Cultural & Ethnic Studies Black Radicalism, Black Consciousness, Black History, Black Liberation, Black

473 Chapter 19 Black Radicalism , Black Consciousness , Black History , and Black YouTube A New Age Revolution Cheryl Mango Virginia State University INTRODUCTION A new age Black revolution is currently waging on YouTube by passionate African American social media personalities determined to help Black people defeat and rise above White supremacy boundaries In recent years , social media sites like Facebook , Twitter , Snapchat , Instagram , and YouTube have reformatted Black radicalism in the United States by providing zealous African American activists with an online platform to boldly express their concerns and gain a following by using the internet . As a result , significant shifts in Black revolutionary thought or consciousness and new protest methods have developed in combination with the rapid growth in human dependency on computer capabilities The new virtual home for Black resistance to racial oppression is rooted inside the Black radical tradition of remaining committed to an idealized , Black liberationist goal of securing social , political , cultural , and economic freedom for people of African descent worldwide . Though many African Americans use social media to express their discontent with racial oppression , the online Black of focus are small in number , yet large in influence . The Black YouTube rebels in this study are either a part of or affiliated with the following YouTube channels , and . The thought Jonathan Cox , The Source of a Movement Making the Case for Social Media as an Informational Source Using Black Lives Matter . Ethnic and Racial Studies 40 , no . 11 ( 2017 ) Ibid .

474 leaders are both eagerly and often hesitantly referred to as spearheads of the Black Conscious Community . The Black Conscious Community is a conglomerate of sporadically allied African Americans who advocate replacing mainstream Black philosophies and institutions with and Black Nationalist ideas and action . The of focus were chosen due to their loose connections and because they are among the most influential and in their justifications for the complete transformation of the psyche and physical reality of all people of African Many of the Black YouTube radicals are often offended by the term and categorization of YouTube Revolutionary or because they believe such titles diminish the importance of their online and work . Yet , the label is appropriate and reflects unique characteristics that make the online Black militants important voices in the current political and social media The new virtual presence in Black radical thinking and action amassed by these YouTube radicals are worthy of serious scholarly study because they represent a critical stage of development in Black revolutionary history and consciousness . AN OVERVIEW OF STAGES OF BLACK RADICALISM IN THE UNITED STATES Black radicalism , militancy , or resistance to White supremacy in the United States has remained a central feature in African American history from the slavery era throughout present Whenever repression was present , African Americans used confrontational means to liberate or free themselves from White control . Blacks combative actions demonstrated the connections between Black radicalism and Black Production . Red Pill Talks the New a Code of Conduct for the Black Conscious Community ! YouTube , January 20 , Production . Red Pill Sounds Off on Conscious Platforms I Have to Publicly Separate My Self from YouTube , May 28 , Theresa Johnson and Alex , Introduction to Futures of Black ( London Verso Books , 2017 )

475 consciousness because they both involve a state of mind that seeks to actively challenge racism through means like spirituality , politics , education , and even violence . Years prior to social media rise , different forms of Black radicalism emerged to respond to the prevailing types of racial oppression . During Africans sixteenth to Middle Passage , many slaves revolted against their White captors . Their resistance methods were both passive ( discreet ) and active ( vigorous ) Though detained , Africans always longed to free themselves from their confinement , which was a form of mental , yet passive resistance . Forms of passive resistance also included sabotaging tools and crops and faking illnesses . In contrast to passive Black resistance , one example of active resistance occurred in 1839 on the Spanish La slave ship during the Middle Passage . After the people of Sierra Leone banded together to violently overthrow the White captors who were charged with shipping them from Africa to the Americas for slavery , the attempted to force the remaining Spanish men to steer the ship back to Africa . Instead of sailing to Africa , the White men directed the ship to the East Coast of the United States , which landed on Long Island . Despite the failing to return their slave ship to Africa , they successfully proved their case for freedom in the American courts on the grounds that slave trading ( not slavery ) had been illegal in the United States since Similar active forms of resistance occurred during Africans enslavement period in the United States , particularly in the form of slave revolts . Blacks were expected to accept their inferior status and live under the rules that Whites defined for them . Yet , the pressures of having limited freedom and little control over their own affairs often expanded into a philosophical and concrete arena known as Black radicalism . The concept concerns people who believe in forcefully overthrowing existing political , social , and economic norms to create a new Black reality where Africans worldwide lead their own affairs free from racial oppression . Olivier , Processes of Exiting the Slave Systems A Typology , in Systems Ancient and Modern , ed . Enrico Dal Lago and ( Cambridge Cambridge University Press , 2008 ) Marcus , The An Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom ( New York Penguin , 2012 )

476 Black radicalism intensified in the hostile , environment known as Jim Crow segregation . The racial group suffering did not go unnoticed by minded Black leaders . In the early , Marcus Garvey and other similar developed radical solutions that included pushes for Blacks in America and around the world uniting to control the lands and live in Africa . Garvey calls were followed by Black Nationalists like Elijah Muhammad , who believed that Blacks in America should separate from mainstream society and form their own . Though and Black Nationalism became central features in Black radical thought and action , Communism also played a defining role in the Black revolutionary Ideologically , Communism calls for everyone to have an equal amount of resources and power . Many African Americans also believed Communism was the solution for ending Black oppression . In the United States , Communists were considered radical and enemies to the federal government due to its direct opposition to American economic norms such as capitalism . From the through the , the pressures failed to prevent African American singer Paul and lawyer Benjamin Davis from advocating for Communist solutions to help Black people free themselves from socioeconomic and racial The men radical calls for Communist action influenced the turbulent and era Black Power Movement leaders and organizations such as the Black Panther Party for . In 1966 , in Oakland , California , Huey Newton and Bobby Seal founded the Black Panther Party for in response to police brutality against local African Americans . The Black Panther Party promotion of armed and Black Nationalist programs that included providing free breakfast , education , and healthcare William Van , Modern Nationalism From Marcus Garvey to Louis ( New York New York University Press , 1996 ) Jordan Goodman , Paul Watched Man ( London Verso , 2013 ) William Van . Modern Black Nationalism From Marcus Garvey to Louis ( New York New York University Press , 1996 )

