#TrayvonMartin: Social Revolution is More than a Hashtag
I first heard the name Emmett Till when I was a student at the University of Cincinnati. I don’t remember the class but I remember the gut-wrenching feeling I felt when I read about the brutalization of Emmett. I was a history major; I was aware of the brutality man has exercised against his fellow man throughout the ages. I read a lot of depressing stuff. Reading about Emmett was like a punch in the gut; maybe it was the Christmas photo of Emmett 8 months before he died that accompanied the article or the fact that he was only 14 years old; no matter what it was, the story of Emmett touched me in a way that I will never forget.
I became reacquainted with Emmett Till again in 2009 as the NURFC prepared for our most controversial exhibition to date, Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America. The images of Without Sanctuary depicted – in graphic detail – the brutal murders by lynching of thousands of individuals in the United States. The victims were white, black, old and young, men and women, Jews, gentiles, immigrants and aliens. But mostly, they were African Americans — as many as 4,000 were slain at the hands of violent mobs between 1882 and 1968. Many of the victims’ bodies were mutilated or burned; an untold number of victims were tortured before they were lynched.
Emmett Till was one of those victims.
Emmett was visiting family in Mississippi in August 1955 and was abducted and killed for “flirting” with a white woman. His body was found three days after his abduction near the Tallahatchie River. He was tortured, beaten and shot; Emmett was unrecognizable. His family demanded justice, had an open casket funeral and thousands paid their respects in honor of a life taken far too soon.
On September 23, 1955 the jury acquitted Roy Bryant and John William “J. W.” Milam for the murder of Emmett Till. In November 1955 a grand jury declined to indict Bryant or Milam for kidnapping.
Justice? No. But the death of Emmett Till brought the disparity of justice for blacks in the South to the forefront of the international and national conscience.
Somehow [Till's death and trial] struck a spark of indignation that ignited protests around the world… It was the murder of this 14-year-old out-of-state visitor that touched off a world-wide clamor and cast the glare of a world spotlight on Mississippi’s racism. – Myrlie Evers
One month ago today, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was fatally shot walking to his father’s fiancee’s house, in a Sanford, Florida gated community.
Trayvon was black. He was wearing a hoodie. He was considered “suspicious” by neighborhood watch leader, George Zimmerman, who called 911, followed Trayvon and later shot him. Zimmerman claims he shot Trayvon in self-defense. Trayvon was unarmed. He had a bag of Skittles and an iced tea on his person. The world is watching Sanford, Florida.
As I reflect on the abrupt end to Trayvon’s life I think of the words Angela Davis spoke at the NURFC last week, “Why is it that so many people in this country think that young black men, black boys are murderable? Why is that?”
Why is that?
Geraldo Rivera recently said, “I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters particularly to not let their children go out wearing hoodies… I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as George Zimmerman was.”
Really?
Rivera has (correction) since not retracted his statement and has stated that his own son reached out to him and said he was ashamed of his comments. Blanket statements like Rivera’s continue to enforce urban youth stereotypes. Ediberto Roman’s “Open Letter to Geraldo Rivera” stated it perfectly, “that beautiful child that was killed was no more a “gangsta,” to use your own language, because he was wearing a hoodie than he was one for being African-American.” Read Roman’s full letter here.
The public outcry on behalf of Trayvon has been on the news for weeks now. Today there are marches in Washington DC, Detroit, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and more demanding justice for Trayvon. As the protests, rallies, marches and meetings continue, I think it is important to note that a “social revolution is much more than a hashtag on Twitter,” as said by Lenny McAllister. Hashtags only trend for so long. Don’t let #TrayvonMartin be Trayvon’s only legacy. #TrayvonMartin and hoodie Facebook profile pictures are important to create visual awareness, but that is just the beginning.
Let the discussion of the vulnerability of Black youth to racially tinged violence begin. How do we address the everyday incidents of racism/stereotypes and truly begin an honest dialogue to promote better understanding and change?
Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin were children. How do we come together and protect the children in our lives from death motivated by racism and bigotry?
Jonathan P. Hicks’ “Commentary: Trayvon Martin Is the Emmett Till of a New Generation” on BET.com closes with the following:
Until this nation begins to see Black youth as people whose lives should be the object of investment and encouragement rather than lawless marauders, until the country learns critical lessons from the fate of Trayvon Martin, America will not see the last of this wretched calamity.
How will you fan the flame?
There is a spark within each of us, Fan the Flame.
