Category: Black Lives Matter

Online platforms have become powerful components for the emergence of social movements in the new millennium. It is believed that social media has assisted social movements to ‘scale up’, which is described as the procedure that diversifies the influence of the movement and helps to bring social change (Mundt, Ross & Burnett 2018). Moreover, modern activist movements like the Black Lives Matter movement are differentiated from the previous movements as they use modern technology as a tool which is considered a prominent aspect in resolving racial inequality concerns. In this context, Habermas’s Public Sphere theory is used to provide a broad paradigm of social media in the expansion of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Virtual communication is indeed a platform where social movements spread their propaganda, express their ideas and provide the viewer with a context (Ince, Rojas & Davis 2017). The critical role of the internet as a forum for a contemporary discourse of racial injustice and police brutality entails reviewing the conventional sociological theory in the pursuit of contemporary technology (Carney 2016). The Public Sphere theory by Habermas offers a valuable context for understanding the debate regarding the Black Lives Matter movement on digital platforms since the propaganda used throughout the public sphere offers an analysis of societal and governmental conflicts in which younger generations of different ethnicities participate actively (cited in Carney 2016). Some sociologists suggest that social media is a ‘weak public’ because it does not have the potential to transform the governmental rules in the country (Carney 2016, p.183). However, skeptics argue that social networking acts as both a ‘weak public’ wherein the individuals articulate their views and a ‘strong public’ that urges the government to change its policies by promoting consciousness and holding rallies (Carney 2016, p.184). In previous eras, people had to book a time slot for getting together and participating in socio-political discussions about race and inequality to organize a social movement. Nevertheless, people in the contemporary world can access the web anywhere at any time to view and conceptualize the perceptions of different people across the globe, which has especially enabled the young generation to incorporate their engagement in the Black Lives Matter movement. For Example, online platforms are readily available without the compulsion of registering or showing up at conference meetings, thus, Black Lives Matter communities can easily generate and join a massive number of audiences which in turn helps them to gain popularity in a short time (Mundt, Ross & Burnett 2018). Additionally, Black Lives Matter group leaders use social media for establishing connections and unions with other organizations in the campaign to promote collective strategies (Mundt, Ross & Burnett 2018). Therefore, social media proved to be a powerful weapon for bolstering the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement in society.

In conclusion, social media acts as a medium to broaden the influence of the Black Lives Matter movement as compared to the previous anti-racist movements that lacked popularity due to the absence of the internet. Furthermore, technology has provided incentives for engagement in the Black Lives Matter movement like increasing the number of participants in the protests and forming strong relationships and coalitions with other people and groups which in turn maximizes activism and contributes to optimizing campaign strategies.

References

1. Carney, N 2016, ‘All Lives Matter, but so does Race’, Humanity & Society, vol.40, no.2, pp. 180-99, viewed 16 October 2020, SAGE Journals database, DOI: 10.1177/0160597616643868.
2. Ince, J, Rojas, F & Davis, CA 2017, ‘The Social Media Response to Black Lives Matter: How Twitter Users Interact with Black Lives Matter through Hashtag Use’ Ethnic and Racial Studies, vol.40, no.11, pp.1814-830, viewed 16 October 2020, Taylor & Francis Online Library, DOI: 10.1080/01419870.2017.1334931.
3. Mundt, M, Ross, K & Burnett, CM 2018, ‘Scaling Social Movements Through Social Media: The Case of Black Lives Matter’, Social Media Society, vol.4, no.4, viewed 16 October 2020, SAGE Journals database, DOI: 10.1177/2056305118807911.

Introduction

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and the Civil Rights Movement are two significant social justice movements that have shaped the course of history in the United States. While both movements advocate for racial equality and justice, they emerged in different historical contexts and employ different strategies. This comparative analysis essay examines the similarities and differences between the Black Lives Matter movement and the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting their goals, strategies, and impact on society. By exploring these aspects, we gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of racial justice movements in America and the ongoing fight against systemic racism.

Goals and Objectives

The Civil Rights Movement, which took place primarily from the 1950s to the 1960s, aimed to secure legal and political rights for African Americans. The movement focused on desegregation, voting rights, and equal access to public facilities, education, and employment. The Black Lives Matter movement, on the other hand, emerged in the 2010s and seeks to address issues of police brutality, racial profiling, and systemic racism. BLM also advocates for broader societal change by challenging structural inequalities that perpetuate racial injustice.

Strategies and Methods

The Civil Rights Movement employed a range of strategies, including nonviolent protests, civil disobedience, and legal challenges. Figures like Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for peaceful protests, sit-ins, and boycotts to raise awareness and effect change. They aimed to garner public support through moral persuasion and media attention. Conversely, the Black Lives Matter movement employs various strategies, including peaceful protests, direct action, and the use of social media platforms to raise awareness and mobilize communities. BLM emphasizes the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, highlighting the need for systemic change.

Leadership and Organization

The Civil Rights Movement had prominent leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, who provided guidance and inspired the masses with their speeches and activism. Their leadership helped shape the movement and gain national attention. The Black Lives Matter movement, however, is largely decentralized, with multiple leaders and local chapters. It prioritizes grassroots organizing, allowing for a broader range of voices and perspectives within the movement. BLM has emerged as a leaderless movement, emphasizing collective action and shared responsibility.

Impact and Legacy

The Civil Rights Movement achieved significant milestones, including the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which laid the foundation for racial equality. These legislative victories marked a turning point in American history and inspired subsequent generations to fight for social justice. The Black Lives Matter movement has had a profound impact in raising awareness about systemic racism and police violence. It has sparked a global conversation about racial injustice and has led to widespread protests and calls for reform. BLM has also played a pivotal role in mobilizing young activists, utilizing social media to amplify marginalized voices and push for change.

Conclusion

While the Black Lives Matter movement and the Civil Rights Movement share a common goal of achieving racial equality and justice, they differ in their historical context, strategies, and organization. The Civil Rights Movement paved the way for significant legal and political victories, while the Black Lives Matter movement continues to challenge systemic racism in contemporary society. Both movements have played crucial roles in shaping the discourse on racial justice and have inspired generations to work towards a more equitable and inclusive future.

