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'Black in Blues' explores the rich history of the color blue in Black culture

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom
Published February 26, 2025 at 11:33 AM EST
The cover of "Black in Blues" and author Imani Perry. (Courtesy of Ecco and Kevin Peragine)
Courtesy of Ecco and Kevin Peragine
The cover of "Black in Blues" and author Imani Perry. (Courtesy of Ecco and Kevin Peragine)

Editor’s note: This segment was rebroadcast on Feb. 16, 2026. Click here for that audio.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks with Harvard professor and MacArthur recipient Imani Perry about her new collection of essays, “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People.” In the book, Perry explores how the color blue has been intertwined with Black history over centuries.

Book excerpt: ‘Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People’

By Imani Perry

From “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People” by Imani Perry. Copyright © 2025 by Imani Perry. Excerpted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR
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