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Near the end of 2009, during the twilight months of a decade that saw the first Black man elected to the US presidency, Ashley Weatherspoon was chasing virality on a young app called Twitter. As the personal assistant for the singer Adrienne Bailon, a former member of the pop groups 3LW and the Cheetah Girls, Weatherspoon often worked on social media strategy. For weeks, she and Bailon had been testing out hashtags on both their feeds to see what would connect with fans. A mild success came with variations on #UKnowUrBoyfriendsCheatingWhen. Later, on a car ride around Manhattan, they began playing with #UKnowUrFromNewYorkWhen. We started going ham on it, Weatherspoon told me when we spoke over the phone in June. As the two women were laughing and joking, an even better idea popped into Weatherspoons head. Then I said, oh, You know youre Black when

It was the first Sunday in September, at exactly 4:25 pm, when Weatherspoon logged on to Twitter and wrote, #uknowurblackwhen u cancel plans when its raining. The hashtag spread like wildfire. Within two hours, 1.2 percent of all Twitter correspondence revolved around Weatherspoons hashtag, as Black users riffed on everything from car rims to tall tees. It was the viral hit she was afterand confirmation of a rich fabric being threaded together across the platform. Here, in all its melanated glory, was Black Twitter.

More than a decade later, Black Twitter has become the most dynamic subset not only of Twitter but of the wider social internet. Capable of creating, shaping, and remixing popular culture at light speed, it remains the incubator of nearly every meme (Crying Jordan, This you?), hashtag (#IfTheyGunnedMeDown, #OscarsSoWhite, #YouOKSis), and social justice cause (Me Too, Black Lives Matter) worth knowing about. It is both news and analysis, call and response, judge and jurya comedy showcase, therapy session, and family cookout all in one. Black Twitter is a multiverse, simultaneously an archive and an all-seeing lens into the future. As Weatherspoon puts it: Our experience is universal. Our experience is big. Our experience is relevant.

Though Twitter launched exactly 15 years ago today, with the goal of changing howand how quicklypeople communicate online, the ingenious use of the platform by Black users can be traced, in a way, much further back in time. In 1970, when the computer revolution was in its infancy, Amiri Baraka, the founder of the Black Arts Movement, published an essay called Technology & Ethos. How do you communicate with the great masses of Black people? he asked. What is our spirit, what will it project? What machines will it produce? What will they achieve?

For Black users today, Twitter is Barakas prophetic machine: voice and community, power and empowerment. To use his words, it has become a space to imagineto thinkto constructto energize!!! What follows is the first official chronicling of how it all came fantastically together. Like all histories, it is incomplete. But it is a beginning. An outline. Think of it as a kind of record of Blacknesshow it moves and thrives online, how it creates, how it communestold through the eyes of those who lived it.

Part I: Coming Together, 20082012

As early web forums like BlackVoices, Melanet, and NetNoir fizzled out in the mid-2000s, online spaces that catered to Black interests were scarce. BlackPlanet and MySpace failed to fill the void, and Facebook didnt quite capture the essence of real-time communication. Users were looking for the next thing.

Kozza Babumba, head of social at Genius: Pre-2007, we had never had a conversation about almost anything. As a community, we didnt all talk about what it was like when we sang the national anthem. Or what it was like when OJ was driving in that white Bronco. We just watched it on TV.

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A Peoples History of Black Twitter, Part I - WIRED

"Arrest the cops. Charge the cops. Not just here in Minneapolis," social justice leader Tamika D. Mallory decried during her fiery speech last year following the murder of George Floyd, Jr. by Minneapolis police officers.

Flanked by a mix of community leaders, actors, entertainers and athletes, the activist called on prosecutors to "charge them in every city across America where our people are being murdered."

That speech later, having lit up the internet, inspired "State of Emergency: How We Win the Country." The exposure also kicked off a year catapulting the progressive even more into the two sides of fame.

Although "State of Emergency" provides an unadulterated perspective on race and justice in America - imploring readers to understand the pathways toward real change, it gets personal exploring how the 41-year-old Harlem native and mother of a son fits in the world of activism, where the spectrum of respectability politics is wide.

