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Black fatigue is an American term used to describe Black people in the United States who are experiencing psychological and physical problems caused by various factors including systemic racism. The term was invented by writer Mary Frances Winters in 2020 when she published a book in which the term was first used.
Initially neutral, the term was co-opted by right-wing individuals during the mid-2020s and defined by them as a feeling of "fatigue" when interacting with black people.
In 2020, writer and expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) Mary Frances Winters published a book titled Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body and Spirit, [1] the book invented the term "black fatigue" and explained it in detail. Mary Frances Winters was interviewed by CNN on April 5, 2021, where she further explained the causes of Black fatigue. [2] [3] She was also interviewed by NBC News , stating that she herself experiences Black fatigue. [4] Winters defined Black fatigue as a generational stress that leaves Black people feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. Reportedly, Black fatigue among Black people stems from the lack of being heard by white people and the absence of racial progress in the United States. Black fatigue is caused by racism in the United States and can result in various mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety. [5]
In essence, Winters defined the term as the chronic exhaustion experienced by African Americans due to systemic racism in the United States, [6] the book described it as “the multifaceted physical and psychological damage wrought by simply living, day by day, in a racist society”. [7] Winters said Black fatigue is reportedly a complex issue that is not easy to fix. [1] To “eliminate” Black fatigue, she recommended acknowledging the emotional toll of racism on Black people and exercising caution in interactions by focusing on avoiding microaggressions. She described Black fatigue as a “broad” issue and suggested that changing the U.S. system is necessary to fix it. [8] [9] An expert from MetroHealth Medical Center defined Black fatigue as the psychological toll Black people endure in the U.S., witnessing the killing of their community members by police shootings. [10]
Reportedly, some individuals and certain cohorts of the online community have co-opted and informally redefined the term “Black fatigue". According to a column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , this revision was primarily carried out by followers of the MAGA movement. [5] [11] The co-option began in April 2025, following the incident where an African American high school student allegedly stabbed Austin Metcalf, a white student from a nearby school district. The stabbing sparked heated reactions on social media, with alt-right starting to use the new definition of the term. [12] The term started being used on various platforms like Instagram, Twitter or TikTok and usually seen in comments section. [13] According to Her Campus , alternative use of black fatigue is growing on social media platforms, and its original meaning has largely been lost. [14]
The second definition of the term is white people experiencing "fatigue" when interacting with black people. This version of the term first started being known after a viral video was posted by a female TikTok influencer complaining about black people's behaviour. [15] [16] The TikToker in the video said "Black fatigue is real", saying she is "fed-up" by black people's "ghetto ratchet behavior" and "victimhood". The video had caused controversy in the comments, with some supporting her and others criticizing her. Some commenters said she misused the term. The woman later deleted the video due to backlash. [17] [18] Rachel Stovall, writing for The Gazette, said there was a "surge" of internet users in 2025 complaining about black people in comments sections of videos and accompanying their comments with phrase "black fatigue". She said such comments can typically be seen in videos of black people engaging in violent and antisocial behaviour. [19]
In an interview with Rolling Stone , Mary Winters said she was "devastated" when she discovered the term was co-opted by right-wing groups, she said it will not stop her from campaigning for African Americans and she will not let it affect her personally or emotionally. Zari Taylor, internet culture expert of New York University, said the co-option of black fatigue was part of a tactic used by right-leaning figures that starts by ridiculing social justice phrases or definitions and eventually co-opts them to mean something completely different. [20] Stacey Patton of NewsOne said white people had "stole" black fatigue, she called them "criminals and failures". She also called the use of the phrase on social media as "ideological warfare" and "racist rot". [21] Nathan Abraha, writing for ByBlacks.com, called for black people to "protect" the meaning of black fatigue, calling the term a "lived reality" and more than a "buzzword". [22]
Reportedly, some popular black podcasters and influencers have also changed the meaning of black fatigue, saying they are tired of hearing discussions about social injustice rather than experiencing it. Black Westchester said they did it to make their white viewers be "more comfortable". [23] The San Antonio Observer said black fatigue was "coined by Black folks, for Black folks" and described the co-opting of the term as "flipping the script". [24] Yellowhammer News podcast hosted by Dale Jackson said the people who co-opted black fatigue are not tired of black people in general but only of their bad behavior. [25] Up and Coming Weekly newspaper said the definition of black fatigue had "evolved" and now means emotional exhaustion of black and white conservatives due to facing accusations of racism for expressing their opinions and the rise of crimes in black communities like drug use, youth violence and looting of stores. [26]
