Looking back 5 years, 2020 protest and activism nationwide
“Despite the history in this country where black lives really did not matter. Black Lives or Black property as we were called for many years, many decades were there for a base utilitarian purpose, but black lives are very significant.”
– Charlotte King
2020 Recap: Black Lives Matter vs Blue Lives Matter
DELMARVA – The Summer of 2020 sparked protest and activism nationwide after the killing of an Unarmed Black Man. The question is, how did people on Delmarva feel on both sides back then, and where they believe the country is headed now
“I can’t Breathe”
On May 25th, 2020, the country was changed forever as we watched for over 8 minutes George Floyd’s life slip away before our very eyes. Sworn to protect and serve, Minneapolis Officer Derick Chauvin kneeled on his neck while he continually plead for his life, saying “I can’t Breathe”.
Protests in Memphis and Los Angeles followed days later, and by May 28th -over 2,000 cities and towns including Delmarva, and 60 countries were all chanting “Black Lives Matter”. This one moment that reignited years of pain, sparked months of protest and encouraged a plethora of hash tags, with #BlackLivesMatter at the top.
Black Lives Matter
A movement originally started in 2013, after Trayvon Martin’s killer was found not guilty in court. 7 years and over 700 black deaths later, the movement gained the most traction it had ever seen after the killing of Floyd. For months, all 4 corners of the nation echoed the words “No Justice, No Peace”.
Groups across Delmarva were deep in the fight like founder of The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice, Charlotte King who explains the purpose of the phrase. “Despite the history in this country where black lives really did not matter. Black Lives or Black property as we were called for many years, many decades were there for a base utilitarian purpose, but black lives are very significant.”
Backing the Blue
From Salisbury to Sussex County, be it students or seniors, streets were flooded with support for the Black struggle and some “Backed the Blue”. Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said the movement called for accountability which has made it harder to do their jobs, and the hashtags don’t help.
“We all saw what defunding the police did, it literally destroyed cities. You never hear the terms “Defund the Police” anymore, because it didn’t work. It never worked… I couldn’t give a crap about Blue Lives Matter anymore than I do Black Lives Matter, it doesn’t matter to me. We all matter, everybody matters, and we all should be serving one another.”
Ally vs Anti
Executive Director of the Alliance Joseph Lawson says Floyd’s death sparked activism and allies, but he says it also showed those who were “anti”.
“Instead of creating a win-win where Black lives matter, blue lives matter, all lives matter, instead of that, it came to be either- or. I think it a very disingenuous way of saying we don’t really care about the welfare of “your” people. If there’s any doubt whatsoever about a blue life which is just flat-out wrong. It misconstrued the meaning of it making it and either or when it should have been a yes and-”
