Branches Book

BRANCHES

were mostly targeted because of the strict laws that were passed. It gave the miners comfort and hope for survival through the tough situations they had to face. Working in a gold mine is exactly what you might expect it to be. It is exhausting, long, and boring. Racism was present in this time, which meant that blacks were slaves to white people. The black mine workers were forbidden to speak and often punished physically by white workers in higher positions if they did. The mining work was coming to an end, and the disgraceful working conditions resulted in the death of many of the workers. In addition, the mines would often flood causing shin damage to all the workers. Because of the black workers’ skin irritation, Caucasian bosses provided rubber gumboots so productivity would not slow down, making it easier for them to drain the mines and continue working. This major situation provided uniforms for the workers to avoid this problem. The uniforms contained heavy black wellington boots, jeans or overalls, and bandannas to absorb sweat. Apart from the work, they were also forced to sleep in confined spaces, and the workers were divided based on their ethnic background to keep a division between different African workers. Because of the racism and segregation at the time, workers found ways to get through their pain by making traditional dances and rhythms with their boots and bodies. 3 Stepping drew from dance routines from various rhythm and blues groups such as the Temptations and The Four Tops. The dance style is usually performed by both individuals and groups that resemble a military formation. In the 20 th century stepping came from other elements such as break dancing, tap dancing, marches, Caribbean dance, and different stunts as an individual part of a routine. They also include different props such as blind folds, cans, or sticks. The beat determines how fast the steps should be so the performers can get a sense of the sound they want. 4 The roots of stepping, as it is understood today in the United States, started on the campus of Howard University in Washington D.C. However, stepping at Howard University first began in fraternal groups and later became popular in the entire university. Individuals from the military would join fraternal groups after returning from World War II. Step-dancing then became a way to show pride for one’s 3 "History of the Art of Stepping," Art of Stepping, last modified 2006, accessed December 15, 2016, http://www.artofstepping.com/about-a-o- s/history-of-art-of-stepping/. 4 Wikipedia Contributors, "Stepping (African American)," Wikipedia, accessed December 15, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepping_(African-American).

21