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The modern front porch, which is a staple of most American homes, is an African invention. More specifically, it is a Yoruba invention, much like the shotgun home’s they’re a part of. They came to the U.S. (in New Orleans first), from Africa, through Haiti, during slavery. Did you know this??? As of 2018, 65% of new single-family American homes had front porches, particularly of the shot-gun home style, which is an Anglicized version of the Yoruba words “tewgun”, which means place of assembly, and “sho-gun” which means house of God. They built these homes close together to keep themselves cool in the summer and warm in the winter, with porches for socializing. When you consider the role the front porch plays in our community and culture, this fact shouldn’t be a surprise. What front porch memories do you have? Sources: MrCrim3 nationalparkservice and the cnu_newurbanism