In light of this, we bring you a list of 23 of the most influential black people on social media. Some of them are celebrities, sports personalities, politicians, and writers, while some have made names for themselves using simply the power of social media. Moreover, these influencers are from different niches, so you can follow the ones from your areas of interest.
23 Black Social Media Influencers You Should Follow in 2022:
1. Barack Obama
Followers on Twitter - 132 million Followers on Instagram - 35.3 million Niche - Politics, Social Issues Barack Obama was the 44th President of the United States and one of the most influential people of color worldwide. He uses social media to talk about political and social issues concerning people in the US and elsewhere.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 1, 2020
2. LeBron James
Followers on Instagram - 123 million Followers on Twitter - 51.4 million Niche - Sports He is a professional basketball player and one of the highest-paid NBA (National Basketball Association) players. This makes him one of the most popular sports and fitness influencers. He mostly posts pictures from his games on his social media and occasionally endorses sports brands. He has also been vocal about supporting the fight against racism.
3. Michelle Obama
Followers on Instagram - 49.7 million Followers on Twitter - 21.7 million Niche - Politics, Social Issues As a former First Lady of the US, she is probably the most influential woman of color in the world. She uses her social media influence to talk about social welfare and social issues not just in the US, but around the world.
4. Oprah Winfrey
Followers on Instagram - 21.1 million Followers on Facebook - 20 million Niche - Health and Wellness, Social Issues She rose to fame by being a talk-show host, but has become a role model for women worldwide. She uses her social media to raise awareness about numerous social issues and is a big part of the fight against racism.
5. Marques Brownlee
Subscribers on YouTube - 15.7 million Followers on Instagram - 3.7 million Niche - Technology Marques is known for his software tutorials and technological product reviews. He is often seen posting about mobile phones, cameras, accessories like earphones, and other gadgets.
6. Beyoncé
Subscribers on YouTube - 24.5 million Followers on Instagram - 261 million Niche - Media and Entertainment Beyoncé is a celebrity singer, songwriter, and actress who has millions of followers across various social media platforms. She has substantial social media influence due to her massive fan following. She is not actively involved in any cause but has supported the ongoing fight against racism on social media.
7. Ava DuVernay
Followers on Twitter - 2.7 million Followers on Instagram - 2.2 million Niche - Film and Entertainment Ava is a well-known film director and is known for her work in Selma, A Wrinkle in Time, etc. She uses her social media influence to talk about the issues that people of color face in their day-to-day lives.
8. Serena Williams
Followers on Instagram - 14.8 million Followers on Twitter - 10.6 million Niche - Sports Serena is a popular American tennis player who has won 23 Grand Slam singles. She mostly posts about her daily life with her daughter but does some brand endorsements from time to time.
9. Yara Shahidi
Followers on Instagram - 7.2 million Niche - Social Activism She is an actress and a social activist who works with young adults to spread awareness on social issues. She is known for her role in the sitcom Black-ish and also featured in its spin-off series Grown-ish. She uses her social media influence to support causes like the Black Lives Matter movement and others that she relates to.
10. Shayla
Followers on Instagram - 2.9 million Subscribers on YouTube - 755K Niche - Beauty Shayla is a black social media influencer in the beauty niche. She is known for her makeup tutorials and pictures. She has launched two makeup collections with Colourpop Cosmetics and is often seen promoting them.
11. Raye Boyce
Subscribers on YouTube - 1.92 million Followers on Instagram - 1.6 million Niche - Beauty Raye is a popular black beauty influencer known for her YouTube videos offering beauty and skincare tips. On Instagram, she usually posts pictures of herself and her daughter. She also endorses makeup, skincare, and haircare brands.
12. Ellarie Noel
Followers on Instagram - 1.1 million Subscribers on YouTube - 629K Niche - Beauty Ellarie is mom blogger and beauty influencer with a massive fan following on Instagram. She is also quite active on YouTube. She mostly posts videos and pictures with her daughter, but also does brand endorsements for beauty brands.
