Words that echo beyond our shores

On what could only be described as a perfect summer weekend, Martha’s Vineyard — long a sanctuary of legacy, Black excellence, and rich storytelling — welcomed two extraordinary women whose names will forever stand in history.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson took the stage on Saturday at the Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival, greeted by more than 200 cheering attendees at the Island Inn in Oak Bluffs. That very same day, across town, former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center in Oak Bluffs, for the closing of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) — two defining voices shaping one unforgettable weekend.

This summer on Martha’s Vineyard has been a season of Black brilliance in full bloom. Beginning with the deep-rooted joy of Juneteenth, then flowing into the pride and tradition of the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) Legacy Week, and now rising to a powerful juncture with the Black Book Festival and the MVAAFF. On this single Saturday, we watched the Island held its breath and then exhaled in awe as two extraordinary women stood before us, their gifts of words and leadership weaving a tapestry of legacy, truth, and inspiration that have echoed beyond our shores. 

In Justice Jackson’s keynote, she read from the preface of her memoir, “Lovely One” — the English translation of “Ketanji,” the name given to her by her aunt during a visit to West Africa, which was a gift that symbolizes the very heart of her story. She traced her lineage from the segregated South to Washington, D.C., and recalled the moment she learned she shared a birthday with Judge Constance Baker Motley, a pioneering Black woman in the judiciary. That revelation, she told the crowd, lit the spark for her own legal dreams.

Her presence was more than just a literary event — it felt like it was a rallying cry at a time when American democracy is being tested in extraordinary ways. “The real danger,” she warned, “is for people to tune out — because this is your government, this is your society, this is your life.” 

Those words landed in a room filled with the hum of shared responsibility, a reminder that the fight for equity and justice is as alive as the sea surrounding this Island.

Meanwhile, as the MVAAFF came to a close, former First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a live taping of her “IMO” podcast alongside her brother Craig Robinson and actor Natasha Rothwell. With the ease of someone deeply rooted in the space she occupies, Obama reflected on the essence of the Vineyard, where the Obama family has a summer residence in Edgartown.

“This is a special place for us,” she said, “because, as you all know, this is where we come to enjoy being us.” Her words underscored a truth that resonates with so many Black families who have made Martha’s Vineyard a generational gathering place — a sanctuary where authenticity and joy can take center stage.

To have these two women — one commanding the highest court in the nation as the first Black woman to be named a Supreme Court Justice, and the other forever etched in the fabric of American culture as the first Black First Lady — sharing the same summer stage here is no small thing. It is a convergence of power, grace, and cultural influence. It is the embodiment of Black women not just participating in history, but shaping it.

The Vineyard, long a haven for the Black elite, has become a cultural crucible where the past, present, and future meet on equal ground. Here, Black excellence is not an occasional guest — it is a tradition, a heartbeat, a way of life. This summer, that tradition was amplified, draped in the voices, intellect, and presence of women whose very existence challenges systems and inspires generations.

From Jackson’s unwavering articulation of the responsibility borne by trailblazers to Obama’s insistence on joyful, unapologetic presence, the impact is undeniable. On Martha’s Vineyard, their power and presence breathe in the same tide as the Atlantic mist — subtle yet impossible to ignore, shaping the atmosphere long after they’ve left.

This summer will be unforgettable — not just because of who stood here, but because of what their presence declared: that Black women, in all their brilliance, belong at the center.

My MV Times colleague, Dena Porter, who is our senior photographer, and the Island’s only Black news photographer, was working tirelessly to chronicle this extraordinary day. She beautifully summed up what it meant: “For me, it’s a point of pride — to see this sacred land visited annually, as a place of restoration for the African American community. Think about it — during the summers, highly accomplished African American entertainers, athletes, musicians, politicians, academics, and the like converge on this Island! It really lifts my spirit to meet people here who yearn to know what makes this Island’s history so special.”

She added, “It’s a great honor to be asked to photograph people who are working to make a difference, and who continue to break barriers on both a national and a global scale. When it’s time to get the shots, I look for signs of their humanity, as we are all ordinary people at our core. But I also look for their passion, and how their heart is committed to what they do. And those are extraordinary moments to capture.”

 

Sharisse Scott-Rawlins writes the monthly column and newsletter, “Voices,” for The MV Times. “Voices” is dedicated to celebrating diversity on the Island. Next week, Scott-Rawlins plans to “dive deeper into the conversation between legacy and the living force of Black excellence, and the echo these women leave on the Vineyard’s sun-soaked soil.” You can sign up for her “Voices bySharisse” newsletter on our home page, or visit mvtimes.activehosted.com/f/27.