SPLC to Collapse Black Separatist Groups Listings in Hate Map; Reassigns Groups According to Ideology

Montgomery, Ala. — The Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) Intelligence Project announced today that, in pursuit of a more accurate hate map, we will be collapsing the Black Separatist listings and be reclassifying them under hate ideologies that better describes the nature of the harm that their rhetoric inflicts. The change will be reflected in the upcoming Year in Hate report which is scheduled to be published in early 2021.

The goal of the reclassification is to reflect a more accurate description. Black Separatist groups have earned their place on the SPLC’s hate map not for their calls for separation, but how entrenched these groups are in antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ, misogynistic and xenophobic rhetoric. The change also aims to expose these groups without helping to aid the FBI in its definition of Black Identity Extremists.

“We understand that the reclassification is long overdue,” said SPLC Chief of Staff Lecia Brooks. “It’s time to realize how deeply entrenched these groups are in antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ, misogynistic and xenophobic rhetoric that earns their place among our hate map listings. Our goal is to expose these groups without helping to aid law enforcement in its definition of Black Identity Extremists, and this requires a change in tactics as to how we talk about these groups.”

The upcoming hate map will also now include a new category for antisemitic groups. This listing is also overdue and will help to monitor this form of hate more specifically, not just focusing on Black separatism but on other groups, such as Holocaust deniers, that perpetuate, traffic in and spread antisemitic propaganda.

Read the entire piece about the updates here.

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