Who We Are
Five Thirds Human is a next-generation media company dedicated to amplifying the Black experience through powerful storytelling and imagery. We bring together voices, stories, and perspectives that inform, inspire, and shape the culture.
Why We Exist
We aim to educate, inspire, and empower our community and allies.
How We Do It
At Five Thirds Human, we like to say that we focus on the past, present, and future of the Black experience.
Past: We educate the world by sharing stories that reveal and remember Black history in a compelling way.
Present: We influence our culture today by telling the stories of extraordinary, and often less-known, Black people and their contributions to society.
Future: We shape the future of our communities by creating the world’s most beautiful art, apparel, and media.
Why Did We Choose the Name Five Thirds Human?
In 1787, the delegates of the United States developed the Three-Fifths Compromise. This compromise stated that Black people living in the United States would only be counted as three-fifths of a person when determining representation. In other words, it stated that a Black person was only worth about three-fifths of what other human beings were worth. In essence, Black people were considered less than human. Despite these challenges, Black people and culture survived and, in some ways, thrived in America and across the world. Nevertheless, the stigma of being considered less than human has had profound impacts on our society and culture. The effects of the Three-Fifths Compromise continue to be felt even today. We created Five Thirds Human to flip the perception and reverse the narrative that Black people are “less than.” Our goal is to highlight the positive stories of the superhuman will, determination, and talent that exists within the Black community. To be clear, our goal is one of inclusion, because to achieve our mission, we’ll need the support of both Black people and allies. Although 3/5 may be less than one, 5/3 is mathematically greater than one. This name is meant to symbolize the extraordinary, sometimes superhuman achievements that Black culture has contributed to our society as a whole. We hope you’ll join us in changing 3/5 to 5/3.