BIPOC - What Does It Stand For?

BIPOC stands for ‘Black, Indigenous, People of Color’ and is now ubiquitous on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  The term aims to emphasize the historical oppression of Black and Indigenous people.

The BIPOC Project states that the term highlights “the unique relationship to whiteness that Indigenous and Black (African Americans) people have, which shapes the experiences of and relationship to white supremacy for all people of color within a U.S. context.”

History of BIPOC

First Tweet (2013)

According to the New York Times, the first tweet is dated July 31, 2013, by an account titled @GrindToronto.

After the horrific killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department, the term began to spread on social media. You can view a few examples of tweets below.

Examples of BIPOC in Use Today (2020)

Additional Essays

You can see the following essays below for additional perspectives on BIPOC. If you have any additional essays, you would like added to this list, feel free to leave a comment or message me on Twitter.

• Why the term “BIPOC” is so complicated, explained by linguists – Vox
• Where Did BIPOC Come From? – New York Times
• What Does BIPOC Stand For? What the Phrase Means and Why It’s So Important  – Parade