Black Lives Matter is a social movement dedicated to fighting racism and police brutality against Black people across the globe. Alice Garza and her co-founders started the Black Lives Matter with just a Twitter hashtag in 2013 after the killing of Trayvon Martin, an African American teenager; and it turned into a global network that builds power to bring justice. Trayvon was walking home from the store when a police officer followed him. The police officer followed and shot Trayvon, George Zimmerman (the police officer) was not arrested right away, which made everyone upset. People started protesting and fighting for justice for Trayvon. Not all people were protesting at the time until the death of George Floyd and everyone said enough is enough. George Floyd was at a store when someone called the cops because they thought his money was fake. When the police officers came to him they said he was resisting and one police officer put his knee on George’s neck until he couldn’t breathe. People were protesting because the killing of George Floyd was inhumane and wanted the officers to be held accountable for their senseless behavior; especially the one who held his knee on George until he could no longer breathe.

According to Richmond Pledge, they have addressed the different misconceptions about the movement and its purpose. “The statement “Black Lives Matter” is not an anti-white proposition. Contained within the statement is an unspoken but implied “too,” as in “Black lives matter, too,” which suggests that the statement is one of inclusion rather than exclusion. However, those white people who continue to mischaracterize the affirmation of the value of black life as being anti-white are suggesting that in order for white lives to matter, black lives cannot. That is a foundational premise of white supremacy. It is antithetical to what the Black Lives Matter movement stands for, which is the simple proposition that “Black lives also matter.” The Black Lives Matter movement demands that the country affirm the value of black life in practical and pragmatic ways, including addressing an increasing racial wealth gap, fixing public schools that are failing, combating issues of housing inequality and gentrification that continue to push people of color out of communities they have lived in for generations, and dismantling the prison industrial complex. None of this is about hatred” (11 Major Misconception about BLM 3). I agree with this and it’s a simple fact that all Black people want is their lives to matter and want to be treated justly. If all come to an agreement many black lives can be saved and we can live in a world where everyone feels valued and dignified.

All in all, since the beginning of America, black people’s lives were treated like they don’t matter. Black people were enslaved and oppressed due to the color of their skin. When slavery ended, black people’s lives were still discriminated against due to the color of their skin. “All Lives Matter’

There is a significant statistical difference between the numbers of black and ethnic individuals in comparison to white individuals. The 2011 census report showed that 86% of the population in and Wales identified as white and only 3.4% identified as being black and 6.8% as Asian i.e., Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, other (White, 2012). This shows how white is the dominant ethnic group which can lead to some individuals believing that they are the superior group. Throughout history, it has been portrayed in the media and throughout society that people from a white superior background are superior. But is that because they haven’t had to face many struggles like someone from a black ethnic background would have experienced? What is meant by this is people from a white ethnic background have this characteristic of ‘white privilege’. White privilege is an unseen and unconscious advantage (Collins,2018) that white individuals get just because of their skin tone. Some examples include seeing people from their race being widely represented in the media, never being asked to speak for all people from their racial group, and not having negative conations around your ethnic group (McIntosh, 1988). The media plays a big role in highlighting this idea of white privilege while portraying other ethnic groups in a negative light, they do this by the use of tabloid headlines, using negative words to describe them, or using stereotypes to help create this negative idea of them. For example, a recent news article reads ‘Christmas shoppers warned to be more vigilant as terrorist may be emboldened by recent attacks’ (Dearden, 2021). This then paints those from ethnic backgrounds negatively as when they are out in public, they will feel more watched by others as they are stereotyped to be ‘the terrorist type’. Because of this it then makes life ten times harder for people from these ethnic backgrounds because they constantly feel like they are justifying themselves to white individuals. In recent years the Black Lives Matter movement has become more highly recognized. This movement is about to try and eradicate white supremacy and to stop black individuals from being the target of state violence (Halstead,2016), However, some people believe this movement shouldn’t just focus on one particular group and that’s when the All-Lives Matter phrase comes in, which some individuals use to mask their racist views. Throughout this essay the topics that will be discussed to help critically evaluate the phrase all lives matter in relation to hiding white privilege includes; the formation of identities where did the idea of race come from, how that influences attitudes and behaviors about race, the concept behind all lives matter and black lives matter, how history influenced this movement and how does social media influence movements around race.

Race is used as a mechanism of social stratification and the main form of human identity is quite a recent concept in human history (Smedley, 1998) the ‘white race’ was invented after the Bacons’ revolution in 1676, which was made by the ruling class as a social control mechanism. The ruling elite deliberately instituted a system of racial privileges it establishes the white race however, this was the downfall of African Americans and other ethnic groups (Allen, 2012). This highlights the formation of white privilege and how from the start it was imposed to hinder those from other ethnic backgrounds. This idea of race then developed even more into the seventeenth century with the rise of the slave trade. For two centuries slave labor became the engine of The economy (Britain’s forgotten slave owners: profit and loss, 2015), slave owners weren’t just aristocrats they were people from the middle class or even the lower middle class. However, the majority of slave owners were white as they were the more ‘superior’ race and had the power to control the black slaves. This idea of power becomes prominent in the concept of race, in particular the idea of white individuals having more power than other ethnic groups. When this idea of race came into human history it brought a hence of powerful importance to the meanings of physical differences (Smedley, 1998). Some Europeans were fixated on pointing out the differences between the different races and even exaggerating their finding. For example, Sarah Baartman’s (Venus Noire) was a subject of objectification in the 1800s, when white men would parade her around Europe so that white individuals could stare at and mock her body (Ashley, 2021). By showing her around Europe it was meant to highlight the differences between the black and white species. This then created the idea that those from different racial backgrounds were lesser forms of human beings and they were inferior to those from white backgrounds (Smedley, 1998). These individuals were enslaved in relation to the lowest-status groups within the society. Highlighting how the idea of ‘them and us’ came into existence, which is still very much seen in today’s society the view of seeing those from different racial backgrounds as inferior is still ingrained into white individuals’ minds, which can relate to where this idea of All Lives Matter comes from.

