Black Lives Matter, historical and modern racism in the United States of America

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these facts. A social minority who is extreme affected by social and racial segregation are especially Afro-Americans who, for example, have ancestors who got enslaved in the period of slavery. Racism and racial segregation is a big issue in the United States and divides American society increasingly. An issue that splits American society in pronouns like "we" and "the others" and creates hate and conflicts on both sides, with its origins deep in the history of the United States. A hashtag "BlackLivesMatter" that formed a global Movement. The case of George Floyd in May 2020 that shocked the whole world. A video recorded on street which shows extreme police brutality against Afro-American's completely uncensored. The whole world stared at the United States and at a former US- president who only caused more and more hatred and division in US society with statements like "All Lives Matter". ¹ (Eric Garner on July 17,2014) found under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG8GjlLbbvs&list=WL&index=26&t=302s (Access: 04/07/2022) 2 (Trayvon Martin on February 26,2012) found under: ibidem 3 (Kendrec McDade on March 24,2012) found under: ibidem 4 (Kimani Gray on March 09,2013) found under: ibidem 5 (Samuel DuBose on July 19,2015) found under: ibidem 6 (Michael Brown on August 9, 2014) found under: ibidem 1 The USA in a state of emergency responding to the riots after Martin Luther King Jr.'s death in 1968. Thousands of people demonstrated on the whole world for more justice and equality especially for Afro-Americans while holding posters with the inscription "Black Lives Matter". But what is the meaning of the inscription of "Black Lives Matter", where has it its origin and why it is so important to fight for it? Following I am going to analyze police brutality especially against Afro-Americans in aspect of the racial history and present of the United States. 2. What is Racism? Definition: Racism in general is very wide structured and has not an "official" definition." There are a few types of racism that are deeply established in society. Racism is spread all around the world and part of societies history, especially in the history of the United States. Police brutality and racial segregation are a few issues the United States has to deal with. 8 Racism was formed by different sciential studies and scales which ordered ethnics hierarchically, for example the scale by economist William Petty in 1677 a member of the royal society who ordered Africans hierarchically as the lowest level. In terms to this study, Africans where thus less valuable than Europeans and differentiated in their "customs" and "characteristics of their spirit".⁹ But the society were not only ordered by cultural and social characteristics but also by phenotypical points that ordered different populations in "races". Francois Bernier a French doctor was responsible for this new order and named it "the new order of the world". He differentiated in four races: the Europeans who formed the first 7 Cf.: Unknown. Was ist Rassismus? Definitionen (online) 01/07/2013. under: https://www.humanrights.ch/de/ipf/menschenrechte/rassismus/dossier/was-ist-rassismus/ Access: 03/18/.2022 8 Cf.: MrWissen2go Geschichte. Rassismus in den USA: Von den Anfängen bis heute (online) 06/05/2020. under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfbLPVqJi2k Access: 03/18/2022 ⁹ Cf.: X. Kendi, Ibram: Stamped from the Beginning. The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (2016) p.66 2 race, the Africans, the East-Asians and the indigenous population in the North (e.g. in Finland). 10 Racism is characterized by a demarcation between the pronouns "we" and "the others". Social majorities use their "social power" to suppress social minorities, in relation to the colonial period for example the Slavery of the African population who got exploited by the superior Europeans. A result of this suppressing is the emerging of parallel societies, such as ghettos or urban districts where social minorities escape from this suppression, for example "China town" in New York City. 11 3. The History of Racism in the United States of America 3.1 Slavery in the United States: The United States of America are in general build and formed on several segregation, especially ethnical and racial segregation. Social minorities faces discrimination and racial segregation day by day.12 Especially racial segregation has a long history in the United States which already began with the discovery of the continent America by Christoph Columbus in 1492 and the beginning of the colonial period. Columbus already began to enslave the indigenous/native population of America and brought them to Europe especially to Spain. 