What Is The Black Lives Matter Movement?

The United States is a nation full of different ethnic, cultural, and racial backgrounds. Its diversity is what has made it the great country it is today, but these same contrasts have caused a strain among different groups of people. This is particularly evident between different races. The Black Lives Matter Movement is the manifestation of the unrest in African American communities nationwide. Police shootings sparked an outcry from African American citizens to change various racial issues, but there is a continual problem in unifying the movement for one common goal. The Black Lives Matter Movement is centered on how it began, who is to blame, and how it can initiate change. The Black Lives Matter Movement began online as a hashtag on
Violence is never the answer, but in this case, it played an important role in capturing the attention of the public. If the riots had not taken place, the movement would not have been what it has become today (What Happened in Ferguson?). As the movement began to form, the founders of the Black Lives Matter Movement looked for someone to blame for the specific issues prevalent in African American communities instead of focusing on how to fix them. They found that all the problems were direct consequences of state violence. These problems include poverty, genocide, and discrimination against women and people with disabilities. The founders also described, “How 2.8 million Black people are locked in cages in this country is state violence” (Black Lives Matter). The percentage of African Americans in jails has actually decreased in the last few decades. In 1999, forty-two percent of inmates were African American. By 2013, that percentage had dropped to thirty-four percent. In contrast, the percentage of White inmates has risen from forty-one percent to forty-seven percent over the same time period (Census of Jails: Population Changes, 1999–2013). The founders go on to state that African Americans are intentionally targeted by a nation where White supremacy and racism are rampant. The organization
Family units provide new generations with the support they need to flourish. However, seventy percent of African American births are out-of wedlock. The Center for the Empowerment of Families, Inc. is trying to change that. They are trying to educate African Americans about healthy family lifestyles and provide affordable marriage therapy and counseling. Currently, African Americans have the highest divorce rate. CEF is trying to change this one relationship at a time and consequently lower divorce, crime, and high school drop out rates (Black Life Matters