White individuals have never had to pay attention to race they were not the norm or the odd one out in society. Being white is not an issue because it blends into the cultural background of society (Halstead,2016) it also only exists because of historic racism and biases (Collins,2018). However, this is not a privilege that black or ethnic individuals get to experience as they are constantly reminded about their blackness within society.

To understand what ‘All Lives Matter’ is and the message behind it first you need to understand what ‘Black Lives Matter’ means. No one once said ‘All Lives Matter’ before individuals said BLM so that then makes ALM a response to this (Halstead,2016), it is also a negative response. ‘The Black Lives Matter phrase is one used to highlight the terrible hate crimes, violence, segregation, and discrimination that black individuals have to face every day. Because as a society individuals act like Black lives don’t matter and even law enforcement institutions such as the police act like they don’t matter (Halstead,2016).

Black Lives Matter isn’t a new movement black individuals have been fighting for the same equal rights and treatment as white individuals for years. The civil rights movement which took place in the 1950s60s was a key moment in black history. One example of the way black individuals were treated was during the little rock nine movements. In 1954, the united states supreme court made segregation illegal in public schools, however in 1957 central high in Little Rock asked for black student volunteers to attend a segregated high school (Fitzgerald, 2007). They were known as the little rock mob they attended the school for a few weeks but had to be removed because of racial hate and violence towards them. However, even though they had to be removed this brought much-needed attention to the issue, why should white students get a better education than black? This shows that idea of white privilege was even present then, as white children never had to worry about going to school and getting racially abused or treated differently because of their skin color.

This is still relevant today within the education division. For example, in Universities in Wales, studies show that there are a reduced amount of offers being given to students from black or ethnic backgrounds. Dr Jason Arday commented on these figures saying it is ‘systematically disadvantaging particular minority groups through the unconscious bias of admission teams’ (Beltaji and Lewis, 2021). So even though the movement has progressed in recent years there is still a racial and discrimination problem present within modern-day society. Hence, why the BLM movement is so obviously important but hasn’t yet been historically realized fully.

So ‘All Lives Matter’ then creates an issue as it takes away all the meaning from systemic racism and black lives it distracts from the real meaning of the message (Yang and Butler, 2015). People who use the saying normally fall into two groups they either misunderstand the saying and the main message behind it which is that not all lives are understood to matter which is why it’s more important to identify the groups that need more representation and ways to make them feel equal. Or they are racist and are just hiding behind this idea of white privilege. Because when white individuals say ‘All Lives Matter’ they mean ‘White lives matter’ because white individuals automatically relate all lives to white lives (Halstead,2016). This automatic response from white individuals to think like this is from history, as in the past white individuals saw blackness as deviant from the human or a threat to the human (Yang and Butler, 2015). So, this makes it very easy for White individuals to automatically segregate them or treat them differently, or even act differently around them. By pushing the slogan of ‘All Lives Matter’ they can easily mask their racist intentions by saying they believe all lives are equal while they play ignorant to the obvious racial discrimination that black individuals face daily.

Black and ethnic minority groups are always being reminded that they aren’t as important as a white individual (Halstead,2016). This can be shown through several life experiences, for example, if you come from a black minority background you are three times more likely to be unemployed, more likely to be stopped and searched, more likely to experience physical restraint from the police, and also more likely to live in poverty (Bhopal and Alibhai-Brown, 2018). Not only does this mean they are facing economic barriers which can put them in neighborhoods they might not feel safe living in. But it also shows the individuals who are meant to keep society ‘safe’ are targeting black groups and using violence. This can be seen a lot in the USA when police are shooting down innocent black men and women. And why? Because they say that they felt ‘threatened’. In 2015 1,134 black men were killed by US police which was 5 times higher than white men who were the same age (Bhopal and Alibhai-Brown, 2018). The concept of white privilege again is seen here as the two individuals could be doing the same thing or acting the same way but only one will 5 times more likely be shot and why? Because the color of their skin is different.

Police officers use their racial knowledge which is the idea that individuals already have a library of social knowledge about others that gives them a framework for how to think and treat them (Wright and Wallace, 2016). However, this racial knowledge isn’t always correct and is often based on stereotypes of the different ethnic communities. Many white individuals see young Black males as violent and menacing street thugs with guns or weapons (Welch, 2007) and when talking about crime many assume that black individuals would be involved. However, this isn’t always the case, for example, 25% of the black individuals killed in 2015 were unarmed compared to 17% of unarmed white individuals (Bhopal and Alibhai-Brown, 2018). So statistically white individuals were more of a threat to the police but weren’t killed because of their white privilege. So, this idea of white privilege can even help with life-or-death situations and it shows how even if black individuals didn’t do anything or weren’t armed, they are at a disadvantage just because of their skin tone.

A recent example of racial violence towards George Floyd – a black man who begged for his life while a white police officer dug his knee into his neck for 9 minutes until he finally passed away (NEWS, 2021). This case helped gain the #BLM movement media coverage and attention which helped get out the message that the black minority wants their people to stop being intentionally targeted just because of the color of their skin and want to be treated equally. It also helped show the struggles that they were facing on a daily basis. But why after years of cases similar to this one were people finally standing up for the black community? One reason could be that due to the video of George’s death circulating in the media, they couldn’t hide from the reality that these individuals face daily. They couldn’t argue with the facts and they had the face their shame and guilt head-on.

The use of social media played a huge role in this particular case, this is because platforms such as Twitter and Facebook gave activist groups a chance to broaden the movement’s impact (Noman, 2020). Social media also helps to shape the discourses on the issues that the social movements are making. It enables people to do grand or small gestures that both help the movement. For example, #blackouttuesday was introduced on Instagram and it helped raise awareness for the BLM movement. Individuals took to Instagram to show their solidarity with the cause by posting a black square on their timeline with the #BlackLivesMatter or #Blackouttuesday hashtag. With doing this it meant the individual was not to post anything else that day and instead take the time to think about how non-black individuals benefit from structural racism (Noman, 2020) By millions of individuals doing this brought more attention to the movement and helped educate those who didn’t understand.