477 for African Americans rapidly gained the attention of Blacks across the nation . Newton and Seal educated the organization members on their constitutional rights to carry weapons . Black Panthers were influenced by Black radicals like Malcolm , who strongly criticized Martin Luther King Civil Rights Movement notions of peaceful demonstrations and Blacks integrating into the mainstream From 1952 until 1964 , was a member of the Nation of Islam ( NOI ) a religious and Black Nationalist organization led by Elijah Muhammad . popularized NOI radical teachings such as believing White people were devils and promoting African Americans separating from Whites to form their own nation . also influenced famed boxer Muhammad adoption of Islam , criticism of Whites oppression of Blacks , and refusal to fight in the Vietnam War after his 1966 military draft . doctrine also played a pivotal role in the Black Panthers calls for Blacks to stop serving the military . Ali , and the Black Panthers believed that African Americans should not help the United States attack other people when the country treated Black people with disdain . Instead , the Black Panthers called for a revolution at Not only did the Black radical organization want Black people to defend themselves against White acts of violence , a few of their members like Eldridge Cleaver engaged in gunfights with police . Many members also believed that a violent overthrow of the government was necessary to end the of Black people . Government considered the Black Panthers attempts to organize , educate , and protect their communities as radical threats to the country national security and ultimately shattered the The Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) led by Edgar Hoover , destroyed the Black Panthers by engaging in unlawful tactics including planned assassinations of Black Panthers with a FBI surveillance and infiltration program called Though the Black Panthers disbanded in the early , the organization took Black radicalism in the United States to new heights with its racial pride Jeffery Og ba , Black Power Radical ' and African American Identity ( Baltimore The Johns Hopkins University Press , 2005 ) 57 , 109 , 155 , 171 , 186 . 18 , 20 , 21 , 28 , 60 , 12 Ibid , 199 . 13 Ibid , 175 , 199 .

478 and revolutionary politics . In the early , Michaels formed the New Black Panther Party , which Khalid Muhammad and Malik Zulu expanded in the late and early . Similar to the original Black Panther Party created in 1966 , the New Black Panther Party promoted Black Nationalism and Black . Muhammad activism was considered so radical by opponents of his Black resistance ideology that in 1993 , the United States Congress voted to censure him . Congress contempt for Muhammad did not stop him and fellow Black revolutionaries from continuing the Black radical tradition of unapologetic attempts to secure complete Black In the , the and African cultural nationalist scholars who were active during the 19605 and Civil Rights and Black Power Movements such as , Frances Cress , Marimba Ani , and gained momentum . They were on television shows like Tony Browns Journal and Phil Donahue spreading their philosophical ideas for an intellectual and cultural Black However , similar to the YouTube of study , during the and , theoretical divisions existed between Black radical political nationalists and cultural nationalists on which direction was best for defeating African American oppression . In 1969 , the Black Panthers and the US Organization led by , epitomized the rift when a shootout erupted between the two groups at UCLA . Though the subversive and questionable program was largely to blame for the tensions , the Black Panthers Marxist political and economic inclinations and the US focus on the of African Americans with African culture reflected the two groups divergent positions . Both were Black Nationalists who were determined to liberate Blacks from an oppressive system of racial control , but with different approaches and values . 14 Christian Adams , Injustice Exposing the Racial Agenda of the Obama Justice ment ( Washington , Publishing , 2011 ) 15 , Frances Cress on Donahue , YouTube , February 11 , 2012 , Tony Brown , Tony Brown . YouTube , December 29 ,

479 The same debates are prevalent among the Black YouTube whose YouTube channels different focuses reflect their varying positions . The present YouTube revolts are a continuation of the recharge of the Nation of Islam , which Louis helped to propel after assuming leadership of the organization in 1981 . continued to champion the NOI promotion of Black Nationalism and Black liberation through the NOI teachings of Black . The and were also instrumental in the creation of or political hip hop . During the and early , rap groups and , Public Enemy , Brand Nubian , Queen , and images and content aimed to reconnect Black people with their African roots , while battling racial oppression and the devastating effects of crack cocaine infesting Black neighborhoods . The group also contributed to Black radical political messaging with their Gangsta Rap approach to challenging police brutality against African Americans like the infamous 1991 police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles , California . In the , Black radicalism remained prevalent in mainstream popular culture , especially with the World Wrestling Federation ( Nation of wrestling group , the Nation of Domination . In 2013 , social media Black activism transformed into a radical Black movement known as Black Lives Matter ( challenged the police killings of unarmed Black men , including Martin , Rice , and Michael Brown . Many of the murders were filmed and viewed on social media sites such as Facebook and Though shared many social media characteristics of the YouTube activists studied in this chapter , it is important to note that the two groups Black liberationist philosophies , politics , methods , and associations are different . Despite their distinctions , both sects of online radicals reflect the continuation of the Black radical and revolutionary tradition in the United States through the use of modern internet technology . 15 Cheryl , Rap Music and Street Consciousness ( Chicago University of Illinois Press , 2004 ) 17 Christopher Lebron , The Making of Black Lives Matter A Brief History of an Idea ( New York Oxford University Press , 2017 )

