How To Go Viral On Facebook: How Racism Helps Posts Go Viral On Facebook

Yesterday, August 24th, 2025, was Founder’s Day here in my hometown of Rockford, IL. I made a post commemorating that fact on my Facebook feed. Here is what a posted

“Today is Founder’s Day in Rockford, Illinois. This city was co-founded by a Black man named Lewis Lemon. Know where you came from. Know your history. #fact”

Not too long after that, within minutes, racist, vitriolic comments began flooding the comments section of my post.

I am not at all surprised about the racist, vitriolic comments my simple post received. Rockford, IL — where I was born and raised on the west side and a city northwest of Chicago, IL — has been known for its racism.

In the late 1990s the Board of Education here was sued by a group called People Who Care. People Who Care sued the Rockford Board of Education because of its yearslong practice of racism on behalf of hundreds of students who had been discriminated against, including myself.

Here are some of the racist comments I received on my post:

really? Who is the post clYou forgot the other two that founded it alsoaim to confound Rockford.

they’ll still never pick you. You’re still not one of them to them. Just so you know

and there it is. Another spid negro that thinks knows what is about. You peo0le ridiculously idiots. I mean, how supid can you be? Oh wait, you black, it says…