Book Review - Black Joy Edited By Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff And Timi Sotire

This is my eighteenth book review so far, and while I’ve tried to review books that cover a variety of subjects there has been one constant through many of them: Black trauma. Black trauma is at the heart of a lot of discourse around anti-black racism, and discrimination, and for good reason. The trauma inflicted on Black people in our society stemming from centuries of slavery all the way to today is generational in its impact, and should be addressed, unpacked, and examined. Unfortunately, a by-product of this is that some people have focused on Black trauma and pain to the exclusion of anything else. An example of this is the criticism I have seen online that Hollywood has developed a pattern of exploiting Black trauma with an over focus on Black trauma narratives. Black Joy is an anthology edited by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, and Timi Sotire. It was made as a direct challenge to this trend, being a collection of 28 essays from Black writers from different backgrounds about joy from a Black British perspective, and what it means to find, and feel joy as a Black person in Britain today.

The sheer number of contributors to this anthology is a testament to how expansive a subject Black Joy is despite how much it has tended to be neglected. There is a rich vein here which runs deep with a lot to mine and dig into. The essays run the gamut from having a Black work friend to weather the storm of microaggressions in a majority white office, to the body positivity movement, to the passing and teaching of recipes across generations. These essays are all written in a way that as a reader, it feels like I was being allowed to see a brief snapshot into the writers’ lives, and a glimpse of the different wells from which they draw their joy. The essays are all very personal, and informal in tone. It reads like the reader is meeting a bunch of people who are accomplished in their fields, sitting down with them and listening as they tell a story one at a time. This feeling is only enhanced by the fact that each of the contributors includes their “Black Joy Song” which when put together makes up an eclectic playlist of Black music, and that each essay ends with a call to action with something the reader can do to find their joy. This is a book which is not content to just be read once and put on a shelf. It wants to engage with the reader, and help the reader find their joy as well, whether that be by listening to some music suggestions, or reaching out to an old friend. It doesn’t just explore joy; it shares joy too.

While this is a book about celebrating and sharing joy there is also a lot of history to be found here. It isn’t the main focus but some of the contributors took the time with their essays to give brief histories of things like Carnival, Black radio, Black salons and hair, and Nigerian hall parties. While by no means necessary, these explanations of the development of different aspects of Black British culture are highly appreciated, especially given that I’m a white man. I will admit while a lot of the essays feature sources of joy that are universal like joy found in family and friends, or celebration, some of the more culturally specific parts flew over my head. For example, the joy in visiting family in Jamaica (I have no family in Jamaica), or the joy that can be found in black spaces like a barbershop (my hair is pretty long, it won’t surprise to anyone who knows me to say I haven’t had a hair cut in years). When reading about experiences like this, it is clear this book is specifically written by Black people, for Black people. It even says as much explicitly as Brinkhurst-Cuff in her introduction writes: “It is also by and for a young Black British audience. It is unashamedly FUBU, because we deserve it.” The fact that this book is unapologetically Black down to its core is one of its biggest strengths. As an outsider to Black British culture, it never felt alienating, or exclusionary. Yes, I may not know most of the musicians mentioned, but I can still relate to finding joy in listening to and appreciating music. It shows how wide of an umbrella term Black British culture is with contributors writing about their Nigerian, Caribbean, or Ghanaian heritage, or the Black queer scene, to give a few examples. Even the cover of the book exudes Blackness and joy embracing bright colours that pop on the shelf, and art which shows a variety of Black body types, and skin tones. To look at it this book couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than what it is, an uplifting celebration of Black British culture, and the joy that can be found in it.

This book stands apart from other books I have read with its cover, and its subject matter, but it is no less political or challenging than them. It is unfortunate that this is the case but with such a strong focus on Black pain across the media, the very existence of a book like this is an act of resistance. The expressions of Black Joy within, even when it’s something as innocuous as reminiscing about being a teenager hanging out with friends at a chicken shop, are acts of defiance against, and victory over white supremacy. The work which has been done looking at Black trauma has been important, in many instances transformative, but when the same kinds of stories are told over and over, it’s only natural to wonder if there’s other aspects to the Black experience that could be explored. For a long time now, the scales have been heavily weighed down in favour of Black trauma. This book tries to begin the process of rebalancing things at least a little. It is not alone in doing so, of course, but in a field overcrowded with trauma, it stands out more by embracing joy.

  I will conclude this piece here, as while I could continue singing the praises of this book, I would prefer that you stop reading what I have to say about it and start reading it for yourself. When I found this book online, I almost didn’t choose to read it because Brinkhurst-Cuff was also the editor of a book I already reviewed: Mother Country. I’ve had an informal rule to try to not to repeat authors or editors so I can read as many perspectives as possible, but upon seeing its title, and cover, I had to read it, and I’m glad I did. I purchased it hoping to find within its pages a breath of fresh air, and that is what I found in abundance. It made me reflect back on, and gain a greater appreciation for, some of the more joyous memories of my life. As many people as possible should read this book and I, for what it’s worth, fully recommend it to anyone. This book creates a space for Black people to share their joy, to express themselves freely, and many of them do touch on Black pain, but not at the exclusion of anything else. It is my hope that more books, and other works of art across different media will continue to be made to expand that space further.

To buy this book please click here: https://tinyurl.com/4df47wfe