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)’
The Execution of Kevin Johnson
A mostly-white jury convicted Kevin Johnson to death for taking the life of a cop who blocked family from giving CPR to his brother, who died.
Read MoreWe can stop the police brutality that killed Dalian Atkinson, but let’s first admit there is a problem
Police brutality doesn’t just end the lives of Black Americans. Several notable cases in the UK remind us that borders don’t stop racism.
Read MoreConnecticut man paralyzed after arrest sues New Haven police
After suffering a paralyzing injury in a police vehicle, Randy Cox is suing the New Haven police department.
Read MoreWhy aren’t flagship universities enrolling more of their own states’ Black students?
Compare the number of Black students enrolled at states’ flagship colleges to their Black high school students, and there’s a discrepancy.
Read MoreSuburban Chicago police officer charged with murder in 2020 fatal shooting of Black man
Former police Officer Dante Salinas is guilty of second-degree murder of Marcellis Stinnette after shooting the man and his girlfriend.
Read MoreEx-Minneapolis police officer sentenced to 3 years in George Floyd’s murder
Another former Minneapolis police officer, Thomas Lane, has been convicted for his involvement in George Floyd’s murder by a fellow officer.
Read MoreFormer Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department Detective Indicted for Sexual Assaults
In the latest example of police violence, a Kansas City PD detective has been indicted for targeting and sexually assaulting Black women.
Read MoreA Black pastor sues the police who arrested him while watering his neighbors’ flowers
The Black community has faced suspicion while walking, working, shopping, driving, or watering a neighbor’s flowers as in this recent story.
Read MoreAfter a Black man is fatally shot in bed by officers, Ohio police change policy on late-night warrants
Police have killed yet another Black person while serving a nighttime warrant. This time, policies have changed immediately.
Read MoreTeddy Bears and Racial Justice: How St. Louis Became a Laboratory for Social Work
St. Louis is as representative as any city of America’s racist past, but the city could also become a symbol of how to move forward.
Read More