#BlackBookTok: Digital Community for Critical Reading Engagements towards Cultivating Racial Identities

• In Event: Activism, Agency, & Algorithmic Cultures in and on Digital Platforms

Abstract

This study examines #BlackBookTok, a TikTok sub-community where Black readers engage in literary discussions, identity affirmation, and activism. Applying the Critical Digital Pedagogy (CDP) framework we analyzed 211 videos to capture how creators cultivate community, leverage digital aesthetics, and challenge dominant narratives. Findings reveal that #BlackBookTok fosters cultural affirmation through digital aesthetics, community building, and social advocacy to redefine Black-reader identities that resist censorship and expand Black literary representation in digital spaces.

Authors

• Sarah Jerasa, Clemson University

• Dominique Skye McDaniel, Kennesaw State University

• Nicole Ferguson-Sams, Clemson University