In Pursuit of Black Love: A Conversation About Black Love & Its Revolutionary Power

Scene of Darius (Laurenz Tate) and Nina (Nia Long) Sitting in the Poetry Bar from Love Jones, 1997 When I think of Black love, I think of beauty. Beautiful Black bodies lost in the moonlight of their skin. I think of my parents. I think of my grandma’s and grandpa’s old restaurant on 12th Street, Papa Lew’s. I think of my sister and my cousins. I think of my best friends, and I think of myself. After that, I immediately think of its origins.& Since its inception, Black Love has been an act of resistance and a testament to the resiliency of Black people. It has been used to support and build communities. It has allowed Black people to share their woes and dreams and express themselves outside the bounds of whiteness.& But one of the most important things Black love has done is provide an avenue for Black Americans to recognize our humanity, and acknowledge that we are deserving of love and capable of loving. And for these reasons, Black love has been revolutionary.& As time has passed, however, Black love has been stripped down and removed from its roots. Black love portrayals are mostly limited to illustrations of...