In recent years, the rise of phrases and hashtags like #blackgirlmagic and #blackexcellence have gained popularity and prominence. A quick perusal of social media will lead users to millions of tagged posts endorsing Black excellence; the promotion of Black exceptionalism is rampant. More conversation is needed around how these ideals are harmful to Black folks. A 2015 blog post perfectly articulated how Black exceptionalism can be conceptualized. “It’s the notion that black people who are educated, smart, articulate, poised, and basically every other positive adjective you can think of are atypical or rarities among the general black population.” Systemic barriers throughout history have made it more challenging for Black people to ascend and succeed. Under this notion, it is important to showcase those who have been able to advance despite the insurmountable odds created by global racism and anti-blackness. Proponents of Black exceptionalism assert that representation matters and is vital to showcase. The symbolism of a Black president and other Black firsts highlighted in the media are an impactful way to show Black children what is possible but how is our society’s obsession with Black exceptionalism actually harmful
Black exceptionalism is often used to justify Black humanity. A recent example occurred in July with England’s national soccer team. After three Black players on the team missed their penalty kicks, there was a barrage of racist comments that flooded the internet. On social media, some users commented that the online abuse that the players were experiencing was particularly egregious because of the charitable acts that the players have engaged in. One of the players for example, Marcus Rashford, spearheaded a campaign to provide meals for children during the pandemic, while another player, Jadon Sancho, teamed up with Nike to build a soccer facility for young people in London. Including their charitable acts in the discussion supports a notion that because the players were “good people” they were undeserving of the abuse they were experiencing. The underlying message behind this train of thought is that Black people who are exceptional should not experience discrimination and racism. We saw a similar narrative following the killing of 23-year-old Elijah McClain at the hands of Aurora, Colorado police. Following the murder of George Floyd, McClain’s story gained greater visibility on social media; many demanded the arrest of the officers involved. McClain was repeatedly described as a “kind” and “gentle” person who spent time at shelters caring for animals. The emphasis again was that a Black person who exhibits these positive traits does not deserve to be harmed. This narrative is problematic because it reinforces a notion that a Black person who has engaged in a wrongdoing or crime does not deserve humanity. It propagates the idea that Black people are only deserving of humanity if they are exceptional, charitable, do-gooders. Under this belief, a Black person who has made mistakes is irredeemable.
The idea that being exceptional will somehow shield Black people from discrimination and racism is a fallacy. Often times Black people who are deemed “excellent” are hyper scrutinized and penalized for their excellence. Simone Biles is a classic example. Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history and one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. After Biles successfully executed one of the most dangerous maneuvers in gymnastics, the judges scoring her gave her a score of 6.6, which many in the public felt was far too low, given the difficulty of the move and how successfully Biles performed it. To many, it seemed as though Biles was actually being punished for being exceptional. No matter how good or excellent a Black person is, it never seems to be enough. Nikole Hannah-Jones experienced this first-hand after a public tenure battle with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Despite being a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist who writes for the New York Times, and having a wealth of other accomplishments, she was initially denied tenure by a board of trustees at the university. What’s worse, when Black people push back against the Black exceptionalism notion, there is also backlash. Black people that refuse to “perform” or have their labor extracted are vilified, victimized and virtually harassed. Naomi Osaka experienced this months ago when she withdrew from the French Open. Osaka, who shared she has experienced anxiety and depression, was then criticized on social media. Simone Biles experienced something similar last week following the news of her decision to withdraw from competitions at this summer’s Olympic games.
In an episode of the popular show “Scandal”, Kerry Washington’s character Olivia Pope engaged in an exchange that stayed in the minds of many viewers. During a conversation with her father on the show Rowan Pope, Rowan uttered what would become a memorable line on the show. “You have to be twice as good as them to get half of what they have.” What Rowan was referring to is the idea that many Black people are taught at an early age—they have to be twice as good as their white counterparts to be deemed equal. Black exceptionalism plays into the idea of respectability politics—that if Black people act the “right way”, they are deserving of decency and respect. Our obsession with Black exceptionalism does not allow Black people to just be. Black excellence does not allow Black children to be children. Striving for big goals and aiming to improve one’s performance in any domain is admirable. This is not a criticism of that. This is, rather, an interrogation of our society’s obsession with Black exceptionalism. Black exceptionalism encourages Black people to sacrifice their health, mental wellbeing and welfare for the sake of greatness. Black excellence is an unreachable peak—nothing is ever good enough. Black excellence is insatiable; there is always one more mountain to climb. Black excellence is not sustainable. And what happens to the Black people that society does not recognize as excellent? The single parent working multiple jobs to provide for their family or the frontline worker struggling to make ends meet may not be deemed exceptional in our society, but they are. Living in a world designed to keep you confined is Black excellence. There needs to be a shift in what we glorify and venerate. Black excellence is not just the firsts, who accomplish the unimaginable. Black excellence is not just those who achieve accolades and awards. Black excellence is simply existing in a world that so desperately wants to destroy you.
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August 02, 2021 at 10:20AM
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Our Obsession With Black Excellence Is Harming Black People - Forbes
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