is probably taking up a good portion of your time. Most of us have memories of eating fresh tomatoes from a garden and cutting up the harvest to save for the winter stews. If you have not quite mastered your green thumb we are here to help. Today we are featuring our favorite Southern Garden Books for a Black Southern Belle. These southern garden books can give you the help you need to prepare your garden for future years to come and also look beautiful on your coffee table.

African-American Gardens: Yards In Rural South

Much acclaimed upon its initial publication in 1992, this book was the first extensive survey of African American gardening traditions in the rural South. For this reprinting, author Richard Westmacott has written a new preface in which he describes the traveling exhibit based on the book and compares his original research with his recent observations of gardening practices in the Cayman Islands.

Places for the Spirit: Traditional African American Gardens

laces for the Spirit is a stunning collection of over 80 documentary photographs of African American folk gardens — and their creators — in the Deep South (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina). These landscapes have a unique historical significance due to the design elements and spiritual meanings that have been traced to the yards and gardens of American slaves and further back to their prior African heritage

American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America

In April 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama planted a kitchen garden on the White House’s South Lawn. As fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs sprouted from the ground, this White House Kitchen Garden inspired a new conversation all across the country about the food we feed our families and the impact it has on the health and well-being of our children. Now, in her first-ever book, American Grown, Mrs. Obama invites you inside the White House Kitchen Garden and shares its inspiring story, from the first planting to the latest harvest. Hear about her worries as a novice gardener – would the new plants even grow? Learn about her struggles and her joys as lettuce, corn, tomatoes, collards and kale, sweet potatoes and rhubarb flourished in the freshly tilled soil.

No Space Hidden: The Spirit of African American Yard Work

Winner of the 2006 James Mooney Award Dating from their earliest habitation in North America, people of African descent have used visual and material means to express their ethical values and their beliefs about the intersecting worlds of matter and spirit. In No Space Hidden, Grey Gundaker and Judith McWillie combine oral testimony, firsthand documentation of sites and artworks, insightful analysis, and over two hundred photographs to explore African American devotional arts centered in homes and domestic landscapes. Focusing primarily, though not exclusively, on the southeastern United States, the book examines works ranging from James Hampton s well-known Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly (now part of the Smithsonian collection), to several elaborately decorated yards and gardens, to smaller-scale acts of commemoration, protection, and witness that African Americans have created in and near their homes.

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