What Comes to Mind When You Think of Fall?
What comes to mind when you think of Fall?
Moving to Washington, D.C. from Houston, TX allowed for me to properly experience seasons. That is one of the first things I loved about moving here. In Houston, it’s just hot all year ‘round, and it gets hot here too, but at least we’re able to transition into Fall. When someone asks me what am I most excited for about for fall, I should probably respond with a more expected answer, Halloween, pumpkin pie, or Ugg boots, but I’m thinking about things like wearings a black leather jacket at night when you’re in route or leaving a party. HistoryMaker Thomas Battle, an archivist, cultural heritage chief executive, historian, and the former director of Howard University's Moorland-Spingarn Research Collection, Thomas Battle (1946 - ), also agreed on Fall being his favorite time of the year because he gets to wear leather, and he loves leather [1]. This year, I realized I care a lot more about fashion than I thought I did, and because I feel most comfortable in more clothing, I am always excited for Fall. I don’t think I have the perfect sense of what I would describe my style to be, but I have a good sense of what I like and what I don't like. I discovered that hemp shirts feel more comfortable than cotton, I like my denim 100% cotton and rigid, and I like things that last forever.
HistoryMaker Thomas Battle
Since, I attend Howard University, I get to experience the campus’s beauty in the Fall, and this is another one of my favorite things about the Fall season. Black skin looks good with colors like burnt orange, yellow, and red. When we sit on the yard and engage in community, it becomes an even more pleasurable experience because we all just look good. HistoryMaker Billy Joe Evans (1942-), Chemist and former director and professor in the Materials Science Department at Howard University and a professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Michigan, also described being captivated by the season through a collegial lens:
“…I'm always excited about school and the campuses are so nice in the autumn, somewhat quiet, the leaves are falling and one can walk the pathways comfortably. I grew up in the south so the spring wasn't really my favorite because it got hot very soon, very quickly. And so by May, it was really too hot to be in the rooms and we had no air conditioning so I guess that's why autumn is my favorite time of year” [2].
The last statement is still very true of our beloved, HU.
HistoryMaker Billy Joe Evans
In my research through the digital archive, I came across someone who referred to Autumn as “Indian Summer,” and I was like, oh! There’s that one Con Funk Shun song called Indian Summer Love, but I never knew that it meant an ‘unseasonably’ warm weather during the autumn months. It was DJ Frankie Knuckles, one of the first DJs to sign to a major label and the first DJ to win the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical, who led me to this term [3]. This, of course, inspired me to search the term in the archive to see of anyone further elaborated on the origin and meaning of the term, but most people only briefly mentioned it in regards to their favorite season.
HistoryMaker Frankie Knuckles
Many people think of different things when the topic of Fall comes up, and it’s always a pleasure to listen to the different responses. One more thing that I think of when it comes to Fall is the possibility for a new mode of existence and being. That’s another reason why having distinctive seasons is so satisfying here. Even though it may seem commonplace, the promise of a new season answers many questions of belonging and continuance.
Student Ambassador Update:
Last week, I met with my advisor to discuss ways we could collaborate on implementing The HistoryMakers into various curriculums at Howard as well as potential events we would like to host. Hosting a discussion with a HistoryMaker on Howard’s campus is something I would like to plan for very soon. We will also begin lashing out our plans for our Black History Month Contest in more details as well.
Notes
[1] Thomas Battle (The HistoryMakers A2007.058), interviewed by Janet Sims-Wood, February 9, 2007, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 1, story 2, Thomas Battle lists his favorites.
[2] Billy Joe Evans (The HistoryMakers A2012.177), interviewed by Larry Crowe, October 22, 2012, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 1, story 2, Billy Joe Evans lists his favorites.
Frankie Knuckles (The HistoryMakers A2013.235), interviewed by Anthony Poole, August 23, 2013, The HistoryMakers Digital Archive. Session 1, tape 1, story 2, Frankie Knuckles lists his favorites.
