Black Culture: A Story Worth Celebrating

 Black Culture: A Story Worth Celebrating

If you’ve ever asked, What exactly is Black culture? you’re not alone. I hear this question at almost every event. And I understand why people ask; it’s not easy to explain, because American Black culture isn’t a list, a trend, or a catchall for every global Black experience. It is, and always has been, something living, evolving, and profoundly rooted in this soil. 

A Culture With Its Own Legacy

There’s a tendency to see all Black people as the same, no matter where we’re from. American Black culture comes from a history and a story that is uniquely ours; built here. What we’ve created is original to us. There’s a whole world inside of it: old traditions and new ideas; joy and pain, creativity and care layered together through time.

This distinction matters. While there’s a larger Black diaspora, the culture I’m talking about, the culture celebrated at Black Culture Candles, is uniquely American. It’s shaped by our history, our traditions, our stories. There’s pride in that legacy, and it’s not up for blending, broadening, or redefining by anyone else. 

A Culture That Moves the World
What a lot of people don’t realize is how much American Black culture has shaped everything it touches. The blues started in the South and ended up in Paris jazz clubs. Hip hop was born in New York and now lives everywhere. The way we talk, dress, and move, those things show up in cities from London to Tokyo.

But none of it happened by chance. It comes from lived experience, turning what we had into something new, making beauty out of struggle, creating joy where there was none. When you see the world loving a song, a style, a saying; chances are, it started with us. That’s why the origin and meaning behind what we create matters.

Beyond the Surface
Our impact goes deeper than music and style. Black culture has always been about building: building businesses, building movements, building hope. American Black creativity has shaped billion-dollar industries in music, fashion, beauty and sports. 

From the days of Black Wall Street our creativity has driven industries and opened doors for others, even when those doors were closed to us. Black entrepreneurs, often operating without a safety net, have modeled innovation and resilience. From the brilliance of today’s disruptors in tech, art, media, and real estate, we've built, rebuilt, and defined what commerce looks like when community comes first.

And in politics, Black America has always been at the heart of change. From the Civil Rights Movement forward, our voices and votes have pushed this country to be better, again and again. Every significant push toward justice and democracy; civil rights, voting rights, labor, education, has been fueled by Black voices, Black organizing, Black refusal to settle for less than dignity. To honor Black culture is to honor its power to make real change.

Beyond Imitation and Stereotypes
Too often, Black culture is seen as something to “try on”, or a playlist, a hairstyle, a trend. But our culture is much deeper. It’s built from unspoken understanding, passed down across generations. It’s not something you can wear for a day and take off. Black culture is American culture, but there are layers most people never see. Behind every influence is a real community, a real history, and real people who live it every day.

Scent Is Story
Every candle I make tells a small part of this story. When you light a Black Culture Candle, you’re not just filling your space with scent, you’re calling up shared memories.

The fragrance of Grandma’s Garden, the memory of Cleaning Day, the comfort of Friday Night: these are more than just smells. They’re reminders of who we are, what we’ve been through, and what we celebrate. We share Black culture to honor what’s sacred.

Meaning Matters
If you’ve ever wondered why we keep some things close, or why some stories stay within the community, it’s because this culture was built from the ground up. It was made through hard work, creativity and love. Resilience and imagination got us here. 

Gatekeeping isn’t about exclusion, it’s about reverence. Some things need protection because they were built from nothing, or rebuilt after loss.

Black culture is joyful, even when times are tough. It’s a light that we pass to each other, so no one is left out. 

An Invitation
My candles are for anyone who values story, craftsmanship, and connection. Whether these traditions are yours, or you’re discovering them for the first time, you’re welcome here.

Because to honor memory, and to make space for joy, culture, and connection, is to join the scent journey.

If this made you think, smile, or reflect, that’s the scent journey we’re here for. Fragrance, like culture, is personal. When you share it, it connects us all.

Let’s keep the scent journey going with care, with credit, and with connection.

— Lori

Curious about which candle tells your story? Take the Scent Journey Quiz