480 YOUTUBE ROLE IN THE ONLINE BLACK DESIRES TO DESTROY AND CREATE A NEW AFRICAN AMERICAN REALITY Radical Black resistance to racial oppression has occurred in every stage of African American history , leading the revolutionaries to use the resources that are available to communicate and achieve their Black liberationist In discussions regarding the contemporary era of Black radicals who use YouTube as their major expressive outlet , it is important to note that the activists are not a monolith they have diverse perspectives , backgrounds , styles , strategies , and features . Even with their differences , similarities exist in their sporadic online connections , common beliefs , and overarching aims of Black liberation from what they call White supremacist society . In today world , social media is a preferred format for many Black radicals for a number of reasons , especially aims that concern creating a new civilization for African people in America and worldwide . Although the online campaigners have gained substantial followers in their rejection of Black racial oppression through the use of social media sites like , Twitter , and Facebook , YouTube serves as the primary audiovisual way for them to express their views . YouTube is a free , way for online Black activists to instantly get their points across to millions of people by posting videos that are easily searchable by topic and person , which is different from other social media sites like Facebook that have often closed or private Friend models that make searching topics and videos challenging . Additionally , viewers can watch billions of hours of available content whenever they desire and without the pressures of following , friending , joining , or adding that other social media sites may require . The company also allows a more intimate and personal online exchange because of its , conversational video displays that provide watchers with an ability to closely analyze the words , movements , homes , cars , families , clothes , and other features displayed in the videos . Furthermore , YouTube Chat allows YouTube personalities to host instantaneous conversations , while interacting with 18 , Black Religion and Black An Interpretation of the History . New York Books , 1998 )

481 their viewers in the chat feature . There are also economic benefits for users who upload content on YouTube because the social media company videos and often pays for the number of views , likes , and subscribers received . can ask their viewers to donate to their personal crowd funding campaigns on websites like , and . African Americans in particular use social media at higher rates than other racial groups , which strengthens the Black revolutionaries online cause and More , YouTube also provides their users with large room for freedom of speech and content which allows the Black radicals to articulate their unorthodox messages . With the growing popularity of social media , it is likely the Black revolutionary presence would exist within and online spaces like YouTube . The YouTube rebels use their online platform to express fiery rhetoric that challenges the White power structure leanings and advocate for a owned and controlled reality . A major factor in Black radical thought and practice rests in communicating with their African American counterparts in hopes of awakening them from what the revolutionaries consider a deep sleep or state of unconsciousness that Whites forced upon the racial group during slavery and Jim Crow . Many Black radicals believe that suffering from centuries of constant White oppression have placed African Americans convictions , consciousness , political awareness , views of the world , everyday habits , and in a state of darkness and fear . From their perspectives , the continual repression has limited the ability of people of African descent to create their own , thriving , society . The online activists maintain that Blacks are unaware that they further their own subjugation and strengthen White supremacy when they participate in mainstream society avenues such as practicing Christianity working in and spending money at companies that are not owned by conscious persons serving in the military receiving an education in predominantly White 19 , Michael , National Urban League 2018 State of Black America Tech Companies Do Care About Employing Black People , The Root , May , 2018 , accessed July 31 ,

482 primary and secondary institutions voting in elections and even visiting Westernized hospitals and doctors . The beliefs stem primarily from their ideas that White people create and control these institutions for their own or White interests to further their White culture and power . Many of the Black radicals Black counterparts actively seek White acceptance and practice assimilationist over liberationist politics , meaning that they would rather manage the challenges of living in a discriminatory society than work to liberate or free themselves from the oppression entirely . Black middle and members who lean more towards adopting European standards of living , dress , politics , religion , and other attributable features and reject Black revolutionary thought and practice are major disappointments and concern for the online . The YouTube radicals often criticize members of their same racial group for aiding the perpetuation of White supremacy more than they attack White Many Black radicals consider the revolution , evolution , or transformation of Black society vital to the survival of African Americans and other Africans globally . From the online radicals points of view , Black people living in a White supremacist society has disrupted the group ability to thrive inside a civilization created by them that promotes Black success and a complete reclamation of their indigenous culture . The Black argue that tragedies like slavery , Jim Crow , and colonialism are bound to happen again The ideas expressed by the Black highlighted in this writing stem from an array of YouTube channels and perspectives . For further information on the online activists political philosophies and desires see , And Correct Pseudo Information on Marcus Garvey YouTube , June 11 , GENERAL . No Apologies for Being a Soldier for Liberation ! YouTube , August 10 , Your Black World . The Boyce Watkins reaction to Johnson Roland Martin YouTube , June 10 , Tariq , Tariq Talks about Defining the YouTube , July 22 , Sirius . Mind Control in the Music Industry Professor Griff on YouTube , June , Malik Zulu States Our YouTube , April 21 ,