13 By the discovery of different continents a new dimension of slavery started. Former Empires, like the British Empire started to enslave social minorities, like African rooted people to create an economically more significant Empire by taking "the riches"14 of other continents like America. America, respectively the North states were especially known for tobacco and cotton and 10 Cf.: ibidem, p.67 11 Cf.: MrWissen2go Geschichte. Rassismus in den USA: Von den Anfängen bis heute (online) 06/05/2020. under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfbLPVqJi2k Access: 03/18/2022 12 Cf.: History.com Editors. Slavery in America (online) 11/12/2009 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery Access: 03/18/2022 13 Cf.: Höges Clemens. Gold und Sklaven (online) 09/28/2009 18:00 under: https://www.spiegel.de/geschichte/gold-und-sklaven-a-d7c8dca5-0002-0001-0000- 000067068924 Access:03/19/2022 14 Cf.: History.com Editors. Slavery in America (online) 11/12/2009 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery Access: 03/18/2022 3 the South states for agriculture. They created the "triangular trade" between Europe, Africa and America to enslave Africans to Europe or America by sea. But why were especially Africans enslaved by the former Empires? This issue already illustrates the problem of structural racism. Especially Africans were enslaved by former Empires not only because the color of their skin and their ethnical roots also in fact of the thought that Europeans are hierarchically above the African population, because their famous technology and high educational standards. Moreover Privileged Europeans described themselves as a powerful and civilized population and Africans as an uncivilized population. Thus, about 9 to 10 million Africans were enslaved to America.15 Slavery dominated especially the South states of the United States and made up one third of the total population there.16 By 1960 there were four million slaves in the US.17 Slavery was characterized by inhumanity and exploitation. Slaves were treated as animals, were flogged, bound, mutilated and starved. Many of them got ill or died, because these inhuman working conditions. Slavery officially shaped and accompanied the United States until 1965, where the former US president Abraham Lincoln who was deeply against the slavery ended them by law. 18 "If we cannot give freedom to every creature, let us do nothing that will impose slavery upon any other creature." (Abraham Lincoln) 1⁹ After the election of former US president Lincoln in 1861 the American civil war began (1861-1865). A conflict between the "North states" and "South states" 20 The North's described slavery as a "sin" and the south's as an "institute of divine 15 Cf.: Annex p. 17, 1st picture 16 Cf.: Past to Future: History of African-Americans |Past to Future (online) 08/25/2020 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36jpmfuC1fc&list=WL&index=24 Access: 03/19/2022 17 Cf.: CrashCourse. Slavery - Crash Course US History (online) 05/03/2013 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ajn9g5Gsv98&list=WL&index=23 Access:03/18/2022 18 Cf.: MrWissen2go Geschichte. Rassismus in den USA: Von den Anfängen bis heute (online) 06/05/2020. under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfbLPVqJi2k Access: 03/18/2022 19 Cf.: Unknown. Abraham Lincoln - Slavery Quotes (online), Unknown under: https://libquotes.com/abraham-lincoln/quotes/slavery#:-:text=Abraham%20Lincoln%20- %20Slavery%20Quotes%20Such%20a%20decision,present%20political%20dynasty%20shall% 20 Access: 04/01/2022 20 Cf.: Annex "definition North and South states" p.17 4 law". After four years of war the North states won, all slaves were automatically US citizens, got the right to vote and became slowly a part of the "white society". 21 But racial segregation and discrimination still existed in the US, especially in the South states. "Black codes" and laws like the "Jim Crow laws"22 legalized racial segregation in the south, so black colored people were still economically dependent on white people. Over time, resistance against this racial segregation grew. The Racial segrega- tion ended by the "Civil Right Act" in 1964 and black colored people got the op- portunity to become full society members. This systematic and structural racism shapes the people minds due to this day and is not completely gone. Social mi- norities like the Afro-Americans are for example still affected by police brutality, educational inequality and poverty. So racism is still omnipresent and a big is- sue for the United States.23 2.2 Black Power Movement - Rosa Parks Rosa Parks (born as Rosa Louise McCauley) is a very well-known civil rights activist in the United States. Parks was born on February 4th 1913 in Alabama (USA) as the eldest of two children. She had Afro-American roots, so she got already confronted with daily racism in her childhood. Because of the racial segregation24 which were established by laws in the United States, Parks was for example forced to walk by school daily, because the elementary school prohibited black skin colored students from taking the bus. Both schools she visited were exclusively for Afro- American children and thus also a symbol for the racial segregation. In 1932 she got married with Raymond Parks a hairdresser and member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people (NAACP), an organization that advocates the right to vote for Afro-Americans in the United States. Parks 21 Cf.: Past to Future: History of African-Americans |Past to Future (online) 08/25/2020 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36jpmfuC1fc&list=WL&index=24 Access: 03/19/2022 22 Cf.: Annex "definition Jim Crow laws" p.17 23 Cf.: History.com Editors. Slavery in America (online) 11/12/2009 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery Access: 03/18/2022 24 Cf.: Annex 3rd picture p.17 5 joined the organization, worked in a shirt factory in Montgomery and as a secretary to the organization and NAACP President E.D. Nixon. 