Black Bloom: a narrative portrait, quilting, and oral history project in Bucks County, PA

Portraits, Quilts, and Timelines by Misty Sol and Leona Brewington

This project charts new territory. There are many films, books, and articles that document the 1957 racial uprising in Levittown, PA but there is no quantitative, formal, or narrative study of the Black communities in Levittown. While outsiders label our neighborhoods abherant, our perspectives remain unacknowledged. This project seeks to establish a timeline of Black Bloomsdale, capture early images and stories of residents and landscape, our memories of migration, of trees, lakes, soil, woods, and creeks.

In large scale paintings by Bloomsdale born artist Misty Sol, with Bloomsdale born elder and quilting artist Leona Brewington as liason, will engage the elders to uncover and document the prescious jewels of this rich and unique peice of forgotten Black history in Bucks County, PA.

Are you from Bloomsdale?

Do you have pictures of everybody from back in the day…I mean old old pictures?

Did your elders remember when Bloomsdale was a farm? America’s first seed testing farm?

Do you remember the pool near silver lake? Do you have pictures of it?

We are looking for up to 10 people to share their stories and photos of Black Bloomsdale. Each selected particpant will recieve compensation for thier story. Send an email to mistysol@mistysol.com