Daniel Zhao, Senior Photographer

On Thursday, talk show host Sonnie Johnson came to Yale to talk about conservatism centered around Black experiences.

In the conversation, titled “Understanding the Growth in Black Conservatism,” Johnson discussed the spectrum of conservatism, the role of government and the importance of racial identity in politics.

She used her firsthand stories to further the idea that her politics are derived from humanity, but not necessarily in the reverse.

“They told me, ‘You don’t have to talk about Black issues, you can just talk about politics.’ And I said okay, my show is going to be a Black, conservative show,” Johnson said, refuting the notion that colorblindness is a feature of true conservatism. “It’s only going to be Black issues.”

Johnson hosts a weekly talk show titled “Sonnie’s Corner,” on which she uses hip-hop and pop culture to express her ideas on the role of conservatism in her community.

She believes that the principles she follows can be traced back to the ideologies of Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X. Throughout the conversation, she referenced Washington’s “cast down your buckets” approach to conservatism.

“It was that initial coming off the plantation and realizing that first and foremost, you have to have a trade before you enter different fields of study,” Johnson explained. “We want brilliant Black people in all of these spaces, but you have to have a way to take care of yourself.”

Johnson contextualized older ideas with relevant scenarios, explaining how she navigates the push and pull of being a Black woman in the conservative movement. She said that the capability of Black conservatives to push back internally within the movement along with pushing those ideas in the Black community is a delicate responsibility.

Daniel Martinez HoSang, a professor of Ethnicity, Race and Migration, and Micah English, a doctoral candidate in American politics, moderated this event.

“There is this idea that people of color, particularly Black Americans, will trend towards progressive ideologies,” English said, explaining the motive behind inviting Johnson.  “But as recent elections have shown, and as our conversation with Sonnie has shown, there are a lot of people of color being drawn to the right. We’re trying to understand the complexity of the forces leading to this.”

Johnson said that her platform has always been about helping others.

She said that, at its core, her message is about uplifting the Black community and empowering people to help themselves through promoting comprehensive civic education and teaching practical skills.

Her message was not received the same by everyone.

“Some of the things she talked about I stand for as a community activist from the left, I’m just confused because she’s very conservative and trying to be apolitical, but it’s inherently political,” Andrea Terrero ’27 told the News.

The event closed out with a Q&A session, including a discussion about hip-hop and pop culture as a reflection of ideological shifts in the Black community, referencing the popular feud between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake. 

In doing this, Johnson said she aimed to keep her ideas grounded in the Black community, acknowledging the inherent connection between culture and politics.

The event was held at the Loria Center, located at 190 York St.