This Everyday Gesture Has a Black Origin Story You Probably Never Learned

mother and daughter give each other a high five
Via Unsplash
Briona Lamback
January 22, 2026

On October 2, 1977, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Glenn Burke took the field against the Houston Astros. During the game, he raised his hand and changed the way the world celebrates.

Burke raised his right hand to congratulate his teammate, Dusty Baker, who had just hit his 30th home run. Baker slapped Burke's raised hand, and the “high-five” caught on.

The high-five became a tradition in the Dodgers clubhouse, then it spread across Major League Baseball and from there into mainstream culture.

Today, the high-five is a universal symbol used to celebrate, congratulate, and foster camaraderie, all of which makes sense given who our people have always been.

We've always known our joy is infectious, but Burke's impromptu moment of celebration proves it. This is your reminder to keep being your beautiful, Black, joyous self, no matter who's watching.

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