Art

feature: photos – little-known boston carnival is an explosion of colors

March 14, 2014

I was born and raised in Boston, a city known for its white blue collar image. People think everyone here is a Mark Wahlberg-looking, Good Will Hunting-talking, Departed-tough-guy kind of person. Some of which is true BUT the story that is always left out is the black community in Boston.
The largest black community in the entire state of Massachusetts is found in Boston’s Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods. Roughly 25% of Boston’s population black. Every year on Saturday during the weekend before Labor Day, Boston has a huge Caribbean carnival that goes through most of Dorchester. It is a day where you see a large gathering of the black community. Yet this
event is not well-known outside of the Boston community.
It’s a time full of dance and colors. Trucks pulling beds of speakers with the volume turned up to the max. Beautiful dance sections full of feathers of all types of bright colors. People in body paint and outfits to signify their nation of heritage. Flags of nations fiercely waving back and forth to the beat. People gathering close to their favorite truck to dance behind it all the way up the streets. The smell of food filled with spices fills the air. It’s an event that stimulates all the senses. This is always the highlight of my year for photography. I get a chance to show the world that there is a large, strong, and beautiful culture of black people here. I hope my pictures shed new light on Boston’s unsung sections and people. It is a sight rarely ever seen. It should not go unnoticed.

Words and photos by Jason Williams/Afrosoul4eva, AFROPUNK Contributor *

* My government name is Jason Williams but my creative name is Afrosoul4eva. I am a photographer/illustrator/blogger with works found around the internet.

Instagram: http://instagram.com/afrosoul4eva
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfrosoulImages
Website: 21southend.com

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