Research Question

How important is the Black Lives Matter movement in the fight against racism?

Working Thesis 

The Black Lives Matter movement is an essential aspect of the African-American fight against racism.

1.0 Introduction                                                                                                              

Resistance against slavery and the civil rights movement presented hope for black people over the centuries that they could gain equal rights. The issue has continued to grow over the years, with black people demanding equality in all sectors. Since the days of the civil rights movement, black people have had an issue with the police. The police have been discriminating against black people over the color of their skin up to the modern day. Reports of the police killing unarmed black men have made the news, leading to the growth of anti-racist movements like the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter movement is an essential aspect of the African-American fight against racism. The movement was initially formed in response to the death of young black men in the hands of the police but has faced opposition about whether it is viable for the fight. The Black Lives Matter movement is essential for the fight against racism, even though there is some strong opposition to the members’ methods to advance their ideas.

1.1 Background of the Black Lives Matter Movement

1.11 Origin of the Movement

           The movement began as the brainchild of three women, Opal Tometi, Patrice Cullors, and Alicia Garza, through advancing a hashtag on social media. The three women were influential in spreading the name of the movement with the inspiration behind their resolve the murder of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent acquittal of the police officer who performed the act, George Zimmerman (Lane et al., on the Trayvon Martin case, 2020). The hashtag became the message that protesters all over the country used, creating a movement. The Ferguson uprising in 2014 was the most significant uprising to feature the Black Lives Matter slogan, helping to increase its reach and make it a motto for all black people to use (Rickford, on the Ferguson uprising, 2016). Therefore, developing a case for the movement’s growth is based on the reason for its formation, which was another black man who did not receive justice.

1.12 Growth of the Movement

           The movement then began attracting various people, with the clamor for change evident in the slogan’s number of people. Politicians, athletes, and film stars helped advance the cause of the movement, explaining to people of other races that the movement was not about differentiating people of color. Therefore, the movement’s growth was advanced by the support from famous figures and people of different ethnicities. The Black Lives Matter movement became an international movement that people use to advance more than the idea that police should not take the lives of young black people (Szetela, on the changing aspects of the movement, 2020). The people who advance the critical issues of the movement improve the overall outcome of the objectives they set at the beginning. Over the years, the movement has grown to include work promotions and political positions. Since 2014, there have been more deaths of black people in the hands of police which have led to more protests (Matter, on the growth of the protests, 2020). The protests that preceded the murders of black men and women are centered around police violence. Still, the movement has moved on past that stage and involves equality in all aspects of society.

1.13 The George Floyd Incident

           Since the 2014 Ferguson protests, the other major incident that has led to the movement’s growth is the George Floyd murder in 2020. The pandemic highlights the issue that black people face, with most black people facing increased poverty and feeling the most effective of the pandemic. With the problems of decreased income and issues with poverty, the murder of George Floyd in 2015 played an essential role in ensuring black people came together to protest the death of one of their own (Reny &Newman, on George Floyd’s case, 2021). People did not take kindly to the fact that a white police officer killed him. Technology meant that people had more access to information about what they needed to implicate the police officer. The movement’s start resulted from technology and phone video to showcase police brutality on black people. The George Floyd video had a chilling video that showcased the incident from the first to Floyd’s last breath (Barker et al, on the protests after George Floyd’s death, 2021). The incident sparked a fire inside the bellies of black people and their allies worldwide, with protests taking place in different parts. There were massive protests for days in America that included the slogan “Black Lives Matter.” The slogan showcased to the world audience they need to take the message seriously to ensure the black people get fair treatment from the police.

1.2 The Movement and Its Fight against Racism

1.21 Advancing Conversations about Institutional Racism

           Although the protests began as an aspect of fighting and protesting against the brutality and murder the police inflicted on black people, it became necessary for the movement to advance the conversation. Black people came out in numbers to participate in the protests after seeing the effect of the movement even on white people. The increased numbers and the need for black people to be heard illuminated the movement’s ideals (Matter, on the objectives of the movement, 2021). Aspects of institutional racism comprise how society treats black people differently from white people. The factors include:

• Improving the opportunities available to black people in education and at the workplace.
• Improving the number of political leaders from the black community.
• Advocating for fair treatment in other social amenities.

It was no surprise that the movement started during the tenure of the only black president in the country’s history, coming at a time when the people felt they were the most inspired. The inspiration and influence that black people thought they had during the Barrack Obama era was a driving point for the movement to involve the conversation. The prospects of a black president ensured black people had a belief they could make it in society, and the growth of the movement illuminated the view (Taylor, on the belief that black people have, 2016). Believing they could make it was one thing, but these people needed to have the right opportunities to use their skills and belief ultimately.

1.22 Brands Involvement in the Movement

           The movement’s growth and the message’s advancement enabled more international brands to attempt to increase their reach. Companies need to have a clear and detailed view of what society needs to bring as part of their need to give everyone an opportunity. Large brands joined the movement to spread the matter about how black lives matter and some even began taking the issue of employing more black people seriously. The larger corporations have realized the importance of incorporating the insight and skills of black people in the workplace since they offer a different dimension (Cizsek & Logan, on what brands are doing to assist the movement, 2018). The brands picking up the movement’s slogan and motto means they do not oppose what it is about and helps to spread the message. The companies intend to improve how many opportunities they give their black employees and offer them the same positions and incentives as white people. The movement has benefited from the exposure by the brands and has given the message credibility. Sports brands in the USA are the most critical aspect of the company. Most people tend to believe in their athletes and the brands they represent, which means that spreading the message to these people increases the reach. The use of athletes and brands also helps the movement’s message reach a diverse group since sports fans are from different walks of life, and getting the message to them helps overcome the racism they exhibit.

