Graffiti comes in many different types of styles, whether it be written, painted, etched, or drawn. Regardless, it holds a great amount of our history well before it became popular in the late 1900s.
Graffiti was found in the 1800s, where slave rebellions took place in Cuba between 1841 and 1844. Many Africans were living in various parts of Cuba, and used the art to express themselves.
Even today, graffiti is used for protests, and it has always been a part of rebellion.
The art is still practiced today, but Black people are being arrested or negatively criticized for the artwork. There is also the fact that the art is being used in art galleries and being adored by others. Which leaves confusion of how we can use graffiti going forward.
Graffiti is not just an art piece, but a display of history, and can be artifacts that show us different moments of time throughout Black history. Making space for ourselves comes in all forms.