Halloween Ideas for African Americans
October 31st is a fun night in American for people of all ages and that extends to African Americans. While ideas for Halloween costumes and parties can run the traditional route, there are a few Halloween ideas that resonant with African Americans because of their history and culture.
The First Folks
With the election of the first African American President, Barack Obama, and the popularity of his wife Michelle, the First Couple is a surefire Halloween costume idea.
Of course, imitating the Obama’s at Halloween requires dashing duds, as both the Obama’s appear on Best Dressed Lists. To do First Lady Michelle Obama, bare arms, a single strand of pearls, and flat shoes are mandatory. Barack Obama created a stir when he stepped out of character and showed up to throw the first ball out at the All-Stars baseball game wearing frumpy Mom blue jeans. To do an Obama, dig some jeans from the back of your closet, add a team letter jacket, and a baseball cap.
Thriller
Michael Jackson will find a lot of imitators at Halloween. You need the sequin glove, white socks, black loafers, and dark sunglasses are mandatory if you want to do Michael the Performer. If Michael the Weird One is the look you’re after, add white face makeup and red lipstick.
Michael Jackson gave the world the perennial Halloween music video and multi-Platinum-selling album, that being Thriller. Any of the monster costumes from Thriller would make perfect Halloween costumes including Michael’s straight leg black jeans and red leather bomber jacket. A Halloween Party based on the video would be great. Thriller would be played almost nonstop and everyone could line up to do the Thriller dance from time to time during the bewitching hours of Halloween night.
Voodoo Party
A Voodoo Party is a great theme for an African American Halloween party. The Voodoo Queen and Conjurer Man character costumes would be easy to assemble with items in a costume store including gray haired wild wigs, layers of loose-fitting clothes, and a crooked stick symbolic of a divination rod.
A Voodoo Halloween party could use all the customary Halloween accouterments including cats, bats, and rats as well as coffins and gravestones in the yard. A fog machine, a caldron of spiced punch with dry ice giving off smoky oxygen plumes.
Blackula Lives
Blackula was a popular ‘70s horror movie that was a takeoff on the Count Dracula franchise. Similar to the original, Blackula recruited black beauties into his harem of the dead and dined on the blood of Brothers.
Doing Blackula is fairly easy. Everything is readily available in any pre-packaged Vampire costume. Add the fangs and dripping blood streams on the lips and chin and practice your deepest baritone “Good Evening” and you’re all set to scare up a few hours of fun.
