A Qualitative Description of the Cultural Phenomenon Black Fatigue in Ontario, Canada

Many Black people report feeling mentally drained from experiencing anti-Black racism across all life domains. This emotional burden has recently been referred to as “Black fatigue.” The aim of this qualitative study is to describe the phenomenon of Black fatigue and the experiences underlying the construct among Black people in Ontario, Canada, aged 16 and older. Semi-structured qualitative interviews ( N = 22) were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four major themes were identified from the findings: (1) recurring experiences with anti-Black racism, (2) the fatigue of individual coping, (3) more intersectional oppression, more fatigue, and (4) the mental and emotional impact of Black fatigue. Individual forms of coping in response to racism also contributed to experiences of Black fatigue such as outer-directed active coping strategies (e.g., proving self to others, working harder) and inner-directed passive coping strategies (e.g., ruminating, tolerating). Future research is needed to explore the pervasiveness of Black fatigue in the lives of Black people to inform future preventative interventions.