Osato Adeniyi

The Lady’s Hair

“Black Wall Street” is a reflection on the resilience, brilliance, and untapped potential of Black and African communities. Loosely inspired by the historic Tulsa, Oklahoma community—once a thriving center of Black enterprise and culture before its destruction in the 1921 massacre—this work grapples with the duality of what was and what could have been.Through this series, I imagine a world where Black and African communities were allowed to flourish without interruption—free from the weight of systemic violence, colonial disruption, and economic suppression. It is both a celebration and a mourning: a tribute to cultural strength, self-determination, and innovation, juxtaposed with the grief of loss—of lives, legacies, and futures stolen.This work seeks to honor that history, reclaim the narrative, and hold space for both collective memory and creative reimagining.

“5. The Lady’s Hair
In many African cultures, hair is a powerful symbol—signifying social status, eligibility, tribal affiliation, and personal identity. It is celebrated as both a form of beauty and a medium of cultural expression.”