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Patrick Curry
Prof. DePaola
ENG 101
October 19, 2022

Black Lives Matter Discourse Community

“Black Lives Matter” founded in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who

killed seventeen year old Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin, a teenager dressed in a black hooded

sweatshirt was walking to the home of his father’s fiancée with a bag of Skittles and a bottle of

juice never thought that would be his last breath. A twenty-eight year old, Insurance-fraud

investigator and neighborhood patrol captain, named George Zimmerman encountered Martin at

the Retreat at Twin Lakes that had recently experienced a series of break-ins and burglaries.

Zimmerman described Martin as suspicious to the non-emergency line to the Sanford Police that

Zimmerman had place the phone call to. The police dispatcher advised Zimmerman not to follow

Martin. Zimmerman ignored the instructions of the police dispatcher and moments later gunfire

rang out. Martin was dead on the scene when the officers arrived. Zimmerman was not arrested

based on his self-defense claim (“Florida Teen Trayvon Martin Shot and Killed”). However, the

world was not prepared for what about to happen.

The Trayvon Martin case gained national attention. Protests were held in major cities across the

US. The Million Hoodie March was held in New York City on March 21st. Protestors demanded

justice for seventeen year old Martin. On April 11, 2012, Zimmerman was charged with second-

degree murder by a special prosecutor appointed by the governor of Florida. Zimmerman pled

not guilty and the case went to trial in June 2013. All evidence pointed to a guilty verdict
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presented by the Prosecutors. Sixteen hours, two days later six women of the jury found

Zimmerman not guilty on July 13, 2013 (“Florida Teen Trayvon Martin Shot and Killed”).

A national outrage of injustice after the verdict was read rung across the nation. Sending

shockwaves through our country that has always been divided by the injustices of African

Americans. A simple phrase “Black Lives Matter” surface for the first time on Facebook on July

13, 2013. Alicia Garza, a BLM organizer posted the term in response to Zimmerman’s acquittal.

In a blink of an eye, Black Lives Matter was born (“Florida Teen Trayvon Martin Shot and

Killed”). As a result of, Zimmerman’s acquittal on the Trayvon Martin’s case the nation became

divided instead of uniting as one.

First the purpose of Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a regionalized political and social

movement that seeks to highpoint racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by

black people. The chief concerns are occurrences of police brutality and racially motivated

violence against black people. Black Lives Matter was co-founded in 2013 by Alicia Garza,

Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in the United States. In the early 1960s, one of the largest

movements lead by Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X spoke of the racial injustices against

African Americans. They spoke of the oppression of black people at the hands of the white men

and women. Black Lives Matter is the same movement as in the 1960s to fight against racial

inequality, racial discrimination, ending police brutality and oppression. The movement also

spreads awareness and information to Black communities to know their rights and no longer let

ignorance be a reason for non-action. The persistence of this community is to empower Black

and other minorities to stand up and petition equal opportunities and privileges from society,

primarily from whites. Blacks and other minorities feel that their lives are not as significant, for
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example deaths like Eric Garner, and Michael Brown who were slayed by the hands of white

police officers who received no consequences for their inhumane conduct. As Larson discussed

in his journal, “Today, blacks are killed by the police at about the same rate as lynching’s one

hundred years ago” (Larson, 48). This is a very upsetting rate and Blacks are very fearful for

their public well-being in this country. The movement started as an out-cry for Trayvon Martin,

but has since grew into a national movement to include the oppression of women, transsexuals,

self-identified queer individuals, and other minorities (Larson). Also, the Black Lives Movement

came together to stand up the police brutality blacks have experienced for years. Police brutality

existed even when Black Lives Matter did not.

On April 29, 1992, a major wave of violence, looting and arson spread throughout Los Angeles

when four white Los Angeles policemen were acquitted. In March of 1991, those four white

policemen beat Rodney King, an African American male to near death during a traffic stop for

speeding. Every inch of the police excessive force used on Rodney King was caught on tape

(Wallenfeldt). The most basic human function of life was denied to George Floyd and Eric

Garner when they cried out, “I CAN’T BREATHE!” George Floyd’s final moments of life was

at the hands of a Minneapolis Police officer knee pressed down on his neck while two other

officers held him down for eight minutes and forty-six seconds, whom later died one hour

(https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html). George Floyd

stopped moving and officer Kueng checked Floyd’s right wrist for a pulse and could not find

one. None of the officers moved from their positions and Chauvin’s knee remained on Floyd’s

neck two minutes and forty-three minutes after Floyd had passed out. The police officer, Derek

