Black Social Movement
Introduction
Black people activism is not a new phenomenon. Therefore, the current activism that is taking place in America is an extension of the deeply rooted activist history of the U.S. The Black people started revolting during the civil rights era, but 1966 saw the formation of the Black People Movement when a 16-year-old unarmed teenager; Matthew Johnson was killed in San Francisco. Indeed, 50 years later, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) was formed on the same grounds after a 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was killed in 2013. Today, the Black Lives Matter movement carries on the dreams of the colored people in America where they fight against police brutality and broadly demanding that “Black Humanity” should be upheld in America. Despite the striking similarities, both movements contrast in their tactical approaches and ideological affiliations. Apparently, racism in America has existed for the longest time; hence, Black movements have always emerged over the years to try to fight this atrocity.
Similarity
The similarity between the two organizations emanates from the fact that they share the same communication tactics. Both movements show extensive radicalization that pushes them to keep fighting racism despite inadequate public approval or coverage of their grievances on the mainstream media. Instead, they have their ways of networking and creating awareness to their supporters through spoken or unspoken word throughout America. In the 1960s, for instance, the Black Panther developed their weekly newspaper which was art directed by Culture Emory using his artistic genius to illustrate the atrocities facing the black people (Carson and Garrow 335). In this paper, there appeared detailed images that other mainstream media platforms would never have dared to present.
Today, the same radical approach is seen in the way the BLM approaches the issues of the Black through the various digital platforms. The efficacy of the social media is facilitated by cell phones, commentaries, videos, and photographs, which often go viral within a few second of posting a controversial issue facing the people of color in America (Cobb n.d.). For instance, in 2015, Antony Scott learned of his brother’s murder through the social media platform where a North Charleston police officer shot Walter Scott in cold blood and fled the scene in a bid to evade accountability. Notably, each era saw every group use the available media to reach out to their supporters and broadly stimulate them into taking action and fighting against black racism.