LibGuides: Antiracism: A Resource Guide: Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter

Now We Transform
"#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter Foundation, Inc is a global organization in the US, UK, and Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we are winning immediate improvements in our lives."

From Trayvon Martin to George Floyd

"I can't breathe": Moments that shaped a movement
As protests continue nationwide in response to the police killing of George Floyd, CNN's Ryan Young reports on other fatal encounters between police and black men, women and children in the last decade.Source: CNN

Interviews and Documentaries

Black Lives Matter: How a Hashtag Defined a Movement (2015) In this exclusive interview for Define American, the three founders of #BlackLivesMatter sat down with documentary filmmaker Sabrina Schmidt Gordon to discuss the origin of the hashtag, and their vision about the movement for Black lives. Although filmed in spring 2015, it is just as relevant today.
Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement Documentary (2016) Directed by Peabody and three time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Laurens Grant, “Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement,” chronicles the evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement through the first person accounts of local activists, protesters, scholars, journalists and celebrities including Jesse Williams, Nelly, Deray McKesson, Michaela Angela Davis, Wesley Lowery, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Johnetta Elzie, Brittany Packnett and others.
Black Lives Matter Explained: The History of a Movement (2020) The Black Lives Matter group has been fighting to be heard since 2013 - and the phrase itself is now being seen on streets and screens all around the world after the killing of George Floyd. But how did the movement get here? And how did it begin? The UK's Channel 4 News chronicles the history of BLM.

BLM Affirmations

We are expansive. We are a collective of liberators who believe in an inclusive and spacious movement. We also believe that in order to win and bring as many people with us along the way, we must move beyond the narrow nationalism that is all too prevalent in Black communities. We must ensure we are building a movement that brings all of us to the front.

We affirm the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, undocumented folks, folks with records, women, and all Black lives along the gender spectrum. Our network centers those who have been marginalized within Black liberation movements.

We are working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise.

We affirm our humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.

The call for Black lives to matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation.

(Source: Black Lives Matter website.)

Research Guides to Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter and the Black Experience - College of San Mateo This guide isn't just about the Black Lives Matter movement. It provides various resources by, for, and about Black people and their experiences around the world (more representation in the US). From history to art, fiction to non-fiction, learn about the dynamic and diverse lives of Black people. Legal resources are also included.
Black Lives Matter: Race, Policing, and Protest - Cape Fear Community College

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