Honoring AAVE

Dynamic - Vibrant - Resilient

Often imitated and frequently misunderstood—much like the African, Black, and Caribbean Diasporaourselves—African American Vernacular English (AAVE/Black American English) is the sound of our resilience.

Enslaved Africans preserved indigenous West African speech patterns and grammar using English words to communicate across nationalities, forming what we now call AAVE. The legacy of this innovation connects each descendant to our ancestral home.

AAVE is observably stigmatized and misrepresented because of global anti-Blackness. I hope when you hear AAVE, you remember the ingenuity of my ancestors. Regardless of the systemic lies they tell about our people, our language, and our vast cultural production, the truth of our pernacity prevails with every “ain’t”.

Let this gift from our ancestors shine proudly this very special 100th Black History Month!

~ KM

Read a Brief History of African American Vernacular English Here