25 Rosa Parks is especially known for her resistance against the racial segregation which were established in the United States by the "Jim Crow laws" after the abolition of slavery in 1862.26 The racial segregation prohibited black people for example to take the same bus as white people, use the same restrooms or to get the same educational and academic standards as white people. So this segregation remarks a discrimination of black colored people in the United States and advantages for white people, even though the end of slavery by former US president Lincoln in 1862.27 "Rosa Parks, the first lady of civil rights and the mother of the freedom movement" (The US congress).28 One of the most successful mass movements against racial segregation in history of the United States is the "Montgomery Bus Boycott", founded by Rosa Parks.29 In 1900 the urban district of Montgomery passed a city wide ordinance stating that public bus systems have to be segregated. The first four rows on each bus were reserved for white passengers, so black colored people had to stand in the aisle or in the last rows. Furthermore they were forced to leave their seats when there were no more seats for white passengers. So white passengers had a huge priority.30 On December 1st 1955 Rosa Parks got arrested, because she refused to leave her seat in a public bus to a white male passenger. She normally had to leave her seat to white passengers because of the racial segregation, especially for 25 Cf.: Unknown. Rosa Louise Parks (online), Unknown Access:04/01/2022 under: https://www.rosaparks.org/biography/ 26 Cf.: Norwood Arlisha. Rosa Parks (1913-2005) (online) 2005 under: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rosa-parks Access: 04/01/2022 27 Cf.: History.com Editors. Slavery in America (online) 11/12/2009 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery Access: 03/18/2022 28 Cf.: X. Kendi, Ibram: Stamped from the Beginning. The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (2016) p.396 29 Cf.: History. Montgomery Bus Boycott | American Freedom Stories | Biography (online), 01/19/2014 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE6Yvy--5aw Access: 04/01/2022 30 Cf.: ibidem 6 white male passengers but she refused it and got arrested. She got arrested, indicted and had to paid 14 dollars due to public disturbance. 31 But why did she refused to leave her seat? Due to her autobiography "My Story" she was not only tired on her way home after a long day of work, she was also very upset of being discriminated day by day and thus wanted to set a sign for equality. So she started protesting.32 Her protest and her subsequent arrest stirred up a lot attention across Montgomery. Afro-American citizens and civil rights activists, like Martin Luther King or Edgar Nixon started a peaceful bus boycott against the system of racial segregation in public places. They formed carpools, took a taxi or walked but no longer took the bus. The busses which served as the main means of transportation before the boycott were empty then. So due to this boycott they created a mass economical pressure on the system. The boycott lasted for 381 days with a huge success: The district court of Montgomery declared racial segregation laws as unconstitutional in June 1956. On November 13th 1956 the Supreme Court confirmed the decision of the district court and on December 21st 1956 Martin Luther King, Ralph Abernathy, Edgar Nixon and Glenn Smiley (civil rights activists) took the first "integrated bus" were black colored and white people got treated equally. The boycott ended.33 "You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right" (Rosa Parks) 34 All in all this boycott symbolizes the beginning of the US-American civil rights movement against racial segregation with the face of a strong and independent Afro-American woman who became a role model for courage in the facial of racial injustice. Rosa Parks changed history and became a global icon, especially for women who also experienced discrimination and injustice day by day. 35 31 Cf.: Unknown. Rosa Louise Parks (online), Unknown Access: 04/01/2022 under: https://www.rosaparks.org/biography/ 32 Cf.: Parks Rosa. My story 33 Cf.: History.com Editors. Montgomery Bus Boycott (online) 02/03/2010 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/montgomery-bus-boycott Access: 04/01/2022 34 Cf.: goodreads, Rosa Parks Quotes (online) unknown under: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/46053. Rosa Parks Access:04/05/2022 35 Cf.: Norwood Arlisha. Rosa Parks (1913-2005) (online) 2005 under: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rosa-parks Access: 04/01/2022 7 2.3 Black Power Movement - Martin Luther King