Chauvin, responsible for Floyd’s death was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree

murder, and manslaughter. The other two officers Kueng and Thao were charged with aiding
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and abetting, both second-degree murder, and manslaughter. George Floyd’s death sparked

massive protests across the nation in several big cities. Those protests and his death brought

about discussions about race relations, police reform and more. Only discussions. Eric Garner

died at the hands of a NYPD officer’s arm wrapped around throat as he pleaded with the officer

saying, “I CAN’T BREATHE!” (https://time.com/3016326/eric-garner-video-police-chokehold-

death). Walter Scott and Rashard Brooks was murdered with a shot in their back while fleeing

from the police, but presenting no threat to anyone’s life. Scott and Brooks went minutes without

any aid rendered by the police officers. Philando Castile was shot five times at a traffic stop for a

faulty brake light by a Minnesota police officer while he was sitting in the car with his girlfriend

and 4 year-old daughter (Hanna). Meanwhile Dylann Roof can enter a bible study in Charleston,

South Carolina church murdering nine victims. Roof was apprehended at a traffic stop in Shelby,

North Carolina with a list of several black churches on it, a Confederate flag, a burned U.S. flag,

a box of ammunition that was empty, a gun, and a laser attachment for a gun (Zorzut). A white

supremacist, Payton Gendron, went into Tops Family Market with a semi-automatic rifle

murdering ten people and wounding three more in the supermarket and was arrested. In each

case we have two white male supremacist who are armed and they are simply apprehended by

the police (“New Details Emerge about Suspect in Buffalo Supermarket Shooting”). Armed does

not present an imminent threat to other lives, but an unarmed black man poses a threat to other

lives and have to be forcibly put under arrest causing them to lose their lives?

In 1954, segregation was abolished, but Black people were still at a disadvantage politically,

socially, and economically compared to their White counterparts (Hanks). When you look at the

American society as a whole, African Americans are at a serious disadvantage: 42% of Black

children live in high-poverty communities (Hanks). Blacks account for 40% of homelessness in
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the country (Hanks). The National Prison population is overrepresented by Black people,

especially children (Hanks). After examining the purpose of the Black Lives Matter community,

I decided to dig deeper and look at how the community connects with individuals outside of

Black Lives Matter community.

Through the two different methods I used for my primary research were a close observation on

how the community connect internally and externally outside of the community for my first

method. I also conducted an interview with my aunt, Regina Oglesby, a member of the Black

Lives Matter group in Royston, Georgia as my second research method. In my interview, my

emphasis were the key goals of the community and how they work toward achieving them. My

outlook from the interview is that blacks in this community feel unimportant and unequal to their

counterparts in today’s humanity.

I interviewed, my aunt, Regina Oglesby. She is a third year member of the Black Lives

community in Royston, Georgia. She often goes out to join in any peaceful protest she can.

Oglesby stated, “I am just doing my part to bring awareness to what is happening to my people

of color.” She believes the ultimate goal is to bring awareness to the social injustices going on in

America and find a common ground for a solution. “We just want the same privileges and

equivalent amount of fairness a white individual would get.” Furthermore, she identifies with the

Black Lives Movement because she does not feel as if she is equal to her white peers. Also, she

agrees with the Black Lives Movement on police brutalities against minorities, but mainly

African Americans. Police brutality has been happening to minorities for years and it sad that it

takes the 2014 killing of Darren Wilson and the 2020 murder of George Floyd by the individuals

that are sworn to protect and serve our country. We also discussed in depth how “[She] does not
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feel safe for husband and son around the police any longer, consequently they could take their

lives with no consequences for their actions.”

I observed community uses various forms of communication with outsiders and those in the

discourse community. Black Lives Matter’s primary platform for communication is basically

social media. After following their official account on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr I learned

this is were they post majority of their official upcoming events and inform each other on recent

social issues. Also, on their official web page, https://blacklivesmatter.com shares information as

well on upcoming events in the world such as voting. “We believe that collective efforts can

help evoke social change and more generally reduce racialized health disparities and inequality.”

(Jee-Lyn, 2015). Black Lives Matter Movement is recognized for their capability to go out and

address social matters head on in the streets of major cities. Lee mentioned that most of these

protests are peaceful and nonviolent. They go out and do whatever it takes to reach out to other

blacks and black families to help them feel safe again. In my interview, my aunt discussed how

they felt protesting was a great way to just get people to listen and bring awareness to the issues.

These protests are a safe place for anyone of any decent can just get together and vent about the

social injustices against minorities.

The main genre used within Black Lives Matter is social media. They connect through post on

Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. According to Dirk “a rhetorically sound definition of genre must

be centered…on the action it is used to accomplish” (Dirk, 225). Their main focus in these posts,

blogs, and even videos are to raise awareness for the betterment of the black community. In the

social media platforms, BLM uses to bring national attention to people whom think racism no

longer exists in this world. It also brings awareness to our country that police use their power in
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the form of fear and brutality. I find this genre very supportive for the goal this community is

trying to achieve. It enables them to reach a very huge volume of individuals almost rapidly. It is

also a respectable stage to reach the youth and spread awareness from the root.

