When you think of the most popular social networks, Twitter definitely comes to mind. The site is a haven for those craving the latest, hottest news of the day. For that reason, Twitter has become a microcosm consisting of many small communities, one of which has taken the world by storm.
I’m talking about Black Twitter of course! Kind of like the cool kids’ lunch table, Black Twitter is an exclusive group complete with its own -isms, inside jokes and etiquette. Black Twitter can be defined as a cultural identity focused on social issues in the Black community.
According to the Pew Research Center, 26 percent of Blacks who use the Internet use Twitter; moreover, 11 percent of Black Twitter users say they use the app at least once a day.
The most notable Black Twitter achievements include the downfall of Paula Deen and the demise of a celebrity boxing match between rapper DMX and
George Zimmerman. Black Twitter also shut down a book deal with Juror B29 from the Trayvon Martin trial.
Most recently, Black Twitter took on
the condemnation of Michael Dunn, a white man who shot and killed Black teen Jordan Davis because he was playing loud music. The social media force created the hashtag, #dangerousblackchildren, posting pictures of Black infants and toddlers in response to the murder.
In these instances, Black Twitter was
the driving force for change, and made a quicker impact than many well-known Black organizations.
“Ask the NAACP how long it [shut-down of DMX v. Zimmerman boxing match] would have taken had that been one of their initiatives,” said Kimberly Ellis, author of upcoming book, “The
Bombastic Brilliance of Black Twitter.” Ellis holds a Ph.D. in American and Africana studies.
“Black Twitter brings the fullness of black humanity into the social network and that is why it has become so fascinating,” Ellis said.
After reading all of this, one may ask, “How exactly has Black Twitter accomplished these things?” The answer is through the use of clever hashtags like #paulasbestdishes and #stopthefight as well as hilarious memes.
Black Twitter is a force to be reckoned with and NAACP interim president Lorraine Miller has taken notice.
“We realized more than anyone that we had to go in that direction and we’ve done it,” Miller said when referencing the NAACP’s social media use.
The organization is responsible for the #TooMuchDoubt hashtag, which pro-tested the execution of Black inmate, Troy Davis. The NAACP also created the #OscarGrant hashtag, to protest Grant’s wrongful killing, which is chronicled in the film Fruitvale Station.
For some reason, labeling of Black Twitter has been a source of controversy. While some feel it is discriminatory to designate a separation between other Twitter users and Black Twitter users, others feel the label is harmless, and I agree with the latter. Nevertheless, you don’t have to take my word for it; I’m just a fly on the wall, minding my own business….