Jr. Another well-known civil rights activist in the United States and a big inspiration for the civil rights movement "Black Lives Matter" is Martin Luther King.36 Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th 1929 in Atlanta (Georgia/USA) as Michael King. He studied Sociology and later Theology. After his degrees he became a pastor of a Baptist church in Montgomery (Alabama)37 - the hometown of civil rights activist Rosa Parks.38 As a child of Afro-Americans whose ancestors were partly slaves King got already confronted with daily racism in his childhood. Due to the racial segregation he was for example not allowed to visit the same elementary school as his childhood best friend - a white boy. Despite his very young age, King was aware of this injustice and discrimination and included them in his first own speeches.39 His father Martin Luther King Sr. was a big influence on his son and shaped his values. His father was also a civil rights activist and member of the NAACP.40 King Jr. joined the organization later and organized demonstrations and protests against the racial segregation in the US. 41 Along with Rosa Parks he was the face of the "Montgomery Bus Boycott" in 1955 that lasted for 381 days and succeeded the abolition of racial segregation in form of "integrated busses".42 By this boycott King received more and more publicity and became the leader of the Movements. He travelled across the whole country and organized protests, demonstrations and marches where black skin colored people demonstrated for their rights, equality and justice. A big influence for King 36 Cf.: MrWissen2go. Martin Luther King: Kämpfer gegen Rassismus (online) 01/14/2021 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoTcT yU9FM&t=645s Access:04/02/2022 37 Cf.: Martin Luther King center. Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (online) unknown under: https://www.uky.edu/mlkc/biography-martin-luther-king-ir Access: 04/01/2022 38 Cf.: Norwood Arlisha. Rosa Parks (1913-2005) (online) 2005 under: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rosa-parks Access: 04/01/2022 39 Cf.: Biography. Martin Luther King Jr: Risked Life for Civil Rights Movement | (online) 02/12/2021 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waxW-R_fFSQ&t=200s Access: 03/20/2022 40 Cf.: MrWissen2go. Martin Luther King: Kämpfer gegen Rassismus (online) 01/14/2021 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoTcT yU9FM&t=645s Access:04/02/2022 41 Cf.: Unknown. The Nobel prize, Martin Luther King Jr. Biographical (online), Unknown Access: 03/21/2022 under: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/ 42 Cf.: History.com Editors. Montgomery Bus Boycott (online) 02/03/2010 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/montgomery-bus-boycott Access: 04/01/2022 8 was the Indian civil right activist Mahatma Gandhi who flighted peacefully for the independence India's from the British colonization. So a big priority for King was to protest peacefully, nevertheless he got arrested several times. 43 On August 28th 1963 King hold his most well-known speech "I have a dream" on a big demonstration in the US capital city Washington DC. with around 250.000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The March on Washington. His speech was broadcasted on radio and television and thus reached millions of people in the US and Europe. 44 "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (Martin Luther King Jr.: I have a dream speech, 1963) "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal." (Martin Luther King Jr.: I have a dream speech, 1963)45 This speech inspired thousands of people, even white colored people and became a symbol for fighting against racial segregation, for freedom and equality. Even today the speech and its values are still omnipresent. In addition there are passages of Kings speech on city walls, song lyrics and spell books. Martin Luther King became an icon who brings people together regardless the color of their skin or ethnical origin. He was responsible for the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 by former US president Lyndon B. Johnson as well as for the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Moreover he won the Nobel Prize in 1964. His life ended by an assassination attempt and was immortalized with the Martin Luther King day every third Monday in January. He was only 39 years old. 46 4³ Cf.: MrWissen2go. Martin Luther King: Kämpfer gegen Rassismus (online) 01/14/2021 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoTcT_yU9FM&t=645s Access:04/02/2022 44 Cf.: MrWissen2go. Martin Luther King: Kämpfer gegen Rassismus (online) 01/14/2021 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoTcT yU9FM&t=645s Access:04/02/2022 45 Cf.: Unknown. Martin Luther King Jr.: I have a dream speech (1963) (online), Unknown under: https://kr.usembassy.gov/education-culture/infopedia-usa/living- documents-american-history- democracy/martin-luther-king-ir-dream-speech- 1963/ Access: 03/18/2022 46 Cf.: Unknown. The Nobel prize, Martin Luther King Jr. Biographical (online), Unknown Access: 03/21/2022 under: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/ 9 3. The Black Lives