483 unless a strong , united , regenerated , independent , conscious or awake Black civilization exists . According to the online revolutionaries , the creation of a or independent society does not necessarily mean a civilization where Whites are attacked , vilified , or dominated in the same way that White supremacy has affected Black people . Hence , the Black rebels main purpose is not advocating for Black supremacy based upon racial superiority or hate because of one skin color alone . Violence is rarely advocated by the Black YouTube , although is a central underpinning in their discussions . Laws against the internet promotion of violence may prevent public discussions of armed resistance . Instead they are militant , forceful , radical , rebellious , and revolutionary in their online intensity , determination , urgency , rhetoric , and nonconformist In response to the European and American model of racism based upon skin coloration , the Black radicals calls for an independent Black civilization existing to provide a safe space for people of African descent to live and succeed without the worries of racial discrimination and disconnection from their , culture . Inside of their Black world model , all people of African descent would develop an and Black nationalist mentality , then unite to create and operate their own educational , government , political , economic , military , family , and other necessary institutions . The online activists have found an influential companion in social media , particularly YouTube , for achieving their goals of educating African people across the on how to transcend their inferiority and dominate their own affairs . Social media is a powerful tool that provides the Black revolutionaries with a direct reach into the minds of limitless viewers . The purpose of the Black radical messaging online is to inform and influence their audience everyday actions . The practical effects of the new age , Black revolution is facilitated on sites like YouTube and measured by how intensely the Black social media rebels information campaign penetrates into and guides the real lives of their viewers . If the YouTube revolutionaries can spark an awareness or 21 Ibid .

484 consciousness inside their followers that leads them to contribute to the idealized , independent Black Nation , then the online dissenters have scored a victory . HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL INFLUENCES OF THE BLACK YOUTUBE RADICALS Black history and philosophical thought serve as the primary foundation of the online African American rebels purpose and ideology . In their goal of constructing an alternative Black reality , they regularly hold in high esteem and reference , Black Nationalist , Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality , and thinkers , organizations , leaders , events , and points of view . Although the five schools of thought are not the same concepts , they are similar in their overall goals of changing the minds of Black people for the purpose of creating a new African experience . The social media incorporate Black radical history and philosophy to help African Americans recover from what they believe is a mental , political , cultural , and social theft that prevents Blacks from attaining freedom and victory . As a result , religion , spirituality , organization , politics , education , technology , economics , aesthetics , clothes , symbols , jewelry , identity , natural hair , diet , health , naturalism , policing , discipline , language , and music derived from their conception of a and African indigenous historical and philosophical context are BLACK LIBERATION RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality , or the notion of practicing , spiritual liberation for African and African American , serves a major foundation of the online rebels theoretical framework . Many of the YouTube revolutionaries identities , motivations , and beliefs derive from spiritual movements that value combining political and social justice with doctrinal practices specifically tailored to Black people and their 22 Ibid .

485 liberation . Among them are the Moorish Science Temple of America , Nation of Islam , Black Hebrew Israelites , Nation of Gods and Earths , Village , Temple of New African Thought Shrine of the Black Madonna , and A faction of Black also practice traditional African spiritual systems like or Egyptian science , which involves African Americans reconnecting with religious cults from the ancient African civilization known as Egypt to Western scholars and to the ancient Egyptians themselves . Many members of the online Black Conscious Community also practice African spirituality systems such as , Ifa , Palo , and Another group follows occultism , mysticism , and metaphysics , while a small minority considers themselves Atheists and In mainstream society where the majority of African Americans since the slavery era have practiced Christianity , the Black Conscious Community Black liberation religious and spiritual are often considered radical . In contrast , the YouTube radicals often rally against African Americans practicing Christianity because they consider the theology a slave religion or a religion that White slave masters forced upon Africans in the Instead , they argue that African Americans should practice their and religions and spiritual systems to free themselves from racial oppression . BLACK NATIONALISM 23 Studios , The Evolution Conference YouTube , April 12 , Bro . Understanding the Fundamentals of Urban Voodoo and YouTube , November 12 , 25 , Phil Valentine , the Duke of Tiers , and Bro . Panic Gathering of the Metaphysical YouTube , June 14 , Real Black Atheist Scholar , Real Black Atheist Scholar Presents The Importance of Real Black YouTube , December 29 , 25 , Wesley Muhammad on Black Christianity Being Slave Making Religion ( Part ) YouTube , August 23 , 2017 ,

486 Historical and philosophical Black Nationalism also drives the online rebels crusade . Black Nationalism is the idea that Black people should create their own distinct educational , religious , economic , cultural , political , social , and even defense institutions . Black Nationalism is a concept that African Americans have adopted since their enslavement . Martin , an African American doctor , soldier , and abolitionist , is often considered the father of Black Nationalism . In 1850 , after and two fellow African Americans were dismissed from Harvard Medical School because of their race , concluded that Black people needed to create their own establishments to survive in America . As slavery and racism continued to torment African Americans in the United States , promotion of Black Nationalism intensified . In 1852 , he published The Condition , Elevation , Emigration , and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States . In the book , he expressed his disillusionment with African Americans ability to ever overcome racial repression in the United States . Instead , he insisted that Blacks in America should emigrate to Africa , the Caribbean , or Latin America and create their own new nation . Though failed to realize his goal of a mass exodus of African Americans nationalizing in another geographic region , his Black Nationalist calls guided the philosophies of many successive African American organizations and The Nation of Islam , Black Panthers , New Black Panther Party , and the social media Black Conscious Community are parts of legacy . A major tenet of Black Nationalism is , and into mainstream or society . Black Nationalists believe that Blacks should found , support , and participate in their own establishments . 28 The political philosophy is therefore considered revolutionary , radical , or extreme because Black Nationalism involves Black people consciously or purposely creating new institutions and ideas that counter those found in everyday society . 27 Robert Levine , Martin . Documentary Reader ( Hill University of North Carolina Press , 2003 ) 23 Dean Robinson , Black Nationalism In American Politics and Thought ( Cambridge Cambridge University Press , 2001 )

