Joy Lived Here: Historic Images of Black Joy and Resistance

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Joy Lived Here: Historic Images of Black Joy and Resistance

Joy Lived Here is a visual love letter to the power and presence of Black joy across time. Sourced from public archives, museum collections, and forgotten photo boxes, this weekly series from Black Men Smile unearths historic images of everyday Black joy and resilience—fully, freely, and often in spite of the world around them.

Each photo in the series is paired with a piece of historical context—something that situates the image in time and place. A policy. A protest. A possibility. A moment in American or world history that adds depth to the simplicity of a smile.

This series reclaims those smiles from the shadows of history. It refuses the erasure of our joy from the archives. And it reminds us that even against harsh historical backgrounds. Our joy lived. Even when the world tried to strip it away—joy still lives here.

Tune in Weekly here and on Instagram