Soulaan is a contemporary ethnonym that emerged in the early 2020s in the United States to describe a lineage-based Black American identity.[1] The term has appeared in cultural, artistic, academic, and student-organizational contexts, and is used by some individuals and groups to emphasize historical continuity, ancestry, and cultural formation rooted in the United States.[2]
According to sources that discuss the term, Soulaan is framed as an identity label rather than a nationality, race, or political designation, and is generally distinguished from broader or more inclusive descriptors such as African American.[3] Its usage has been documented in journalism, university-affiliated programming, creative works, and online discourse.
According to its creators, the term “Soulaan” incorporates the concept of autochthonism, which they use to describe a belief in deep-rooted cultural and ancestral ties to the North American continent. According to statements by its creators, Soulaan is intended to draw from historical cultural traditions while encouraging new cultural expressions and innovation.[4]
Definition and usage
The term Soulaan has been described by its proponents as an acronym for “Soul Autochthonous American.” According to its creators, including T-Roy Parks, Maroc Wallace, and Dwayne Coleman, the term emerged in the early 2020s as a form of self-identification intended to emphasize cultural and ancestral roots among Black Americans and to distinguish this identity from the label “African American.” Originally named Soul American, proponents describe the term as reflecting a lineage-based understanding of identity rooted in historical continuity within the United States.[5]
In a 2025 Pitchfork feature discussing rapper Monaleo's song "Sexy Soulaan," the term was described as referring to Black Americans whose lineage in the United States can be traced back to the nineteenth century, distinguishing them from later immigrant-descended populations.[6]
Other media outlets have characterized Soulaan as an ethnonym proposed by its proponents to emphasize historical continuity, ancestry tied to U.S. chattel slavery, and cultural formation within the United States. The Metro Record described the term as an attempt to name a people and reclaim a distinct cultural legacy within American history.[7]
In coverage by Billboard, one of the creators associated with the term stated, “We understand that we are from the soil,” Wallace tells Billboard. “We understand that we are people who went through chattel slavery in America, but we also understand that we were here before that as well. We want to acknowledge the sovereignty that stands within the soil.” [9]
Identity frameworks and continuity
The concept of Autogenesis is sometimes used by proponents of the Soulaan identity to describe cultural continuity that is understood as developing from within a community over time, rather than as a process of external imposition or recent introduction. In this context, autogenesis is invoked to express continuity of cultural, social, and ancestral patterns that proponents associate with Black American experiences, including spiritual and community practices.[10]
The studies of Soulaan people Autochthonism, Indigeneity, and Autogenesis came about through research in population biology and anthropology has examined patterns of biological continuity, population structure, and ancestry among human groups over extended periods of time. Studies published in biomedical and anthropological literature have explored how populations can demonstrate long-term continuity within specific geographic regions despite social disruption, migration, and external classification systems.
A study indexed in PubMed examined population structure and genetic continuity, discussing how ancestral lineages may persist across generations even when cultural, political, or social identities shift. Such research is often cited in broader discussions of ancestry and continuity to illustrate that biological lineage does not necessarily correspond neatly with modern ethnic, racial, or national categories, and that population continuity can exist independently of contemporary identity labels.[11]
Rootwork and Hoodoo as a Ethnospirituality & ethnomedical systems
Rootwork and Hoodoo are traditional American folk practices with roots in the cultural and spiritual traditions of the American South. These practices historically encompass healing, protection, spiritual guidance, and the use of herbal and ritual techniques that developed within communities shaped by the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the socioeconomic conditions of enslavement and segregation. Rootwork and Hoodoo have been described in academic and biomedical literature as ethnomedical systems that combine spiritual beliefs, healing rituals, and culturally specific health practices distinct from formal Western medicine.[12]
Within academic discourse, these practices are often discussed in terms of their historical persistence, sociocultural function, and role in community health strategies among Black American communities, particularly in the Southern United States. Rootwork and Hoodoo are recognized for their integration of spiritual and material healing practices, including the use of herbs, charms, prayer, and ritual action, and are understood as part of the broader tradition of folk medicine and cultural resilience rather than formalized religious doctrine or institutional healthcare systems.[13]
Some commentators and practitioners have drawn connections between Soulaan-related discourse and American cultural practices such as Rootwork and Hoodoo. Discussions of these practices in relation to Soulaan are typically framed by sources as cultural associations, reflecting shared historical experiences and symbolic continuity, rather than as doctrinal or universally accepted definitions of the term.[14]
Scholars and practitioners of Hoodoo and Rootwork have frequently described the tradition as guarded, selective, or resistant to unrestricted public access. Academic research has documented longstanding concerns among practitioners regarding secrecy, misuse, and cultural appropriation, noting that Hoodoo knowledge has historically been transmitted through trusted interpersonal networks rather than open institutional structures. These dynamics are often linked to the historical conditions of enslavement, racial surveillance, and social marginalization in the American South, which encouraged discretion and controlled transmission of spiritual knowledge.[15]
Contemporary commentary by Black American writers and practitioners has similarly emphasized that Hoodoo is understood within many communities as a tradition belonging to the descendants of enslaved people in the United States. Such perspectives often characterize Hoodoo as a closed or protected practice, shaped by ancestral continuity and communal responsibility rather than universal accessibility. Discussions of Hoodoo as a closed tradition frequently emerge in response to commercialization and appropriation by non-descendant practitioners.[16]
Tutnese and secret language revival
Tutnese, also known as Tut or the Tut language, is a secret language game developed by Soulaan enslaved people in the United States. Historically, it was used to encode communication and to teach spelling and reading at a time when literacy among enslaved people was prohibited. In Tutnese, each consonant of English is replaced with a distinct syllable while vowels are spoken normally, creating a phonetic cipher that could be understood by those familiar with its rules.[17]
