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#BlackLivesMatter

By Michael Sciangula, a student at Rutgers University studying Communications and Digital Communication, Information, and Media

How a Hashtag Can Change the World

Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement that was introduced in 2013 when members of the African-American community began using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The movement was ignited following the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who many believe wrongfully shot and killed an innocent African-American teenager named Trayvon Martin. This incident was just the tip of the iceberg, with fellow teens Michael Brown and Eric Garner being killed not shortly after in similar situations that were believed to be associated with race. 

The death of Michael Brown resulted in the movement’s first formal protest in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014. This non-violent demonstration captured exactly what the hashtag was created to do: spread awareness and give a voice to anyone who was being mistreated due to their race. The protest, despite only including about five hundred members, gained national recognition and was the first major step in symbolizing the emerging movement. 

The activities that took place in Ferguson garnered the attention of many Palestinians, who then tweeted advice on how to deal with tear gas. This created a connection between the two parties and drew similarities between the Israeli armed forces and police in the United States. Not only was the movement gaining more recognition worldwide, but it was beginning to bring different groups of people together by making everyone realize that they are not alone. 

In 2018, just five years after the movement was created, there have been nearly 30 million Twitter posts including #BlackLivesMatter. That accounts for an average of 17,003 posts per day. The introduction and popularization of this hashtag promotes activism, equality, and teaches people about issues that they may not know about. 

Examples of the Hashtag

There are countless examples of #BlackLivesMatter being posted on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or just about any other social media website that utilizes hashtags. Whether it be to gain more awareness in general, make a statement about a recent incident involving police brutality, or just to cap off a take regarding race, there are many different ways to incorporate this hashtag into a social media post. Despite it being one of the most well-known hashtags ever created, there are still going to be people who do not know about it or what it means and clicking on it will educate them on the movement. 

This is one of the many benefits of creating relationships within communities online. Much like the Palestinian situation, there can be new bonds formed among diverse groups of people when something like this is brought to our attention. Unfortunately, the popularity of a controversial hashtag like this one can also create hazards, like internet trolls voicing their negative opinion because they might not agree with the message behind it. 

Examples of the Hashtag: Promoting Activism

The tweet pictured above is from the late Mac Miller, a white rapper that had a significant amount of exposure within the hip-hop community. As a white man working in a predominantly African-American industry, he used his social media platform to challenge his fans to be better. The hashtag clearly woke him up and made him realize that many white people enjoy aspects of black culture, like hip-hop, but turn the other cheek during situations like the Trayvon Martin shooting and the riots in Ferguson. This is a prime example of the hashtag not only making someone realize the importance of the campaign, but also feel the need to do their part and spread the word. 

Another popular artist, The Weeknd, posted a similar message as Mac Miller did. This time, instead of including race, he simply challenges his followers to do something about these issues, rather than sitting back and watching it all unfold. The quote “the time is now” can be used as a way of motivating people online to get active and make a difference. 

Examples of the Hashtag: Promoting Equality

These are just a few tweets from a random Twitter user that promotes equality and the overall message behind #BlackLivesMatter. The tweet on the bottom explains that Black Lives Matter is not a hate group, as some internet trolls might try to argue. The user then explains that all they want is equality. That is the end-all message behind #BlackLivesMatter and sometimes it needs to be reiterated to ignorant people on the internet. He refers to various internet trolls that have tried to claim that Black Lives Matter is a hate group similar to the Black Panthers from the 1970s, and immediately refutes the comparison. 

Examples of the Hashtag: Teaching Others

Both of the tweets pictured above get straight to the point and explain why #BlackLivesMatter became a movement in the first place. Sure, it may not be the nicest way of saying things, but it is blunt and will teach people to open their eyes. In order to teach others during a time when people are unwilling to change their opinion or see things from a different point of view, the only way to reach them is to speak the honest truth. 

Connecting with the #BlackLivesMatter Community

The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag allows for people across the globe, and especially in the United States, to open their eyes and realize that prejudice and race-related issues still exist. The implementation of the hashtag allows for the promotion of activism, equality, and teaches new people everyday about these issues. Although the internet has a negative side that is full of trolls and ignorant people, there are positives that go along with it. The popularity of #BlackLivesMatter on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook has definitely helped the world make strides towards correcting these issues and, at the very least, raised awareness. #BlackLivesMatter has formed an efficient communication network that will keep the campaign relevant from now until the end of time. 

Sources

Andersen, I. (2018, February 15). Everything You Need to Know About Hashtags. Retrieved from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hashtags/517028/

Anderson, M. (2016). The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter emerges: Social activism on Twitter. Pew Research Center.

Black Lives Matter. (2018). About. Retrieved from https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/

Horowitz, J. M., & Livingston, G. (2016). How Americans view the Black Lives Matter Movement. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/07/08/how-americans-view-the-black-lives-matter-movement/

Macdonald, M. (2017, March 09). How #Hashtags Changed the Way we Talk. Retrieved from https://www.tintup.com/blog/how-hashtags-changed-the-way-we-talk/

Pages, T. S. (n.d.). POLICE KILLING OF BLACKS: Data for 2015, 2016, 2017, and first half of 2018 - Sociology Toolbox. Retrieved from https://thesocietypages.org/toolbox/police-killing-of-blacks/

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Introductory Post

My name is Michael and the hashtag I plan to study is #BlackLivesMatter. I selected this hashtag because I find it to be one of the most widely-known and important hashtags in today’s world. I also feel very strongly about it and support its message. I think that police brutality and racial discrimination has gone too far for quite some time now and something needs to be done. The first step is bringing awareness to these issues, and this hashtag is a focal point in doing so. I first learned about this hashtag through Twitter.com around the time when it first surfaced in 2013 following the Trayvon Martin murder. I saw all of the controversy surrounding what had happened and loved the idea of this hashtag serving as a way for people to express their opinions on police brutality and racial profiling. I am interested in finding out where the hashtag has gone since it was originally created and the impact it has made on the world. I expect to find statistics based around this hashtag and other interesting information involving #BlackLivesMatter.