Does The World Ignore Black Pain?

Why does Paris get the fullness of humanity and empathy from the world?

When Notre Dame was tragically engulfed in flames, it felt like the world stopped to watch, mourn and pour millions into the historical church’s rehabilitation. Nothing at all is wrong with that.

Except, a week prior, three historically Black churches in Louisiana were burned down at the hands of 21-year-old Holden Matthews. It was considered a hate crime.

Folks rallied around financially supporting those Black churches, but only after realization that everybody and their mommas were pouring their support into Notre Dame.

People take pictures of Notre-Dame-de Paris Cathedral in Paris, France, o 22 April 2019, after one week of the accident when a fire engulfed it. The tourists gathering around the cathedral mourning, taking photos and singing. (Photo by Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Let’s call it tragedy shaming.

But this is a tale bigger than two, or four churches. This is a trend that has played out over and over again right in front of us.

Black news that is drenched in pain, is often ignored by mainstream media. In the case of the three Black churches in Louisiana, the GoFundMe campaign exceeded its $1.8 million dollar goal, but it came at the price of tragedy shaming folks on social media.

Oh, you’re posting Notre Dame photos…what about the three Black churches that also burned down?

Does it take a white lens for Black pain or Black news to make a blip on our radar? For more, watch The OverExplainer above.