Our Digital Diaspora Family Reunion Facebook group community has been sharing beautiful pictures and heartwarming histories, highlighting the necessity of a platform where we can not only celebrate our family histories, but also find a place for them in our current day to day lives.
Who knew something as simple as a Facebook post could be so powerful?
Below are some of the photos and their stories that were recently posted in the DDFR Facebook Group. We hope that these DDFR highlights brighten your day, and maybe even inspire you to share your own!
“This is my great grandfather. He was an A.M.E. Preacher and was born January 24, 1868, near Frederica, Delaware. He had a long and distinguished career building churches in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Ga., in June, 1908. ” – David Hoxter
Vince Tajiri and Louis Armstrong
“People who come to my house and see this photo ask: ‘Who’s that man with Louis Armstrong?’
‘That’s my dad.’
‘Why is he with Louis Armstrong? What is he holding in his hand?’
I say, ‘He’s holding a camera and he was taking a photo of Louis for Playboy magazine.’
My father was the photo editor for Playboy from 1955-1969/70. The photo below it was my dad flanked by his photography staff – they’re dressed up in silk pajamas and holding coca-cola bottles spoofing on Hef (Hefner’s favorite beverage was Coca-Cola). My father was concerned that when he’d pass, that he would only be remembered for his work at Playboy. What went unrecognized was that he was also a photojournalist and had an unpublished photo-book documenting the Japanese in Chicago post-World War II: the ‘migration’ from the internment camps.” – Rea Tajiri
Tianyao Ma and her twin brother
“We are twins. Yes, he is my twin brother. People are always amazed how different we look, and so many years I’ve been asked the similar questions over and over again – ‘can you sense each other?’ ‘Do you have Twin spirit?’
In 2014, I came to America to pursue my graduate study and the year after, my brother also left our hometown Taiyuan and went to Tianjin for his further study. This New Year is the first time we didn’t spend New Year’s with our parents and families. I went to Missouri, and in Bass Pro Shops I took a funny photo with a bear. When I shared my bear photo with my family that night, my brother sent back a photo of him with a bear as well, which was taken that day in a museum in Tianjin. My mom laughed so hard and collaged the two photos together.
I don’t have many family photos with me, but this is the photo I’ll carry always. It makes me smile and feel wonderful and lucky to have someone in this big world to share part of my life and spirit. Even though we are far away, we are together.” – Tianyao Ma
Hello, I’m working on a project about Playboy magazine and I would very much like to include your photos of Vince Tajiri. Please contact me at your convenience.