She's fully embracing celebrity, and the controversy that can come along with it - an opportunity seldom afforded Black women.

"If you're looking for the Tamika Mallory that's politically correct, and or only on one side of the track - whichever one that is that you may love - you're not going to find me there," she told Insider.

Kicking off that theme, the foreword veers from traditional one-person reflections to feature a conversation between two iconic Black women some consider opposite sides of that spectrum: activist and educator Dr. Angela Y. Davis, and hip hop superstar Cardi B.

The former exotic dancer-turned-reality-TV-sensation, now chart-topping rapper asks, "is there room for someone like me" before the famed civil rights activist welcomes her with open arms, assuring her she is needed in the movement.

It's Mallory's favorite highlight. Black Americans throughout 2020 have called out institutions for their racism, demanding not just seats at tables of performative inclusion, but convening rooms that work toward justice and equality.

She told Insider that with the leader she aspires to be, at the tables she'll "convene, Cardi would feel as comfortable standing next to Dr. Davis as any other scholar."

"A person who twerks is as relevant in this movement as a person who's the scholar," she told Insider. "The one who may be a janitor is not less relevant or more valuable to our work, than a pastor of a church, a doctor, a lawyer."

"Everybody is needed at the table."

But her outspoken style of activism does come at a cost, both personally and professionally. Long before co-founding the historic Women's March, Mallory had increasingly become the subject of scorn from critics.

The backlash bubbled over following her appearance on the 2021 Grammy Awards. The activist delivered a rendition of "State of Emergency '' during the interlude of rapper Lil Baby's performance.

Soon after, Samaria Rice the mother of Tamir Rice who was killed by Cleveland police officers while playing with a replica toy gun in 2012 - openly referred to her as a "clout chaser" and "a bitch," in a Facebook post calling out the performance.

Rice doubled down on her rebuke in a scathing official statement, criticizing prominent leaders, including Black Lives Matter founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors, attorneys Ben Crump and Lee Merritt as well as Mallory - demanding they "step down, stand back, and stop monopolizing and capitalizing our fight for justice."

Mallory told Insider she was taken aback by the attack contending she has never worked with Samaria Rice nor used her son in any kind of campaigning. Instead, the activist said she is proud to have the blessings of other mothers of the movement, matriarchs whose offspring were also killed by law enforcement officials.

"The families that I've actually worked with and been close to support me and will tell you that I've never utilize the children and or exploited their children in any capacity, and also that they support me and would like for me to continue to do the work that I have been doing alongside them," she said.

She also defended her performance, rejecting accusations of "grifting" or profiteering from Black trauma, pain, and death, insisting "it wasn't a speech that was simply about police brutality, or about the loss of life, or for young Black men and women who've been killed."

"My speech was a result of racial justice," she argued. "For anyone to say that I don't have the right to speak on behalf of racial injustice in this nation is actually outrageous. I think all of us are obligated to use any space that we can to talk about racial injustice."

"All of us have the right to be experts, if you're Black in America, on all of those issues," she furthered.

Mallory who also recently drew condemnation for appearing in a Cadillac promotional campaign isn't' shy about attributing the backlash to another institution plaguing America: "misogynoir" - or the unique discrimination and mistreatment Black women face on account of racism and misogyny.

She contends that, in some parts, Black women are held to different standards. Criticism is therefore harsher when levied toward female activists on the front lines.

"To be a woman who is a leader, there is definitely always going to be even more scrutiny," she said.

Now that the book with its poetic prose is out in the world, the truth to power speaker is looking forward to further expanding her movement in a peculiar landscape.

The woman former president Barack Obama's senior advisor Valerie Jarrett called a "leader of tomorrow," is committed to forging a new kind of activism, one responsive to the digital and celebrity-focused climate that propelled the unrest of 2020.

Reality TV is one frontier that she's immersed in thanks to Mona Scott Young's wildly popular "Love & Hip Hop" franchise. Young, engaged and internet savvy people are who she says are needed in the movement.

"Those groups like that are our actual audience," she detailed. "And I keep doing this work, because I'm looking at people who have less resources and less information, but they are the ones who are actually pushing for the most change."

