Black Voices black twitter2015year in review

18 Times Black Twitter Broke The Internet In 2015

From LOL to SMH these are the moments that defined Black Twitter in 2015.
Aaron Barksdale
By 

Voices Editorial Fellow, The Huffington Post

Amanda Duberman/The Huffington Post

Black Twitter is a social media powerhouse. The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag galvanized a modern day civil rights movement that gained political attention and empowered black Americans everywhere. By creating a collective dialogue based on the diversity of black experiences, a boundless community of Twitter users make a meaningful impact on how issues of race and identity play out far beyond the platform itself. That impact was abundantly clear in 2015.

Throughout the year, black Twitter users called out cultural appropriation, celebrated moments of black excellence and showed solidarity against racial injustice. We've rounded up some of the best hashtag movements from 2015 that were part of a national conversation on race. Enjoy the blast from the past.

1
#StayMadAbby
Twitter
In 2013, when Abigail Fisher, a white woman, was denied admission to the University of Texas she decided to file a lawsuit against the college, claiming that she had been discriminated against due to their affirmative action policy. In 2015, Fisher's case was brought to the Supreme Court in December. Black Twitter wasted no time in calling out her race-baiting attack on affirmative action, which ironically helps white women more than people of color. Black alumni from the University of Texas are proudly displaying their graduation regalia with #StayMadAbby, and shutting down Fisher's inaccurate claims of reverse racism.
2
#OscarsSoWhite
Twitter
In January the Oscar nominations severely lacked representation of people of color in every major category, which spawned the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. Black Twitter users clapped back at the awards committee for the lack diversity and only awarding black people in servant roles.
3
#BlackExperience
Twitter
There are many things to take pride in about being black, and there is no shortage of reasons to celebrate black excellence. However, earlier this year the hashtag #BlackExperience allowed black people to come together and share their experiences with racism, and it's still used regularly by social activists online.
4
#AskRachel
Twitter
In June Rachel Dolezal, former head of the Spokane, Washington chapter of the NAACP and now professional media troll, was outed as a white woman who pretended to be black. Black Twitter hilariously responded with hashtag #AskRachel, which was less about Dolezal and more about celebrating black culture.
5
#GrowingUpBlack
Twitter
Growing up black is one of a kind experience and Black Twitter users took a trip down memory lane together sharing the quintessential moments of black childhood with #GrowingUpBlack.
6
#IfIDieInPoliceCustody
Twitter
In July, five black women died while in police custody: Sandra Bland, Kindra Chapman, Joyce Curnell, Ralkina Jones and Raynette Turner. In response to their deaths, black Twitter users created the hashtag #IfIdieInPoliceCustody to raise awareness about the epidemic of police violence against women.
7
#SayHerName
Twitter
Earlier this year, #SayHerName was a social activist movement started by members of the African-American Policy Forum to raise awareness about black women who experienced police violence. The hashtag has become a rallying cry on the Internet and in real life for black women who have had violent encounters with the police.
8
#WhyYouAlwaysLyin
Twitter
"Why you always lyin," was the one question had us laughing all year. Long time viner, Nicholas Fraser, remixed the '90s classic "Too Close" by Next and it was the most addictive thing on the Internet. Black Twitter users went in sharing, reblogging, and creating memes from the hilarious video.
9
#Damonsplaining
Twitter
The hashtag "damonsplaining" began when Project Green Light producer Effie Brown, a black woman, stood up to Matt Damon and a room full of white male filmmakers on the issue of diversity. Damon then interrupted and spoke over Brown to explain diversity to her in what may have been the most tone-deaf instance of whitesplaining ever. Even though he later apologized for the blunder the hashtag highlighted how white people can unintentionally derail authentic conversations about race.
10
#FlexinMyComplexion
Twitter
There was an abundance of melanin pride in 2015, and the hashtag #FlexinMyComplexion was a celebratory moment for black Twitter users everywhere.
11
#ZolaStory
Twitter
The Zola Story was an epic (we promise we're not using that word lightly) tale of drugs, prostitution, and violence that captivated the entire Internet that was both entertaining and at times disturbing.
12
#GreatestMomentsInBlackTwitterHistory
Twitter
In October, black Twitter users rehashed the best moments from the social media site over the years with the hashtag "#GreatestMomentsInBlackTwitterHistory." From #ABCReports to #UncleDenzel, the #GreatestMomentsInBlackTwitterHistory era was a blast from the past.
13
#BlackOnCampus
Twitter
After students at Mizzou protested racism at their university, black college students and alumni from schools across the country showed solidarity with the hashtag #BlackOnCampus and shared their experiences of discrimination.
14
#ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies
Twitter
Thanksgiving black families have special traditions and inside jokes which inspired the hilarious hashtag #ThanksgivingWithBlackFamilies. The tweets and memes of the kitchen table talk and dining room gossip made the holiday feel like a virtual family get together.
15
#PattiPie
Twitter
After singing YouTube sensation James Wright made a video review about Patti Labelle's sweet potato pie the internet went into a frenzy. The pie was good, but the reaction memes from #PattiPie on Twitter were delicious!
16
#DabOnThemFolks
Twitter
The Carolina Panthers quarterback, Cam Newton, made a movement out the dance the dab from Migos' now-iconic song "Look at my dab." #DabOnThemFolks swept the Internet until the dance met its untimely demise by a series old white coaches butchering the move.
17
#MelaninOnFleek
Twitter
Black Twitter was on a roll in 2015 with encouraging people to love the skin they're in with the hashtag #MelaninOnFleek.
18
#TheWizLive
Twitter
The Wiz Live was nothing short of magical, and black Twitter users had a field day over the black excellence that unfolded on stage using the hashtag #TheWizLive.

More of this in 2016 please!

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