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Formation of the Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan is a hate group that as formed by white citizens and former slave traders, and holds a strong belief in white supremacy. They terrorize members of LGBTG+ and mostly black communities, and have been known to carry out lynchings and commit other unspeakable acts against people of color. -
Black Intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan
Before the presidential election in 1868, members of the Ku Klux Klan and other white citizens of the South went on a mass killing spree with thousands of black citizens killed in order to retain control of the government. Aside from being murdered, lack citizens were tarred and feathered, r*ped, and violently attacked. -
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Huge era of lynching and violence, with zero help from the government
During this timespan, there were at least 5,000 instances of lynchings across the United States. Nothing was ever done on the government's part to stop this, or even define it as a hate-crime. -
Court-Ordered Executions have Surpassed Lynchings
By 1915, the number of formal/legal executions passes the amount of lynchings that have happened. And still, over 66% of the people executed were black. By 1950, over 75% of the people executed in the South had been black -
Lynching of Ell Persons
Ell Persons was a colored man in his fifties, and was accused of raping a white teen girl. With no evidence, he was beat until he confessed, and then burned alive and then mutilated in front of thousands of people. Snacks and refreshments were sold since this was such a common occurrence for the public to witness. -
The Murder of Emmett Till
Emmett Till was a teen boy of color accused of flirting with a white woman. He was tracked down, beaten, shot, and thrown into a river, by his white attackers. -
"I Have A Dream" and the March on Washington
On this day, over 250,000 citizens gathered to march together protesting discrimination, police brutality, and campaigning for jo equality. This is the same day Martin Lither King Jr. gave his famous speech, "I Have A Dream" which was a big moment for the Civil Rights Movement. -
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Newark Riots
These deadly riots were caused after several police officers beat up a black cab driver during a traffic stop, During the following days of unrest and riots, 26 people lost their lives and several more were injured. -
1033 Program Created
In 1997, the 1033 program was created in an effort to be a military equipment loan program, essentially providing police departments all across America with military-grade weapons like rocket launchers for example. This accelerated the use of military assault rifles against citizens in protest and/or riots. -
The Death of James Byrd
James Byrd isn't a well known name, but he was an innocent man who was literally chained to a car by three white supremacists and then dragged behind the car for miles until his death. This can be used as an example of modern-day lynching. -
The Shooting of Amadou Diallo
Amadou Diallo was a 23 year old man of color who was shot at reportedly 41 times, and actually hit 29 of those times by a police officer. The officer claimed to have seen a gun, but it turns out it was just a wallet. The policeman was exonerated, and that resulted in a relatively peaceful march with thousands of protesters. -
Huge year for police brutality
In 2016, there were at least 233 African-Americans killed by police officers, which is alarming when you look at the statistics. 13% of the population at the time was African-American, and yet 24% of the people shot and killed by police that year were African-American. -
Ahmaud Arbery's Killers on Trial
In early 2020, a jury found Travis and Gregory McMichael and William Bryan (three white men) guilty for murdering Ahmaud Arbery, a 25 year old black man simply out for a jog. The men claimed they were defending themselves and trying to perform a citizen's arrest, since they believed Arbery had trespassed and was responsible for several burglaries in their neighborhood. -
The Death of Breonna Taylor
Breonna Taylor was a 26 year old African-American woman who was shot in her apartment after white officers forced entry, attempting a raid that went wrong. -
The Murder of George Floyd
Former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck for nearly 9 and a half minutes while the man pleaded with, repeatedly telling the officer he couldn't breathe. His death inspired countless riots and protests all across the United States in the midst of a global pandemic.