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Black Lives Matter

What Is Black Lives Matter (BLM):

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a social movement that started in 2013 that is committed to eliminating racism and all forms of anti-Black violence, primarily police brutality. BLM opposes the unjust killings of Black people by the police and calls for society to value Black lives equally to White lives. While BLM was coined in 2013, the movement gained traction in 2020 because of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd- two innocent black citizens that were killed by policemen. Rallies were held in every state to fight for equality and it quickly became the largest protest ever held. According to a poll conducted by The New York Times, by July 2020, over 26 million people participated in the rallies.

Why is it important?

BLM acknowledges that in a society where Black people are stigmatized, marginalized, and subject to discrimination, their safety and well-being matter just as much as others. This organization does things like:

Hosts rallies where people can fight for black rights
Supports GoFundMe’s for black families in need
Creates funds to help individual families
Hosts events where black artists of any kind can showcase their work.

About The Spread

Say Their Names

The BLM-affiliated Say Their Names movement aims to bring attention to black Americans killed by police brutality. I focused on murders that took place in 2020 because that was the year the BLM movement took off. But I also give a long list of victims of recent murders. The victims on my page make up a relatively small portion of all victims.

A Change Is Gonna Come- Sam Cooke

In March 1964, Sam Cooke released the song "A Change Is Gonna Come". It was quickly adopted by the civil rights movement and became the anthem for black Americans. Today, "A Change Is Gonna Come" is more than just a song advocating civil rights. It has evolved into a timeless, inspirational message. Its promise has been heard throughout history and continues to have a significant impact today. I selected a specific verse from this song because I believe it is the most impactful and speaks to current issues. For a very long time, and even now, people have fought for equality. But if enough people fight long and hard, eventually- a change is gonna come.

About The Quote

This quote caught my attention not only for its impact and significance but also for the person who said it. Elie Wiesel is a Holocaust survivor and author. His book "Night," which I read in my sophomore year, left an everlasting effect on me. I think using a quote from someone who dealt with severe discrimination only increases its impact.

BLM Logo

This a photo taken at a BLM protest. I thought it was really powerful and showed emotion.

Sources

BLMEditors. “Black Lives Matter-About.” Black Lives Matter, 2023. https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/.
T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Black Lives Matter." https://www.britannica.com/topic/Black-Lives-Matter 2022.
L. Buchanan, Q. Bui, J. K. Patel, “Black lives matter may be the largest movement in U.S. history,” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/03/us/george-floyd-protests-crowd-size.html, 2020.

Staff, NPR. “Sam Cooke and the Song That 'Almost Scared Him'.” NPR. NPR, February 1, 2014. https://www.npr.org/2014/02/01/268995033/sam-cooke-and-the-song-that-almost-scared-him#:~:text=Guralnick%20says%20%22A%20Change%20Is%20Gonna%20Come%22%20is%20now%20much,enormous%20impact%2C%22%20he%20says.
Reilly, Katie. “Elie Wiesel Dead: Read His Nobel Peace Prize Speech.” Time. Time, July 2, 2016. https://time.com/4392267/elie-wiesel-dead-nobel-peace-prize-speech/.
Pinterest. “Pin on BLM.” Pinterest, June 17, 2022. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/446560119312748053/.
BLM Editors. “Black Lives Matter- Home.” Black Lives Matter, 2023. https://blacklivesmatter.com/

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