Like millions of Americans, I got caught up this summer in the opulent world of the Russells, Van Rhijns, Astors, and Scotts of HBO’s The Gilded Age. The series ended a week ago, and since then social media has been awash with GIFs, memes, outtakes, and interviews of its stars and creators. I happened upon a montage of interviews of the show’s black actors and producers commenting on the significance of the finale’s magnificent ball scene.

“We never get to see ourselves this way. We don’t get the historical context of black joy and celebration, so it’s so nice to inhabit that,” said Jordan Donica, who plays Dr. William Kirkland.

Historical consultant and co-executive producer Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar expanded: “What the ball allows us to do is to remember that, although these indignities and fear and violence existed, and black people lived with it everyday, even under the most oppressive regimes, that joy still existed. And no one could steal that joy.”

The Gilded Age and Black Wide-Awake don’t have much in common. Among other things, I don’t focus on the elite. The conduct reported in my posts often reflects violence, fear, and oppression. But I’m reminded that there is also joy here. Lots of it.

Black people happy.

In spaces they created or chose.

Away from the white gaze. (Or, if not entirely away, with the gazers at a safe remove, marginalized, inert.)

It’s going to take a minute, but I’m creating a new post category, Black Joy, and I’m to going back through my 6800+ posts and mark all that demonstrate the sweetness of life that got us over. Enjoy!

Photo: HBO.