Black homes have a legacy, and AphroChic helps you celebrate it.

Husband and wife team Bryan Mason and Jeanine Hays are the creators of the popular Instagram account AphroChic. The account serves as a destination for people who want to find ideas on how to bridge home decor with their identity. Their newly released book, “AphroChic: Celebrating The Legacy of The Black Family Home,” takes a deep dive into what homeownership means to Black families.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by AphroChic (@aphrochic)

Owning a home is part of the American dream. Statistically, Black people continue to face uphill battles with home buying. Between systemic, racist practices and real estate redlining—the act of segregating people by class and neighborhood, the American dream can be a nightmare for many Black people. But whether you rent or own, there is no doubt you want to make your space a place where you and your loved ones feel comfort and love.

Black Homes: When Ownership is an Act of Resistance

Mason and Hays highlight the struggle Black people face with homeownership. They also discuss how owning a home can be an act of radical resistance. One couple featured in the book shared that their home was previously owned by a man who stated, on record, that he never wanted a Black person to own his property.  Even though it took some time, the couple persevered and now their home is a sight to behold.

Black Families and Heirlooms

The concept of heirlooms is another theme covered in the book. When you think of heirlooms, you think of valuable pieces that are passed down from generation to generation. In an exclusive interview with Home & Texture, Mason and Hays expounded on their thoughts about heirlooms and what that looks like for Black people.

“Heirlooms, like so many things in the Black family home, serve multiple purposes, but they speak directly to the need for memory,” Mason and Hays said. “They help us to keep in view the road that has been traveled by those who came before to get us to where we are now, and by extension help us to understand who we must be as we travel our own roads for those who will come after.”

If You Don’t Have It, Start It

Don’t let your lack of owning any family heirlooms deter you. That’s not the only way to celebrate your cultural heritage in your home.

“Beginning a tradition of heirlooms and inheritance is a wonderful thing. We certainly encourage people to either continue, contribute to, or be the starting point for one in their own families. We’re often encouraged to think of heirlooms in terms of monetary value, expecting an heirloom to be something worth money that comes to be worth more money as it ages. It is one way to look at things, but if the function of an heirloom is to bring a sense of memory to the home, continuing a feeling of connection with those who have gone on or times and places past, then there are larger set of factors to consider,” Mason and Hays confirmed.

After reading the book, the Home & Texture team decided to find items to help homeowners design a space to reflect their identity. Check out these items we found, you won’t be disappointed.

Jump to Products

---

Our editors love finding you the best products and offers! If you purchase something by clicking on one of the affiliate links on our website, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.