Kofi Kingston Responds To Backlash Over #BlackExcellence Hashtag

The New Day are the longest reigning WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, Sasha Banks is the current Raw Women’s Champion, and Rich Swann is the WWE Cruiserweight Champion. Big E recently posted a photo of all the title holders on Twitter, and he captioned the photo with the hashtag #BlackExcellence.

#BlackExcellence pic.twitter.com/YrnijaTfOY

— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) December 14, 2016

The hashtag was met with some backlash from fans on Twitter after the photo was posted. In response to the backlash, Kofi Kingston posted a statement explaining that the hashtag was not meant to be divisive, and you can see what he had to say below.

While much of the feedback has been positive, there has also been a lot of negative response with regard to (cont) https://t.co/2cKTH7pVnp

— Kofi Kingston (@TrueKofi) December 14, 2016

While much of the feedback has been positive, there has also been a lot of negative response with regard to the picture we posted illustrating Rich, Sasha, Xavier, E, and myself wielding our championship titles. Perhaps this is because many are in question of the motivation behind the post:

It does not come from a place of malice, spite, or gloating. It comes from a place of joy and a place of happiness. We have a very strong sense of pride in being the Black People simultaneously holding championships in WWE. Historically in our nation, there was period in time where this would not have happened, followed by a long period of time where it became possible, but had not actually materialized. Now, we are in the time in which the possibility has become a reality.

Why does this matter?

It matters because even though it is hard for some to fathom, the fact is that there are many people who feel as though it is impossible to attain certain goals because of the color of their skin. This is why we must acknowledge the color of ours in this instance. It is important for people of all races, but particularly people of color, and especially the youth, to see that it is entirely possible to achieve your dreams and aspirations regardless of your race. We are a shining example who want to be a source of motivation for others to believe in themselves and do the same.

Excellence is not the same as supremacy. #BlackExcellence is not meant to be divisive. For even if you do not fall into the specific category, you can still take enjoyment in our pride, because in the biggest picture, in a society that often focuses on the negative aspects of race relations, what has transpired with the 5 of us speaks positively to the progress we’ve made as a nation.