In conclusion, most white individuals find new discrete ways of being racist even though there are still racist organizations such as the KKK out there. Individuals participate in racism when they fail to see that it exists, they say unintentionally racist things such as when a black woman straightens her hair ‘omg your hair is normally so puffy’, and individuals who use sayings like All Lives Matter. By doing these things they are blatantly ignoring the main issue which are black individuals saying BLM they aren’t saying that they only matter, they are wanting the focus on BLM as black lives are the ones who face dangers due to their skin color. For example, no one is going to go to a Breast cancer event and say other cancers matter too. So, this shows how the main issue of the BLM movement to white individuals is because it involves black and ethnic minorities. The way the media presents black minorities also plays into this idea of blacks being the inferior face and they are still being faced with the same stereotypes as they were years ago. So, in many ways, things are getting better for example #BLM making more white individuals stand up and speak out against racism. But society still has a long way to go until both races are equal. This makes you wonder if will they ever be or if has history had too much of an influence on our society.

The Black Lives Matter movement is one of good intentions, but a variety of flaws. The execution of BLM tends to be one that is counter-productive. The Black Lives Matter movement began after the death of Trayvon Martin when George Zimmerman was acquitted, and individuals felt a desire to bring light to the evident issue of anti-Black racism in our country. Yet, there are a large variety of flaws within the Black Lives Matter movement and how it presents its intentions to the rest of the public. The weaknesses of the movement dampen the positive impact that the activists are striving for. At the forefront of the extremely controversial BLM movement is the violence that has occurred, which is seemingly in correlation with the development of the movement. The BLM advocates are protesting violence against Black individuals, yet the media has shown to the rest of the public the violence and child-like behaviors, that these protesters themselves have participated in. Fighting fire with fire is counter-productive, and does not make a lasting positive impact on those who the activists are trying to influence. Ian Tuttle reports in the National Review that in St. Paul, MN, “…more than 100 protesters were arrested when protesters used an overpass over Interstate 94 to throw rocks and rebar at police, injuring 21 officers, including one who suffered broken vertebrae when a concrete block was dropped on him from above” (Tuttle, 2016). This is just one example of the violence that has been uncovered by the media and shown to the rest of the country, with the Black Lives Matter name front and center. It was also reported that these protesters shouted crude and degrading things about the downed officers, in celebration. While …show more content…

Regardless of whether the Black Lives Matter movement is portrayed positively or negatively in the media, the attention of individuals not only in the United States but all over the world, has been grabbed. Consciousness-raising is just as important as actually achieving change for the Black Lives Matter movement, in that before the developers started the movement and masses of people started advocating, the topic of racism in today’s society was not talked about and to an extent even denied. While the movement has had violent moments, there is still potential to utilize respectful techniques to further their already fast-moving consciousness-raising. Over the last few years, Google searches for the terms “police brutality” and “Black Lives Matter” are at an all-time high. Individuals are taking note of the protests and conversations happening around them and seeking information for themselves. For a movement to gain supporters and hopefully spark change, there must first be an understanding of the issue itself, which is attained through consciousness-raising. Due to the fact that Black Lives Matter has been able to trigger discussion.

Police brutality against African Americans isn’t a fresh topic in America but the foremost recent one. The shootings of young black males and women by cops in cities around the United States have turned it into a hot topic. There have been numerous protests and riots because of cops not being arrested for killing unarmed young black men and with these protests, a replacement movement was formed that began as a Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook hashtag that’s entitled #BlackLivesMatter. Throughout the civil rights movement, there was nothing new in America, this particular movement comes at a time when America sees itself as a racial society.

This means that the overall general population of people living in America believe that they’re not racist which they don’t take into consideration the color of a person’s skin. the color blindness that’s prevalent within the Civil Rights era that America is currently in considers everyone to be non-racial or not belonging to the opposite race.

The Black Lives Matter Movement was created in response to the deaths and was intended to be an organization in support of Black Lives. It aims to be a political and ideological intervention in a society where black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for its demise. Its goal is to rebuild the Black Lives movement. The Black Lives Matter Movement is trying to maneuver the mentality of those in America away from us v.s them and in doing so truly free black lives from inequality. If America has truly reached a post-racial society why is such a movement needed to say what Americans already know? many folks are turning their focus on the movement by saying that it’s not just Black lives that matter, “all lives matter” and each one lives are important. People within the U.S. are using the All Lives Matter statement to rework the Black Lives Matter Movement into being anti-white instead of pro-black. By doing this and specializing within the Black area of the Black Lives Matter Movement, they’re not truly hearing the concerns that are being voiced. Yes, all lives matter, but there is a reason why people are saying that black lives matter. If the statement that black lives matter is true or not true, then America is sending the message that black lives aren’t truly lives and thus they’re going to be disposed of.

Do Black Lives Matter? That question has been the rationale for several debates and conversations across America recently. The All Lives Matter response was created to criticize the Black Lives Matter Movement and operates under the thought that the movement isn’t needed in America because it is a racial society. This thesis reviews race theories, racial biases within us, the Civil Rights era, and so on means why the Black Lives Matter Movement is required. it’s at the influence color blindness has on the us Criminal Justice System and thus the All Lives Matter response. Finally, this thesis explains why the Black Lives Matter Movement is critical and suggests the next steps which may be taken by the Black Lives Matter Movement to realize its goal of social justice for Black lives.

Many different people around the country voices are speaking up against these injustices of all different races, ethics, and ages. When asking sort of my peers what “Black Lives Matter” means to them and what actions they need to work out to further equality altogether different policing or incarceration, political action, etc they brought forth similar ideas. What they need to work out is political action that moves to defund the police and concentrate on using that cash for things like housing services or schooling systems where African Americans are affected, in conjunction with electing people into power who can make a true effort to make sure Black people are able to have equal treatment and opportunities within all areas. now’s the time to face people of color within your communities, amplify their voices, and take action.

