If Black Twitter Was a Person

When we began curating this column on social media, we discovered that many people assume the cultural phenomenon called “Black Twitter” is an official network to which they can subscribe and check out all the culturally relevant information on the internet. Suggested Reading Three Friends Were Headed To A Beyoncé Concert, But One Dies On…

When we began curating this column on social media, we discovered that many people assume the cultural phenomenon called “Black Twitter” is an official network to which they can subscribe and check out all the culturally relevant information on the internet.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

It’s time that we clear up this misinformation and correct the erasure of an important figure in Black History.

Black Twitter is an actual person.

According to the Wikipedia page that I’m going to create as soon as I finish writing this, Black Twitter lives and breathes. So, to educate you on this oft-forgotten hero, we wanted to share the basics of Black Twitter’s life.


Black Twitter, (born Blackasfuhk Run’Telldat Twitteronomy; August 21, 1619) is a gender non-conforming African American journalist, comedian, entertainer and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the negro social media movement. Preferring to use the pronouns “they/nem,” Black Twitter is best known for memes, social justice, connecting disparate communities, memes and providing an outlet for laughter in the harshest of times.

Before Black Twitter, Michael Jordan was just a basketball player, not a cultural symbol for sadness and humiliation. There was a time in American history where people had to endure uncomfortable confrontations to ask someone why they were lying until black Twitter solved that problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3hTwsvJV_A

Scientists even adopted the rules of Black Twitter. Beginning in 2020, instead of scores, the Scholastic Aptitude Test will send test-takers one of two responses. People who score above a certain threshold will be notified with this meme:

Gif: Know Your Meme

While less-than-stellar scorers will simply get this as a reply:

Gif: Other Conceited

Early Life and Education

Black Twitter was born in the projects and raised with two other siblings by a single mother who instilled discipline and responsibility at an early age. They showed an early flair for drama, rhythm and unapologetic blackness.

https://twitter.com/keyahx_/status/1284557421541838850
https://twitter.com/notxruby/status/1280564292316610561

After graduating from an HBCU, they found a job translating AAVE to white people talk. Between day parties, in their spare time, BT began studying how to fight and make people laugh at any subject:

https://twitter.com/KMJeezy/status/1288440268774146049
https://twitter.com/okcandice_/status/1285956830045380608
https://twitter.com/Chughes612/status/1276558977984315395

Political Activism

As Black Twitter grew older, they became very involved in politics, presenting an unvarnished version of truth that some people found refreshing. It harnessed the power of social media to create the Black Lives Matter movement and change the political discourse in America

https://twitter.com/Teaandfacts123/status/1285108985083953152
https://twitter.com/Kate_Kelly_Esq/status/1286031687684632577
https://twitter.com/TruthsOverTrump/status/1288497711969443840
https://twitter.com/RepJayapal/status/1288215819898490880

Later years

As Black Twitter grew older, it became a cultural influencer, setting the trends across the world of music, fashion and film. It also became active in politics and history.

https://twitter.com/Soto314/status/1281050211192889345
https://twitter.com/ayoodestoo/status/1276989491912347648
https://twitter.com/luvthispayne/status/1287453768808792064

Death

Black Twitter will never die.

https://twitter.com/TheTaeWae/status/1286357126810673153
https://twitter.com/madeNmelanin/status/1287411435643924481

For the sake of equality, I think we should also present some content from white Twitter.

Here is how white Twitter was born:

https://twitter.com/emily_murnane/status/1279166881509732353

It’s filled with ratchedness like this:

https://twitter.com/vexedinthecity/status/1279861773869424648
https://twitter.com/Omgitstamz/status/1285589209072521224

And here is an exclusive clip of White Twitter keeping up with Black Twitter:

https://twitter.com/taebr33zi/status/1278386393954344960

Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.