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)’
Michael Brown Memorial Rebuilt After Fire
One of the two memorials for Michael Brown built by the community burned completely this morning but was quickly rebuilt. Fergusson residents suspect arson.
Read MoreHow Race, Gender And Fatigue Have Affected The Coverage Of Renisha McBride’s Death
The combination of sexism and racism has a real impact on Black women as exemplified by the silence around Renisha McBride’s death.
Read More‘MODIFIED DUTY’ FOR MEDICS AFTER FATAL NYC ARREST
By VERENA DOBNIK, bigstory.ap.org NEW YORK (AP) — Four emergency workers involved in the medical response for a New York City man who died in police custody after being put in an apparent chokehold have been barred from responding to 911 calls, the Fire Department of New York said. The two EMTs and two paramedics…
Read MoreOprah: Trayvon Martin The ‘Same Thing’ As Emmett Till
By Jack Mirkinson, HuffingtonPost.com In a brief clip that aired on Monday’s “Today”, Oprah Winfrey compared the killing of Trayvon Martin to that of Emmett Till, the young black boy whose brutal murderhelped fuel the civil rights movement. It was one of her first public comments about the case, which has seen African Americans and…
Read MoreWhy the Zimmerman Jury Failed Us
Harvard professor Lawrence Bobo explains how the Zimmerman verdict reflects the racism at America’s core – leading to the continual dehumanization of blacks. When cultural racism is this deeply embedded in America’s basic cultural toolkit, it need not be named or even consciously embraced to work its ill effects.
Read MoreRemembering Trayvon Martin on the First Anniversary of His Death
One year after a boy lost his life at the hands of a neighbor, we ponder senseless acts of violence against the Black community.
Read MoreGeorge Zimmerman Asks For and Gets Third New Judge
George Zimmerman, who shot and killed a young Black boy named Trayvon Martin, has requested another judge for his trail yet again.
Read MoreBarbara Walters Rejects George Zimmerman’s Interview Demands
After agreeing to an interview with Barbara Walters, the man charged with murdering Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, refused.
Read MoreA Lynching Happens Every 40 Hours
One person explains how violence at the hands of vigilantes and police are modern-day lynchings of Black people.
Read MoreSanford decision to move Trayvon Martin memorial causes uproar in black community
A memorial dedicated to Trayvon Martin has been moved after push from the homeowner’s association in the area where he was killed.
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