Originally restricted in the 17th century to Asante royalty, today kente is the garb of choice in Ghana (and other African countries) for festivals, weddings and ceremonial occasions. Over the course of the 20th century, kente has moved far beyond the borders of Ghana. The brightly patterned cloth has come to convey a powerful message of African unity and its influence has spread across the Atlantic, becoming a political symbol for the Pan African unity movement of the 1950s and ‘60s Black Nationalism in the U.S. As a signifier of ethnic pride, it has become part of the popular design lexicon, appearing on everything from neckties to McDonald’s cups.
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