13. DeRay McKesson
Followers on Twitter - 1 million Followers on Instagram - 216K Niche - Civil Rights Activism He is an American podcaster, former school administrator, and a civil rights activist. He has been an active supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against racism.
There are a host of strategies to get us to abolition currently being pursued. I’ve never been more confident that we will get there. https://t.co/le2g7RQegA — deray (@deray) June 5, 2020
14. Courtney Quinn
Followers on Instagram - 727K Niche - Fashion (with a focus on colors) Courtney is an Instagram influencer obsessed with colors. Her feed is filled with colorful pictures of her in different outfits and backgrounds. This makes her one of the most unique Instagram influencers.
15. Allyson Felix
Followers on Twitter - 754.2K Followers on Instagram - 1.1 million Niche - Sports She is an Olympic runner who competes in short-distance races of up to 400 meters. She is a three-time world champion, two-time Olympic silver medal winner, and one-time Olympic champion. She uses her social media accounts to mainly to post about her daily life and workouts. She also endorses brands in the sports and fitness industry.
16. Asiyami Gold
Followers on Instagram - 310K Niche - Travel and Photography Asiyami is a travel influencer, visual storyteller, and creative director with a huge follower base on Instagram. She posts about her travels and is occasionally seen endorsing brands as well.
17. Tracy Clayton
Followers on Twitter - 166.2K Followers on Instagram - 27.8K Niche - Media & Entertainment Tracy is an American writer, co-host of BuzzFeed podcast “Another Round,” and host of Netflix’s show, Strong Black Legends. She is known for her wit and sense of humor. She also supports the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against racism.
— tracy the business goose (@brokeymcpoverty) June 15, 2020
18. Jamie Broadnax
Followers on Twitter - 163.7K Followers on Instagram - 41.3K Niche - Pop culture (for black women) Jamie is the founder of the online community called, “Black Girl Nerds.” It is a community of black women who like nerdy stuff like comics, superheroes, etc. She also does podcasts and has a loyal fan base.
19. Angela Davis
Followers on Instagram - 178K Niche - Food Angela Davis, popularly known as “The Kitchenista,” is a popular Instagram food influencer. She posts about her cooking experiences and shares pictures and recipes of the food that she cooks.
20. Elyse Fox
Followers on Instagram (personal account) - 37K Followers on Instagram (Sad Girls Club account) - 262K Niche - Mental Health Elyse Fox is a mental health advocate who created the online community, Sad Girls Club. She uses this channel to spread mental health awareness and provide help to people suffering from mental health problems.
21. John Henry
Followers on Instagram - 162K Followers on Twitter - 24.7K Niche - Business and Finance John is an entrepreneur with a substantial influencer in the field of business and finance. He is the co-founder of Harlem Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in women entrepreneurs. He was featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
22. Robby Novak
Followers on Twitter - 340.9K Followers on Instagram - 252K Niche - Humour He uses motivational quotes and humor to inspire his audience. He has been featured in a YouTube video series by SoulPancake and is also a TED speaker.
— Kid President (@iamkidpresident) May 24, 2021
23.Bunmi Laditan
Followers on Twitter - 242.2K Followers on Instagram - 42.7K Niche - Parenting She is a writer who rose to fame after writing the book, “The Honest Toddler: A Child’s Guide to Life.” She has written several books on parenting and regularly contributes to parenting websites. She supports the fight against racism and posts informative content on social media to spread awareness about the injustice done to the black community.
— Bunmi Laditan (@HonestToddler) June 12, 2020
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular blacks social media influencers that you should know about. They belong to different industries and are active on different social media platforms. So, follow the ones that you can relate to and stay updated. Many of these influencers collaborate with brands and often endorse products in their respective niches. If you’re looking for collaborations, then you can reach out to the ones that are most relevant to your brand and audience.