The deeper meaning of blue in Imani Perry’s new book

Imani Perry explores the cultural and historical significance of blue, connecting it to Black identity and artistry in her latest work.

Illustration by Phil Jones

By Novanka Laras and Sarah Oktaviany

Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, by Imani Perry

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Blue is humanity’s favorite color, evident in its omnipresence: the sky, the sea, denim, velvet, and even the digital space. It’s the color of iconic imagery, from the internet’s viral debates (remember “that dress”?) to the enduring allure of blue eyes in pop culture. Blue is celebrated in music, art, and literature—a color that has shaped our collective imagination. Yet, as Imani Perry demonstrates in her new book, Black in Blues, the color’s resonance extends far deeper, connecting profoundly with Black identity, history, and creativity.

Perry, an acclaimed scholar and author of the National Book Award-winning South to America, invites readers on a journey that reframes blue as more than just a visual or cultural phenomenon. Her book examines how blue intertwines with Black experiences across time, from the Middle Ages to the modern day. It is an exploration that reveals the layered significance of blue in art, music, fashion, and social history, with particular attention to its role in the development of the blues genre—a form of music born from the spirituals and work songs of enslaved African Americans.

In Black in Blues, Perry masterfully intertwines history, culture, and personal insight, crafting a narrative that feels like looking through a 3D lens. The book uncovers unexpected connections: the periwinkle flowers that mark unmarked graves, the turquoise hues of menthol cigarette packaging, and the blue backgrounds of flags representing freedoms unevenly distributed. Perry traces these associations back to their roots, offering readers a richer understanding of blue’s place in the Black experience.

One of the book’s most striking revelations is its historical depth. Perry explores how, in the Middle Ages, the English referred to dark-skinned individuals as “blew,” tying the color directly to racial identity. She also delves into the significance of blue during the transatlantic slave trade, describing the blue-green hues of tiger sharks that stalked the Middle Passage and the toxic cobalt from the Congo that powers today’s digital devices. These historical threads create a tapestry of meaning that underscores blue’s inextricable ties to Black identity.

The blues, as Perry illustrates, is a prime example of this connection. Emerging from spirituals and work songs, the genre quickly became a powerful medium of expression, layered with sound and emotion. Perry describes it as “made of sheets of sound, layered and unstable, that could make you feel much more than words.” The blues, in its depth and complexity, embodies the resilience, pain, and hope of the Black community.

Perry also examines blue’s presence in other aspects of Black life and artistry. She highlights George Washington Carver’s creation of a coveted formula for Egyptian blue, the vivid tones worn by the Little Rock Nine, and the bruises sustained by one of its members, a reminder of the violence endured in the struggle for civil rights. The book revisits Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and Miles Davis’s reclaiming of Picasso’s “Blue Period,” presenting these works as part of a broader narrative of Black resilience and creativity.

In her exploration, Perry brings fresh perspectives to familiar stories. She discusses the abolitionist Josiah Wedgwood’s invention of jasperware, a signature sky-blue ceramic, alongside the work of Thomas Commeraw, a formerly enslaved potter whose contributions were obscured until recently. Perry’s commitment to uncovering hidden histories underscores the importance of recovering stories that have been forgotten or erased.

Her book also sheds light on the darker aspects of blue’s history. Perry examines the role of indigo in the transatlantic slave trade, describing how plantations devoted to its cultivation stained the arms of enslaved workers blue—a permanent mark of bondage. She critiques the moral contradictions of iconic brands like Tiffany & Co. and Brooks Brothers, whose signature shades of blue carry a legacy of exploitation.

Perry’s writing is as poetic as it is incisive, capturing the beauty and pain intertwined in the history of blue. Her chapters, though short, are rich with insight, offering readers a chance to reflect on the many dimensions of the color. She describes her work as a quilt, piecing together stories and histories that reveal the complexities of Black life. However, she avoids getting bogged down in footnotes and citations, encouraging readers to embark on their own research journeys. While this approach may frustrate those seeking a more traditional academic framework, it aligns with Perry’s broader challenge to conventional historical narratives.

The book’s structure mirrors the nature of blue itself—fluid, expansive, and sometimes opaque. Perry’s prose drifts like ocean waves, capturing the unpredictable and multifaceted nature of her subject. Her exploration extends beyond history and art to include contemporary issues, offering a fresh lens through which to view the world. Whether examining the blue of police uniforms, the symbolism of political “blue states,” or the branding of Facebook, Perry invites readers to consider the hidden meanings behind everyday objects and symbols.

Black in Blues is not just a book about a color—it’s a meditation on identity, history, and resilience. Perry’s exploration of blue reveals how deeply it is woven into the fabric of Black life, from the past to the present. Her work challenges readers to see beyond the surface, uncovering the stories and struggles that lie beneath.

As you turn the pages of Perry’s book, you’ll find yourself looking at the world with new eyes. The blue sky, the sea, and even the corner mailbox take on new significance, each a reminder of the complex interplay between color, culture, and history. With Black in Blues, Perry has created a work that is as thought-provoking as it is beautiful—a fitting tribute to the depth and power of blue.

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