Is Black Joy an Act of Resistance?

“I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.” – Audre Lorde

In the story of Black culture, joy has never been an afterthought; it’s been a lifeline. A form of protest. A declaration that says, we’re still here.

To say that joy is a form of resistance means that in a world where Blackness has only been
expected to survive, to endure, to mourn - choosing to live fully, to love deeply, to celebrate loudly - is powerful. It disrupts the narrative that we’re only our pain.

From hush harbors and juke joints to Sunday dinners and backyard cookouts, joy has always been woven into the fabric of Black life. In the hush of the woods, far from the eyes of enslavers, our ancestors whispered prayers, sang songs, and held each other in sacred defiance. In these harbors, these weren’t just acts of faith - they were acts of reclamation. Of remembering who they were.

That same spirit has been carried throughout the decades - into laughter-filled kitchens, crowded living rooms, house parties, and step shows. It’s how our people have sustained themselves when everything else tried to break them. It’s how we build community, preserve culture, and create meaning. Joy is resilience wrapped in laughter, music, memory, and connection.

Artists like Zora Neale Hurston, Jacob Lawrence, and Pharrell have all understood this.
They didn’t just tell stories - they illuminated Black life. Not just its struggle, but the soul of it. And in doing so, they proved that joy isn’t naive. It’s necessary.

At Black Culture Candles, we carry that legacy forward. Our scents are crafted not just to smell good, but to mean something. To bring you back to the memories and experiences that made you feel safe, seen, and whole.

Take Black Joy, for example. As the notes of citrus, pineapple, and jasmine drift in, you’re suddenly an 8 year old back outside on a summer day. Sunlight on your face. Laughter in the air. That moment wasn’t just a memory, it was a celebration of being.

That’s what our Scent Journey is about.

Not just fragrance, but time travel.

Not just ambiance, but affirmation.

Because in Black culture, joy is proof of life - a life worth celebrating.

So when we light a candle, we’re not just filling a room with scent, we’re filling it with story. With presence. With joy.

- Lori