“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” Assata Shakur, a former incarcerated Black Panther member, states this in her autobiography. Shakur is the first woman to be listed on the FBI Most Wanted Terrorist list, with a reward for her capture at two million dollars. The Thirteenth Amendment of the United States abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a form of punishment for a crime. For that reason, Shakur considers herself a twentieth century escaped slave. The founders of the Black Lives Matter organization were inspired by this quote for the significance, purpose, and message of their movement. Black Lives Matter was created after the death of Trayvon Martin, a young black teen who died at the hands of George Zimmerman, a white
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This does not necessarily mean anyone who chants “Black Lives Matter” is a member, but could just be that they are a supporter or an activist. The co-founders of the organization are Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. When the organization was first established it served as a nation-wide reminder for what African-Americans have struggled through in the past. They clarified that just because their movement is called Black Lives Matter it does not mean they believe other lives do not matter. They explained that black lives are often hidden behind the shadows of white supremacy. They believe that once they are out of the shadows and the issue of racism is dealt with, it will be beneficial for all races. Their ultimate motive for the movement was to uplift members of the black community through the words of other individuals and organizations who stand with them. They hope to put a stop to the deaths of black lives due to the prejudice and oppression against them (Garza, Cullors, and Tometi).
This does not necessarily mean anyone who chants “Black Lives Matter” is a member, but could just be that they are a supporter or an activist. The co-founders of the organization are Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. When the organization was first established it served as a nation-wide reminder for what African-Americans have struggled through in the past. They clarified that just because their movement is called Black Lives Matter it does not mean they believe other lives do not matter. They explained that black lives are often hidden behind the shadows of white supremacy. They believe that once they are out of the shadows and the issue of racism is dealt with, it will be beneficial for all races. Their ultimate motive for the movement was to uplift members of the black community through the words of other individuals and organizations who stand with them. They hope to put a stop to the deaths of black lives due to the prejudice and oppression against them (Garza, Cullors, and Tometi).