Black Culture, Inc.

In recent years there has been growing attention to the social responsibility of business. With a focus on ethnic community support (i.e., philanthropy and sponsorships related to ethnoracial minorities), Black Culture, Inc. sheds light on the promise and perils of corporate social responsibility.

More specifically, in Black Culture, Inc., I examine how corporate support of Black culture serves as diversity capital for the firms themselves. Diversity capital consists of cultural practices and values that allow organizations to solve problems and leverage opportunities related to race, ethnicity, and other social differences. In a series of case studies focused on the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), the National Civil Rights Museum, the Essence Music Festival, the Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour, and Afropunk, I show how companies use ethnic community support to project an image that they care about African Americans and equity.

Diversity framing is one of the fundamental mechanisms through which ethnic community support serves as diversity capital for firms. Diversity framing is the use of words, phrases, images, and sounds to communicate that ethnic community support is a manifestation of a company’s valuing of diversity. For example, a seven-figure gift to an institution such as NMAAHC serves as a diversity sign which communicates that a firm values equity. Diversity framing reinforces this meaning. For instance, a firm may circulate a press release that talks about the amount of money donated to a museum like NMAAHC and includes statements from executives testifying to the firm’s commitment to diversity.

In many instances, ethnic community support benefits nonprofits, firms, and the public. It allows firms to communicate to stakeholders that they value equity, provides nonprofits with money and other needed resources, and enriches local communities. In some cases, though, ethnic community support also has another side—diversity airbrushing draws attention away from corporate practices that do not serve racial equity.