It’s just a matter of black lives

The lifestyles the celebrities of this generation have us looking up to are steering us in the wrong direction. Instead, they should start advocating for social justice and participating in more organizations that help to better black culture. We need to get information and take a second to stop following celebrities for what they have. Stop basing our lives on spending money on the latest fashion. Instead, come together and help make America Great, leave the “again” out because America was never great. America is filled with politics, racism, inequality, unjust deaths, and sadness. Both articles; Excerpt From Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates and The Persuasive Essay The Culture of Celebrity Worship, both the idea that we are faced with difficulty in real life and that celebrities have a platform they can use to make a difference in the world. I can just imagine if we came together! We could really build a great America for our youth. If we don’t fight to stop the corrupt ways of the world then there will be no hope for the youth.

We need to recognize the injustice that exists in the world we live in today. It’s always been a lingering sadness of African Americans’ reality. Nevertheless, this quote by Ta-Nehisi Coates says it all. “And it is so easy to look away, to live with the fruits of our history, and to ignore the great evil done in all of our names. But you and I have never truly had that luxury. I think you know.” We are still faced with so many unjust crimes towards us because of the color of our skin. From the week we all learned that the killers of Michael Brown would go free, to the unfortunate event of Eric Garner being choked to death for selling cigarettes; John Crawford being shot down for browsing in a department store, and Renisha Mcbride being shot for seeking help. There are so many more horrible events I could sit here and list. Besides if I was to list them all it would probably take me longer to do that than write this paper.

The law determines your punishment based on the color of your skin. Ta-Nehisi Coates quotes, “If you did not before, that the police departments of your country have been endowed with the authority to destroy your body. It does not matter if the destruction is the result of an unfortunate overreaction. It does not matter if it originates from a misunderstanding. It does not matter if the destruction springs from a foolish policy.” We didn’t ask to be born different and honestly, we aren’t so different, we bleed just like everybody else. It’s unfortunate that we do not have the same luxuries as everybody else. We fear the people who were hired to serve and protect us. That moment your heart drops when you see them and you haven’t even done anything wrong but you instantly get that turning in your stomach out of fear. We are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, not automatically guilty because of the color of our skin. The world is set up against us and we need more advisors for our people.

The media never displays the whole story. They make a mockery out of black people’s lives, almost always twisting the news to put us in the wrong. It’s always one-sided and opinionated. This quote by Ta-Nehisi Coates states “Our media vocabulary is full of hot takes, big ideas, and grand theories of everything” On top of the fact “We live in a “goal-­oriented” era” we have several African American in the media and they should start using their exposure to expose the real instead of being in fear or getting so caught up in their goals and fame and seemingly forgetting about the big picture! Constantly influencing us to want the latest fashion of having the biggest ass. Their people need help and they have the ability to fight for us publicly.

This quote takes me right to my next point: The writer of The Persuasive Essay, The Culture of Celebrity Worship. Said it best, “Celebrities have become akin to gods to the public. They are worshiped in bedrooms by way of large posters displaying their photoshopped bodies, they are read about obsessively through social media and news, and their advice is even heeded in regard to global issues and personal difficulties” They are role models. Celebrity should give the youth and anyone else who lives by their word something more powerful to follow. For example, Queen B makes music for/to empower black people, and her husband Jay Z investing in a company that will help minorities improve themselves is starting to do. If they all came together and started talking about something more powerful that would help us all come together. I believe it could be something very powerful.

In conclusion, we as Africa Americans have so many struggles we are faced with from the past to the present. Just like back then when celebrities would sing about the problem in the world. If only our celebrities of this generation would make music talking about the problem of the world. If only they would come together, be a better example. They need to start a movement because people will follow them. It’s already proven so if I ask for nothing more please dear celebrities help fight for your people, fight with your people be a better example for your people use your platform for the greater good let’s come together and make America Great because it never was. Black Lives Matter!

Thesis Statement:

To examine what has gone before and the racial discrimination against blacks to assert that the movement was unsuccessful and what we need to take into consideration going forward.

Summary:

From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation responds to the topic of ‘how did we get here?’ Taylor clarifies that ‘racial separation, authorized by law in the South and custom and public strategy in the North over a great part of the twentieth century, caused aberrations among Blacks and whites in business, neediness, lodging quality, and access to instruction,’ and the book gives plentiful proof to every one of these focuses. The book investigates how foundational, institutional bigotry all through U.S. history prompted Black Americans to be financially burdened just as the criminalization of destitution and the relationship of Black Americans with wrongdoing, all of which has prompted a U.S. equity framework that has ‘strengthened and recreated racial imbalance.’ Taylor likewise portrays that in ongoing history previous President Obama’s failure to convey his guarantees of racial equity and the Occupy development’s re‐legitimization of open challenge established a framework for another social development to rise.

One of the endowments of From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation is exercises to be gained from the improvement of the Black Lives Matter development. One of the key exercises featured in the book is about the mischief that originates from visual weakness. The book includes the numerous manners by which not recognizing the distinctive lived encounters of minorities leads to Americans not tending to the auxiliary changes that are important to end the racial stratification of the United States. Taylor trusts that the account that the United States has worked about its history and qualities makes it unreasonably hard for Americans to comprehend the hindrances looked by those on the edges and excessively simple to erroneously point to special cases as refuting the genuine examples. She focuses on the significance of understanding intersectionality, characterized as the purpose of convergence between various center parts of an individual’s personality.

A significant part of the book is devoted to the association between racial and monetary equity. At long last, she outlines how both unmistakable and unobtrusive bigotry have progressed toward becoming pieces of the oppressive frameworks that the Black Lives Matter development is attempting to destroy, as she clears up that ‘the result matters, not the aims of the people included.’ Taylor does not just spread out the national issues that the Black Lives Matter development is tending to. She additionally urges her peruses to assume individual liability for being a piece of the arrangement.

