A new study by sociologists at Rice University has uncovered an increasing acceptance of Black nationalism among the Black community.
The research, highlighted in the study titled “Wakanda Forever! Consistency in Correlates of Black Nationalist Tendencies,” indicates that support for this sociopolitical ideology has broadened over the years.
Black nationalism advocates for Black unity and empowerment to achieve racial equality. Supporters of the ideology believe that integration with white society does not lead to true betterment and instead favor the creation of separate institutions managed by Black people.
The study utilized data from the 2012 Life on Outlook surveys, focusing on Black participants to derive its findings. The title references the 2018 Marvel film “Black Panther,” which depicts the fictional African nation of Wakanda, seen by many Black nationalists as an ideal society embodying Black excellence.
Tony Brown, the lead researcher, explained that factors historically linked to Black nationalism support, such as income, education, age, and gender, are less influential than previously thought.
“Past studies typically found that young Black people wanted to be separate from whites, Black men wanted their own sovereign nation, and people with high levels of income and education did not support Black nationalism as they had success in the current system,” Brown said. “Our findings show that age wasn’t a predictor; men and women were the same, and there were no effects of income or education. The profile of who is a Black nationalist or a supporter is less clear than in past years. It’s more generally and widely accepted in various circles.”
Brown suggests that the growing support for Black nationalism is driven by a shared sense of solidarity and opposition to white supremacy, rather than traditional socioeconomic factors. Political movements perceived as anti-Black, such as mass incarceration and recent anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, also contribute to this shift.
“All these things show how white supremacy endures, and it’s at a moment when I think many Black people thought real racial progress had been made,” Brown stated. “They’re now realizing that some things haven’t changed as much as we thought they had changed.”
Brown hopes the study will encourage a deeper focus on Black people’s needs and perspectives in efforts to create a more equitable society. He emphasized the importance of including Black voices in the problem-solving process to address white supremacy effectively.
“Far too often those championing racial equality, or supposedly doing research that matters, ignore the views of Blacks themselves, assuming they can address white supremacy and its legacies without including the Black community in the problem-solving process,” Brown said.
The full study is available online here and is slated for future publication in the Social Science Quarterly.
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