What Is Black Southern Granddaughter Core?

By: Alexis Shoats

Black Southern Granddaughter Core.

How do we even define that? Over the last two years, Coastal Core and Coastal Granddaughter Core (specific to the New England Coast) have exploded on TikTok. The trend creeps up every summer, but earlier this year, a new trend emerged, Black Southern Granddaughter Core. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason for the emergence, but I do think Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Album, coupled with Black girls wanting to create and carve out their own lane within this trend, served as the launch pad. To be sure that we aren’t left out, but also a way to show pride in being Black and from the South. The coastal trend is inherently more white, and entering the third year of the trend, I do see more Black female influencers joining in on the trend and sharing their perspective; however, it is still a white woman’s playground.

Now, the south isn’t one-dimensional, so this trend truly only scratches the surface, but it is a breath of fresh air. The Black Southern Granddaughter Core not only focuses the lens on Black women but also allows us an opportunity to shed light on the South, a region in the country that historically has had a tumultuous history with African-Americans. Throughout this trend, we are able to reclaim a portion of culture that is typically associated with white southern culture and racism. From country music, rodeos, and of course, southern cuisine. 

Black Granddaughter Core begins with the landscape and terrain of the South. Lake dates with friends, or if you live on a coastline like Savannah, GA, Charleston, SC, Virginia Beach, Pensacola Beach, and the Gulf Shores in Alabama. These vacation spots aren’t always up for discussion on the national stage when we think of annual beach trips, but Black families across the South flock to many of these places when temperatures rise above 85°F. These cities and beaches have a rich history steeped in Black history, and in a way, families are still participating in this history, sometimes unknowingly. For instance, Pensacola, Florida, was a stop for the Chitlin Circuit, and the Belmont-Devillers (The Blocks) was a cultural hub for African Americans during the Jim Crow South.

Also, while on the subject of vacation and summer, Black southern women don’t solely or mainly dress in creams, blues, and whites. Vacation attire is full of color, and that is across the age range. Culture and colorful attitudes are a part of being from the South. People have pride in what they wear, and oftentimes it's a fun competition of who looks the best. Now, I'm not saying these undertones aren't present during East Coast summer fashion trends, but there are a few reasons why this looks different in the South. For one, summer days and evenings are often extremely humid, and even the Black southern granddaughter is indulging in flowy bright dresses, denim jean shorts, jean skirts, her favorite cowboy boots, or a pair of sneakers. The Black southern granddaughter doesn’t necessarily turn into a younger version of her elders; she embraces her southern roots and familial relationships and uses that to shape her aesthetic. This brings me to the second reason. She leans into those southern roots and the pride that is established with being from the South. This dates back to slavery when although slaves were given plain and scraps of clothes to wear, they would embellish with various items such as ribbons, combine different fabric patterns, and even dye their clothes with indigo (this is often associated with the Gulla Geechee people) and they would do this as a a way of self-expression. This same mindset and attitude towards clothing is still prevalent in the South.

When she isn’t on vacation, the Black Southern Granddaughter can certainly be found at any given event, from sporting events to rodeos. She may or may not be going to church, but she’s definitely spending time with family afterwards. The Black southern granddaughter might also be the ultimate hostess, and some even associate with being southern belles. It shouldn’t be lost on us to understand that this also dates back to slavery, when black female slaves took care of their household and their enslavers; however, modern-day Black women have flipped this history and stigma and turned it into so much more. The Black southern granddaughter might host dinner parties and day events for family and friends. Southern Belles or prominent Black women are known to throw elaborate parties to celebrate numerous milestones.  

The Black southern granddaughter holds deep reverence for family and ancestry. Her pride, being from the south, shines bright. This article only scratches the surface; the Black southern granddaughter is multifaceted, and maybe we’ll see more of this as the trend picks up this summer.