487 The YouTube rebels have managed to inspire and create Black Nationalistic endeavors of the internet . In their calls for and controlled enterprises , they utilize online crowd funding campaigns to finance their activities that include backing African centered schools , creating African inspired holistic health centers , and aiding their ability to spend time online spreading their Black Nationalist messages . They often use their social media platforms to promote their personal business endeavors and products . Vending is also a major Black Nationalist activity that the online rebels conduct . Many of their merchandise are available for online purchases however , at events , numerous online sell their products at vending tables . Websites like and online movements such as Bank Black Money Matters and the Tulsa Real Estate Fund are also examples of new age , online Black Although the YouTube radicals face challenges in creating their fully independent Black Nation , they still manage to find creative ways explain their Black Nationalists positions to their audience while encouraging them to support their online and ventures , especially their independent Black media undertakings . is another political and philosophical standpoint of the online activists . is a concept that Black or African people from all over the globe should gain racial pride and unite to improve the social , economic , and political condition of Africans wherever they live . The ideological context stems from the history of slavery in the Americas and Caribbean and colonialism in Africa forcing Africans across the into an inferior political and social status . Over the course of modern history , many notable movements and leaders have attempted to unite Africans globally to 29 , Red and Blue Pill speak at BAM Festival with Black YouTube , May 26 ,

488 help them recover from the hardships of racial discrimination . Edward was an avid born in the Caribbean in 1832 . He moved to , a country in West Africa , with African Americans who emigrated to the country during slavery . wrote many influential writings advocating for because he believed the political philosophy was the only method for Black people around the world to have political , social , and economic freedom . He died in 1917 . activities were followed by many Black leaders , namely , Thomas , Malcolm , Du Bois , Ture , and . However , Marcus Garvey , a Jamaican who lived from 1887 to 1940 , was one of the most popular . During the early , he led the largest political organization to ever exist , which was known as the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League ( The organization members followed and supported Garvey plans of removing European colonial powers from Africa so that and continental Africans could own and control African resources and politics . Garvey iconic Red , Black , and Green flag is a major inspiration for YouTube and radicals such as the Liberation Movement in Baltimore , Maryland . They commonly sport the colors and call themselves to reflect their historical and political The movement has gained mainstream appeal . For example , in 2018 the shoe company Nike released the Equality Air Force One shoes , which display the flag . The YouTube online and influence and business concepts likely led Nike and other major companies to fulfill a demand for Before mainstream Dean Robinson , Black in American and Thought ( Cambridge Cambridge University Press , 2001 ) 31 Studios , When Meets Hebrew Discussing Unity and True YouTube , April , 32 The Nike Air Force High Will Be Part of Next Year Black History Month Lineup . Sole Collector , last modified December , 2017 , accessed July 31 ,

489 corporations ventured into the commercialization of , Black revolutionary entrepreneurs such as Tariq created the African Pride Sneaker and launched his clothing and shoe company , Apparel and Footwear . Although many of the online Black rebels are advocates of , many have a distrustful opinion of Africans from the continent of Africa . A large portion of the YouTube radicals believe that many continental Africans would rather participate in White supremacist institutions over uniting with African Americans , and other Blacks to own and control Black Despite their disappointments with continental Africans who fail to take strong Black Nationalist and stances similar to South African political leader , Julius , the social media activists promote a flag and agenda of Africans from all over the world tackling global Black oppression through political , social , and economic unity . also drives the YouTube protestors quests to liberate African Americans and all Black people around the world from what they call the system of White supremacy . is a philosophical concept that was defined and popularized with Temple University scholar The Theory of Social Change ( 1980 ) According to , is an intellectual paradigm that involves interpreting the world from an African perspective . Essentially , argue that because of the demanding role that or White domination has played in the lives of Black people in America and globally , the manner in which they view reality derives from a White perspective . For example , an might ask why African 33 . Sa Neter with His African Brothers Exposing the Coons Moors Sell YouTube , July 28 , 34 , The Theory of Social Change ( African American Images 2003 )

490 Americans consider a suit and tie professional or business attire , or why do African Americans speak English , with no knowledge of traditional African languages ?

Instead , they would encourage Black people to question and understand what professional attire and language consisted of in Africa before outside groups like the Arabs and Europeans invaded the continent and imposed their Arabian and European norms and traditions on Africans . The idea is that at all times and on any occasion Black people should centralize and integrate African life , culture , and traditions that existed before outsiders , especially Whites , changed the African and African American The online radicals uphold many prominent scholars , organizations , movements , and traditions in high esteem while using them as a template for establishing how they believe Black people should conduct themselves . scholars commonly referenced include Anta , Chancellor Williams , George . James , John Henrik Clarke , Amos Wilson , Joy , Frances Cress , Ivan Van , James Smalls , Leonard Jefferies , and Reggie . Along with scholars , race critics such as Steve , Dick Gregory , and Neely Fuller are often referenced by the YouTube activists . In their quests to achieve their Black liberationist goals , the online often integrate philosophical concepts from traditions especially . is an African and African American holiday created in 1966 by , an scholar , African cultural nationalist , and the leader of the US Organization ( US ) The YouTube often incorporate the tenets of to explain how they believe the Black community should operate free themselves from their oppressed conditions . is celebrated every year between December 26 and January 15 and includes seven principles known as the . One of the seven principles is celebrated on every day of , which include . Unity ) ma ( Collective Work and Responsibility ) Cooperative Economics ) 35 Ibid .