1.3 Support from the Authorities

1.31 Support During Rallies

It has become common for the protests against police brutality to include either a police officer or public leader informing the people they understand their plight. Most police officers disagree with the murder of black people indiscriminately as they are mere human beings. Police officers from all races have joined the rallies, with some even marching with the protestors. The fact a police officer can enter a protest against them shows that some of them are being accountable and are more accepting that there is an issue with how police officers treat black people compared to other people. The open show of support opens up the possibility that black people can have meaningful conversations about their issues with each other. Political leaders also play an essential role in ensuring people feel their voice is heard. Leaders help bridge the gap between black people and the authorities, playing a vital role in mediating and making the rules feel accessible to black civilians (McManamus et al., on the importance of the movement to authorities, 2019). They show up during the rallies is an essential aspect of the movement and presents a difference from previous anti-racism campaigns.

1.32 Increased Leadership Positions

The movements’ ideals play an essential role in ensuring people of color, especially black people get to experience fair allocation of leadership positions, both in government and organizations. More organizations are paying attention to what different people of whatever color offer rather than caring about stereotypes about those from that group. Black people get access to these positions through increased lobbying and offering their credentials for leadership positions. Black leadership in politics helps the authorities to understand the issues facing black people and address them quicker and more efficiently. It is vital to have all races involved to get the complete representation of the American people other (Szetela, on the benefits of black leadership, 2020). Black people have been empowered by the black leadership that has run the country, such as President Obama and vice president Kamala Harris. The achievements of these two have not only helped young black boys and girls to believe they and aspire to be what they want to be, but it has also inspired adults in workplace environments to believe they can achieve the highest position. The movement’s message and the need for people to think they can achieve anything despite the color of their skin is essential.

1.4 Counterargument

           The Black Lives Matter movement allows the people involved to have a clear conversation about what they want to achieve. The movement has had a tremendous effect on the lives of black people and their rights. However, another side involves the protests and their aftermath of them. The George Floyd death led to increased demonstrations in every major city in the United States, with (Zhang et al., on the increase in protests and violence during the time, 2021). The more police did not control what was happening, the more black people engaged in the protests. Protestors looted from shops and vandalized property belonging to people from all walks of life without accountability. The movement’s biggest detractors argued that it did not step in to condemn the violence, but rather the effects of its actions and words led to the people increasing their violence. The detractors argue that the movement has become a political outfit and that it has radicalized members of the black community to hate the police and blame them for most of the issues. Another common problem the detractors have is that the movement rarely speaks about the violence that black people inflict on each other. They argue if the campaign aims to stop the deaths of black people, they should condemn all the actions that lead to this outcome, including the deaths at the hands of fellow black people.

Conclusion

           The essay highlights the aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement and how they affect racism in the country. According to the essay, the movement has helped reduce the rampant violence by the police to black people and has given black people the opportunity to get positions they previously found hard to get. The movement has allowed for a conversation with authorities that allowed black people to air their main issues towards the police. The counterargument against the movement is that it does not condemn violence done by black people, either towards others’ property or other black people. However, the movement positively influences the fight against discrimination and racism.

Reflection

Learning to conduct research is essential because it is a skill you will use both in academia and your professional life. It improves critical thinking and empowers you to find information for yourself. Consider the process of researching as a whole. What was the most challenging aspect of the process for you?

The most challenging aspect was understanding the traditional issues of racism in America. Understanding these issues helps me know the reason for the movement’s formation. I now know that it is essential to research the history of the main problem before deciding to work on the aspect of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The working thesis statement is a proposed answer to your research question. It should identify a debatable topic and take a position on one side of that topic. Analyze the effectiveness of your working thesis statement. 

My thesis statement indicates what I believe the role of the movement is to the issue of racism. The statement states that the movement has reduced discrimination and racism in the country. The thesis highlights the movement’s main objective and my position on the role that I believe the Black Lives Matter movement plays in the fight against racism.

A detailed outline is an effective tool for laying out the progression of an argument. It allows you to consider the arrangement and organization of your ideas and choose places to incorporate outside source materials. Review your detailed outline and summarize the argument you’ve presented.

I start by highlighting the background of the Black Lives Matter movement, including its origin and growth. I then moved to explain the role the action plays in the fight against racism. I explain how the authorities are helping the black people fight racism due to the movement’s efforts. Finally, I present the counterarguments against the movement.

You will use the same topic on three of the remaining Touchstones in this course. What kind of feedback would be helpful for you? What are specific questions you might have as you go deeper into the research process?

I would love guidance on the outline. Is the information fluid? I do not know if it makes sense to someone who has not followed the issue with the Black Lives Matter Movement.

How did Race, Class, Ethnicity and Family Background Impact Women in the 1920s

The 1920s presented women in America with the opportunity to gain a sense of freedom. For most women, it was the chance to finally vote, where their chores could be done by machines and where they could feel like part of society. However, the feeling was only manifested in the white women. For black women in America, the 1920s did not bring the liberation it brought white women, with the rejuvenation of the Klu Klax Klan (KKK) highlighting the racism of that era. Racism was a clear obstacle for black women to get the new white woman’s opportunities. The class factor also came into play, where the women who were considered classier could pursue their dreams while those from low-income families would find it hard in society. The impact of these issues, compounded with some women fighting for women’s rights, was also discriminatory. The lack of cohesion was a cause for the women of the 1920n not achieving as much as they wanted. The white woman at the time was still suspicious of the new negro, and just like their boyfriends and husbands, they considered the brevity of the new negro as a threat to their success.

Women in the 1920s also showed their openness to sex, with ‘the flapper’ a famous image depicting a woman comfortable in her skin. There was a rise in lesbian relationships and an acceptance for who they are in the long run. The new woman is open to trying new adventures which helps her dating life in the quest for love.