Black Lives Matter
Fighting for racial equality
What is Black Lives Matter (BLM)?
Black Lives Matter, often shortened to BLM, was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. The mission of BLM is to end white supremacy and put things in place to stop violence and discrimination against black people.
The BLM movement has continued since 2013, but came back into real prominence in May 2020 when a black man called George Floyd was murdered by US Police Officers. A shop clerk had called the police after he believed that Floyd had tried to buy something with a $20 note that the clerk believed was fake. You can watch a news report about the death of George Floyd by clicking here, but please be aware that there are violent and upsetting images throughout.
The death of George Floyd sparked international protests, including many in the UK, against the violence and brutality experienced by black people.
Some FAQs about BLM
Topics such as racism and violence can be hard to understand sometimes. It's okay to not know something but you should always try to find out more when you're confused.
It is normal to have questions about topics like this, especially when we hear different things in the media as well as from our friends and family. We have answered some of the main questions you might have about this topic below.
Don't ALL lives matter?
YES, all lives do matter. But the movement is not saying that they don't. It is looking at the disproportionate amount of black people who experience discrimination and violence (often ending in murder) in society, and trying to change this by reminding people that black lives matter just as much as everyone elses.
Black people matter just the same as everyone else, and do not deserve to be killed and treated badly due to the colour of their skin. Therefore, their lives matter.
If you believe that all lives matter equally, then support a movement that stands against injustice and racism.
If you believe all lives matter then you support equality and do not see it as a threat.
If you believe that everyone’s lives matter equally, then support Black Lives Matter.
George Floyd was a criminal - why should we care about his death?
A lot of people have pointed out that George Floyd was a convicted criminal and some have suggested that we shouldn't defend those who break the law, even when they are wrongfully killed.
However, this directly goes against the right to a fair trial and the right to be assumed innocent until proven guilty. If we believe in the law - which those talking about Floyd's criminal past say they do - then we should follow it in every case, including when we believe someone has committed an offence.
George Floyd had the right to be treated with respect and dignity, as well as in a safe way, when he was arrested. When he was killed, it was murder and not an accident - the Police Officer who killed him had his knee on Floyd's neck for just under 9 minutes.
His death was just one more in a long line of unlawful killings and was "the straw that broke the camel's back" in the public view of violence against people of colour. When we see white criminals arrested, they are not subjected to this violence and discrimination. We want equality and fair treatment for all, regardless of their colour, background or past.
Why are people bothered about statues?
In 2020, a statue of Edward Colston was removed by Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol. Some people saw this as a good thing, but other people were angry and saw it as vandalism.
Edward Colston was a rich man who gave lots of his money to charities, including ones that benefitted poor people in England. But he made his money through the slave trade, where he helped to oversee the transportation of an estimated 84,000 African people into slavery. A lot of people feel upset, disgusted or discriminated against by seeing his figure celebrated across Bristol.
Other people have said that removing his statue is a way of "erasing history" and that we shouldn't expect people in the past to have our 21st Century values.
However, we should remember that no one is trying to remove all statues and that it is a good thing to analyse the actions of people in the past - how else will we learn to become better and more inclusive?
What is white supremacy?
White supremacy is a belief system in which people think that white people are better than non-white people, and believe that white people should have power over everyone else.
A lot of white supremacists believe that white people are "dying out" and use this to back up their racist views and behaviours.
Remember that most white people are not white supremacists, but it is important to be aware that some people do hold this belief. This is dangerous to our communities and to individuals who do not fit into the vision of a "white society".
How can I be actively anti-racist?
When we choose to be anti-racist, we choose to be aware of and think about racism and take action to stop racism in our daily lives. When we are anti-racist, we believe that racism is everyone's problem and we all have a role to play in stopping it.
We can promote equality in our schools, colleges, workplaces, communities and friendship groups.
We can stick up for those being bullied.
We can make changes when we see things that are discriminating against others.
We can learn about other people's cultures and invite them into our own.
We can challenge our own beliefs and behaviours, and ask ourselves why we think that way.
We can have open conversations when we want to teach and learn.
If you have more questions about Black Lives Matter, you can visit the UK site here.
Resources for Learning More About Black Lives Matter
If you want to learn more about issues of racism and Black Lives Matter, we have included a few resources below that you can explore and engage with.