491 ( Purpose ) Creativity ) Faith ) Every faction of the online promotes and values in their attempts to create a new reality in either explicit or implicit ways . More importantly , the YouTube rebels use the works of scholars trained in traditional Western colleges and universities as the basis of many of their assumptions . Though they respect the work of a select groups of Black academics who they believe are in line with the Black Nationalists , and Black Conscious agenda , most of the social media activists do not have college or university degrees or training . Many of the YouTube are , street and online scholars who distrust the standard and educational institutions . Many YouTube revolutionists dismiss orthodox schooling as the White Man Education system , meaning inherently Instead , they have formulated their own educational paradigms and schools of thought and use YouTube to educate their viewers on disciplines including history , science , religion , business , music , art , film , anthropology , medicine , physical education , sociology , military science , psychology , politics , and technology . Education is extremely important to the YouTube radicals purpose , activities , and cause because they believe that White supremacy has purposely led Black people almost to their demise through misinformation and inaccurate education , thereby furthering Black inferiority and White superiority . In 1933 , Carter , a famous African American historian , raised the same issues in The of the Like , the YouTube radicals have attempted to counter what they consider a distorted education system by creating their own online and education systems that include , but are not limited to , the following Aboriginal Medical Association and University ( Atlanta , Georgia ) 35 Keith . Black Power and the Making of the African American Black ( New York , 2009 ) 37 , Johnson ( Exposes the 2012 ) Full Lecture , YouTube , October , 2013 , 38 Carter , The of the Negro ( Create Space Independent Publishing , 1933 )

492 Amen Ra Squad University ( Online ) Black Liberation Radio ( Online ) The Black Business School ( Online ) Huey Newton Gun Club ( Dallas , Texas ) Meta Center of Chicago ( Chicago , Illinois ) Moorish School of Law and History ( Baltimore , Maryland ) Muhammad University of Islam ( Chicago , Illinois ) Queen Sacred Wellness University ( New York , New York ) University ( Online ) University of Science ( Florida ) Unlearn to Relearn Academy ( Atlanta , Georgia ) Herbal Research Institute ( Honduras ) The formation of these and educational institutions reflect the Black Conscious Community attempts to combine Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality , Black Nationalism , and other Black Conscious schools of thought to achieve their goal of using the internet to spur a Black revolution or transformation of the mental and physical reality of Black people through alternative or outside of the mainstream measures . Black Conscious bookstores such as Black and Nobel ( Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) Black to the Basics Bookstore ( Louisiana ) Everyone Place ( Baltimore , Maryland ) and Nubian Bookstore ( Morrow , Georgia ) aid the Black radical cause by providing materials necessary for activities . The purposeful avoidance of typical academic establishments , along with the creation of Black Conscious educational institutions is often considered radical , drastic , or extreme by those who disagree with their ideas , methods , and efforts . However , for the YouTube activists , the radical and revolutionary criticisms are celebrated because they are deliberately attempting to disrupt accepted norms .

493 also plays a significant role in the social media rebels online to Black revolutionary pursuits . philosophy involves combining alt , fashion , science fiction , fantasy , history , technology , spirituality , cosmology , meditation , and mysticism with to create a new future for Black people in the and across the globe . In 1993 , Mark , a White cultural critic , coined the term in his Black to the Future essay , in which he interviewed Samuel , Tricia Rose , and Greg Tate about their works and concepts . Black music artists who have been noted to display and express characteristics include , Wind and Fire , Jimi Hendrix , Hill , Public Enemy , Sun Ra , Jill Scott , and Solange . Festivals like held annually in Brooklyn , New York , are also associated with . Science fiction movies and comics Space the Place ( 1974 ) Get Out ( 2017 ) and Black ( 2018 ) are also considered because they merge esoteric science fiction with a new Black future where Africans are in the superior The YouTube rely on , especially the mystical and science fiction elements , to search for and explain deeper meanings and interpretations of life and reality . Major motivations for the radicals leanings stem from their belief that nothing in the world actually functions in the manner that humans believe . As a result , the social media activists constantly endeavor to decode , interpret , or unravel what they consider the hidden meaning to life , cosmic , and natural events . The often combine concepts from quantum and theoretical physics with to decipher and predict what events like dreams , solar eclipses , natural disasters , and Super Bowl winners and subjects like astrology , numerology , and melanin mean for Black people past , present , and future . Reasoning stems from their notions that humans , 39 Womack , The World of Black and Fantasy ( Chicago , Lawrence Hill Books , 2013 ) Aron Ramses speaks on , Conscious Science Fiction , and Fantasy YouTube , July ,

494 especially people of African descent , are socially programmed or forced into a confusing mental maze by White exploiters who seek to control their minds and prevent them from understanding and freeing themselves from their oppression . The Black utilize their online voices to offer solutions for the alleged of Black people . The majority of their solutions is steeped in an ancient Egyptian or proverb , Man , Know The online believe that if Black people know their true powers and history , the group would return to their and For these reasons , is principal in the online radicals revolutionary and Black Conscious platform because the philosophy concerns transforming the mind and manipulating reality to liberate Black people from their assumed unconsciousness and inability to rise above oppression . ONLINE PROFILES OF A FEW BLACK YOUTUBE REBELS The online radicals YouTube profiles reflect the combination of Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality , Black Nationalism , and in their Black revolutionary thinking and action . Each particular perspective determines the degree to which each philosophical or historical school of thought they highlight . In other words , if one of the activists leans more toward education as a solution for ending Black suffering , then and scholars ideas may form the basis or theme of their YouTube channel . As such , the majority of their topics , opinions , and audience may center within that particular frame of reference . There are also many online radicals who approach their channel in a manner that applies a broad combination of Religion and Spirituality , Black Nationalism , and to deliver their content , making their particular frame of reference indistinguishable . Despite the 41 . Ancient Spirituality Is the Parent of All Modern YouTube , April 13 ,

495 differences in their styles and perspectives , the aforementioned schools of thought guide all of the Black activists revolutionary commentary and are the unique substances that make them a part of the Black Conscious There are also a number of other similarities in the Black Conscious online profiles , perspectives , and methods of delivering their radical messages . The majority of the revolutionary is socially , politically , and economically conservative , yet liberal in their notions of free thinking , and they are indifferent to the Democrats , Republicans , and mainstream politics . Following a path laid forth by their Black radical predecessors such as Noble Drew Ali , Marcus Garvey , and Elijah Muhammad , the YouTube forms of Black conservatism are rooted in their notions of African traditionalism , Black Nationalism , and an overall distrust of conventional political systems . they are skeptical of the political system , Blacks receiving government reparations for slavery and Jim Crow is a priority issue for the social media activists . The online revolutionaries are also conservative in their views on homosexuality and feminism . The majority believe that relations are unnatural and in opposition to African notions of complementary relationships between man , woman , and With regard to gender roles , many online radicals believe that the Black man should lead and protect the Black woman and The YouTube radicals also share similarities in their naming practices . The majority use a personal and online moniker that may reflect their spiritual or political . Overall , the YouTube seeking to spark a Black psychological and physical revolution are distinguishable because their messages and YouTube channels are centered in the five recurring schools of Black radical thought commonly associated with the Black Conscious Community . 42 , Pan ) Red Pill Builds on Conscious Community , Fake Teachers , and YouTube , September 30 , 43 , Should Gays Be Allowed to Teach in the Conscious Community ?

Red Pill , Bro , Sa Neter ) YouTube , June 18 , 44 , Matriarchy Patriarchy What is Best for the Black Family ?

YouTube , October 24 , 496 Many of the Black radical are either housed in or influenced by the Black Conscious activities located in Harlem , New York , on 125 Street . A number of videos are recorded in Harlem due to the location historic and presently thriving Black revolutionary hub that includes the sale of merchandise and coalescence of Black radical thinking . A popular Black revolutionary YouTube creator known as Sa Neter is based in Harlem . He is the founder of the House of , a conglomerate of activists who organize events such as Black Conscious debates , information panels , and Black business exchanges . and are three of his popular Black revolutionary YouTube channels . His content primarily concerns debates regarding Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality as well as the promotion of Black Nationalism and . Sa Neter also created the Awards , which is a Black Conscious awards show , similar to the Black Power Awards held annually in Atlanta , Georgia . The purpose of the and Black Power Awards is to acknowledge the work that Black revolutionaries contribute to their communities . Sa Neter channels are affiliated with other Black revolutionary channels , including , which hosts content from Black radicals like Eye Empress , and attorney Malik Zulu of the New Black Panther Party . and often demand that African Americans become liberated by any means necessary or die , meaning the racial group must take their freedom and not wait on the American political system to provide it . In 2015 , arrest for encouraging Blacks to defend themselves against White aggression on YouTube reflected the delicate , yet consequential intersections between online revolutionary activism and the law . The hardhearted freedom or death concept of Black liberation encapsulates the robust energy and character of Sa Neter a and channels . Even with the men forceful styles , both have succeeded in uniting with prominent university professors , like Cornel West and , who often appear on their channels . Yet , their hardcore approaches to Black liberation are consistent with

497 the demanding atmosphere entailed in the Black revolutionary and Black radical Hip Hop is a driving force in the Black freedom revolution on YouTube because many of the are inspired by the genre , hardcore messaging that reflects the pains and struggles of African Americans existing in a racially discriminatory society . is another New Black revolutionary YouTube channel created by a producer known online as Brother Rich . Though Rich rarely shows his face on camera , he commonly interviews contributors who provide Black radical and unorthodox interpretations of current events , politics , and popular culture primarily from a Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality and perspective . is known for its occultist messages that embolden Black people by offering content regarding the group alleged unused and unfulfilled hidden powers as proclaimed by the channel spiritual guests . Among the occultist teachers are Noble , The Duke of Tiers , Brother Panic , Grills , King Simon , and Phillip Valentine . Despite having their own YouTube channels , Know The Ledge Media , and , made up of twin brothers Red Pill and Blue Pill , also routinely appear on . Red Pill and Blue names derive from the movie The . The brothers are known to make provocative connections between the movie symbolic meanings regarding human unconsciousness and the complicated way that reality and life are structured for Black people . Yet , the Pills are revered by their activist compatriots for bringing a balancing and diplomatic approach to what is often a chaotic online and person Black Conscious Community due to the multiple perspectives and rebellion against mainstream society . The two brothers routinely promote technological and entrepreneurial dominance , artistry , and health as solutions for attaining Black liberation . Professor Griff , of the Black revolutionary group Public Enemy , is also affiliated with and Red Pill and Blue Pill . Griff is a leader in the online Black radical rebellion . His YouTube channel , Sirius , mainly focuses on the rap 45 , Is The 12 Tribes Chan Right and Exact ?

