The Original Statue of Liberty Was Black

Very few people know the origins of the massive statue that stands in New York Harbor greeting travels from across the globe. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French to signify the end of slavery. There is evidence that supports claims she originally resembled a black slave with broken shackles on hands and feet. 

The artists Edouard Laboulaye and Auguste Bartholdi intended the statue to be a monument that would commemorate America’s commitment to liberty and equality established by the Declaration of Independence. You can view the original designs on display in the Museum of the City of New York. 

When the American government saw the designs they refused to have an African-American be a National Monument and sent them back. They preferred to have a monument that was European and made no references to slavery. Auguste Bartholdi redesigned the statue to resemble the face of his mother Charlotte Beysser Bartholdi. The only remnant of the original design is the chain (from the shackle) showing from under Lady Liberty’s dress. 

There’s also a rumor that the redesigned statues official title is Liberty Enlightening the World. Her construction was funded by the Masons and she is holding the Masonic Torch of Enlightenment, also known as the Flaming Torch of Reason. The same woman is used in the logo for Columbia Pictures.

There’s a large plaque bearing masonic symbols on the base of the statue.

Just sharing a couple of fun (rumored) facts about the Statue of Liberty you probably didn’t know.

Romance Art

Spring is in the air! Its getting warmer outside and the women are wearing less. I don't know if its the birds, the bees, or flowers and trees...but people are sexing! I was biking through the woods yesterday cuz there's a large forest with bike trails behind my house. While riding I caught two different couples sexing in the woods. (Seriously!)

The first couple looked like teenagers and they had their bikes thrown in the bushes so no one would steal them. The second couple were older, much older. I'm talking 40's or early 50's and they were going at it. They were in a clearing that looks like a former camp site that hasn't been used in a long time. There were lots of trees and bushes surrounding the area, you have to go off road from the bike path to get there. Normally I stop in the area to catch my breath and enjoy nature. This time while riding through, I saw this man on his knees, behind a woman on all fours with streaks of white hair in her hair...f**King like drunk bunnies. As I rode by, the woman put her head down so I couldn't see her face and the man just smiled and gave me a slight nod.

The free spirited nature of the old couple reminded me of a girl who got turned on by art. Not just  any art... by a particular artist named Kevin A. Williams. His initials in reverse spell WAK. His art is described by some as black art by others as modern art but by most women as Romance Art. He depicts scenes of love and romance in a masculine way that invokes a certain feeling in the opposite sex. His paintings have been featured on television shows Law & Order, Soul Food and Oprah. 

He's a best-selling author and on a mission to change peoples perspective on art. If you want to know more about him click the link. I used one of his paintings for the "Sexist Science" post. Below are a few more of his more famous pieces.