📌What is digital blackface, and are you performing it? Performing Blackness, be it IRL or online, is not an acceptable form of expressing reaction or dissatisfaction, especially not in exchange for likes and retweets. Since the #MeghanandHarry interview on Oprah, we’ve been seeing a lot of digital blackface infractions with a few of Oprah’s reaction gifs and images going viral, but that doesn’t mean you should be using them. Edit: This is a concept first identified and written about by Lauren Michele Jackson, we just posted her article. Please go read her work and analysis. ID 1: Digital blackface definition: An online phenomenon where white and non-Black people share gifs and photos of Black folks to express emotion or reaction to anything happening on the internet. While seemingly harmless, the problem with digital blackface is that it often reinforces negative stereotypes about Black folks such as they’re aggressive, loud, sassy, and simply here for your consumption and entertainment. It is another way people try and co-opt Black identity and culture without any of the day-to-day realities of being Black. ID 2: Digital blackface definition [contd.]: It was not long ago that white performers would paint their face black as a form of entertainment for the masses, often playing with the idea that Black folks are primitive and violent, and hyper-sexualizing Black women. The way that white and non-Black folks engage in digital blackface feels too reminiscent of these old shows. ID 3: graphic of black text on red background that reads: “For example, in light of the Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview with Oprah this past week, social media has been plastered with Oprah reaction gifs and “which Oprah are you today?” graphics, callously being spread by non-Black users. Performing Blackness, be it IRL or online, is not an acceptable form of expressing reaction or dissatisfaction, especially not in exchange for likes and retweets.” ID 4: graphic of black text on red background that reads: “This is digital