Malcolm X warned us about the pitfalls of Black celebrities as leaders
Black celebrities using their platform to advocate for social justice is good, but they don’t speak for the Black masses.
After his recent NBA championship win, LeBron James noted that although he was happy to win, he wanted to keep “the main thing the main thing,” referring to the need to remain committed to the fight for social justice. Former president Barack Obama tweeted his admiration of this victory and praised James for being a leader “in the public arena fighting for education, social justice, and democracy.”
More recently, rapper turned movie star Ice Cube said he was open to working with both the Trump-Pence and Biden-Harris camps to devise a plan to improve Black Americans’ economic conditions. His apparent openness to working with Trump ignited much controversy when Trump’s team tweeted how proud they were to be working with Cube. Later, rapper 50 Cent announced he was backing Trump to avoid a marginal tax rate increase under a Biden plan.
These cases illuminate how, while it can be admirable when celebrities use their wealth and platform to direct people’s attention to social and political issues, the media’s coverage and politicians’ amplification of Black celebrities can give a skewed impression. Most Black people are not celebrities, and the concerns of ordinary people are often at odds with those of such spokespeople.