#THANKSGIVINGWITHBLACKFAMILIES
ZIWE FUMUDOH
From competitive dishes of macaroni and cheese to an elder relative’s fundamental misunderstanding of the phrase “short prayer,” the hashtag #ThanksgivingwithBlackFamilies showcases a collective Black experience. What makes Black Thanksgivings so different are the unspoken cultural elements that each family member brings to the proverbial and literal table. Our embrace of Thanksgiving is complex: How do we make sense of the celebration of the genocide of indigenous people of this continent? But if you are interested in learning more about Black cultural traditions, look no further than the virality of tweets from Black Twitter discussing the merits of a good sweet potato pie, the arbitrary Thanksgiving dinner time of 3:00 P.M., and the very specific differences between “dressing” and “stuffing.” #ThanksgivingwithBlackFamilies trends annually on Twitter. For Black Twitter users, these tweets are a brief reprieve from the realities of a world that has marginalized them, subjugated them, and mined their art for culture only to turn around and devalue them as progenitors of culture. #ThanksgivingwithBlackFamilies serves as a constant reminder that while many Black Americans are not able to trace their lineage due to the horrors and impact of the transatlantic slave trade, rich cultural traditions connect them to other Black families across the country and globe. And all this is communicated in 280 characters or less.
FUMUDOH