{"id":694,"date":"2017-09-02T22:00:24","date_gmt":"2017-09-02T22:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blackartinamerica.ndorsglobal.com\/?p=694"},"modified":"2017-09-19T04:23:25","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T04:23:25","slug":"flashback-1979-the-year-of-the-last-solar-eclipse-of-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earthexhibitions.org\/media-archive\/?p=694","title":{"rendered":"Flashback 1979: The Year of the Last Solar Eclipse of the Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
By: Diamond Wilcoxson Gass<\/strong><\/p>\n On Monday, August 21st – Americans will be graced by the presence of its first total eclipse of the sun in over 38 years. The last solar eclipse visible in the\u00a0Contiguous United States happened on February 26, 1979, and as we all prepare to experience this phenomenon in its rarity – let’s take a look back to 1979, the year of the last total eclipse of the sun, yes – but also the year of many important and influential moments in African American popular culture and art.<\/p>\n The 1970\u2019s were known as the beginning of the Post – Civil Rights Movement, and by 1979 Black Americans were expressing themselves and their culture abundantly through the arts. Check out Black Art in America\u2019s list of 10 memorable moments in African American Arts and Popular Culture.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before we jump into the list- Black Art in America is having a\u00a0Total Eclipse of the Sun – Flashback to 1979 Collection\u00a0SALE<\/a>! We are offering $19.79 off select Garden Art for the Soul and huge savings on original art and limited\u00a0editions in the collection. You can shop this collection and more atwww.shopbaia.com.<\/a>\u00a0Now, lets get into the list.<\/p>\n 10. \u00a0On February 2nd, 1979 African- American painter, illustrator and visual arts educator Aaron Douglas passed away at the age of 79. Aaron Douglas is known as a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance, also known as the \u201cNew Negro Movement\u201d-\u00a0this movement was considered to be a rebirth of African-American art. The art world lost another master artist that year as well -Charles Wilbert White\u00a0one of America’s most renowned and recognized African-American artist died on October 3, 1979 at the age of 61.<\/p>\n 9. \u00a0At the young age of 22, Spike Lee Directed his first short film \u201cLast Hustle in Brooklyn\u201d and it was released on April 14th, 1979 – the first of many legendary \u201cSpike Lee Joints\u201d.<\/p>\n 8. \u00a01979 was the year of the first Black Video Game Character, and this character appeared on the Atari 800 Home Computer game,Basketball.<\/em><\/p>\n 7. \u00a0The essence of Black Joy of television,Soul Train\u00a0airs episode featuring live performances by\u00a0Aretha Franklin & Smokey Robinson- they perform their hit release in 1979, \u201cOoh Baby Baby\u201d. Soul Train is a must mention when referencing black culture in the 1970\u2019s.<\/p>\n 6. \u00a0Michael Jackson\u2019s fifth studio album, \u201cOff the Wall\u201d was released on August 10th, 1979. This album houses many of the celebrated hit songs that lie in The King of Pop\u2019s legacy, such as, \u201cRock With You\u201d and \u201cDon\u2019t Stop til You Get Enough\u201d.<\/p>\n 5. \u00a0Maya Angelou, African -American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist adapts her critically acclaimed novel \u201cI Know Why the Caged Bird Sings\u201d for its television movie premiere of the same name – 28 April, 1979.<\/p>\n 4. \u00a01979 is the year that the iconic Coca Cola Ad featuring \u201cMean\u201d Joe Greene – former NFL Defensemen for Pittsburgh Steelers was released for Super Bowl XIII. The 60 second commercial shows a young fan offering Green a Coca-Cola after spotting him leaving the football field, seemingly injured. Joe Green proceeds with finishing the cola in one gulp, and gifts the kid with his sweaty post game jersey. Looks like he wasn’t so \u201cmean\u201d after all.<\/p>\n 3. \u00a0Lois Alexander,an African American fashion designer, founded the\u00a0Harlem Fashion Institute and Black Fashion Museum in 1979.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. \u00a0OnAugust 1, 1979\u00a0CBS\u00a0aired the series finale\u00a0Good Times,\u00a0the hit Afro-American television sitcom depicting the strength of family in the midst of hard times. The last episode was\u00a0entitled \u201cThe End of the Rainbow\u201d, and was the 21st episode of the sixth and final season.<\/p>\n 1. \u00a0Rap legends The Sugarhill Gang released their hit record, \u201c Rapper\u2019s Delight\u201d becoming the first hip hop song to become a Top 40 Hit on the Billboard Hot 100. This recordings will be recalled as the formal birth of the hip-hop movement.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1979 was a year of many pivotal moments for black culture- loss, influence, representation & expression, ends & beginnings. These crucial events helped shape the year 1979 as the eclipse did- and stands in the capsule of time as significant fragments of\u00a0the past.<\/p>\n How do you like our list? Would you have added anything – Any honorable mentions? Let us know & Don\u2019t forget to take advantage of our\u00a0Total Eclipse of the Sun – Flashback to 1979 Collection SALE<\/a>. Our sale runs Monday, August 21 –Sunday, August 27th. We are offering $19.79 off Garden Art for the Soul and huge savings on original art\u00a0and limited editions. Shop the collection at\u00a0www.shopbaia.com<\/a>\u00a0and save!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Saving so big we can only show you a\u00a0glimpse.<\/p>\n Hope you enjoyed the eclipse …<\/p>\nShare this:<\/h3>