The COVID-19 survivor, who also battled an addiction to prescription medications on the heels of breaking ties the Women's March organization, is working on an outline of her very own memoir more focused on the personal life experiences of the "girl from Harlem."

Not what's next, she told Insider the path she forges will center and celebrate Black women in all their complexities so long as there are barriers that limit them.

"I don't know what else is in the future, I do it," Mallory said, wrapping up the interview. "We still don't have justice so I will keep doing this work for the long haul, probably something that I would actually go to my grave with."

Read more:
Misogynoir holds Black women to higher standards. Why activist Tamika Mallory is unbothered by her critics - Insider

Hull has shown its support to England footballers who suffered sickening racist abuse after losing on penalties in last weekends Euros final.

Three of Englands youngest players - Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho - were brave enough to step up and take a penalty but suffered abuse online after they each missed.

The ugly aftermath put racism and the Black Lives Matter movement in the spotlight once more.

Read more:Window cleaner behind racist slurs of England players complains that HE is being abused

That prompted Hull and East Yorkshire Stand Up to Racism to organise a rally at Pearson Park on Sunday afternoon which was attended by around 30 people.

Those attending took the knee and displayed Black Lives Matter placards.

Organiser and chairman of the group Richard Lees said: It was really well attended. There was around 30 people who were all from different communities.

It was in response to the racist attacks on English footballers. Lots of groups up and down the country responded to the Three Lions after these despicable attacks and we wanted to do something in Hull.

We had two local councillors there and representatives from other groups.

We also had a message from Janet Alder whose brother Christopher died in police custody.

"She explained how monkey noises have been aimed at footballers which is the same noises that were heard in Queens Gardens police station as Christopher lay dying.

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The numbers were far short of the 700 people who turned out to a Stand Up To Racism demo in Manchester at the mural of Marcus Rashford and the large crowds who gathered in Hull shortly after the death of George Floyd killed by a police officer in Minneapolis last year.

But Mr Lees was happy with the turnout and believes the message was put across.

He said: The 30 people who turned up was better than I expected. We dont have such a large West Indian community in Hull as there is in Manchester.

Ethnic groups in Hull are also less keen to come forward as race crime here is through the roof.

It was also very sunny so people are out doing other things.

But this issue is not going away and people are still booing those sports people who take the knee.

We know a lot of football fans in Hull are behind equality and hope they will come on board.

The rally also received a largely good response from those in the park.

Mr Lees said: The response from people in the park was very positive.

We did have one guy come up and tell us all lives matter but we had a discussion and he said he would go away and look up more on the issue.

We are happy to engage with people but we wont do so with racists.

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Black Lives Matter rally held in Pearson Park in support of England footballers - Hull Live

In a fiery Fourth of July Facebook post, Utahs Black Lives Matter Chapter declared the American flag "a symbol of hatred."

"When we Black Americans see this flag we know the person flying it is not safe to be around," the post reads. "When we see this flag we know the person flying it is a racist. When we see this flag we know that the person flying it lives in a different America than we do. When we see this flag, we question your intelligence. We know to avoid you. It is a symbol of hatred."

Chapter founder Lex Scott confirmed to Fox News Wednesday that her group had made the post to highlight how hate groups can allegedly "co-opt" the American flag without prompting similar blowback.

"Ever since we put up the post, our page has been flooded with hatred from people who fly the flag," she said. "And we want to thank those people for proving our point."

SEN. COTTON SLAMS NYT FOR SUGGESTING THE AMERICAN FLAG IS DIVISIVE

When asked how she would respond to people who say the American flag is for all Americans, she said that those who are offended by her groups statement should take it up with hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan, which she said proudly wave Old Glory at their rallies.

Chapter founder Lex Scott confirmed to Fox News Wednesday that her group had made the post. (FOX)

"I would ask those people if they ever showed outrage when the Ku Klux Klan marched down the street holding that flag, if they ever showed outrage last week when Patriot Front, a White supremacist group, was marching through Philadelphia holding that flag, if they feel outraged that the Three Percenters have co-opted their flag, that the Proud Boys have co-opted their flag," she said. "If they have never shown outrage when hate groups use their symbol for hatred, then they need to not come to us they need to go directly to those groups. When you allow a hate group to fly that flag in the name of hatred, and you say nothing, and you do nothing, you send a message to us that you agree with their messaging. You agree with that hate, and you condone it."