Tutnese was traditionally passed down orally within families and communities, and because of its origins as a covert communication system it was often kept within those communities rather than being shared publicly. Some commentators describe the language as having been a *closed* or guarded practice, preserved within specific lineages and taught privately rather than through formal instruction.[18]
In the early 2020s, Tutnese experienced a revival on social media platforms such as TikTok, where young Soulaan people began sharing and teaching the language as part of broader efforts to reconnect with their heritage and ancestral traditions. Discussions on these platforms have included debate over how the language should be shared and who should be considered appropriate custodians of its tradition.[19]
Student organizations
The term has also been adopted by student organizations. In 2025, Boston University's official publication BU Today profiled “SoulAAn,” a Black American student organization that hosted a Black Arts Showcase highlighting heritage, expression, and community building on campus.[20]
The term Soulaan has been used by university-affiliated groups and initiatives in campus contexts.[21]
Academic usage
In academic writing, the term “Soulaan” has been employed as a conceptual category in analyses of Medical Anthropology, cultural identity and mental health. A 2025 undergraduate thesis hosted by the Ohio State University Knowledge Bank examined how differences in ontology and spiritual worldview, as defined by the author, may influence psychiatric interpretation and treatment, including discussions of diagnostic practices related to psychosis.[22]
Cultural usage
Several university student organizations have used the term Soulaan in their descriptions. At Tufts University's Tisch College of Civic Life, the African American Foundations and Roots Organization (AAFRO) is described as celebrating the culture of "Soulaan, or Generationally Black American peoples," through activism and community outreach.[23]
The Soulaan Ethnoymn has been used in broader debates surrounding race, identity, and institutional governance in higher education have also shaped the environment in which lineage-based and cultural identity frameworks are discussed. University governance bodies have publicly challenged federal education policies they view as threatening academic freedom or institutional autonomy, including responses by faculty assemblies at major universities such as Cornell, & Harvard University.[24]
Cultural associations and symbols
The term Soulaan is often discussed by its proponents in relation to cultural continuity, symbolism, and identity formation among Black Americans. Supporters frequently describe Soulaan as reflecting what they characterize as a form of biological and cultural indigeneity to the United States, emphasizing long-term historical presence and lineage formation within North America. In this context, proponents explicitly distinguish this usage from tribal enrollment, territorial claims, or treaty-based Indigenous status, framing it instead as a non-tribal, non-territorial, and non-treaty conception of indigeneity rooted in ancestry, culture, and historical development.[25]
Soulaan has been culturally associated with several flags and symbolic representations used in Black American identity movements. Proponents and commentators sometimes informally refer to the Black American Heritage Flag, first introduced in 1967, as a “Soulaan flag” in recognition of its early use as a cultural symbol representing Black American lineage and continuity. The Black American Heritage Flag predates the emergence of the Soulaan ethnonym and has been described as an early visual expression of Black American identity as an informal official emblem of Soulaan itself.[26]
The Soulaan Flag, a cultural symbol associated with the Soulaan ethnonym, representing lineage continuity and cultural evolution among the Autochthonous American communities in the United States.Another version (original changes) of Soulaan Flag
In later years, individuals associated with Soulaan introduced a distinct flag intended to represent the ethnonym and its associated cultural framework. According to statements by its creators, the Soulaan flag was designed to draw from earlier Black American symbolism while incorporating new elements intended to reflect cultural innovation, lineage consciousness, and continuity across generations. The flag is used in artistic, community, and cultural contexts and is not presented by its proponents as a national, territorial, or treaty-based symbol.[27]
Soulaan has also been culturally linked to the Black American Flag, introduced in 2003, which features a black field and a single white star symbolizing the North Star. In cultural discourse, the flag is often interpreted as representing self-determination, migration history, and orientation toward freedom. References to this flag within Soulaan-associated spaces are generally framed as part of a broader constellation of Black American cultural symbols rather than as an exclusive or official emblem.[28]
Arts and media
Beyond identity discourse, Soulaan has appeared as a cultural and artistic motif. The Oxford American published “Soulaan Femme,” a creative work using the term as a thematic title, demonstrating its use within contemporary Black American arts and literature.[29]
The term “Soulaan” has also been used in visual and creative arts. In 2025, an undergraduate student at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan created an animation titled “Soulaan,” described by the artist as reanimating displaced histories and honoring cultural memory and traditions within Southern Black communities.[30]
The term has also appeared in music journalism and popular culture reporting, particularly in discussions of hip-hop artists and fashion creators who reference Soulaan identity in their work.
The term “Soulaan” has also appeared in student innovation contexts. In 2025, at the Gaels Ignite startup pitch competition hosted by Saint Mary's College of California, a student project titled “Soulaan,” described as a Black Art Anthology portal, was among the ventures recognized by the event's judges.[31]
Reception and criticism
Several online media outlets have highlighted the emergence of Soulaan in public discourse. Yahoo Finance described Soulaan as a “breakthrough ethnonym” that has gained visibility on social media platforms, noting its spread beyond niche discussions into broader cultural conversations.[32]
Commentators have expressed skepticism regarding the classification of Soulaan as a distinct ethnic group, noting that the term has not been formally recognized by governmental institutions. Critics have characterized Soulaan as a form of contemporary identity construction rooted in cultural nationalism, while supporters frame it as a corrective to what they view as historical erasure of Black American lineage-based identity.
Some commentators have also raised concerns that lineage-based ethnonyms may overlap with or conflict with existing racial and ethnic categories such as African American, while others argue that such terms reflect ongoing debates about identity, self-naming, and historical memory in the United States.
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