Pushing Back Few topics in the history of social justice have had as much impact and resonance as the fight against police brutality and systemic racism within the criminal justice system. America, despite being a free country where all men are created ‘equal’, continues to suffer from such injustice. On paper, we are told that America has prevailed past the times of discrimination and segregation. But the harsh reality says otherwise. The issue of police brutality and systemic racism within the criminal justice system is nothing new and has been ongoing since the abolition of slavery. Taking a look at a few movements, we see the desperate fight for justice. There is no hiding the fact that police brutality and racism within the justice system once plagued our nation and it continues to happen today. The Scottsboro Boys case, The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panther Party, and the LA Riots are a few key protest moments in history that attempt to address these ongoing issues, showcasing the evolution of protest movements throughout different time periods. You can trace the history of modern policing back to the "Slave Patrol." To put a stop to slave uprisings and establish a system of terror, the first organized slave patrol was established in the Carolinas in the early 1700s. Its sole goal was to track down, capture, and deliver escaped slaves back to their owners. They continued to operate until the end of the Civil War and the passage of the 13th Amendment. Although these two events were meant to establish equality among races, they failed to do so. In the years accompanying the victories of the Civil War and the 13th Amendment, Black Americans continued to experience an extraordinary wave of police violence and aggression despite the end of slavery. Police brutality was always present at a fundamental level. When African Americans arrived in the big cities of the North and South during the twentieth century's great migration, they were met with explicit housing and employment discrimination, which was brutally enforced by police brutality. The fundamental level of law enforcement was not simply to enforce the law but also to discriminate and target Black Americans who were seen as inferior to their white counterparts. As a result, systemic racism within the criminal justice system was born with the creation of the first law enforcement in America. To highlight the issue of systemic racism within the criminal justice system, we can take a look at the effects and movements following the Scottsboro Boys Case. This case involved 9 young black boys who were accused of rape by 2 white women. Because of the racial discrimination present in Alabama in the early 1930s, the boys were immediately arrested and convicted by an all-white jury without the right to a fair trial. Upon hearing the nature of this case, theInternational Labor Defense (ILD), the legalwing of the American Communist Party, took on the boys’ case, seeing its potential to galvanize public opinion against racism. The ILD promoted gatherings, marches, rallies, postcards, and letter-writing campaigns, and had a strong presence in the black neighborhoods of Northern cities. In protest against the trials, four thousand marchers gathered in Washington, DC, on May 8, 1933. Accuser Ruby Bates, who had by then changed her story, was one of them. This case caused public outcry and it was one of the earliest cases that was brought to light due to the growing media. The Boys' story was thrust into the public eye, making them a symbol of American injustice. From all the facts surrounding the Scottsboro Boys Case, it's clear that racism in the criminal justice system played a major role. Police brutality also indirectly affected the case. The boys were constantly threatened by authorities and forced to confess. Both issues highlighted the abuse of power that fueled the ongoing racial injustice. As a result, outrage and protest movements emerged in support of the 9 boys. The Scottsboro Boys march in Washington was one of the many protest movements surrounding the boys that highlights the outrage of a community that wants to push back against the racial injustice surrounding the criminal justice system. During this time,we see the employment ofnonviolent civil disobedience, marches, and protests aimed to challenge the ongoing racial segregation and discrimination. This would be a technique that would also be integrated into the Civil Rights Movement which would show much success in reforming the laws of America. The 1950s and 1960s saw the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement, a significant social and political movement in the United States. The goal was to end discrimination and racial segregation against African Americans, especially at the state level. It aimed to secure legal recognition of African American civil rights and address systemic inequalities that plagued the nation, especially in the South. Although the movement is frequently associated with historic victories like the desegregation of public spaces and schools, as well as the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it also aimed to address inequalities within the criminal justice system. Instances of police brutality and racism within the criminal justice system were significant concerns during the Civil Rights Movement. Just like the racial injustice within the justice system of the Scottsboro Boys case, there was another case found within the Civil Rights Movement that also tried to combat this ongoing inequality. The case of Emmet Till is a horrific case of murder. Emmet was accused of whistling at a white woman and as a result, was kidnapped and killed by two white men. In other words, he was lynched for the simple act of whistling. Given the case took place in Mississippi during the 1950s when Jim Crow and Segregation were at an all-time high, it seemed like there would be no justice served for the innocent black boy. To our surprise, no justice was served and the two men who brutally bludgeoned Emmet were acquitted by an all-white jury. Just like the Scottsboro Boys case, both cases faced racial injustice at the hands of the law. The very same law that says “all men are created equal”. Despite the nonviolent approaches of the civil rights movement, African-American protesters continued to face a wave of police brutality. Police brutally attacked peaceful protestors in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, including children. Eugene "Bull" Connor, the commissioner of public safety, gave the order to use high-pressure fire hoses and police dogs against protestors. Law enforcement from both state and local levels violently opposed the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March for Voting Rights. When marchers tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965, Alabama state troopers attacked them with billy clubs and tear gas. The majority of acts of violence were shown on television, which increased public support for the movement. Even with the constant brutality faced at many protest locations, protesters and civil rights leaders continued to encourage nonviolent protests to get their message across. These demonstrations showcase the unity and organization that were found within the civil rights movement. Everyone collectively agreed to participate in nonviolent movements which showed a strong step forward in the context of