The 2020 Presidential Election

An Examination of the Social Media Messaging of Divine-9 Sororities & Fraternities

Abstract

Using Critical Race Theory and a Black feminist lens, we examine the content that members of Black Greek organizations shared during the 2020 presidential campaign cycle in support of the Biden-Harris ticket. We conclude Black Greek members served as opinion leaders who used social media effectively to spread positive messages, calls to action and programming. They helped move the focus away from historical racist and sexist narratives that framed former Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) in a negative light—shifting the emphasis to her strong ties to her HBCU roots and leadership prowess. Harris became the first Black, South Asian American, and female to serve as the Vice President of the United States. This study illustrates how scholars may use CRT and Black feminism to center women of color in critical analyses of social media content.