Interestingly, these two definitions are bridged only by those who practice magic, since, by mastering the skill of magic, they can manipulate the world as they see fit. Magic now encompasses those things which we think are beyond the human realm, like the paranormal, and also those which are all too human, like the skillful trickery evident in a practicing magician's sleight of hand. Today, science has answered many of the questions that we once had, but the concept of magic is still broadly used today, with the word itself containing many definitions. Everything from the existence of stars and fire to the mysteries of the moon and ocean was understood as being a result of magic, of the unexplained. Long before it was confined to sly party tricks and Vegas Strip extravaganzas, the idea of magic was responsible for answering some of the many questions about the vast uncertainties in the world. It is fair to say that magic has always existed. Yet I did manage to gather a small ensemble of historic figures-made up of magicians, illusionists, and performers-who helped shape not only the world of magic but also that of black culture with their work and impressive talents. But information was hard to come by it was barely archived online or in books. For the next few weeks, I dug around, looking for whatever I could find on the people behind this rich history in which McDonald had found a home. In the interview, McDonald meditates for a moment on the history of black American magician, saying, “We have a rich history that a lot of people don't know about.” At the end of the six-minute-long interview, my curiosity was piqued. After stumbling upon a 2014 NPR interview with Kenrick “ICE” McDonald, the first and only black magician elected President of the Society of American Magicians in the organization's 114-year history. My path toward the secret history of black magicians was accidental. Knowing this, I look at the world suspiciously, making a puzzle out of the past that seems to already be accounted for, writing and solving to create a more complete story. As a black woman, I navigate the societally accepted version of the past knowing that it is often inaccurate and always far from complete it's deeply cratered with informational gaps and untold stories of the marginalized. Of course, historic underrepresentation is not surprising and, unfortunately, even expected. In fact, the majority-if not all-of the historically recognized magicians are white men. When asked to meditate on the founding fathers of the field, names like Harry Houdini or Herrmann the Great might spring to mind they were pioneers of their craft and also of European descent. When we think of a magician, it is often a caricature that the mind conjures: a mysterious looking man outfitted in a suit and a cape, usually sporting an obnoxiously dapper top hat in which he is sure to be hiding various animals and tricks. #Blacklivesmatter and we hold that truth to be self-evident. Every day, we’ll celebrate different aspects of black culture through profiles, interviews, roundtables, reviews, videos, and op-eds. In celebration of Black History Month, NYLON is running a spotlight series called UNAPOLOGETIC.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |