BIPOC Black Lives Matter Culture
10 Social Media Accounts That Celebrate and Advocate for Black Culture
This month is dedicated to celebrating Black history, but those actions carry far less weight if we don’t continue to remember and embrace Black culture and history every day. Many individuals do so by creating online spaces to educate and spread knowledge about Black culture and individuals in their communities. Social media has become the primary vessel for our daily dose of information. Through the sharing of all kinds of content, online communities start to take shape. Instagram in particular has the power to bring people together and, when taken full advantage of, real change can come out of it.
This is what the Instagram accounts of 10 different collectives have been doing over the years. From historic to current-day information, these groups have built global platforms to educate the public about Black culture. The following social media accounts provide the perfect blend of information and celebration around Black history, culture, and art.
Black Archives
Black Archives is the perfect place to find any information on past and present information about Black culture. The founder, Renata Cherlise, created a platform that perfectly combines visual content along with informative captions. The main aim of the page is simply to show the joy and distinct identities that endured through even the most challenging periods for the Black community in America. The Black Archives brand is not just restricted to Instagram, you can also find their merchandise such as photography puzzles in stores such as Target, with the profits going back into the community it helps represent.
Black History
As its name indicates, Black History’s Instagram page is dedicated to educating the public about the true history of the Black community and breaking down misinformation traditionally taught in the school system. Many of the visuals are ancient paintings and sculptures followed by an accompanying detailed caption outlining their meaning to educate its audience about particular visuals.
Black Women Radicals
Black Women Radicals is an organization that, as its bio describes, is dedicated to uplifting Black feminist radical activism. With a prominent presence on Instagram, it focuses on individuals who have changed history and have made an impact on Black women around the globe. It also uses this platform to promote its upcoming events, such as its discussion with Dr Ebony McClain this month.
The Creative Collective NYC
The Creative Collective NYC is an organization dedicated to shining a spotlight on artists of colour. Its Instagram content is a perfect blend of educative, funny, and entertaining visuals. Its upcoming event, CultureCon, is an opportunity for creatives to expand their social network and make an impact on culture. Taking place in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York, each conference will be held on separate dates in the upcoming months.
Because of Them We Can
Because of Them We Can is a largely followed news page. Sharing information about the past, present, and future of Black excellence, the page works to bring this content to the mainstream cultural forefront, something popular media often fails to do. From TikToks to historic content, Because of Them We Can has a diverse array of visuals to amplify Black success in all forms.
James Baldwin Archive
For those unfamiliar with the literary icon, James Baldwin was a Black queer writer and activist, and although he died in 1987, he will forever have a profound impact on the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. The James Baldwin Archive is dedicated to his work and life, keeping his memory alive by sharing a trove of quotes, published pieces, and video archives that help amplify his philosophies to the next generation of Black creatives.
Support Black Art
The Support Black Art page is dedicated to supporting Black artists, as well as educating its audience about iconic Black artists and their upbringings. The page is a beautiful blend of bold, colourful paintings and eye-catching photography. If you are a Black artist who wants to showcase their art, you can click the link in its bio and check out how to become a member.
Afrodyssée
Afrodyssée is a page focused on celebrating the beauty of African trends and fashion. Its content is mostly vibrant and powerful photographs from the past and present, showing the dynamic artistic styles and textiles used in traditional and contemporary African design. The Non-Profit African Trends Market uses their Instagram platform to put together a breathtaking canvas of stories.
Saint Heron
Saint Heron is a multidisciplinary institution whose mission is to preserve vital historic work in art and design. Its Instagram page contains a mix of visuals that range from photographs, books, or videos of iconic performances. Essentially, the page acts as an archive “reverencing the spiritual act of creation, through its preservation and collection of vital works in art and design.” Saint Heron also has a gallery and studio, through which it showcases its art to a live audience.
Books and Brown Sugar Co.
Book and Brown Sugar Co.’s Instagram page is dedicated to amplifying Black-owned and women-owned literature. The page cites powerful narratives from the community as well as leads the public to support Black creatives and storytellers. But books are not all it showcases; it also has its own line of merchandise available for purchase on its Instagram page or through the website.