Philadelphia media reported Monday that the Patriot Front marchers, none of whom were from the city, retreated from their demonstration after clashes with local residents.

BLM INFIGHTING REACHES A BOILING POINT AS MEMBESR DEMAND 'ACCOUNTABILITY'

"They started engaging with citizens of Philadelphia, who were none too happy about what they were saying," Philadelphia Police Officer Michael Crum told the citys ABC affiliate WPVI. "These males felt threatened, and, at one point, somebody in their crowd threw a type of smoke bomb to cover their retreat, and they literally ran away from the people of Philadelphia."

A lengthy follow-up post on the BLM Utah chapters Facebook page, which Scott said she had written, goes into the groups argument in greater detail.

People who care about the flag should defend it not just from her criticism, but also from hate groups that try to take advantage of it, she argued.

"I want you to walk in my shoes for a second," she wrote. "I want you to picture this. You show up for a protest, and hundreds of armed White men show up. They have guns, they yell racial slurs at you, they are carrying and wearing American flags."

She said she receives hate messages via Facebook on a daily basis and many of the senders have American flags on their profiles.

"If you see that every person that hates you is carrying an American flag how would you feel about that flag?" she continued. "I feel fear. That is not up for debate. I feel like the person flying it is racist, because every racist that I have come in contact with is either wearing that flag or flying that flag. I feel as if I should avoid that person because they may be dangerous."

Scott has said in the past that Black Lives Matter Utah is an independent chapter and is not affiliated with the national BLM organization, and the group has promoted a pragmatic approach to criminal justice reform in the past.

"In our chapter, we work with Republicans and Democrats for police reforms," she said last summer. She had also appeared on "Fox News @ Night" to discuss such issues with Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

The groups proposals have included officer de-escalation training rather than defunding the police.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The BLM Utah post echoes controversial remarks from New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay, who said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" last month that she was "disturbed" to see pickup trucks carrying the flag in a New York City suburb.

"I was on Long Island this weekend visiting a really dear friend, and I was really disturbed" she said. "I saw dozens and dozens of pickup trucks with expletives against Joe Biden on the back of them, Trump flags, and in some cases just dozens of American flags, which is also just disturbing. Essentially the message was clear: This is my country. This is not your country. I own this."

Originally posted here:
Black Lives Matter Utah chapter calls American flag ...

In a Facebook post published on the Fourth of July, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Utah chapter declared the American flag a hate symbol.

When we Black Americans see this flag we know the person flying it is not safe to be around. When we see this flag we know the person flying it is a racist. When we see this flag we know that the person flying it lives in a different America than we do. When we see this flag, we question your intelligence. We know to avoid you. It is a symbol of hatred, the statement read.

Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah, said the intention of the inflammatory post was to generate a reaction and show how the flag is being co-opted by extremist groups, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The point of the post was to make everyone uncomfortable, Scott said. The American flag is taught to us from birth to represent freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Scott noted that her sentiments were triggered by the sight of photos depicting members of far-right organization Patriot Front marching through Philadelphia carrying the American flag on the eve of the Fourth of July.

Theyre flying American flags. The Ku Klux Klan is flying American flags. The Proud Boys are flying American flags. They climbed the Capitol for their failed insurrection and were beating police officers with American flags. I have not heard any outrage from Republicans or the right about the use of the American flag as a hate symbol, Scott said.

We are seeing that symbol used in every racist hate groups messaging across this nation. The problem that I have is no one is addressing the people who are using it for hate. I am telling you when I see an American flag, I begin to feel fear for the simple fact that every time I am faced with hatred, it is at the hands of someone carrying an American flag, she continued.

The BLM post echoes the comments made by New York Times Editorial Board member Mara Gray during an appearance on MSNBCs Morning Joe, when she said was disturbed to see American flags displayed on the back of Trump supporters pick-up trucks during a weekend trip to Long Island.

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Black Lives Matter Utah Chapter Declares American Flag a ...