Black Lives Matter

Freddie Gray

a 25-year old Black man from Baltimore, MD, who was killed of a severed spine due to rough treatment during his arrest and transportation to police station. His death resulted in widespread protests and riots in Baltimore in 2015.

Movement for Black Lives

a broad coalition of groups who identify with Black Lives Matter, who came together to create a platform for action in 2016.

Civilian oversight

institutions that include diverse community members in decisions in police practices, discipline, and hiring.

Tamir Rice

Was a 12-year-old boy (June 25, 2002 - November 23, 2014), shot in an event that occurred on November 22, 2014, in Cleveland, Ohio. Two police officers, 26-year-old Timothy Loehmann and 46-year-old Frank Garmback, responded after receiving a police dispatch call of a black male that "keeps pulling a gun out.

Sandra Bland

Was a 28-year-old African-American woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015, three days after being arrested during a traffic stop.[1] Her death was ruled a suicide. It was followed by protests against her arrest, disputing the cause of death, and alleging racial violence against her.

Trayvon Martin

17-year old Florida Black man who was killed in 2012 by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain. The Florida police decline to indict Zimmerman based for 6 months on "Stand Your Ground" laws, when eventually prosecuted due to public attention, Zimmerman was acquitted.

Michael Brown

18-year old Black teenager who was shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, MO, outside of St. Louis. His death resulted in widespread protests and riots in St. Louis and Ferguson in 2014.

Watts riots

1965 riots in Los Angeles, the day after the signing of the Voting Rights Act, in response to a police brutality case.

Dallas shooting

2016 sniper attack that killed 5 and injured 9 law enforcement officers during a BLM march. The shooter said he sympathized with BLM, but most BLM leaders denounced the shooting.

All Lives Matter

A common response to early uses of "Black Lives Matter," arising from the belief that BLM believed Black lives matter more than others.

Blue Lives Matter

A hashtag used by opponents of Black Lives Matter who believe that criticism of police officers has resulted in more danger to police.

Black Lives Matter

A movement responding to a disproportionately large number of blacks killed by police, started as a twitter hashtag after Trayvon Martin was shot in 2012.

Michael Brown/Ferguson

August 9, 2014, ______., an 18-year-old African American man, was fatally shot by 28-year-old white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the city of Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis

DeRay McKesson

Baltimore-based activist who helped organize Black Lives Matter

Hands up, Don't shoot

Chant used by Black Lives Matter activists to protest police-involved shootings of unarmed Blacks, based on reports that police shot Michael Brown with his hands up.

Eric Garner

He died in Staten Island, New York City, after a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer put him in a headlock or chokehold for about 15 to 19 seconds while arresting him. NYPD policy prohibits the use of chokeholds.

"No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave"

Line from the 3rd verse of the Star Spangled Banner, about treatment of Black slaves who escaped to the British Army during the War of 1812

Patrisse Cullors

Los Angeles-based activist who helped start the hastag #BlackLivesMatter and activist group it named after it.

Ferguson, MO

Mostly black suburb of St. Louis, and the place where Michael Brown was shot by Officer Darren Wilson. The aftermath of the shooting and decision to not indict Wilson resulted in large scale protests, and some violence and rioting. Police were criticized for their use of military equipment in dealing with protestors.

Colin Kaepernick

NFL quarterback who created a storm of controversy when he refused to stand for the national anthem during the 2016 NFL season in solidarity with Black Lives Matter

Philando Castile

On July 6, 2016, ________ a 32-year-old black American, was pulled over while driving in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, and killed by Jeronimo Yanez, a St. Anthony, Minnesota, Latino police officer. He had been driving a car at 9:00 pm with his girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and her four-year-old daughter when he was pulled over by Yanez and another officer in a suburb of Saint Paul, MN

"A riot is the language of the unheard"

Quote from Martin Luther King Jr. about why black protest sometimes results in riots

terrence crutcher

September 16, 2016, ______ a 40-year-old motorist, was shot and killed by police officer Betty Jo Shelby in Tulsa, Oklahoma.