Reminisce about the day you discovered Black Twitter with a new docuseries coming to Hulu.
Penny Prentice and the Onyx Collection’s series, tentatively titled Black Twitter, will take viewers down a rabbit hole on the history of the app and how it became a safe space for Black expression. Deadline reported the series will capture the “rise, the movements, the voices, and the memes that made Black Twitter an influential and dominant force in nearly every aspect of American political and cultural life.”
The docuseries is based off and inspired by writer Jason Parham‘s piece for Wired titled “A People’s History of Black Twitter.” The three-part op-ed reminded readers of when Black Twitter was started. He highlighted the moment, recalling September 2006, when Twitter user, Ashley Weatherspoon, created the hashtag “#uknowurblackwhen.” Parham remembered how the hashtag spread, and within two hours, a small percentage of Twitter correspondence revolved around that hashtag. “Here, in all its melanated glory, was Black Twitter,” Parham wrote.
#uknowurblackwhen u cancel plans when its raining
— Ashley Weatherspoon (@IsThatHer) September 6, 2009
The hashtags that followed brought the Black community together, bringing the people through so many things. From #BlackLivesMatter to crying Michael Jordan memes, Parham says it became “a comedy showcase, therapy session, and family cookout all in one.”
Prentice, who was the genius show runner behind Black Twitter favorites like Insecure, perfectly tweeted the news earlier this week.
For those who know me you know how much love, respect, fear, and admiration I have for #BlackTwitter so I can’t be more excited and scared to a doc about the culture – just remember im doing this in love pic.twitter.com/4Ys6B2HOjL
— Prentice Penny (FUX YO BLUE CHECK) (@The_A_Prentice) January 15, 2023
The announcement was celebrated by Twitter users and celebrities, like comedian KevOnStage, who continue to make Black Twitter the place to be.
For those who know me you know how much love, respect, fear, and admiration I have for #BlackTwitter so I can’t be more excited and scared to a doc about the culture – just remember im doing this in love pic.twitter.com/4Ys6B2HOjL
— Prentice Penny (FUX YO BLUE CHECK) (@The_A_Prentice) January 15, 2023
This will be the first of many works brought to screen by Prentice and Onyx Collective. Deadline shared that the 49-year-old signed an overall deal under his company, A Penny for Your Thoughts. Onyx is known for creating show-stopping productions, like QuestLove‘s documentary, Summer of Soul, which won the 2022 Oscar for Best Documentary. Variety announced other Onyx productions are coming to Hulu like UnPrisoned, starring and produced by Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo.