Black Lives Matter and Contemporary Activism

The modern civil rights movement has evolved into the Black Lives Matter movement, catalyzed by George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police. This tragedy sparked widespread protests against systemic racism and police brutality.

Highlight: Contemporary celebrities and artists have become powerful voices in the movement, using their platforms to advocate for change.

Example: Notable artists supporting the movement include Beyoncé, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Rihanna, demonstrating the entertainment industry's role in social justice.

Definition: Police brutality refers to the excessive use of force by law enforcement, disproportionately affecting African American communities.

From Slavery to Civil Rights Movement

The foundation of American racial inequality began with the triangular slave trade, predominantly affecting the southern United States. Agricultural production, particularly cotton and sugarcane, drove the slave economy.

Definition: The triangular trade was a three-way trading route across the Atlantic Ocean that facilitated the slave trade between Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

Highlight: A distinct social hierarchy existed within the slave system, with lighter-skinned slaves typically working as house servants while darker-skinned slaves labored in fields.

Example: The Civil War $1861-1865$ emerged from tensions between the Union and Confederate states over slavery and economic policies, culminating in the Thirteenth Amendment's prohibition of slavery.

Vocabulary: Jim Crow laws - Segregation legislation named after a racist blackface character, enforced primarily in southern states.

Quote: "Segregation is the action of separating people, historically on the basis of race and/or gender."