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“…Black women, dressed in your color of life, your figure of beauty…”
-OCC Association of Black Students, Afro History week pamphlet, 1974
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On February 22, 1975, the Oakland Community College Association of Black Students (ABS) held their second fashion show as part of a week-long Afro-History week celebration. The theme: how fashion relates to heritage, past and present.
Fashion is what can be called a collection of styled fabrics, accessories, shoes, and hair styles…a creative outlet that speaks volumes without uttering a single word. Fashion has long reflected ideas, social change, self-expression, social status, cultural groups and identity.
Throughout the 1960s, Black Nationalism continued to rise; and with it, the importance of reclaiming and recognizing African heritage, culture, and even attire. At the same time, the Black Power movement was at the height of its’ influence. Through this spread of black consciousness “African Americans were transforming the way they saw themselves” and how they wished to be perceived (Ogbar, 2004, 2016; Newman, et. al, 2018). |
 A member of the OCC Association of Black Students modelling a fashion onstage for the Afro-History Week Fashion Show, 1975 |
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Fashion was highly influenced by these social and societal changes, becoming a natural conduit for “what some called ‘the new black mood,’” which was sweeping Black America. It was during this time that “many younger African Americans, donned Afros, African-inspired clothes, or [militant styles] often associated with organized black nationalist or revolutionary organizations”. Many historically black colleges and universities also featured African-inspired clothing at their homecoming courts (Ogbar, 2016).
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 OCC ABS members, Afro-History Week Fashion Show, February 22, 1975 |
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OCC’s ABS fashion show directly reflects this time period of cultural awareness and identity. The clothing featured not only included traditional African garments, but African- inspired outfits, as well as their everyday fashions of the 1970s.
In their words, “Today more Black students than ever are attending college and are forming organizations dedicated to strengthening the links between college and community. These organizations play major roles in correcting the misconceptions regarding the Black man and his heritage. [This program] is but one contribution of the Association of Black Students at Oakland Community College, to this ongoing process.”
More information about the Association of Black Students can be found in our Historic Materials Collection. |
 A dog was recruited to help advertise OCC's ABS Afro-History week activities, February 22, 1975 |
References
Ford, T. C. (2015). Liberated threads: Black women, style, and the global politics of soul (1 edition.). The University of North Carolina Press.
Newman, M., & British Association for American Studies. (2018). Black Nationalism in American History: From the Nineteenth Century to the Million Man March. EUP.
Ogbar, J. O. G. (2016). Black Power: The Looks. In Diouf, S. A. (Sylviane A., & Woodward, K. (Eds.). Black power 50 (pp. 125-133). The New Press.
Ogbar, J. O. G. (2019). Black Power: Radical Politics and African American Identity (Updated edition.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
OCC ABS Members wearing modern fashions at the Afro-History Week Fashion Show, 1975
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