Trayvon Martin
A 17 year young man walking home from a convienent store on the evening of February 26, 2012, gunned down by a neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman. Trayvon was unarmed carrying a bag of skittles and ice tea when Zimmerman profiled, followed and eventually shot and murdered Trayvon.
Oscar Grant
Oscar Grant was fatally shot by a BART police officer in Oakland, CA in the early hours of New Years Day 2009, all while being caught on a cell phone.
Sean Bell
In the early morning of what was to be Sean Bell's wedding day, turned out to be a tragic day. NYPD fired more than 50 shot into the vehicle carrying 23 year old Bell and friends. Bell was killed and the other two were wounded, none of the passangers were armed even though an officer yelled "gun".
Steven Eugene Washington
Steven Eugene Washington was shot by gang enforcement officers Allan Corrales and George Diego near Los Angeles' Koreatown. The officers said the 27-year-old (who family members say was autistic)was looking around suspiciously and manipulating something in his waist area.
James Craig Anderson
Forty nine year-old man murdered in Jacksonville, MS on June 26, 2011 robbed and repeatedly beaten by a group of white teenagers who later ran James Anderson over with a vehicle.
Kimani Gray
Sixteen year-old Kimani Gray was shot four times in the front and side of his body and three time in the back by two NYPD officers as he left a friends birthday party in Brooklyn on March 9, 2013.
Amadou Diallo
In 1999 four NYPD officers in street clothes approached Diallo, a West African with no criminal record, firing 41 shots and striking him 19 times as he tried to escape. They said they thought the 23 year old had a gun.
Patrick Dorismond
A 26 year old father of two was shot to death 2000 after a confrontation with plain clothes officers who asked were they could purchase drugs. The officer claimed Dorismond who was unarmed - grabbed his gun and caused his own death.
The list goes on and on...and the fact is black men are profiled. No matter how far we have come as African Americans we still have a lot to prove not all of our black men are thugs, gangsters, or criminals. And just because you wear a hooded sweatshirt while its raining outside doesn't mean you're up to no good.
Where does it start? At home teaching our young boys they are important and of value. We must respect and protect ourselves, stopping the violence to our brothers and sisters and standing up for what is right regardless of the perpetrator. Black on black violence has been an epidemic in our community for decades so it starts with us. Does this stop ignorance in the world...probably not but it sends a message that the black community is strong and will not continue stand for injustice.
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