‘Black Twitter: A People’s History’ reviews: ‘Hilarious and poignant’ docuseries illustrates the culture’s contribution to social media
On March 9, 2024, Hulu released “Black Twitter: A People’s History,” a three-part docuseries centering on the rise, movements, voices and memes that established Black Twitter as an influential force in multiple facets of the American political and cultural life. It is directed by Emmy nominee Prentice Penny (“Insecure,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) and includes interviews with W. Kamau Bell, Rembert Browne, Jemele Hill and many more.
Early reviews “Black Twitter: A People’s History” have been strong, earning it an 88% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Read our full review round-up below.
Carla Renata of The Curvy Film Critic says, “Gorgeously shot with a mix of experts from a plethroa of backgrounds, genders and professional lanes, this doc is hilarious and poignant illustrating the solid contributions Black people made for this particular social media platform.” Adding, ” With ‘Black Twitter,’ Jason Parham is insuring that this is one time our contributions are not only acknowledged, but put in writing and on celluloid for posterity for generations to come.”
James Poniewozik of New York Times praises the series, stating, “It’s an engagingly specific snapshot of the Twitter era and the social period it overlapped with: a time that was serious even when it was silly, that was fun until it wasn’t.”
Aramide Tinubu of Variety notes, “While ‘Black Twitter’ isn’t revelatory for those who were there, seeing the tweets, memes and moments displayed on the screen with contributor context does provide insight to those on the outskirts.” Continuing, “Black Twitter was something you were either aware of, or you weren’t. However, the influence of Black culture on the social media platform can’t be understated. Hulu‘s ‘Black Twitter: A People’s History,’ based on Jason Parham’s 2021 Wired cover story and directed by Prentice Penny, is a three-part docuseries revolving around the voices, movements, GIFs and memes that defined an era. The show chronicles how the Black community influenced American society and politics during the Obama years and beyond. Swiftly paced and boasting commentary from figures who include writer Jamilah Lemieux, cultural critic Roxanne Gay, writer Ira Madison III and several former Twitter executives, ‘Black Twitter’ unfurls a timeline that begins amid the rise of the network and ends with its current iteration, X.”
Angie Han of Hollywood Reporter writes, “If ‘Black Twitter’ isn’t much for deep dives, it’s effective as a primer for anyone still trying to wrap their minds around the sheer breadth of its central topic — which, this soon after the golden age of Black Twitter, is probably most people.” Adding, “If posts aren’t forever, though, the impact they have can be. ‘Black Twitter’ really was the foundational bedrock of the evolution of social influence as we see it now: the way that we joke, the way that we roast, the way that we push for accountability on the internet in general.”
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