YouTube , July , 2014 , 498 research into conspiracies such as White secret societies attempts to undermine Black power and success . Following Griff lead , a Black revolutionary who goes by the name Black Dot of , also deals with secret societies , but is heralded by his followers for decoding the hidden meanings behind Hip Hop and serving as a primary driver of global events and world and corporate professionals have also joined in the fight to spark a mental and physical Black Revolution by offering information on YouTube . Johnson , a child psychology expert who calls himself The Prince of on his Prince channel , has gained mainstream appeal for his radical ideas concerning , White supremacy , Black liberation , traditional African religion , and racial psychology . He is best known for research on what he considers a conspiracy to diagnose Black children with Attention Deficient Disorder ( ADD ) for the purpose of placing them in a pipeline . Johnson is also popular for his campaign to create a Black Nationalist and private school for Black males called the Frederick and Marcus Garvey Leadership Academy . Boyce Watkins , a former University finance professor , is also an active participant in the Black YouTube revolution . He provides a , Black Nationalist message on his channel . His goal is to educate Black people on how to become economically independent and in control of their own affairs . He insists that he left his professor job for those reasons . Watkins routinely invites guests on his channel who share his educational and professional stature and ideas on Black economic empowerment like Anderson , an economist in the Jimmy Carter presidential administration and author of Black Labor , White ( 1994 ) Watkins is also an advocate for including Black Conscious women voices on his , Ali , Vicki , and Ali has her own channel , where she discusses issues that point out the negative effects of Bluetooth and technology on Black people and promotes healthy relationships between African Americans in the fight for liberation . Professor Griff , Lord , Black Dot Celebrities and the Masses Are Waking YouTube , July 15 ,

499 Senior activist women known as Queen and Mama Pill also appear on YouTube and argue that Black people need to properly heal and develop a healthy , lifestyle in order to free themselves from oppression . Online who go by the names Young Pharaoh Allah , and Sara believe that Black women are so important and spiritual that the two men consider the women gods . Their reasoning stems from research showing that human life originated in Africa , leading them to assert that Black women gave life to all of humanity . There are also revolutionaries with more traditional radical messaging like Brother Ben and Islam , who are young members of the Nation of Islam . Their content follows the disciplined , yet revolutionary Black Nationalist direction of Elijah Muhammad and Louis . Tariq is another Black resister intent on freeing Black people from racial oppression by way of YouTube and other social media platforms . has amassed a large online following with mainstream appeal , and he has appeared on news networks like Fox and to discuss his conceptions of White supremacy dominating the lives of Black people . has gained economic success with his Hidden documentary series , which endeavors to inform the public of what he considers the hidden greatness of Black people and unknown terroristic activities of Whites . and his fellow YouTube who make up the Black Conscious Community have waged an online , and person information war to free Black people from alleged mental slavery for the purpose of creating a new and Although the YouTube radicals possess similar characteristics in their methods of communication , abilities to create their own institutions , and ultimate goals , a lack of uniformity exists in their organizational structures and abilities to unify and achieve their aims . Due to political , religious , and cultural differences , the online revolutionaries often find themselves entangled in internet civil wars between fellow Black radical social media comrades , which impedes upon their revolutionary goals . However , the YouTube remain committed to using the internet to secure absolute freedom and liberation for 47 Tariq Radio , Tariq Talk About Racist 911 YouTube , July ,

500 Africans in the and globally . Their works are so pronounced that an August , 2017 , FBI report leaked regarding the highly controversial , Black Identity Extremist ( classification , which highlighted groups and Black revolutionary characteristics associated with the YouTube intellectuals of the Black Conscious Community . The FBI considered Black separation fanatics who may carry out violence on police out of frustration with police brutality , persistent racism , authority structures , and existing political norms . On December 12 , 2017 , a military veteran and member of Guerrilla Mainframe and the Huey Newton Gun Club of Dallas , Texas , was the first suspect detained by the FBI . arrest was a result of his lack of expressed remorse on Facebook for a slain police officer . Though he won his case , supporters and opponents of the argue that the government should focus its attention on White supremacists and their long history of violence and avoid instituting another Despite the classification , the war for Black liberation on YouTube and on other successive formats will likely continue because Black radicalism and a desire for a Black liberation is an American tradition that has remained alive since Africans forced migration to the country in the . Similarly , Black consciousness , or the mindset that actively identifies racial injustices , will likely continue to promote acts of resistance like those seen on social media today that serve as intentional catalysts for radical and revolutionary change . CONCLUSION In sum , the , Black YouTube rebels combine a complex web of Black Liberation Religion and Spirituality , Black Nationalism , and history and philosophy to challenge global White domination and mainstream African American sociopolitical norms . Wary of conventional educational , political , economic , and cultural institutions , the social media utilize YouTube to 43 , of Guerrilla Mainframe Black Identity Extremist He Took on the YouTube , May 11 ,

501 bolster the creation of their idealized Black Nation through a targeted information campaign . The site is a convenient , medium that allows each resister to cultivate their own platform to voice their Black revolutionary messages directly to their audiences . The rebels philosophies and communications are considered radical because they are , and . They believe that comprehensive Black liberation is vital to the survival of African Americans and Africans worldwide . The radicals insist that freedom will come only through the complete transformation of the Black mind and , thereafter , the Black reality . Black consciousness is therefore critical to the objectors missions because they believe that Black people must gain an knowledge of their and African past to properly understand and shape their present and future . The new age Black revolution on YouTube is a continuation of the Black radical tradition of taking extreme strides to secure Black freedom . The online Black resistance movement symbolizes the depths of Black subjugation , along with the dogged determination of African Americans to overthrow systems , people , institutions , and ideas deemed oppressive . The radical rhetoric , ideologies , and videoed examples represent a new , stage of development in Black revolutionary history and consciousness . Review Questions . How is YouTube utilized and beneficial to the Black revolutionary cause ?

Explain the roles that Black consciousness and Black liberation play in shaping Black radicals YouTube activism . Writing Prompt Which people , events , organizations , and schools of thought from various periods in Black history are most closely associated with the Black radical YouTube discussed in this chapter ?