For many of us, our first introduction to love and relationships came from watching our parents. Whether or not we grew up in a traditional household, many of us, in some way or another, were exposed to older couples in our lives who radiated love in all its complexities.
The photo above was taken in Monrovia, Liberia circa 1976 to celebrate the pending nuptials of my parents, 29 year-old Tonia King and 27 year-old Willye Mai Tolbert. Willyann KingHere at OkayAfrica, we’re highlighting various manifestations of love throughout the month of February. In doing so, we asked our readers to send in old school photos of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other influential couples in their lives using the hashtag #AfricanVintageLove.
What we received were timelessly beautiful images of couples from back in the day—before sliding in DMs were an acceptable means of initiating courtship—who raised proudly African children. They are pleasant reminders of how the love between those who came before us has helped shaped our identities.