The focal goal of Black Lives Matter is to bring awareness to the inequalities that happen to

blacks and minorities. Black Lives Matter started as a community to support the black

community, but it has evolved into more than the black community. “Undermining or disgusting

the impact of racism on racialized health disparities enables the perpetuation of these

inequalities” (Jee-Lyn, 2015). As stated if we continue to overlook racial issues acting like they

do not happen will not change anything. Black Lives Matter common goal is to bring attention to

racial inequality that is widespread in today’s American society. They work towards

accomplishing these goals in several ways. My interviewee mentioned, “Black Lives Matter is a

massive community with numerous resources.” With this being said this community is not only

attacking the streets with peaceful and powerful protest, but are also represented politically and

socially by many people of great influence. For example, professional athletes, famous

entertainers, etc., all these people work organized to spread a mutual message.

The Black Lives Matter community is seeking social injustice for people of color. They use

various tactics to communicate to everyone what they are trying to accomplish. Black Lives

Matter will not stop until justice is served. I believe what this group stands for and their message

is very clear and important. They are doing all the substantial lifting for the individuals who are

too fearful to take a stance for themselves. They are effective in staying linked and sharing a

common goal consistently throughout the nation. We can not keep ignoring that police brutality

does not exist, we can keep turning a blind eye to white privilege, it does exist and it becoming
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more evident as time goes on in the United States. Payton Gendron faces a hate crime for

targeting ten Black people in Buffalo, New York in a local supermarket (“New Details Emerge

about Suspect in Buffalo Supermarket Shooting”). At some point when is enough?

In the society we live in today, Black Lives Matter is very essential for today’s society and for

the youth. Its been too long for African Americans who have been oppressed and scared to have

a voice for themselves, because they are in fear of the consequences that may come. The Black

Lives Matter group is far from afraid about speaking the truth, they will call out the privilege that

whites receive over blacks and other minority groups. For a better future everyone should work

toward the same goals and beliefs that this group exemplifies. What makes one set of lives more

valuable than another set? Police officers are to protect and serve, but when did taking an

unarmed man’s life because a part of their duties as well. I am a black man who is scared when I

see the police, scared of what can and might be done to me. My mother does not sleep until I am

at home under her roof because she is scared of what can be done to me by white men and the

men in blue. The fear of the unknown when I am pulled over by the police.
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References

Borg, E. (2003). Discourse Community (Vol. 57, pp. 398-400). N.p.: ELT Journal.

Dirk, K. (1965). Navigating Genres (Vol. 1, pp. 249-262). N.p.: Library of Congress Cataloging

in-Publication Data Writing spaces.

“Florida Teen Trayvon Martin Shot and Killed.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 12

Nov. 2013, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/florida-teen-trayvon-martin-is-

shot-and-killed.

Hanks, A., Solomon, D., and Weller, C.E. 2020. Systematic Inequality: How America's

Structural Racism Helped Create the Black-White Wealth Gap. American Progress.

Hanna, Jason. “3 Recordings. 3 Cries of ‘I Can’t Breathe.’ 3 Black Men Dead After Interactions

With Police.” CNN, 10 June 2020, edition.cnn.com/2020/06/10/us/cant-breathe-deaths-

javier-ambler-george-floyd-manuel-ellis/index.html.
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Jee-Lyn García, J., & Sharif, M. Z. (2015). Black Lives Matter: A Commentary on Racism and
Public Health. American Journal of Public Health, 105(8), e27–e30.

http://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302706

Larson, E. D. (2016). Black Lives Matter and Bridge Building: Labor Education for a "New Jim

Crow" Era. Labor Studies Journal, 41(1), 43-49. doi:10.1177/0160449X16638800

Works Cited

“New Details Emerge about Suspect in Buffalo Supermarket Shooting.” Www.cbsnews.com,

www.cbsnews.com/news/buffalo-shooting-new-details-emerge-suspect/. Accessed 5 Dec.

2022.

Patten, E. and Krogstad, J.M. 2015. Black child poverty rate holds steady, even as other groups

see declines. Pew Research. pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/14/black-child-poverty-rate-

holds-steady-even-as-other-groups-see-declines/

(Police Killings and Black Mental Health, 2020)

Police killings and Black mental health. (2020, June 23). Penn Today.

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/police-killings-and-black-mental-health

Wallenfeldt, Jeff. "Los Angeles Riots of 1992". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Sep. 2022,

https://www.britannica.com/event/Los-Angeles-Riots-of-1992. Accessed 5 December

2022.

Zorzut, Adrian. “Dylann Roof Execution Date: When Will Charleston Church Murderer Be Put

to Death?...” The US Sun, The US Sun, 26 Aug. 2021,

www.the-sun.com/news/3543309/court-upholds-dylann-roof-charleston-church-killer-

execution/.