Black Lives Matter

American  

[blak lahyvz mat-er] / ˈblæk ˈlaɪvz ˈmæt ər /

noun

1. a political and social movement originating among African Americans, emphasizing basic human rights and racial equality for Black people and campaigning against various forms of racism. BLM, B.L.M.

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Etymology

Origin of Black Lives Matter

First recorded in 2013; the slogan that arose from the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media after George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager

Example Sentences

None of these positions would have seemed remarkable a few years ago, when tech companies exhorted their employees to “bring your whole self to work” and employees responded en masse by engaging in #MeToo and Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

From The Wall Street Journal

In 2020 Jonas received backlash for an Instagram post he made in solidarity with Black Americans following the murder of George Floyd, amid growing Black Lives Matter protests.

From Los Angeles Times

We’ve seen the advent of marriage equality, the #MeToo movement, the Black Lives Matter movement—there’s just been a lot of change afoot, and we’re seeing a real backlash to that.

From Slate

In June 2020 it was scrawled with graffiti accusing Churchill of being a racist, during a Black Lives Matter protest triggered by the death of George Floyd in the US.

From BBC

Reflecting on his confrontational meeting with Black Lives Matter activists, which centered on his recent move to dismiss charges in the 2018 killing of Christopher Deandre Mitchell by Torrance police officers, Hochman said he can’t pursue cases just because people are upset.

From Los Angeles Times