BARBARA Adzua Solomon

In 1959 I was encouraged by Prince Evans, my boyfriend, to become a contestant in the first beauty contest entitled “Miss Natural standard of Beauty.” The only qualification to enter was that all contestants had to wear their hair in its natural state.  No straitened or processed hair styles were permitted.  There were only three contestants, which speaks to the time and mental state existing in the Black community at that time. I won the contest without understanding how it would impact the rest of my life.   Later in 1962, I joined the Grandassa models.  It was part of the spark, encouraged by my boyfriend, that moved me to accept who I was, and see the true beauty that God had blessed me with.  Using the prism, “Black is Beautiful “ my world view changed providing me with energy to change my environment for the better.

Prince would later become my husband and we would sire one child and four grandchildren from this union.  I would go on to teach school and finally retire, after 32 years, from the Borough of Manhattan Community College.  Retirement opened new opportunities all fueled from the original beauty contest spark in 1959.

I have become a published author of several children’s books, inspired by my grandchildren, all with African themes targeting ages 5-8. 

My books offer an enjoyable storyline and share valuable empowering lessons from pre-colonial Africa.  I have a storied career of community service as a former member of NACCP Act-So program for youth; founded Summer Internship Program (SIP) for youth, organized to provide teens with performing art skills cultural enrichment during the summer; served on the Board of Directors of the African American Cultural Society (AACS) in Palm Coast Florida; member of Delta sigma Theta Sorority in Palm Coast; and member of the award winning Harlem Honeys and Bears synchronized swim team in the United States.

I want to saturate this generation with Black is Beautiful so they can love themselves as I do.  When you love yourself there can be no space for hate to exist.