Black boy joy is always a mood. And if you ever questioned that, the #BlackMenSmiling hashtag is here to show you the light.
The hashtag began to pop up on Friday and kept gaining momentum over the weekend. Twitter users celebrated carefree blackness as they shared pictures of themselves living their best and blackest lives.
In the process, black men and boys reclaimed their own narratives and challenged stereotypes. This hashtag underscores the humanity in black boys, who are often seen as aggressors or threats.
The trend spilled into Monday ― Trayvon Martin’s birthday ― and offered some relief as the black community recalled the teen’s senseless death in 2012, which helped spark the Black Lives Matter movement.
Amid Black History Month celebrations and the continuous fight to dismantle black hypermasculinity, this hashtag continues to focus on the glory of blackness.
Here are just a few tweets and smiles.