Matter Movement 3.1 History and Origin of the Movement The Black Lives Matter Movement was formed in 2013 in response to the murdering of Trayvon Martin a 17 year old Afro-American who got shot by a white man. After the Acquittal of George Zimmerman who was responsible for the murdering of Trayvon Martin the hashtag "BlackLivesMatter" was spread all around social media, especially Twitter. Founders of the Movement are three women of color, named Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullors.47 "Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter, Black Lives Matter." (Alicia Garza, founder of the Movement)48 The Movement is deeply against modern racial segregation and fights for equality and justice especially for Afro-Americans, a “race" that forms a social minority in the United States, got treated inhuman in the past and unfortunately also in the present. In addition to that the Movement is deeply connected with US history and former protests and demonstrations by Afro-Americans for justice and equality, for example Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks who both were an big inspiration for the Movement.49 The founders created for example several modern "Freedom Rides" in recognition of police brutality against Afro-Americans. The founders were inspired by the "original" Freedom ride which took place in 1961 and is a symbol for civil right activism in the United States. "The Black Lives Matters (BLM) Ride is the Freedom Ride of our generation." (Patrisse Cullors, founder of the Movement) 5⁰ The Movement achieved national popularity especially by demonstrations and protests for Michael Brown, a victim of police brutality who got murdered by police 47 Cf.: Unknown. Black Lives Matter (online) Unknown, under: https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Access:04/05/2022 48 Cf.: History.com Editors, The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter first appears, sparking a movement (online) 07/10/2020 under: https://www.history.com/this-day-in- history/blacklivesmatter-hashtag-first-appears-facebook-sparking-a-movement Access:04/06/2022 49 Cf.: Unknown. Black Lives Matter (online) Unknown, under: https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Access:04/05/2022 50 Cf.: Unknown. 2014 Freedom Ride Arrives in Ferguson today (online), unknown under: https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/2014-Freedom-Ride-Arrives-in-Ferguson-Today-20140829- 0032.html Access: 04/06/2022 10 in 2014. The Movement achieved more and more popularity by the time and formed to a global organization that is based all around the world. Members of the Movement connects especially by modern social media platforms, like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.51 "With love, we've changed the course of history and challenged the world to be better" (Black Lives Matter)52 4.3 Police Brutality in the United States What is the reason of this violence exercised by the US police, particularly against social minorities, like Afro-Americans? It has to be said that racism is not the only reason for this issue in The United States. Police brutality against social minorities is more likely to describe as a complex between different issues that are laying much deeper in the US history and present.53 One big issue is the structural racism which has its origin especially in the Slavery of the United States. Black skin colored people formed a social minority since the Enslaving of Africans to America. Thus, white people have always been more privileged and powerful than black skin colored people.54 This outdated thinking is still anchored in some people minds and formed modern racial segregation in form of injustice and inequality in several "social areas", such as education standard and state of living.55 Furthermore there is still a big difference between "South"- and "North" states. In according to a study, racial discrimination respectively police murdering's against black people are higher in the "South" states, such as Texas and Oklahoma than in the "North" states, such as Washington.56 This also depends on the slavery. Slavery was especially very common in the "South States" of the US due to their agriculture, 51 Cf.: Unknown. Black Lives Matter (online) Unknown, under: https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Access:04/05/2022 52 Cf.: Black Lives Matter. 8 Years Strong. (online), 07/13/2021 under: https://blacklivesmatter.com/8-years-strong/ Access: 04/05/2022 53 Cf.: Sagmeister Johanna, Waldow Michaela. Polizeigewalt in den USA: Mehr als Rassismus (online) 06/03/2020 under: https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/usa-proteste-polizeigewalt- rassismus-100.html Access: 04/06/2022 54 Cf.: History.com Editors. Slavery in America (online) 11/12/2009 under: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery Access: 03/18/2022 55 Cf.: MrWissen2go Geschichte. Rassismus in den USA: Von den Anfängen bis heute (online) 06/05/2020. under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfbLPVqJi2k Access: 03/18/2022 56 Cf.: Annex p.18 1st picture 11 so Slaves worked on big farms and plantations, their low payment had large economic benefits