Black in Blues: How a Colour Tells the Story of My People

Throughout history, the concept of Blackness has been remarkably intertwined with another colour: blue. In daily life, it is evoked in countless ways. Blue skies and blue water offer hope for a life beyond the current conditions. But blue is also the colour of deep melancholy and heartache, echoing Louis Armstrong’s question, ‘What did I do to be so Black and blue?’ In Black in Blues, celebrated author Imani Perry uses the world’s favourite colour as a springboard for a riveti…