Ideas Black history, vividly told through the colour blue
Jun 12, 2025
Imani Perry, a Harvard professor and author known for her work on Black history and culture, discusses the profound connection between the color blue and the Black experience in America. She dives into how periwinkle flowers were used in enslaved individuals' burial practices, symbolizing resilience. The conversation highlights music's role, particularly the blues, as a powerful vehicle for expressing both trauma and joy. Perry also examines the complexities of identity shaped by history, art, and the struggle against oppression.
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Blue as a Symbol of Hope
- The color blue holds deep historical and cultural significance for Black people globally.
- Blue symbolizes hope, freedom, and a blues-soaked sensibility amidst hardship.
Grandmother's Blue Sanctuary
- Imani Perry's enchantment with blue started in her grandmother's blue-filled bedroom.
- The space was her safest place, creating a precious association with the color.
Blue's Contrapuntal Nature
- Blue is both sweet and bitter, embodying joy and grief simultaneously.
- It conveys the complexity of Black experience through a contrapuntal emotional depth.
