The New Black Right: A Paranoid Turn in Black Conservatism?

Abstract

Is there a uniquely Black paranoid style of conservatism, and, if so, how is that style articulated, and what are the potential impacts on conservatism, U.S. politics, and Black people in the coming decades? Despite our theoretical understanding that Black people can support white supremacy, the literature of far-right racism assumes that all white nationalists are white, and all Black nationalists are pro-Black. To address these issues, I use qualitative content analysis of 100 YouTube videos from ten Black conservative influencers. I find there are Black conservatives who express a uniquely nationalist form of paranoid reactionaryism. This style of political rhetoric is characterized by influencers’ claims that: 1) they have experienced status loss, not as Black people, but as moral, patriotic, and Christian Americans; 2) this status loss is the result of a coordinated campaign to weaken the country, traditional values, and Chrisitan hegemony; and 3) the campaigns are carried out by ungodly and un-American people within the country and that acting against them in self-defense is a moral and patriotic necessity. These findings force us to reconsider our approach to studying racism and recognize the agency of Black people who actively promote far right and racist rhetoric.