Black Women’s Online Social Justice Work and the #BlackWomensEqualPay Movement

• In Event: 50464 - Section on Sociological Practice and Public Sociology Roundtables

Abstract

The #BlackWomensEqualPay movement serves as a contemporary extension of Black women’s long-standing advocacy for labor rights, addressing the racialized and gendered wage gaps that have systematically disadvantaged Black women in the workforce. Rooted in the intersection of racial and economic justice, the movement brings visibility to the persistent pay disparities between Black women and other groups by leveraging digital platforms to amplify demands for wage equity. Through the hashtag #BlackWomensEqualPay, Black women activists mobilize public discourse, share personal narratives, and call for policy reforms that directly address these systemic inequities. Historically, Black women have played pivotal roles in the labor force, particularly in undervalued sectors such as domestic and agricultural labor. Scholars such as Patricia Hill Collins and Evelyn Nakano Glenn have documented how race and gender intersect to devalue Black women’s labor, perpetuating economic inequality. Thereby, the hashtag #BlackWomensEqualPay is not merely a digital campaign; it is a direct response to data indicating that Black women earn just 63 cents for every dollar earned by white men, which is a stark illustration of the compounded effects of racial and gender oppression in labor markets. Furthermore, digital activism has proven to be an essential tool in this movement, with Black women using social media to construct counter-narratives that challenge dominant portrayals of Black women’s labor. By sharing both statistical data and personal stories, activists such as Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Tarana Burke draw attention to the lived experiences behind the wage gap, building solidarity and increasing engagement. The #BlackWomensEqualPay movement is reshaping the discourse around labor justice, pushing for policy changes such as the Paycheck Fairness Act, and influencing corporate practices. By framing pay equity as a racial justice issue, the movement emphasizes the interconnectedness of economic justice and social equality.

Author

• Tuesday Kimberly Barnes, Morgan State University