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 Martin, Michael Brown, Eric 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.
Posts Tagged ‘Black Lives Matter (BLM)’
Ralph Yarl shooting shows dangerous perception of Black children, experts say
Why are Black children perceived as a threat? Experts point to long-held racial bias. Studies reveal common misperceptions of black kids as larger or older than they are.
Read MoreCalifornia city audits police who sent racist, abusive texts
A San Francisco Bay Area city council is undertaking an audit of its troubled police department, the latest development in a year-long federal investigation of the Antioch Police Department that blew up this month with the disclosure of racist and hostile text messages sent by officers.
Read MoreHow 2020’s racial unrest led four friends to create a scholarship for Black students
Nziffa, with input from her three childhood best friends, created a scholarship for their alma mater in Camden, Caesar Rodney High School.
Read MoreAndrew Lester, 84-year-old Kansas City man accused of shooting Ralph Yarl, is in custody
Ralph Yarl, a 16 year old Black teenager, was shot after accidentally ringing the wrong doorbell in a Kansas City neighborhood. His shooter is in custody.
Read MoreOhio grand jury declines to charge 8 officers who fatally shot Jayland Walker
An Ohio grand jury declined to bring charges against eight Akron police officers — seven of them white — in connection with last year’s fatal shooting of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black motorist, officials said Monday.
Read MoreHow ‘Weathering’ Contributes to Racial Health Disparities
Dr. Arline T. Geronimus discusses the negative effects of experiencing racism on physical as well as mental health in African-American communities.
Read MoreTexas Gov. Greg Abbott seeks pardon for man convicted in murder of Black Lives Matter protester
Texas Governor Greg Abbott seeks pardon for a man convicted in the murder of a Black Lives Matter protester in 2020.
Read MoreMinneapolis and state agree to revamp policing post-Floyd
The city of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights signed a “court-enforceable settlement agreement” Friday to revamp policing
Read MoreBlack family awarded $8 million after being detained, handcuffed by police
A California jury awarded a Black mother and her two daughters more than $8 million after local police detained them near a Starbucks.
Read More‘Blue’ Grapples with Realities of Police Killings
This unique opera tells the story of hardships faced by a Black man who is also a police officer as he becomes a father.
Read More