A decade ago, one man made it his mission to promote images of men smiling amid political turmoil #BlackMenSmile became a hashtag with a purpose.
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Black History Month
This year, NBCBLK explores how joy is a uniquely integral part of the Black American experience. We are looking at the ways that Black people celebrate, laugh, share and encourage each other through positivity and community.
This decadeslong pastime in Black communities has been celebrated everywhere from weddings to family reunions to impromptu backyard hangs.
Many Black people are finding joy, community, thrills and a bigger sense of the world through activities that were once inaccessible.
Finding an online community of fellow Black travelers that had an insatiable curiosity about the world “was such a breath of fresh air,” said traveler Patricka Hogue.
This Philadelphia pizza shop, which employs formerly incarcerated people, is all about serving the local community. “We had the same barriers when we came home, like whether it be employment, housing, health care — we all had to figure it out.”
The Go-Go Museum & Café, the only collection dedicated to the celebration, study and preservation of all things go-go, has opened in its birthplace of Washington, D.C.
A network of Black educators, experts and content creators came together to form HillmanTok University, for courses on more than 400 subjects.
We’ve interviewed dozens of Black entrepreneurs to learn about the successes and challenges they face while running their companies, and most stress that they’ve had to overcome barriers like a lack of access to capital and higher rates of financial distress compared to white-owned businesses.
