Welcome to The Digital Narratives of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement Archive

A giant “Black Lives Matter” sign is painted in orange on Fulton Street, Monday, June 15, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York.

The Digital Narratives of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement Archive was created in direct response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter Movement protests. With the rise of the Digital Age and the advent of social media, the ways that we are sharing our stories, building communities, and fighting for socio-political progress and accountability is changing. This archive is a compilation of digital personal narratives and community stories through the lens of Twitter and Instagram. These posts not only highlight the through-line between personal narratives, community formation, and the rise of multimedia socio-political movements, but also begin to show how these impactful personal stories were intercepted and transformed by performative activism, slacktivism, white saviorism, and counter protests. By having these stories together in one place, and allowing these stories to speak for themselves, we hope that it will help us better understand what this commandeering is doing to both the integrity of the movement and the people behind it. The Black Lives Matter Movement and protests were and continue to be expansive in their geographical and digital reach. For the purposes of this archive, we will be collecting and highlighting content from both Twitter and Instagram between the months of May 2020 and September 2020. We have decided to narrow our scope in an effort to more effectively depict the similarities and differences between the two platforms, and how they both have aided in the evolution of this powerful digital revolution. 

The Digital Narratives of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement Archive is created for everyone. This extends to community members, students, scholars, and beyond. We are still in the beginning stages, and are constantly looking for ways to grow and improve. We truly value collaboration and encourage community involvement. As our archive continues to grow and evolve, we hope to integrate in-depth digital storytelling into the archive through our various exhibits. If you would like to get involved or share your story, we would love to hear from you!