The Ushindi Collective

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” - Toni Morrison

Ushindi Magazine has its origins in the aftermath of the Houston riot of 1917. Following the catastrophe at Camp Logan, community leaders formed small pamphlets for adolescents that would be distributed through local Negro newspapers.

The pamphlets included affirmations and instructions intended to guide the children of the community. The Victory Notes for Colored Youth would evolve into the Victory Magazine for Negro Boys, then Ushindi Journal, and later Ushindi Magazine for Youth. The name changes over the years speak to the concerns of the individuals tasked with carrying the publication forward into the future. What are the necessary lessons that need to be passed?

Over the years, there were points where the publishers focused on boys in the community, believing them to be of special concern. In the 1960s, the name would be changed from Victory to the Kiswahili word, Ushindi. Essays, poetry, illustration, and games were inserted from the beginning and remain essential ingredients in our expression to the next generation.

The Ushindi Collective carries this effort forward.