In anticipation of the gloom President Donald Trump’s inauguration would cast over minority communities on Friday, Interactive News One’s Jamiliah Lemieux encouraged black Twitter users to partake in an #InaugurationBlackout that consisted of live-tweeting “The Wiz” on Netflix during the event.
Tomorrow at 11AM est, please join us in ignoring the Inauguration and, instead, live-tweeting The Wiz! More to come! #InaugurationBlackout pic.twitter.com/sJGJIFeWjr
— JamilahIsoke Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) January 19, 2017
Lemieux partnered with media site Hello Beautiful, activist group Blackout For Human Rights and film company Array Now to encourage users to watch the 1978 black-led musical on Netflix promptly at 11 AM, moments before the inauguration kicked off.
As users watched, timelines were flooded with #InaugurationBlackout tweets that reflected collective expressions of black joy, nostalgia, observations of the musical’s eerie foreboding and calls for solidarity. Take a look at some of the tweets below:
Them: You watching #Inauguration
— Chloe A. Hilliard (@Chloe_Hilliard) January 20, 2017
Me: I wouldn't be caught DEAD...#TheWiz #InaugurationBlackout pic.twitter.com/nYkEi85x82
The workers shedding their masks! Paul L. Dunbar #TheWiz #Inaugurationblackout
— Professor Boynton (@ADBoyntonII) January 20, 2017
#TheWiz #InaugurationBlackout
— 👑• mother •🌍 (@KiaraSharae) January 20, 2017
"Public office is the last refuge of the incompetent!"
Scarecrow was preachin' pic.twitter.com/ozHVex92cM
The diversity of the beautiful black people in this scene... I'M NOT CRYING, YOU'RE CRYING! #TheWiz #InaugurationBlackout
— The Jaded NYer (@TheJadedNYer) January 20, 2017
Dorothy is talking to us now. Preach. #InaugurationBlackout pic.twitter.com/8rhuP5rnoD
— Quanny Roode (@QuantessentialR) January 20, 2017
Dorothy's friends fading into black is how it felt when the Obamas got into that helicopter "thank you" #thewiz #inaugurationblackout
— #44forever (@Lalabee79) January 20, 2017
#TheWiz #InaugurationBlackout Emerald City, home of the original "Bad and Boujee" pic.twitter.com/PMjNrxqXFM
— 👑• mother •🌍 (@KiaraSharae) January 20, 2017
Meanwhile, MJ and the crows singing You Can't Win feels like some internalized racial inferiority. Le sigh. #thewiz #Inaugurationblackout
— sydmosley (@sydmosley) January 20, 2017
Thank you @JamilahLemieux . This small gesture meant so much to many of us who feel literally sick. #InaugurationBlackout
— Nicole A. Ed.D. (@trueheart593) January 20, 2017
Yasssssssss #BlackJoy #InaugurationBlackout #TheWiz #ObamaDay pic.twitter.com/YgEY7EGEc9
— tarii (@TaRiiOoo) January 20, 2017
Missing Richard Pryor. The Goat. #inaugurationblackout pic.twitter.com/gC2JZOvlRR
— Seve Chambers (@SeveChambers) January 20, 2017
"Everybody look around, cuz there's a reason to rejoice ya see" That's right y'all, that's Luther Vandross. #inaugurationblackout #TheWiz
— DM (@dereyckM) January 20, 2017
Thanks for allowing me to find a HAPPY PLACE.
— Chloe A. Hilliard (@Chloe_Hilliard) January 20, 2017
Things are shitty but WE THE PEOPLE will be the difference#TheWiz #InaugurationBlackout
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