RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Black Twitter’s hashtag activism and critical discourse of COVID-19 pandemic
Grant, R., Addie, Y. O., & Ezeh aruah, D. (2024). From #Rona to #Omarion: Black Twitter’s hashtag activism and critical discourse of COVID-19 pandemic. New Media & Society, OnlineFirst. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241227967
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, social media was one of the key digital spaces for community and information. As cases and deaths rose within US Black communities, Black Twitter continued to serve as a counterpublic for humor, health commentary, and hashtag activism. This study will examine the techno discourses of Black Twitter's usage of hashtag activism during the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that the hashtags and tweets used within the Black Twitter counterpublic addressed social justice issues and challenged health inequalities in the mainstream media. We found three main discourses: Black Popular Culture, Lack of Access, and Vaccination Awareness. Overall, these discourses allow Black communities to culturally advocate for themselves and create counterpublic spheres to present their lived experiences.
