When NYU vice provost Charlton McIlwain set out to understand how the Black Lives Matter movement energized broad national support, he found a long tradition of black activists connecting their communities through the internet. McIlwain’s new book “Black Software” tells the story of the black internet pioneers — from the 1970s onward — who used the web to amplify their communities’ voices. McIlwain joins Forum to discuss the book and share why the stories he uncovered are often excluded from official histories of the internet.
"Black Software" Explores Racial Justice's Online History
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Charlton McIlwain's new book "Black Software: The Internet & Racial Justice, from the AfroNet to Black Lives Matter" was first inspired by the online organizing behind Black Lives Matter protests. ( Justin Sullivan-Getty Images)
Guests:
Charlton McIlwain, vice provost of faculty engagement and development & professor of media, culture, and communication, NYU; author, "Black Software: The Internet & Racial Justice, from the AfroNet to Black Lives Matter"
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