"I believe that this type of joy, which can lead to dancing and laughter, is not only an act that has allowed African Americans to survive amid great adversity in society today and throughout history, but also a way in which African American communities witness to the rest of the world a type of joy that will be found in God’s kingdom. We can all learn from and live in Black Joy—a type of joy that doesn’t negate life’s problems but empowers us to press forward and uplifts us to face another day."

Regarding their Christian faith, Black slaves' response to their treatment and their culture was one of lament and hope. Black slaves in the colonies desired real physical liberation, not solely spiritual liberation, but one that allowed them to live freely and be distant from the brutal treatment of their slave masters. Their lament for their condition and the hope they had can be found in slave songs. Louis Adams, in her slave narrative, recounts…