The Criminalization of Blackness: In Protest

Viewing Blackness as a social construct, this study aims to retrieve evidence in an exploration of historical and contemporary literature to delineate how Black Americans in the US have been treated as a criminal threat, policed by the state and other citizens, and labeled, prosecuted, and incarcerated as criminals upon engaging in protests for their constitutional rights. A glimpse of evidence has clearly showed in the recent protests for social justice after the killing of George Floyd that protestors were met by militarized police forces. In contrast, the overwhelming white protestors’ destruction during their insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was seriously miscalculated. My analysis shows a propensity for American political leaders to operate in bad faith at the expense of Black Americans. Our judicial systems, including the Department of Justice created in 1870, have not adequately provided equal justice to support all citizens, especially Black Americans.