Did You Know?
Eric Logan – killed at age 54 on June 16, 2019
Jamarion Robinson killed at age 26 on August 2016
Gregory Hill Jr. killed at age 30 on January 14, 2014
JaQuavion Slaton killed at age 20 on June 11, 2019
Ryan Twyman killed at age 24 on June 6, 2019
Brandon Webber killed at age 20 on June 12, 2019
Jimmy Atchison killed at age 21 on January 22, 2019
Willie McCoy killed at age 20 on February 9, 2019
Emantic EJ Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. killed at age 21 on November 22, 2018
Dettrick Griffin killed at age 18 on January 15, 2019
Jemel Roberson killed at age 26 on November 11, 2018
Deandre Ballard killed at age 23 on September 18, 2018
Botham Shem Jean killed at age 26 on September 6, 2018
Robert Lawrence White killed at age 41 on June 11, 2018
Anthony Lamar Smith killed at age 24 on December 20, 2011
Ramarley Graham killed at age 18 on February 2, 2012
Manuel Loggins Jr. killed at age 31 on February 7, 2012
Trayvon Martin killed at age 17 on February 26, 2012
Wendell Allen killed at age 20 on March 7, 2012
Kendrec McDade killed at age 19 on March 24, 2012
Larry Jackson killed at 31 on July 26, 2013
Jonathan Ferrell killed at age 24 on September 14, 2013
Jordan Baker killed at age 26 on January 16, 2014
Dontre Hamilton killed at age 31 on April 30, 2014
Eric Garner killed at age 43 on July 17, 2014
John Crawford III killed at age 22 on August 5, 2014
Michael Brown killed at age 18 on August 9, 2014
Ezell Ford killed at age 25 on August 11, 2014
Donte Parker killed at age 36 August 12, 2014
Kajieme Powell killed at age 25 on August 19, 2014
Laquan McDonald killed at age 17 on October 20, 2014
Ackai Gurley killed at age 28 on November 20, 2014
Tamir Rice killed at age 12 on November 22, 2014
Rumanin Brisbon killed at age 34 on December 2, 2014
Jerame Reid killed at age 36 on December 30, 2014 (Bridgeton, New Jersey)
Charly Keunang killed at age 43 on March 1, 2015
Tony Robinson killed at age 19 on March 6, 2015
Walter Scott killed at age 50 on April 4, 2015
Freddie Gray killed at age 25 on April 19, 2015
Brendon Glenn killed at age 29 on May 5, 2015
Samuel DuBose killed at age 42 on July 19, 2015
Christian Taylor killed at age 19 on August 7, 2015
Jamar Clark killed at age 24 on November 15, 2015
Mario Woods killed at age 26 on December 2, 2015
Quintonio LeGrier killed at age 19 on December 26, 2015
Gregory Gunn killed at age 58 on February 5, 2016
Akiel Denkins killed at age 24 on February 29, 2016
Philando Castile killed at age 32 on July 6, 2016
Terrence Sterling killed at age 31 on September 11, 2016
Terence Crutcher killed at age 40 on September 16, 2016
Keith Lamont Scott killed at age 43 on September 20, 2016
Alfred Olango killed at age 38 on September 27, 2016
Jordan Edwards killed at age 15 on April 29, 2017
Stephon Clark killed at age 22 on March 18, 2018
Danny Ray Thomas killed at age 34 on March 2017
DeJuan Guillory killed at age 27 on July 6, 2017
Patrick Harmon killed at age 50 on August 13, 2017
Jonathan Hart killed at age 21 on December 4 2018
Maurice Granton killed at age 24 on June 6, 2018
One after another killed.
Why do we justify the killings of black men and black boys as if their lives don’t matter?
But their lives did matter and they do matter.
They will not be forgotten but through them we will as a people continue to fight for justice, for peace and for liberation.
We cannot allow these beautiful lives to be removed from our presence without speaking and teaching about the injustices that continues to permeate our land.
We have to dismantle those stereotypes that people continue to hold about black men.
If you knew what I knew, you would know that black men are amazing.
They are Fathers that love their children and provide wisdom that the world could never provide.
They are brothers that love unconditionally for their siblings and stand up for them.
They are sons that love their mothers like none other.
They are husbands grounded in spirituality providing hope to those that seek it.
They have blood streaming through their veins filled with fire and compassion for mankind.
So because of this and so much more, I write this today making a statement that the hatred must end.
We have to stop being afraid of what we don’t know nor understand.
They are not to be feared just because they walk and breathe.
They are not to be feared just because they have a voice.
They are not to be feared just because they don’t back down from what is right.
And if we as a society don’t change our thinking about black men and boys then this list will continue.
So as it stands today, to be continued……….