Black Joy
"Black joy is the heartbeat and pulse of our survival, our resiliency, our perseverance, our health and wellbeing. Joy has been our weapon and superpower in the face of injustice and structural racism."
- Anita Dashiell-Sparks
What is Black Joy?
Black joy serves as a counterbalance to the historical and ongoing struggles and injustices faced by the Black community. Embracing and highlighting Black joy is a way to affirm resilience, self-worth, and a sense of belonging. Black joy keeps us going.
Black joy isn't about erasing the difficulties of the Black experience, but showing the whole truth by creating balance.
— Kleaver Cruz
We are living in a time where the Black community has faced incredible challenges that have been frightening, draining and downright infuriating. Despite these challenges, it is so important to celebrate the beauty within our community. Our Blackness is beautiful and powerful, and all that we do in the face of adversity needs to be highlighted.
Let's celebrate Black Joy around campus!
Read about Brown University's early African-American alumni here.
Brown University welcomes Black first-years at Black Student Convocation Sunday, September 11. See photos here
Check out the Blacks at Brown Digital Timeline, a living archive that recognizes Black presence at Brown, here!
In October 2023, Brown University welcomes back Black alumni from all generations for a weekend of (Re)Claiming, (Re)Connecting, and (Re)Imagining. For more information, look here!
In 2018, Brown University honored its first Black graduates by renaming its J. Walter Wilson Building in recognition of Inman Edward Page and Ethel Tremaine Robinson. Read the story here.
Check out the Blacks at Brown Digital Timeline, a living archive that recognizes Black presence at Brown, here!
Do you have other examples of Black Joy that you would like to share, even your own? Please feel free to submit it here!