Analysis:

Taylor’s “From #blacklivesmatter to black liberation” was an informative read about racial discrimination and how nothing has changed. Taylor made several allegations about mass incarceration, police brutality, the destruction of public housing, and other areas where Black Americans suffer disproportionality. America is often portrayed as a country where you can make it. That’s too bad no one can see the fine print that your race is a big determining factor in your success. The reason why America is portrayed as a country where you can make it is because we have started many trends that we have become accustomed to such as black poverty. Taylor states that we’ve created a “culture of poverty” among African Americans which helps people portray the fact that anyone can make it. This brings up the question if any and everyone can make it why is it that African Americans are the face of poverty in America? Well according to the Nixon era denies auxiliary prejudice and sustains a legislative issue that reprimands Blacks for their own suffering. Which helps with the stereotypes of the lazy incompetent African American people. It’s strange how Nixon says blacks did it to our selves when he focused on the war on drugs which basically meant war on the African American community.

Taylor talks about how there’s an ongoing trend of police brutality among the African American community in the U.S. where the land of the free is killed by law enforcement. In we fund law enforcement so much even though they do a horrible job. Why is it that we can shut down schools and hostiles when we’re not getting the right results, but in it comes to shutting down a precinct it’s never heard of? We put a reasonable amount of money into our law enforcement and can’t find any solutions to police brutality or the mass incarceration problem. There is no reason why we don’t have a solution in place like there isn’t because there’s an abundance of countries that have one.

Police are the harsh state contraption that reproduces class control as it efficiently deism-controls and mistreats poor people. As Black Americans are overrepresented among the less fortunate classes, it is obvious that they are disproportionality focused at a higher rate than whites. However, while it is essential to perceive these aberrations, such contrasts do. A political economy based on subjugation, mass imprisonment, the pulverization of the social welfare state, and compensation bondage won’t be disturbed by Black elites who speak to the interests of the decision class. It may be tested by an intersectional governmental issue that sees Black freedom as part of.

Understanding the Roots of BLM and Racial Injustice

The big question is when will BLM be? For BLM to matter, some changes must be made. Segregation and racism against people of color in the United States have always been a subject of discussion for decades, perhaps centuries, where different figures have called on the people to fight and seek equality.

This is the genesis of the question as to whether BLM. However, different people have had different opinions concerning the issue, and this has compelled different groups to address the issue through various means, such as debates and protests. This is the genesis of the question as to whether black lives matter. However, different people have had different opinions concerning the issue, and this has compelled different groups to address the issue through various means, such as debates and protests. When Black people started seeking justice and fair treatment, they were not against the police but against the brutality and the excessive violence that the police used against black people and singled them out based on their race.

The Stark Disparity in Police Violence

Other than the unfair treatment that the black people received, they were also seeking a balance of power. According to observers, there are more than twice as many unarmed Black people killed by the police compared to White people. Black people are more likely to be deprived of their rights by law enforcement compared to white people, and this, according to studies, is not by accident but by design. This begs the question, do the lives of black people matter as much as those of any other? After the killings of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Kimani Gray, and many others who were black, people started to consider the vulnerability of black people in public spaces and doubted the legitimacy of the police force used.

The Catalysts for Outrage: Michael Brown and Beyond

The black people feared for their lives and no longer felt safe walking in the street. In November 2012, the incident of an unarmed couple who were shot dead also caught the attention of many people and compelled the black community to protest in a bid to stand up for their basic right to life. The killings of Michael Brown in 2014 made African Americans realize that they need to wake up and fight against police brutality and the unjust treatment that they receive. Michael Brown, also a victim of police brutality whose family did not receive justice, was just an innocent man walking in the streets of Ferguson at the time. The jury held that there was not enough evidence to incriminate the police officer who shot Michael Brown.

Challenging Stereotypes and White Supremacy

However, there was a feeling in the black community that the jury was favoring the police and treated Brown’s case as if black lives did not matter. There was also a feeling that Black people are often viewed as a threat to society, and unfortunately, the mindset is also affecting the upcoming generation. Although efforts have been put to create awareness, the consensus is that not enough is being done to end racism. After the continued killing of black people, the black people decided to form the Black Lives Matter movement to encourage people to stand up and unite against racial discrimination against black people and to fight against the expectation of normality defined by white supremacy, according to Anthony Bradley.

Addressing Misconceptions: BLM’s Broader Vision

Black lives matter because they are also people. It is not enough to say that black lives matter without giving reasons as to why it matters. Some of the White people, for instance, have depersonalized themselves from blacks because they feel that they look like criminals, and because they do not show affection towards each other, they should not be treated with dignity. Black lives matter because people are not independent, self-reliant, individualistic creatures who do not need others for their flourishing (Anthony Bradley). Thus it is necessary that society and the police force treat black people with the dignity they deserve. Conversely, when people talk about black people’s lives, it does not mean that the lives of other people do not matter.

More concerns are made about black people simply because they are the ones who are oppressed most by the police. Moreover, black people should not take advantage of the situation and break the law. If laws are broken, they should face the law but in a just manner. Bad policing has greatly influenced how black people are being treated. Due to the brutality and violence that the police use, black people have become more resistant to the law in case they are found on the wrong side of the law.

The supremacy system should train the police on how to treat people, whether they are criminals or not. Black lives matter protests should not be a way of promoting violence against the police but away from creating awareness of what black people face and the changes that the supreme system needs to make in addressing various issues when dealing with people and not only blacks alone. Some people argue that the action of the few do not present or should not be used to judge the action of the majority. However, if one police commit a crime and he or she is not dealt with accordingly, then the same action may be repeated by others as they may think that they would also walk escort free if they commit the same mistake. This is the more reason why people want the same law to be incorporated into the police and any other person, including the black if they do not abide by the law.

Black Lives Matter in Historical Context

As I have mentioned earlier on, black lives matter is simply a reminder to people that for most of American history, black lives have been valued less than white ones, but it does not mean that the lives of the white do not matter. Even after the reign of slavery, black people have continued to remain poorer, discriminated and more likely to be killed by the police. This is the more reason why black people would wish to be treated equally as compared to white people since they are living in a different century. Black people feel that racism has been used to define a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on race which disadvantages some individuals and communities while benefitting others. The black lives matter movement has tried to follow in a tradition of Black struggle in the United States.

