Historical Background

BLM is a modern protest movement that was created due to continuous police brutality against people of color in American society. Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Oscar Grant, George Floyd, Breonna Tayler. These are just a few names of the people who have died at the hands of American police in recent years. Black Lives Matter as a term comes from a series of posts on social media from Alicia Garza who wrote what she called "A Love Letter to Black People".

The Early History of the Black Lives Matter Movement by Garrett Chase

"THE CATALYST: TRAYVON MARTIN AND GEORGE ZIMMERMAN...BLM began as a response to a court case—much like the direct-action campaign that followed Brown v. Board of Education, and other civil rights movements throughout American history —specifically, the verdict in State of Florida v. George Michael Zimmerman. George Zimmerman’s killing of Trayvon Martin [in 2012] and the jury’s verdict in Zimmerman’s criminal trial sparked outrage among many and brought light to what would become a disturbing trend . . ."

• Radio story: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/07/31/631897758/a-look-back-at-trayvon-martins-death-and-the-movement-it-inspired

• Video Interview: https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4725854/origins-black-lives-matter-movement

• Article: https://www.aclu.org/blog/racial-justice/race-and-criminal-justice/how-black-lives-matter-changed-way-americans-fight

• Website: https://blacklivesmatter.com/

• https://www.ted.com/talks/alicia_garza_patrisse_cullors_and_opal_tometi_an_interview_with_the_founders_of_black_lives_matter?language=en

Counter-argument:

"All Lives Matter"

• https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/271159-trump-to-protesters-all-lives-matter

• http://theconversation.com/the-backlash-against-black-lives-matter-is-just-more-evidence-of-injustice-85587

• https://www.economist.com/open-future/2018/08/09/black-lives-matter-is-not-a-terrorist-organisation

• https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/us/all-lives-matter-black-lives-matter.html

"Blue Lives Matter"

• https://bluelivesmatternyc.org/

• https://gothamist.com/news/inside-seething-white-heart-blue-lives-matter-movement

• https://www.the-sun.com/news/992088/blue-lives-matter-racist-flag-blm-protests/

The Thin Blue Line Flag

• https://www.npr.org/2020/07/31/897615425/thin-blue-line-flags-stir-controversy-in-mass-coastal-community

• https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/21/nyregion/police-flag-pelham-school-district.html

Extras:

Health related to systemic violence

• https://www.npr.org/2020/11/13/933084699/how-police-violence-could-impact-the-health-of-black-infants