Conspiracies of Black Oppression Spark Talk of This Natural-Born Strength

Conversations have been bubbling within conspiracy theory communities about why we as Black folks are targeted relentlessly. Some say the violence, suppression, and exclusion aren’t just about racism or power but about a hidden truth “they” know about us — that we don’t. Social media is increasingly calling out these attacks for being suspicious, unwarranted, and seemingly part of a larger plan designed to keep Black folks from realizing their full power and potential. The question is: what are they so afraid of?

Let’s take a closer look at what these conspiracy theories are and what the experts have to say about some scientific discoveries behind these ideas.

Suppressing Our Super Powers

One content creator poses the glaring question: “You’re telling me you’re doing all this stuff just because you don’t like someone’s skin color?” She pushed further, suggesting that the attacks against Black people must be rooted in something deeper than racism. Theories continue to swirl that Black people are superheroes, and this creator had a similar theory buzzing in her mind.

“What if Black people have some type of superpower,” she asked, “or are born with something very valuable that we don’t know, but maybe people in power figured out long ago?” And judging by the comments, folks felt like she hit the nail on the head.

“You are so wise to be so young,” one fan responded. “Wow, I’ve been thinking this my whole life,” another agreed. “It’s called ‘melanin,’” a third boldly suggested — which brings us to an important topic: the value of our very being.

The Value of Melanin

American psychiatrist and race theorist Dr. Frances Cress Welsing argues that the root cause of racism is the value of our melanin — pigments produced by specialized cells called melanocytes, per the National Library of Medicine. Dr. Welsing maintains that our genetic potential to produce this pigment can provoke what she calls “white genetic annihilation,” which she says makes white folks “zero in on the males” to control reproduction and maintain power over Black communities.

“I’m not talking about institutional racism. I’m talking about a total system construct that develops out of certain patterns of thinking on the part of people who classify themselves as white,” Dr. Welsing explained.

And while we’re often laughed at for being “dark,” researchers are currently studying fungi that could potentially be a melanin resource for them, per Nebraska Today. Synthetic forms of melanin are also on sale, but it’ll cost you more than gold — starting anywhere between $500 and $1,800 per gram, a CP Lab Safety. 

Melanin Produces Power

While Storm from Marvel’s “X-Men” may seem far-fetched, experts agree that melanin produces power. According to Illumin Magazine of the University of Southern California, advanced technology and studies show that our pigment has electrical properties capable of practical conductivity, with research dating as far back as the mid-1900s.

“If scientists have known this for generations, why have we been deprived of our innate superhero gifts?” TikTok user hiphopscienceshow asked.

“Melanin must undergo special conditions to exhibit these characteristics, and once in the proper state, conductive melanin has groundbreaking applications in biotechnology, computing, and sustainability,” Caleb Flenoury of Illumin Magazine wrote. “Previous studies regarding melanin’s presence in the human body have broadly been used to bolster racist systems whose consequences still affect millions. However, there exists a future where history does not repeat itself, and in this future, melanin could find its place at the center of technological innovation.”

If great power comes with great responsibility, those in “power” have consistently mismanaged theirs when it comes to us.

Our Hidden Strength

Let’s be clear about one thing: our melanin-rich skin makes us powerful. More than just a pigment, we possess the highest concentrations of a compound that some believe holds biological, intellectual, and technological potential yet to be fully understood. Even deficiencies in melanin production are linked to physical disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and hearing loss, per Cleveland Clinic, as melanocytes are found in hair, skin, pupils, areas of the brain, adrenal glands, and inner ears.

From Black women’s ability to birth the most genetically diverse children — a trait linked to the highest concentrations of mitochondrial Eve genes, which trace humanity’s maternal lineage back to Africa — to the ways our bodies harness melanin for protection and resilience, this element is seen by some as both our survival and untapped potential.

Conspiracy theorists argue this is why the world keeps its foot on our necks — yet still, we rise.

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