It has tried to shed light way beyond the brutal killings that black people currently face and shows how the struggle for equal rights began a long time ago. For instance, black people were enslaved by whites in the early 1700s and 1800s, where they were forced to work in harsh conditions without pay. The families were also broken down and sold, and during all this, they were not allowed to question the white people. Additionally, the blacks were separated from the whites by the segregation law. Unfortunately, up to date, some of these laws are still practiced in some of our institutions.

The segregation law prevented African Americans from buying homes in the white neighborhood, barred them from certain jobs, and had separate substandard schools. This affected the learning of the black children because some of them felt like lesser human beings, and this also affected their mental growth. Although some laws were changed, some of the white people were already brainwashed and still felt that they were superior compared to black people. God is the Creator of the human family and looks upon every man, woman, and child as equal in dignity and worth (McLeroy); thus, the unnecessary killing of black people should be upon those in authority to address the issue and come together with another activist to prevent the killing of black people. Furthermore, they must recognize and reshape the racial misconduct issues that may arise to achieve racial justice work.

Racism is a public health concern since it is a social condition that affects a person’s health and causes social illnesses. Either psychologically or physically. The deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown are a reminder to health professionals to critically evaluate their work, values, and impact on people. However, efforts to fight racism should not be left in the hand of health professionals alone. It is upon all of us to confront, analyze, and dismantle racism.

The activists that are in support of Black lives matter echo the principles of an open society that is based on social justice that recognizes the equal value of all lives. They argue that researchers and practitioners should actively interact with black people to gain an understanding of how the injustices that they face affecting their lives. The practitioners and researchers do not necessarily have to be black. This, in the long run, would show that people, especially the whites are ready to also fight for social equality as it was during the civil rights movement. Black lives matter because it steals people’s dignity.

References:

1. “Black Lives Matter”. Black Lives Matter. https://blacklivesmatter.com/
2. Bradley, A. L. (2016). “Black Lives Matter: A Kingdom Dream”. In “Aliens in the Promised Land: Why Minority Leadership Is Overlooked in White Christian Churches and Institutions” (pp. 111-122). P&R Publishing.
3. McLeroy, K. R. (2015). “God Loves Black Lives Matter”. Retrieved from https://nacministers.org/god-loves-black-lives-matter/
4. “Racism as a Public Health Crisis”. (2020). American Public Health Association. https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/health-equity/racism-and-health/racism-declaration
5. Wise, T. (2016). “Black Lives Matter: A Commentary on Racism and Public Health”. American Journal of Public Health, 106(10), e12-e13. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303389
6. Alexander, M. (2010). “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”. The New Press.
7. Baldwin, J. (1963). “The Fire Next Time”. Dial Press.
8. Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2012). “Critical Race Theory: An Introduction”. New York University Press.
9. Luker, R. (1984). “Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood”. University of California Press.
10. Rothstein, R. (2017). “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America”. Liveright Publishing.

The Stereotyping of Prominent Black Women

This can be explained by the controlling images that have been applied to women such as Michelle Obama and Maxine Waters. Former First Lady Michelle Obama is more than the wife of Barack Obama. She is a woman from the south side of Chicago who holds degrees from two prestigious schools (Princeton and Harvard), a lawyer, and a former university administrator. Even with this impressive resume’, Michelle Obama was reduced to “Barack’s baby mama” by a Fox News anchor during the campaign. This derogatory term is akin to the Jezebel and the sapphire.

The term “baby mama” describes an unwed hypersexual woman who causes drama and emasculates her child’s father. This is not the only time during the campaign that Mrs. Obama would be stereotyped. Later in the campaign, her thesis became public. In it, Mrs. Obama expressed feelings about her experience at Princeton and becoming aware of her “blackness” and feeling like an outsider. She was painted as ungrateful, and critics questioned her anger towards institutions and America. Critics would question why she was angry when she should have been appreciative of the opportunities she was given. After reducing her to the emotions of her experiences, the image of the angry black woman was used to overlook the issues that her thesis addressed.

Maxine Waters is a senior U.S. House Representative and former chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Representative Waters’ resume dates back to 1990, when she was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She also serves as the chair of the House Financial Service Committee. This has not stopped her from receiving heavy criticism from the current president, Donald Trump. Representative Waters is not one to hold her tongue when criticized. Responding to insults from Trump has given other critics the excuse to label her aggressive and angry. Even though she has the right to respond to attacks towards her, as a black woman, she cannot without consequence. All responses are subjected to stereotypes. No matter the status of the woman or how high she rises, she cannot rise above the controlling images of the group.

The Dangerous Catch-22 of Controlling Images

Black women are not required to internalize controlling images to be harmed by them or feel their consequences. By simply existing, any black woman can feel the penalties of the stereotype. When not portraying the strong black woman stereotype, the black woman can be seen as weak, undeserving, or inferior. She can also be highlighted as selfish, just for administering self-care. This paradox is a dangerous catch-22 for the black woman. On the one hand, she can do nothing and have one of the multiple controlling images applied to her, or she can choose one that is not considered shameful; however, there are consequences for that option as well. No matter how hard she works at it, the controlling images will find her.

Black women often find themselves at a crossroads. They face a double whammy. They are both women, which is inferior to men, and black, which is inferior to white. The term intersectionality was introduced by Kimberle Williams Crenshaw (1989) to address the marginalization of black women. No one universal definition of the term exists. However, Collins (2016) yields an applicable one. “Intersectionality is a way of understanding and analyzing the complexity of the world, in people, and in human experience (Collins p2).” Collins goes on to suggest that intersectionality be used as an analytic tool to “address a range of issues and social problems.” When used as a tool, intersectionality could address differences experienced by different groups of women.

Health Disparities Faced by Black Women

Early this year, The New York Times Magazine ran an article with the heartbreaking story of a black mother, Landrum, who experienced the loss of a child. After a difficult pregnancy, Landrum delivered a stillborn daughter via c-section. During this pregnancy, Landrum experienced intense headaches, back pain, and extreme fatigue. She was so sick during the pregnancy that she had to quit her job. At her doctor’s appointments, Landrum, who had two sons, expressed her concerns as she knew something was not right. Doctors ignored her concerns, even though she had high blood pressure, telling her to rest and take Tylenol.

