Philly Elmo Rises: Black Eccentricity and the Street Fantastic During the George Floyd Uprisings/Riots, May 2020

ABSTRACT: During the May 2020 uprisings/riots in Philadelphia, a Black person dressed in a white T-shirt, black athletic pants, and the headpiece of an Elmo mascot costume posed in front of a burning trash can next to a police barricade. “Philly Elmo,” as they were called, became an icon of irreverent radicalism with a touch of Philadelphia idiosyncrasy to social media users who circulated the image of this unique figure. From this ephemeral digital archive, I recognize that Philly Elmo’s unruly, frivolous performance is a manifestation of the Black street fantastic , those unrefined acts cultivated from the urban landscape and limited funds that denote a Black eccentric’s emotionality when disrupting the norms of space and ritual. In this work, I question how the study of Black life and experience can preserve the memory of atypical Black reactions to injustice that may seem disrespectful to the legacy of solemn and joyful Black protest.