I get the impression that the average adult, black or white did not begin thinking in terms of ‘happiness’ or fullfilment until the Industrial Revolution, 1760 thru 1840.
Until then, basic survival was the name of the game.
‘Happiness’ as it were was said to be best achieved through organized religion.
Upperclasses have always had the leisure which allowed them time to speculate about various states of existence.
This same analogy can also be said about the notion of romantic love.
Jeez Louise.
You think people never experienced personal happiness before the Industrial Revolution, or Romantic Love before the Middle Ages?
You have too much book-learnin’, and not enough knowledge of human-beans.
(You must be a machine...)