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When LAPD officers were caught on camera ruthlessly beating Rodney King, it shocked the nation. This up close and personal look at what police brutality meant for Black America led many to expect punishment for the officers – but they were wrong.
The acquittal of the four white police officers, who took turns beating a helpless King, led to one of the most infamous uprisings in history. We know them as the L.A. Riots, but the event was more than just the chaos and looting that’s often been portrayed in mainstream media.
As the National Guard was called in and a state of emergency was declared, gangs called a truce, finding common ground in fighting back. Much like today, people simply couldn’t believe that such blatant brutality would go unpunished.
Today we might compare what happened in L.A. to what happened after Mike Brown’s killing in Ferguson; Trayvon Martin’s in Sanford, or George Floyd’s in Minneapolis. Though people weren’t necessarily chanting “Black Lives Matter” then, they were making their voices heard.
Since 1992, we’ve built a much more inclusive movement against police brutality. We’re no longer only recognizing Black men as victims of these injustices. We’re fighing for Black women and our Black LGBTQ family too. The struggle is still going on – but we’re fighting TOGETHER!