Presenter Information
Josh Schmader - Duquesne University, Psychology / Philosophy Double Major, 2014-2018
Abstract
Police brutality has been at the fore front of American consciousness for almost a decade now. Numerous African Americans all over the country, both male and female, have lost their lives in situations where that end result was not justified. In response to each of these individual tragic events, peaceful protests rose up to demand for justice. After the death of Freddie Gray in April of 2015, however, Baltimore had a more aggressive response to the loss of one of their native sons. An initial peaceful protest turned into riot that raged through the streets of Baltimore for a series of days. This expression was condemned almost universally by the media, with little effort in attempting to understand what was being said. As evidenced through the expression of the people’s frustration, it was clear that Baltimore has had tension building up between citizens and police dating back all the way to the early 1900s. When Baltimore’s history, the Moynihan Report, and the Kerner Commission Report are all examined together, they tell a history of oppression that have caused the suffering of African Americans in many cities all over the country. Until this systemic racism is rid of, these communities and populations will continue to live on their loop.
School
McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts; Gumberg Library
Advisor
Dr. Andrew Simpson
Submission Type
Paper
Publication Date
April 2018
Included in
Genealogy Commons, Political History Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social History Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons, United States History Commons
A Culture on a Loop: Baltimore
Police brutality has been at the fore front of American consciousness for almost a decade now. Numerous African Americans all over the country, both male and female, have lost their lives in situations where that end result was not justified. In response to each of these individual tragic events, peaceful protests rose up to demand for justice. After the death of Freddie Gray in April of 2015, however, Baltimore had a more aggressive response to the loss of one of their native sons. An initial peaceful protest turned into riot that raged through the streets of Baltimore for a series of days. This expression was condemned almost universally by the media, with little effort in attempting to understand what was being said. As evidenced through the expression of the people’s frustration, it was clear that Baltimore has had tension building up between citizens and police dating back all the way to the early 1900s. When Baltimore’s history, the Moynihan Report, and the Kerner Commission Report are all examined together, they tell a history of oppression that have caused the suffering of African Americans in many cities all over the country. Until this systemic racism is rid of, these communities and populations will continue to live on their loop.