for the plantations owners, so they wanted to keep slavery. Another issue for police brutality against black people is the increasing neglect of the black population in the United States.57 The black population in the US faces inequality in form of political support in many different aspects, especially by former US president Donald Trump in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, black people are statistically more affected by unemployment than white people and more affected by poverty.58 This neglect creates parallel societies, slums and ghettos which are often affected by crime and poverty.5 Thus, statistically, black people get more into violence and crime than white people. Another issue for police violence are the loose weapon laws in the United States that also lead to faster escalations of initially harmless conflicts between citizens and police officers.60 In addition, increasing frustration on the part of the police due to low payment and high exposure also leads to a higher willingness to violence. Mostly, dominance and hierarchically order also plays a major role in conflicts, where cops ruthlessly exploit their superior power against victims.61 57 Cf.: Sagmeister Johanna, Waldow Michaela. Polizeigewalt in den USA: Mehr als Rassismus (online) 06/03/2020 under: https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/usa-proteste-polizeigewalt- rassismus-100.html Access: 04/06/2022 58 Cf. Annex p. 18 unemployment rate 59 Cf.: Channel 4 News: Black Lives Matter explained: the history of a movement (online) 06/16/2020 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG8GjlLbbvs&list=WL&index=26&t=302s Access: 04/06/2022 60 Cf.: Horace Matthew: The Black and the Blue. A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America's Law Enforcement (2018) p.87 61 Cf.: Sagmeister Johanna, Waldow Michaela. Polizeigewalt in den USA: Mehr als Rassismus (online) 06/03/2020 under: https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/usa-proteste-polizeigewalt- rassismus-100.html Access: 04/06/2022 12 Black people are 2.9x more likely to be killed by police than white people in the U.S.. Police killings per 1 million people in the U.S., 2013-2022 87 Pacific Islander Black Native American Hispanic White Asian 7.2 21 A live tracker by Campaign Zero 29 37 61 killings Populations via 2020 Census data Last updated 03/14/2022 According to the study black skin colored people are more likely to be killed than white people in the US. In addition other social minorities, like Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders are also affected by police brutality and victims of racism. The police in general kills more than 1000 people a year in the US and killed already 128 people in 2022.62 Around 300 black skin colored people get killed by the police a year in the United States. (highest number: 305 black people in 2015).63 Furthermore there were only around 23 days in 2015 were the police did not killed a person by violence (e.g. by shooting).64 Moreover the trend of police violence is also on the rise. 62 Cf. Unknown. Mapping police violence (online) Unknown under: https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/ last access: 04/07/2022 63 Cf.: ibidem Annex p. 19 64 Cf.: ibidem 13 Police killed 36 more people in the U.S. in 2020 ********** compared to the previous year. 1,145 total killings by police 859 573 286 0 Jan. May A live tracker by Campaign Zero Sept. 5. Conclusion Dec. 2020 Last updated 03/14/2022 All in all police violence and brutality is still very common in the United States and a big issue the United States has to deal with. A well-known example for police brutality is the Murdering of George Floyd in 2020 that illustrates a climax of the Movement "Black Lives Matter", because by recording the act of violence was spread all around social media and triggered massive protests against the whole system worldwide.65 Why "Black Lives Matter" and not "All Lives Matter" In this term paper the topic of Black Lives Matter, daily racism and racial segregation in the US was examined by the question "Why "Black Lives Matter" and not "All Lives Matter"". The concept of "All Lives Matter" which is especially used by republicans, like Donald Trump, former US president who created big protests and riots by his racist behavior after Floyds dead, has a racist attitude about "Black Lives Matter" and criticize the concept. Of course, in one way every single life of this 14 65 Cf.: Channel 4 News: Black Lives Matter explained: the history of a movement (online) 06/16/2020 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG8GjlLbbvs&list=WL&index=26&t=302s Access: 04/06/2022 planet should matters, but "Black Lives Matter" puts black life's particularly in the focus due to historical and modern racism and segregation to their "race". So "Black Lives Matter" is a movement that focused on the suffering and disadvantages the black population is exposed to. So the inscription "Black lives Matter" is completely legitimate in my opinion. A good metaphor to illustrate this way of thinking is when a house is on fire, we will not call the fire department and say: all houses are important, please put mine