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The History of Black Lives Matter Month
The beginning of June marks the start of Black Lives Matter Month, an opportunity for all Americans to make a stand against racism and racially-motivated violence. Originally founded as a hashtag in 2013, Black Lives Matter has grown into thousands of decentralized chapters advocating for equality and justice for the Black community, and protesting against violence against black people at the hands of law enforcement.
Arguably one of the most significant protest movements in the country today, its numbers and influence have swelled as a result of the global outcry over the killing of African Americans nationwide, which has, in turn, led to serious questions being raised such as whether qualified immunity should be abolished and whether the police should be defunded.
The Black Lives Matter movement began as a social media response to an acquittal in the 2013 shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin. The acquittal sparked outrage around the country leading to mass demonstrations against racially-motivated injustice and racism among law enforcement.
Initially begun as the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and circulated by three black community organizers in Los Angeles, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, and Opal Tometi, Black Lives Matter has grown into a global movement for racial equality, justice, anti-racism, and anti-violence against black people by law enforcement.
In 2014, the BLM movement organized its first large-scale protest in response to the death of Michael Brown at the hands of a Ferguson, Missouri police officer. The Black Lives Matter Freedom Ride consisted of more than 500 members participating in non-violent demonstrations.
Since that initial protest, the decentralized and largely non-violent civil rights movement has been a central figure in the public responses to the unlawful killing of black people by law enforcement.
How to Observe BLM Month:
- Support the movement through action and aid: The most obvious way to get involved is to join a non-violent protest, but there are other ways to help the campaign. Support scholarships aimed at African-American students or donate to advocacy groups that support positive change such as the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative. Whatever you do, do it loud and proud to show support and help others do the same.
- Make your voice heard on election day: Every year in America we have a chance to force change at the ballot box through local, statewide, and national elections. Take that chance and vote. The Black Lives Matter movement is at its most effective when it is calling for positive action. Voting is your Constitutional right to act on the change you believe in.
- Have a difficult conversation: Start a conversation with the people in your life about racism, injustice, violence, and the other ways people are marginalized, no matter how awkward or charged it gets. Do it for those who tragically no longer have a voice.