Black Lives Matter turns 10 years old in July and the movement has played a part in shaping the social and political conversation in the past decade.
It began with the widespread sharing of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter after George Zimmerman fatally shot black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012. Zimmerman was acquitted the next year, causing further outrage.
Since that moment, BLM has become a slogan for calling out any injustice towards the black community worldwide, and its protesters have been front and centre at big events.
At the height of its popularity in 2020, the New York Times pondered whether the movement was the largest in the history of the United States.
But despite the international growth and large media exposure of the movement it has faced controversy and a reported drop in support since 2020.
What is the Black Lives Matter movement?
Black Lives Matter was founded by three female civil rights activists: Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi.
At the heart of the structure is an effort to champion the leadership of women, queer and trans people to eliminate “harmful practices”, which have “excluded many” in previous civil rights organisations.
The group describes itself as “an ideological and political intervention in a world where black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise”.
The statement adds: “It is an affirmation of black folks’ humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.”
Protests originally started in the US after the death of Martin but the following year the cause grew, with protests on the back of further deaths of African Americans. Michael Brown and Eric Garner both died, in separate incidents at the hands of police.
By 2016, BLM had grown into a network consisting of 30 local branches, or chapters as they are called, and began to become better known overseas.
BLM protests helped shape American discussion around the time of the 2016 US elections and, to a greater extent, in 2020. That year George Floyd, a black man, was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
In 2020 alone, despite lockdown restrictions, it is estimated up to 26 million took part in protests in the US and many also marched in the UK and elsewhere.
What has been the impact of Black Lives Matter?
The growth of the project has been such that leaders needed to introduce the Black Lives Matter Global Network infrastructure to cope with management.
The movement has said: “Our goal is to support the development of new black leaders, as well as create a network where black people feel empowered to determine our destinies in our communities.”
The group uses its membership and influence to work towards its aims.
However, support is reportedly down from 67 per cent in favour to 51 per cent in the US.
"While Black Lives Matter signs still adorn lawns from coast to coast, Americans may be growing tired of the movement as support for the strategies, tactics and goals of the movement have experienced a precipitous decline,” Tatishe Nteta, an associate professor of political science at UMass Amherst told Newsweek.
Former US president Donald Trump has consistently been critical of the group called the group “thugs” and a “symbol of hate”. “Left-wing mobs have torn down statues of our founders, desecrated our memorials and carried out a campaign of violence and anarchy,” the then US president said in a 2020 speech.
They have had more support, however, from Joe Biden. The current president tweeted in 2020: “Black lives matter, but matter is the minimum.”
