Black Paris, Black Planet

Today was the day of my Black Paris Tour! We met at Cafe Lateral for a meet and greet/orientation, which included a complimentary French breakfast. I was so worried about being late that I took uber instead of metro there, but was so comforted to find that the vibe was chill and we were just having tea and croissants for the first part of the tour. I learned so much during that morning tea time that I knew I was in for a treat for the rest of the day. I was most excited to learn about the black composer Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint George.

Saturday morning with my tour group in front of Arc de Triomphe

Our tour guide, Miguel, was a walking black history computer. So. amazing. I wish I could remember historical facts like that. What was fascinating about his rendition of history was the connection between world history and black contributions within the fabric of that. For example, the Arc de Triomphe behind us includes a commemoration of the first black general from Haiti, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas. I've gone past this landmark a few times since I've been here but didn't have that vantage point of its connection to black history...and when I say "black history" I mean through a macroscopic lens across the diaspora not that cute little 28 days contained in 1960s Alabama in the states. It's hard to sum up here how Miguel connected black liberation around the world to Paris and America, so I really recommend the tour.  Here's a few a highlights:

Luxor Obelisk, ancient Egyptian monument in center of Paris is 3000 years old. The engravings tell the story of Ramses.

At some points the tour became very "Dan Brown-esque" to learn about the connection the monuments there have to the African goddess Isis. This was after learning that all of the iron gates and embellishments in Paris were inspired by Adrinka symbols. This part of the tour was fascinating though. I didn't realize that the city was built around patterns aligning with Isis's star. The same pattern that the center of France is designed in was also replicated in Washington DC. I can't remember how "DC" connects to Isis, but Miguel explained that "Columbia" is another word for Isis. I'll have to research this more! A quick search yields this site, which is about what Miguel summed up but more briefly. So much information was given in the six-hour tour.

France or DC? And all points back to Africa. This view is from Iglesia de Madeline, the church where Josephine Baker was buried.

Of course, we talked about many of the famous black writers and war heroes that have lived and traveled in Paris. I didn't take many pictures, as I was taking so many mental notes. I was happy though to visit Fouqet's, the cafe where James Baldwin and Richard Wright spent much time, along with Eartha Kitt. There's also an extensive history of Black writers and Parisian cafes that I want to explore more.

I also learned a LOT more about Josephine Baker than what is usually depicted of her. She was more than the woman dancing in the banana dress. She was very intelligent and a general in the air force. People around the world loved her. She was multi-layered and complex. I so appreciated how our tour guide acknowledged that often male historians write about women, leaving their depictions flat and two-dimensional. Now, I'm going to be on the lookout for the 3D version of Josephine Baker's story. I remember watching a film about her starring Lynn Whitfield back in the day; however, Miguel thought this depiction was quite serious for a woman who was known for her wit and comedic genius.

Towards the latter half of the tour, we visited the Haitian consulate in front of monuments to the Dumas legacy.

Alexandre Dumas, author of Three Musketeers

The fourth musketeer

This was my favorite stop. I have to read Count of Monte Cristo now.

Broken chains symbolize how Thomas-Alexandre overcame slavery to become a general; though an original monument was here of him standing in stately posture. Black Parisian historians want the original monument restored.

At the end of the tour, we went to Little Africa! This part of Paris has establishments representing all 54 countries in Africa. We stopped and had Senegalese food at a quaint little restaurant. I learned that Montmarte is home to Little Africa! I was so delighted to discover this because it is a short distance from my hotel and I feel even more that the Montmarte area is a perfect place to explore Black Paris history.

Vegan and vegetarian options here. Dinner conversation was so perfect, too! We talked about everything from Wakanda to Ghana and everything in between (while African hip hop videos played on the TV in the background; French rap is cool!)

End of the tour: Miguel (right), Debbie & Max (from Oakland!), and Cass (Florida).