On the day that she could no longer deny something was wrong, Landrum started bleeding before she could make it to the hospital. After being taken to the hospital, she was informed that her daughter had died inside of her. Landrum was sedated, and her baby was removed. Landrum herself had to receive half a dozen units of transfused blood and platelets. She was told that she was lucky to be alive. Landrum was a 21-year-old mother of two who worked as a waitress and was in an abusive relationship at the time. This story is unfortunately not unique and happens regardless of class.

Professional tennis player Serena Williams is arguably a living tennis legend and household name worldwide. She has been ranked number one in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association eight times and has 39 major tennis titles. In 2017 she gave birth to her first child. After her daughter’s birth, Williams experienced a pulmonary embolism. Williams, who had a history of this, sought the aid of her medical team. Her complaints fell on deaf ears. She was originally ignored. After pressing and once treated, Williams continued to experience difficulties which led to the discovery of a hematoma during emergency surgery, which led to more surgery. She, too, was fortunate to be alive.

Black women are four times more at risk of death from pregnancy complications than their white counterparts (Tucker et al., 2007). Their babies are two times more likely to die compared to white babies. Between 2006-2010, “Black women contributed to 14.6% of live births but 35.5% of pregnancy-related deaths (Creanga et al. 2015)”. This inequality is affecting all black women, not just the poor, as once believed. This myth allowed blame to be placed on the mother, citing her laziness and lack of education as the cause of her not doing what was healthy for her and her unborn child.

The cause for this disparity has been a looming question for years. A growing accepted probable cause is toxic stress. The heaviness of oppression and discrimination is causing physiological stress, and that stress is being expressed through the black woman’s health. “For most of the 15 leading causes of death including heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, liver cirrhosis, and homicide, African Americans (or blacks) have higher death rates than whites (Williams and Mohammad 2008).”

Once the illness has occurred, black women are not heard or believed by their physicians. When expressing a problem, she is more likely to be ignored. The complaints of the black woman can be dismissed by two controlling images, the angry black woman and the strong black woman. On the one hand, when expressing concerns, she can be seen as the always angry black woman who has found a new subject to complain about. On the other hand, she can be seen as a strong black woman who can handle anything thrown in her direction. Both images can result in detrimental consequences for her. These consequences know no class or age.

Challenges Faced by Young Black Girls

Black girls also face disparities in comparison to their white counterparts. In their report of overpoliced and under-protected girls, Crenshaw, Ocen, and Nanda found that black girls are often punished not only more often but more severely than white girls. This is true for all black children; however, because they are at the intersection of being black and female, the attention to this inequality is often focused on black boys. The silence surrounding the disparities of black girls speaks volumes. They are being taught to always expect the actions and views being inflicted upon them. They see at an early age that they will experience troubles, and no one will care.

In their study of youth in Boston and New York, Crenshaw et al. found that black girls were twelve times more likely than white girls to be suspended from school. In Boston, black girls represent 28% of girls enrolled in the Boston school district; however, they account for 61% of disciplined girls. In New York, black girls represent 34% of girls enrolled and 56% of girls disciplined. The rate at which black girls in the study are expelled is also alarming.

During the 2011-2012 school year, no white girls were expelled from New York City. Black girls accounted for 90% of girls that year, showing that black girls were fifty-three times more likely to be expelled than their white counterparts. In Boston during the same year, black girls accounted for sixty-three percent of girls expelled. Again, no white girls were expelled from that school district that year. It is irrational to believe that this is happening because black girls are inherently bad and deviant. These numbers suggest that black girls are problematic and beyond help while highlighting their white counterparts in a more innocent light.

Research suggests that not only are they being punished at a higher rate, but they are also being punished for lesser offenses. In their Black Girls Matter Report, Crenshaw et al. outline examples of these instances. Included is a 12-year girl who is expelled in Georgia for writing “Hi” on a locker room wall. Another example is an 8-year-old being arrested in Illinois for acting out and a 16-year-old being arrested for dropping cake on the floor and not picking it up to the school official’s liking. No matter how these situations escalate, it is important to be mindful that these are children. In focus groups, the girls in the study report feeling that the teachers don’t care about them at all. One student reported how large portions of students are kicked out of the school on a daily basis due to the “sweep-ups” done after the bell rings. At young ages, these black girls are learning that their value is low.

Black Lives Matter and the Rise of Black Girl Magic

Being a black woman means learning to navigate life and working through stereotypical images. These are images that have been placed upon her, meant to keep her at a lower status. Even when she enacts an image of strength, the consequences that will soon follow are not only inevitable but surely harm her and remind her where her place is in America. In recent years, a new social wave of pride has made its way to the black female community. This is not to say that the black woman has not always been proud of who she is.

Even when being labeled, black women know they are more than a stigma. The new term that captures their pride is “Black Girl Magic.” In the midst of the Black Lives Matter Movement, black women are more and more becoming unapologetic for who they are. More women are wearing their natural hair and being who they are comfortable being. “Black Girl Magic” encompasses who the woman really is. She is resilient and makes it through all the distractions and roadblocks and defies all obstacles put in her way.

References:

1. Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 139-167.
2. Collins, P. H. (2016). Intersectionality’s Definitional Dilemmas. Annual Review of Sociology, 41, 1-20.
3. Tucker, M. J., Berg, C. J., Callaghan, W. M., Hsia, J., & Barfield, W. D. (2007). Black-white disparities in pregnancy-related mortality in the United States. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 197(5), 409-e1.
4. Creanga, A. A., Syverson, C., Seed, K., & Callaghan, W. M. (2015). Pregnancy-related mortality in the United States, 2011–2013. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 125(1), 5-12.
5. Williams, D. R., & Mohammad, S. A. (2008). Discrimination and racial disparities in health: Evidence and needed research. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 32(1), 20-47.
6. Crenshaw, K., Ocen, P., & Nanda, J. (2015). Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected. Columbia Law School, Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies.