Looking to the Future
Was There a "Racial Reckoning"?
According to Jennifer Chudy and Hakeem Jefferson in The New York Times, " the more general picture contradicts the idea that the country underwent a racial reckoning . . . . Whereas support for Black Lives Matter remains relatively high among racial and ethnic minorities, support among white Americans has proved both fickle and volatile."
Support for Black Lives Matter peaked immediately after Floyd's death and then declined due to what appears to be changing attitudes among Republicans and white Americans. Both groups became more supportive of the movement after Floyd's murder, but their support then rapidly declined such that both groups are now less supportive of Black Lives Matter than they were at the start of 2020. Among nonwhite racial groups and Democrats, support for the movement increased. According to a New York Times analysis over 30 states have passed over 140 police reform laws since George Floyd's death, but these reforms have been met with opposition (Chudy, Jennifer and Hakeem Jefferson). Learn more:
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. . . the significance of a “reckoning” depends on whether support for Black Lives Matter ultimately translates into policy. . . . scholars have considered the parallels between the summer of 2020 and the tumultuous summers of the 1960s. The 1960s represented a watershed moment for race, in part because of the important shifts in American public opinion. But the lasting legacy of the era is found in its landmark legislation . . . rather than the changing of hearts and minds" (Chudy and Jefferson). |
Will There Be a Third Reconstruction?
The First Reconstruction was in the years following the Civil War when African Americans were elected and able to write laws before Jim Crow was enacted. The Second Reconstruction was the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Now, scholars believe that George Floyd's death has accelerated the Third Reconstruction (Joseph). The Third Reconstruction is more than African Americans surviving encounters with police — it is about policy being enacted to protect Black citizens, restore their wealth, and give them access to health care among other things (Barber, William and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove).
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Where Do We Go from Here?
Everyone can contribute to making lasting changes. Check out How you can help Black Lives Matter protesters if you can't attend in person (CNET)
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What's the "ask"?
Aside from demanding justice for victims of police brutality, what else should we seek?
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