The objective of the article is to identify specific features of black colour representation in English and Russian media headlines for 2019-2020 at the verbal level of the text. The method of continuous sampling was used to select a number of examples in English and Russian, containing various variations in the functioning of the lexeme “black” in the period from 2019 to 2020. Methods. The research is carried out through the cognitive-discourse analysis of metaphors within the media discourse with the involvement of linguistic, general philological and linguocultural data that contributed to research activities, taking into account the specific features of the social and political realities of the media segments under consideration. The results were interpreted using generalization, descriptive and comparative methods. Conclusions. The analysis of the headlines of the media in this period allows us to assert the frequency and importance of verbalization of black colour in modern media discourse. The English and Russian segments demonstrate various aspects of its functioning. The dominant sphere of realization of black colour is the social context: the formation of groups, protest movements, the fight against prejudices, resonant incidents, tragedies, etc. It seems possible to include the similarity of the transmission of unfavourable states, events or shocks according to the “colour + time” scheme and the fixation of race in colour embodiment to the adjacent black verbalization of black colour. Among the differences, one can single out the total dominance of headlines in relation to race in the English-language media in the context of the struggle for rights and confrontation and the presence in this regard of a strong connection with racism through colour.