Racist memes: Top 10 memes that stereotype black people

Racism is a topic that has been discussed over and over again for decades. Yet, the prejudice against people of certain colour and ethnic groups seems to persist today. There are countless stories of people dying or being subjected to inhuman behaviours just because they look different and act differently, which is why it is no longer a surprise that racist memes have become viral on the internet.

As you already know by now, memes are inspired by popular culture and personal experiences. Racism is real, even though some people believe it is on the decline. Racist memes are reminders that the prejudice has not gone away completely.

Therefore, this article presents the top 10 racist memes on the internet.

What is a racist meme?

A racist meme simply refers to images and captions that profile a certain ethnic group. Racism is defined as prejudice, discrimination or antagonism by an individual, community or institution against a person or people based on the colour of their skin or ethnic groups. It can take many forms, including jokes and comments that are seen as offensive by the targeted people.

Sometimes, racism can be unintentional, other times, it is as if the racist can use verbal abuse; harassment, intimidation or commentary in the media or online which inflames hostility towards certain groups. Therefore, real-life experiences of racism have a significant impact on how the targeted people view the internet.

According to a study by the University of Bristol’s Graduate School of Education, black and ethnic minority people viewed racially biased internet memes as more offensive than their white counterparts due to their real-life experiences of racism. A survey was conducted and consisted of 113 undergraduate students, 68 per cent of whom were white, and 31 per cent of whom were black and ethnic minority people.

Dr Amanda Williams, who led the survey, reported that “all the participants rated the racially biased memes as more offensive than the non-biased ones. However, the black and ethnic minority participants who reported experiencing more racial discrimination in the past six months rated the racially biased Internet memes as more offensive”.

Top 10 racist memes

1. When you have not stolen for a week

It is no longer news that black people have been at the receiving end of racism for centuries. They have also been stereotyped for certain behaviours, including stealing. Hence, the image of a black boy suffering from vitiligo has been used to illustrate when a black guy goes white for a week as a result of not stealing during that period.

2. When the Obamas led America

The United States has a history of racist discrimination against black people and other minority groups. However, Barack Obama became the first black president of the country and even spent eight complete years in office. His tenure was heralded as a fresh beginning for black people and other minority groups in America. Although Obama has been credited for many reforms and achievements, his tenure was also marred by many horrible cases of racial killings like the Charleston Church shooting and the killing of Michael Brown.

3. El Negro de WhatsApp

El Negro de WhatsApp is a popular WhatsApp platform for Spaniards and Latin-American users. The platform reportedly has a long racist tradition of commodifying Black bodies in American popular culture and beyond. A popular meme shows an innocent-looking image of a car full of mushrooms. But when you zoom in to see it on full screen, the image of a semi-naked black man with large genitals, a turquoise towel around his neck and a plaid hat on his head appears, as you can see on the right. This is a meme that stereotype a black man as having an extra large penis.

4. When your little brother disgraces you outside

Children are innocent creatures. This is why you should explain things to them carefully before they disgrace you outside. Serves the big brother right for telling little brother that car racers are racists. The pun is hilarious.

5. I can’t breathe

The tragic case of George Floyd is still very fresh in the memories of most African Americans and other minority groups in the US. If you know the story, then you need no one to tell you that police brutality against black people is real. Other black people have died similarly even after Floyd’s death. In fact, “I can’t breathe” is a dreaded term for death.

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6. Stereotyping black people

Crime has been associated with black people for a long time. This is one of the many reasons why they are often victims of police brutality. According to USSC, 34.6 per cent of federal offenders in the US federal prisons sentenced in the past 10 years are black, making them the highest population of inmates.

7. Your burned food stole my bike

This is another version of stereotyping black people as thieves. This image was taken from an episode of famous Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Masterclass.

8. Shiniest part of a black man

Handcuffs have many uses. However, they are mostly known as tools used to arrest criminals. By now, you know stereotyping an average black man as a criminal is not new. Hence, saying handcuffs are the shiniest part of a black man is racist and unacceptable.

9. Negro

Negro is a racist word in the US and other parts of America, Europe and even Asia. It is a derogatory term to describe a black person. Although blacks are allowed to use the word among themselves, whites and other ethnic groups are forbidden from using it. Many have gotten into trouble for using the N-word, including some of your favourite celebrities.

10. When you want to prove you are not racist

Racists do not believe they are racists. They are willing to swear on anything to prove their point. The problem is they end up confirming what they are trying to deny by bringing flimsy excuses. People’s shadows are naturally black, which is not sufficient proof that some people are not racists.

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