In the early months of 1977 Nigeria held in the early months of 1977, Nigeria hosted Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, also known by the name of Festac ’77. When it took location, Festac ’77 was the largest African-American gathering in the history of the world it was a vibrant and joyful event that celebrated Black intellectual freedom, free from oppressors of the colonial era. One photographer there to capture the event is NY-based photographer Marilyn Nance, otherwise known as Soulsista. Marilyn’s enthusiasm for the festival has led her to record hundreds of photos from the festival. And now she’s released her previously unpublished collection from Festac ’77 in a beautiful new photobook called The Last Day of Lagos, published by Cara.
In the book, Last day in Lagos the book, there is an especially insightful and thought-provoking discussion among Marilyn and the editor of the book Oluremi. Onabanjo. “I often tell people”that Festac was a success of that Black Arts Movement, because during the Black Arts Movement there was always the reference towards Africa,” Marilyn explains in the book’s opening lines. “There are real and painful experiences having been Black and living in this country in the United States, so in some way, perhaps we saw this as a way to heal the pain.” The event was essentially an event for “mutual attraction” for all who attended at Festac. “Through the years, I realized the fact that it wasn’t just an important time in history as well as in the history of art and I’ve always wanted to tell this story,” she adds. “The artist should ensure that her work is protected and ensure that it is placed in the correct location to ensure it will be preserved for a long time.”
Marilyn was able to get herself immersed in a large amount of people and let us see the entire scope of how many prominent figures from the Black community travelled to Lagos to participate in the historic festival. Ellsworth Ausby Charles Abramson, Ademola Olugebefola Tyrone Mitchell and Napoleon Jones-Henderson are only some of the names Marilyn remembers. “While there are many names many people don’t even know but they were significant artists and influential cultural figures of the day,” she explains. It was simple for Marilyn to snap the names of so many people since they all had left their personal lives at the front door and were mingling with the crowd. “I did not even realize Audre Lorde was present until I was reading a part of her biography by Alexis De Veaux, and later realized I had snapped two photos of her,” Marilyn recalls. “And there was a night that Stevie Wonder visited Festac Village. He just turned up and spread out with us everyone.”
With the mystifying images captured in the photobook, it’s hard to question of what Marilyn could ever focus on where and how she imagined an image. “Even while I was at Festac in the present I knew it was an important time in the history of mankind,” she says. “It’s difficult to define it, and many have described it as a science-fiction story, however, it actually happened. It has influenced my work since then.” In what she calls a “pivotal point” throughout her professional career, it’s thrilling to see her works of Festac ’77 come to life in The Last Day in Lagos. It is more than just an archive of photographs and is an important cultural piece for the years to come.
