How do we feel about cotton as decoration?

While residing at a New York City hotel, tennis great Serena Williams noticed a cotton plant decoration in the hotel lobby as she walked by. After seeing the decoration, she went to social media to ask a question to her followers: “How do we feel about cotton as decoration?” On Instagram Stories, Serena gave her own response by saying that “it doesn’t feel great” to see the cotton decoration. In my blog, I will give my own response to Serena’s question while proactively addressing the issue at hand. 

Like so many other Black Americans, I was born and reared in the South, specifically Columbus, Georgia. The State of Georgia is ranked as the second largest producer of cotton in the United States. Growing up in Georgia, it was not unusual for me to see cotton fields on farms as I traveled the state.

If I saw a cotton decoration in a hotel lobby, I would not have been offended because I know what cotton represents. It is literally the fabric of America. Virtually everything that we wear is made from some percentage of cotton. If we reject cotton as a decorative plant, we must also stop wearing products that are made from it. It would be silly to follow this logic because one thing cannot be associated with the other. Instead, we must honor and remember the thousands of enslaved ancestors who were forced to pick cotton throughout this country, not just in the South. Cotton is not evil, rather it was the slaveowner and overseer. 

We still have so much as a society to learn from those who came before us. Serena Williams’ experience serves as a teachable moment for all Americans. Rather than making negative associations with cotton, we should be willing to know more about its historical origins and how it transformed the world through agricultural technology. If I were the manager of the hotel that displayed the cotton decoration, I would provide visitors with an information card next to the decoration explaining cotton’s origin, history, and technological advancements. I would also include a section explaining how enslaved black Americans contributed to the production of cotton in America. 

The only way we can learn from our past is to face it head on. We cannot forget or be ashamed of America’s history because to do so will only allow it to be repeated. 

Ethically speaking,

Obiora N. Anekwe