From #Rona to #Omarion

Black Twitter’s hashtag activism and critical discourse of Covid-19 pandemic

Bibliographic Data

ID6443518
AuthorsRachel Grant (0000-0002-3418-2434, University of Florida, corresponding author), Yewande O Addie (0000-0002-3946-0667, Research Triangle Institute International, USA), Diane Ezeh Aruah (0000-0002-3068-4904, Tennessee State University)
Year2024
Volume27
Issue7
Pages3788-3806
Publication date2024-01-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNew Media & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-4448 • E-ISSN: 1461-7315
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/14614448241227967
OpenAlexW4391358122
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited35

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

2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Biology · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Media studies · Pandemic · Political science · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 · Social media · Sociology · Humor Studies and Applications · Law · Media Influence and Health · Media Studies and Communication · Medicine · Virology

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