Black Lives Matter

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Joshua Glover Plaque
Some Exhibits to Come – Three Centuries Of Enslavement
Harriet Tubman, "The Conductor," with fugitive slaves in Underground Railroad station
Bibliography – Three Centuries of Enslavement
Slave Auction Poster
A 1859 Slave Auction in Savannah, as Reported by the New York Tribune
slaves in cotton field
How Slavery Became the Law of the Land “For Blacks Only”
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Frederick Douglass: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”
The Scourged Back: This slave named Gordon ran for 80 miles to join the Union Forces in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in March 1863. This famous photo of the welts on his badly "scourged back" was taken while he was being fitted for a uniform.
The Scourged Back: How Runaway Slave and Soldier Private Gordon Changed History
"Contrabands": During the Civil War, thousands of slaves escaped their owners in the South by getting to Union Army camps. Thus freed, many continued on to settle in the North.
The Freedmen of Wisconsin
This woodcut, published in 1831 with a story about the Southampton Rebellion, was titled "Horrific Massacre in Virginia."
Nat Turner’s Rebellion: Horrific or Heroic?
Map of the world showing which countries that traffic in humans to the U.S.; map shows how individual countries comply with anti-trafficking laws. The Kansas City Star 2009<p>

With BC-TRAFFICKING:KC, Kansas City Star by Mark Morris<p>

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Traces of the Trade: The North’s Complicity in Slavery
A man stands in front of the Djingareyber mosque on February 4, 2016 in Timbuktu, central Mali. 
Mali's fabled city of Timbuktu on February 4 celebrated the recovery of its historic mausoleums, destroyed during an Islamist takeover of northern Mali in 2012 and rebuilt thanks to UN cultural agency UNESCO.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY SEBASTIEN RIEUSSEC / AFP / SÉBASTIEN RIEUSSEC
African Peoples Before Captivity
Shackles from Slave Ship Henrietta Marie
Kidnapped: The Middle Passage

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Black Lives Matter, sometimes shortened to “BLM,” is an anti-racist movement that highlights racism and the disparities that evolve from racism, including police brutality and other anti-Black violence. Black Lives Matter gained popularity online after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer was recorded and shared by a bystander. In response to the video, which shows officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, protests erupted around the world. These protests were often met with police violence, some of which has been declared illegal while protestors have been falsely arrested.

The momentum continued to draw attention to police violence, both as more Black lives were taken and as previous stories came to light. Trayvon MartinMichael BrownEric Garner, and Breonna Taylor are also victims who the movement has recognized. Thanks to the attention given to these cases, some of the perpetrators have finally faced justice, including Derek Chauvin, who has been convicted with murder.

BLM also encouraged police reform and greater investigations into policing, with some activists calling for reparations  or to defund the police and reroute funds to other social programs that may be more effective. The movement has further brought attention to international conflict and raised funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. In some ways, the movement reflects the previous Civil Rights Movement, which lasted through the 1960s to 1980s including the Black Panther Party, which provided community assistance. Because of this, the movement has been recognized for its historical significance. 

However, the movement has come under fire for protests that turned violent, for focusing too much on Black men, and for mismanaging funds raised.

A nonprofit organization, The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, also exists. Some people may refer to it as simply “Black Lives Matter.”

See all of our Black Lives Matter content below, starting with the most recent.

Black Covid long-haulers felt invisible to the health care system, so they formed their own support groups

August 28, 2022

Patients like Chimére Smith pleaded with doctors to take their COVID-19 symptoms seriously. When ignored, they went online for support.

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Beyoncé’s new album ‘Renaissance’ is a tough sell in 2022 America

July 30, 2022

Unlike previous releases, Beyoncé’s newest album, Renaissance, is struggling among American fans, perhaps because of poorly timed themes.

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There’s a good reason why some Black people don’t go to the doctor

July 11, 2022

After a long history of medical racism, many Black Americans are hesitant to seek medical care and and suffer the consequences of no treatment.

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‘For Cruelty’s Sake’: State of Alabama diverts $400 million in COVID funds to build prisons, leaving many in dire straits

July 1, 2022

Alabama continues its long history of diverting money from deserving programs and people by using COVID-19 relief funds for its prison system.

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The Other Side of the Storm

June 23, 2022

During the COVID pandemic, domestic workers were frequently overlooked in the media and by the government, despite many continuing to work.

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Black Covid Patients Were Delayed Life-Saving Care Due To Faulty Medical Device

June 3, 2022

Research shows that devices that measure oxygen in blood don’t work as well for people of color, leading to delayed COVID-19 treatment.

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Guns are traumatizing Black America. Advocates demand investment, support

May 19, 2022

According to a CDC report, gun violence in 2020 was the highest it’s been in 25 years, and Black Americans, are disproportionately victims.

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Why the Rate of Black Business Ownership Is Going Up

April 13, 2022

In Pittsburgh and around the country, black-owned businesses are on the rise, continuing a trend from before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Remembering When Cotton was King and Blacks Enduring Quest for Economic Justice

March 21, 2022

The economic inequalities that stem from slavery have contributed to the health dispartities experienced by the black community in the age of a pandemic.

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WHO Africa’s 1st woman leader helps continent fight COVID

March 9, 2022

Dr. Matshidiso Moeti has overcome discrimination in apartheid South Africa to become one of the world’s top health administrators, and aids the fight against the COVID pandemic.

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