The Quote
"I believe it's justice for every descendant of American chattel slavery - an example of reparations - a descendant to say you have wrongfully expropriated my ancestors' cultural or intellectual or personal property, and I, as the descendant, want it back."
— Tamara Lanier, descendant of Renty Taylor
The Meaning
The UHURU: 1865 Tee represents:
Freedom.
Remembrance.
Possibility.
Uhuru is the Swahili word for freedom.
The design is inspired by a fictitious underground publication set during the era of slavery. This issue, The Emancipation Issue, commemorates Juneteenth—the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed.
As much as Juneteenth represents liberation, it also reminds us that freedom delayed is freedom denied.
The gentleman featured on the cover is Renty Taylor, an African man born in the Congo Basin who was captured, enslaved, and brought to the United States. He later labored on the Edgehill plantation in Columbia, South Carolina, and became one of the subjects of the oldest known photographs of enslaved people taken in 1850 by Joseph T. Zealy under the supervision of Harvard biologist Louis Agassiz.
Those images were created to support theories of racial hierarchy and justify the institution of slavery.
Today, we choose to see something different.
Not merely bondage, but humanity.
Not merely oppression, but resilience.
Not merely survival, but the enduring pursuit of freedom.
This piece serves as a reminder that freedom is both inherited and protected.
The story remembers the past.
The Dream Merchant imagines the future.
The Langston Credo
The Langston Lion is the gatekeeper to your dreams and aspirations.
Protect Your Dreams By Any Means.
The Fit Code
Fit: Relaxed unisex fit. True to size. Women may prefer to size down for a more tailored look.
Fabric: 100% combed cotton designed for everyday comfort with a soft hand feel and lasting durability.
Construction: Built for versatility, movement, and daily wear.
The Affirmation
I honor the sacrifices of those before me by courageously pursuing the possibilities before me.
