By Jamie Li Class of 2025

The Cost of Progress: Black American Sign Language and the Cultural Paradox of Integration

Editor’s Note: The History Fellowship program offers students the opportunity to conduct college-level independent research on a historical topic of their choice, resulting in a substantial academic paper and oral presentation. Through guided discussions, structured support, and access to both on- and off-campus sources, students learn and apply the practices of professional historians.

During the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, Rihanna’s performance fascinated millions. At the same time, her American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter drew substantial attention with her confident and expressive performance, inciting millions of likes on social media. As the first Black Deaf woman to perform in a Superbowl show, Justina Miles, the interpreter, received praise on social media, including comments like “sis was Rihanna in her other life,” “She was the real halftime show,” and “sis should’ve performed on stage.” Little did most viewers know that she was using Black ASL, a dialect of ASL born from segregation and shaped by the intersection of Black and Deaf cultures.

Sign language, in essence, is a visual-manual language that uses hand movements, facial expressions, and body positioning to communicate. While many might assume there is a universal sign language, different countries have developed their own unique sign languages. American Sign Language, which emerged in the early nineteenth century through a blend of French Sign Language and local sign systems, is the primary sign language used in the United States. However, like spoken languages, ASL has developed various dialects, among which Black ASL stands out as a particularly significant variation.

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