“Created by Black people for Black people—and now a pillar of white supremacist capitalism. If you consume coffee, you are helping an industry built on racism.”
An article from the blog Afru was circling on social media on Sunday that claimed "drinking coffee perpetuates white supremacy."
According to the article, "Created by Black people for Black people—and now a pillar of white supremacist capitalism. If you consume coffee, you are helping an industry built on racism." End Wokeness tweeted, "Don’t forget that your morning coffee today is racist."
"If you’re a person of color, you know what I’m talking about. You walk into a new coffee shop and your senses are overwhelmed with whiteness and you get the glare from the Karens. The white hipster barista lines herself up between you and the bathrooms, ready to tell you non-customers aren’t welcome," the piece reads.
The article then recounts a joke "white coffee drinkers share when PoC aren’t around" that "there are three things that are necessary in order to make a cup of coffee, and they are: first, a black man to roast the coffee; second, a yellow man to grind it; and third, a white man to drink it."
The article claims that "every facet" of the coffee industry is rooted in racism and that the drink is another thing stolen from "Black and Brown people"
Elon Musk tweeted, "Even my coffee." Lavern Spicer replied, "Yes Elon. Your coffee just called me the N word. Racist a** coffee!"
https://twitter.com/lavern_spicer/status/1637426224342396928?s=20
The article claims that "It’s a well-known fact that whites would be eating bland food, like plain bread and gruel, if it weren’t for their theft of culinary secrets from people of color, and especially Black folks. That’s precisely why when the whites found out about coffee, it became one of the reasons they decided to victimize and appropriate Black civilization wholesale."
Comic book artist Ethan Van Sciver wrote "Good to know, you wackadoos."
https://twitter.com/EthanVanSciver/status/1637543668356640769?s=20
The article claims that coffee was an almost "almost religious" part of black culture and that whites stole. Whites then enslaved blacks according to the outlet because they wanted more coffee. "After the whites got the first sip of the Black delicacy, they brutally enslaved people of color to keep up with demand, turning a ritualistic drink into another consumer product in the colonial capitalist machine," according to Afru.
According to the National Coffee Association, the discovery of the effect coffee beans has was likely discovered by an Ethiopian farmer who noticed when his goats ate the beans they became more energetic and "danced." He shared his story at the local monastery and the monks there began the process of spreading the word of the beans' effect.
PBS reports that the origin of the bean's discovery by an Ethiopian goat herder is a widely accepted legend, but the true origin of the bean's use is a mystery.
The cultivation of coffee and trade of the beans began on the Arabian Peninsula, not Europe, in the 15th century. Coffee became popular in Europe as a drink and as a trading commodity in Europe in the 17th century following the Arabian model.
According to its website, Afru is a "is a Black-led and majority Black-owned startup that combines fashion and streetwear with lifestyle commentary to create a strong social justice brand that is relevant and attractive to folks from all walks of life."
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