out, even if it is not on fire. Because all houses are important. This metaphor illustrates the whole problem the United States has to deal with. Daily racism, racial segregation and police brutality against Afro-Americans still exists in the United States and splits the society increasingly. Afro-Americans are more likely to get victims of police murdering's as white people in the US. Furthermore most of the Afro-American victims are innocent. Of the sheer number of police killings, white people are killed more often than black colored people. However, if you take a look at the American population and compare the proportions of the white population (64 percent) and the black population (12 percent), it quickly becomes clear that black people are disproportionately killed and that there are more victims of police violence among black people than among white people. Distribution of U.S. Population by Race/Ethnicity, 2010 American Indian/ Alaska Native 1% Black, Non- Hispanic 12% Hispanic 16% Asian Some Other Race Native Hawaiian 5% 0.2% SOURCE: 2010 U.S. Census and Other Pacific Islander 0.2% Total U.S. Population = 308.7 million Two or More Races: 2% 15 White, Non- Hispanic 64% KAISER All in all reasons for this modern racism and racial segregation are laying down deep in the US history, by Slavery cial segregation and are unfortunately still present in some people minds. Another factor for the suppression of Afro- Americans and police violence is for example the missing governmental support for Afro-Americans and increasing frustrations of the US police. Moreover the issues formed a complex that is systematical and structural conditioned. I chose the topic, especially in fact of the Murdering of George Floyd, that moves me a lot. I also went on a protest for "Black Lives Matter" in June 2020. In this term paper I tried to explain the whole complex of racism in the United states, with focus on the history of racism and the Movement "Black Lives Matter". Moreover I chose my interrogation "Why "Black Lives Matter" and not "All Lives Matter" in destination because there are still some confusions with both concepts. "Black Lives Matter" is still than more relevant today, let us fight for more justice and equality for black colored people to make the world a bit better. Raise your voice and fight for equality and justice! 16 6. Annex: According to page 4: Slaves in the United States Definition North and South States: After the election of former US president Lincoln in 1861 some US states such as Alabama or Georgia, seceded from the Union and created the "South states", because they wanted to keep slavery for economic profit. US president Lincoln was deeply against slavery and wanted to end this suffering. Free states Slave states Definition Jim Crow laws/black codes: Laws established by government that legalized racial segregation. WAITING ROOM FOR COLORED ONLY BY ORDER POLICE DEPT. According to p. 5. Racial segregation After the Civil War 17 Ackerby Ca Police have killed Black people in 15 states in 2022 so far. Fewer police kitings More police killings According to chapter 4.3 Police brutality in the United States (p.11): South States, like Texas and Oklahoma have a higher number of police violence against black people than North states. Unemployment Rates by Race, June 2015 In some communities of color, the unemployment rate is over 20%! 9.6% Black 6.5% Laupe/2022 Latino 4.6% White Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey (July 2015). 18 4.0% Asian 62 Summer St., 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02110 www.faireconomy.org [email protected] 617-423-2148 Black people and especially social minorities are more affected by poverty and unemployment than white people. Police killed 305 Black people in the U.S. in 2015 A live tracker by Campaign Zero There were 23 days in 2015 when police did not kill people in the U.S.. January May September Killings by police in 2015 01 February June October A live tracker by Campaign Zero March July Last updated 03/14/2022 November April August December Last updated 03/14/2022 Police brutality in the US against citizens. 19 7. Bibliography Monographies: X. 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Mapping police violence (online) Unknown under: https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/ last access: 04/07/2022 https://greenstar.coop/wp- content/uploads/2020/06/Black_Lives_Matter_logo.svg-300x300.png https://thesociologicalcinema.tumblr.com/post/105146191515/distribution -of-us-population-by-raceethnicity https://www.newsweek.com/slavery-america-popular-misconceptions- 627229 Past to Future: History of African-Americans |Past to Future (online) 08/25/2020 under: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36jpmfuC1fc&list=WL&index=24 Access: 03/19/2022 22 https://www.history.co.uk/history-of-america/racial-segregation https://www.faireconomy.org/charts_unemployment_rates_by_race 8. Declaration of Authorship: Hereby, I declare that I have composed the presented paper independently on my own and without any other resources than the ones indicated. All thoughts taken directly or indirectly from external sources are properly denoted as such. 23