collective protests. Protesters were not going to back down despite the violence they faced in an attempt to end that very same violence. Unity and strength in numbers helped push back against the injustices faced during that time. This resulted in several victories but left a few unresolved due to the fundamental level at which they have been implemented. Following the nonviolent approach of the Civil Rights movement, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton founded the Black Panther Party in Oakland, California, on October 15, 1966. Desegregation and voting rights legislation were two major victories of the Civil Rights Movement brought about by peaceful protest, yet there were still obstacles to overcome. The persistence of problems like systemic racism, police brutality, and economic inequality led some activists to doubt if nonviolent resistance alone could effectively address these ingrained issues. Many like the founders of the Black Panther Party, were uninterested in the nonviolent approach but were rather fond of Malcolm X’s call for freedom “by any means necessary”. The Blak Panther Party took a much more radical approach in an attempt to protest police brutality. They advocated armed self-defense against police brutality. Many Black Panther members openly carried firearms asserting their rights to defend themselves. Soon the Black Panther Party began armed patrols to monitor police activity in black communities. In the early stages of the Black Panther Party, they carried out controversial movements to address issues of police brutality. Socioeconomic inequality, police brutality, and discrimination all contributed to urban unrest, which forced some activists to turn to more confrontational tactics. African American communities, especially those living in urban areas, faced extreme poverty and inequality, which fueled their desperation and led them to look for other solutions. Slowly the change from nonviolent protests to more violent and controversial methods began to take shape. The people are getting impatient with the outcome of such movements and are resorting to radical approaches to express their unresting anger. Decades after the Civil Rights Movement and the radical approaches of the early Black Panther Party, Rodney King, an African-American man, was beaten by four white police officers on March 3, 1991, sparking the start of the L.A. riots. The beating was caught on camera and broadcast on national television news networks. It sparked outrage within the local community and It was widely believed that these officers would be found guilty in a court of law. Unfortunately, their acquittal was announced which“undermined and discredited faith in the legal system” for many people. The news regardingthe accused officers infuriated the community and protesters gathered in South Central Los Angeles to voice their frustration. Soon these protests unfolded in much more violent riots that left several fatalities and millions in property damaged. African Americans had endured a long history of unfair socioeconomic institutional racism in American society, so the early protests were not only protests against the unfair trial verdicts but also a cry for justice. Decades following the first radical approach to end police brutality and systemic racism within the justice system, the common theme surrounding the law persisted and it looked as if it continued to go unresolved. Just like the Black Panther Party, the Los Angeles Riots began to show the shift in the way people pushed back against an unfair system. Methods of nonviolent protests and civil disobedience are a thing of the past and the impending future shows signs of much more radical and violent methods to win against the unjust system. The minority community of Los Angeles was pushed to the point they fought back with violence. The riots represented a symbolic act of defiance against institutional injustice and police brutality. The media's portrayal of unrest turned into a potent symbol that sparked a national dialogue about racial relations and brought attention to the persistent problems affecting African-American communities. The dynamics of protest movements aimed to address police brutality and racism within the justice system have had their fair share of evolutional changes. Pre-Civil Rights up to the Civil Rights introduced the idea of nonviolent civil disobedience. The foundation of nonviolent resistance was moral and ethical reasoning. Leaders of the time felt that upholding the moral high ground would win over the sympathy and support of the international community as well as the general American public. The goal of this strategy was to draw attention to the injustice of racial discrimination and segregation. It aimed to awaken people's consciences in themselves, in organizations, and in the country at large. Activists aimed to elicit a moral response from people who saw or participated in racial injustice. It was also a strategic move to eliminate negative stereotypes about African Americans. Through exhibiting orderly and peaceful behavior, activists aimed to dispel racial stereotypes and show that African Americans were capable of being law-abiding citizens. This strategy saw great success in reforming the laws but it failed to completely take down the grassroots of police brutality in the United States. The Black Power Movement's introduction in the late 1960s and its emphasis on empowerment and self-determination showcased changes in both strategy and ideology. Movements against police brutality gained traction in a way that greatly contrasted that of nonviolent protesters. The early Black Panther Party and the LA Riots showcased the radical side of protest movements which is a direct result of the same issue going unresolved for centuries. The words, “by any means necessary”, now pioneered these movements. These protest movements contributed to the continuous narrative of collective resistance and the pursuit of a more just and equitable society by exhibiting adaptability, resilience, and a commitment to overthrowing oppressive systems. Despite its centuries-long battle, the fight against police brutality and racism within the justice system continues to be an ongoing issue. Today, we continue to see radical approaches like that introduced after the Civil Rights Movement. The recent BLM riots continue to showcase the desperate fight against police brutality “by any means necessary”. Years of oppression and disregard have led to desperate and violent protest movements so that maybe the people will finally be heard. Nonviolent methods failed to completely address the deep-rooted issues of police brutality and racism within the criminal justice system. So now it's up to these more radical approaches to make a change. 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American Journey.Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ2152000331/UHIC?u=usocal_main&sid=bookmark-UHIC&xid=e89e 0e18. "Scottsboro Trial."Crime and Punishment in AmericaReference Library, edited by Richard C. Hanes, et al., vol. 4: Primary Sources, UXL, 2005, pp. 160-172.Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3441000109/UHIC?u=usocal_main&sid=bookmark-UHIC&xid=a39 ef41d. “Police Brutality Complaints Reported to the Detroit Branch”,The Crisis,October 1958, https://policing.umhistorylabs.lsa.umich.edu/s/detroitunderfire/page/police-policing-themselves
