Michael Brown and the Lasting Effects of Summer 2014

BY PATRICK EASLEY

When I first heard about the death of Michael Brown at the hands of a Ferguson, Missouri police officer, I was outraged, but I wasn’t too surprised. Unfortunately, neither were many others familiar with the struggles of minorities in America. Minorities, and African Americans in particular, are more likely to be harassed and discriminated against by the police, more likely to receive longer sentences when convicted by the courts, and more likely to be perceived as criminal by the average American. These unfortunate truths have a powerful effect on the way African Americans perceive their relationships with law enforcement and shape intra-community discourse, notably at Wash U.

The reason many of us, as African Americans, weren’t too taken aback by the events in Ferguson is because the understanding that we will not be treated equally by the law enforcement community is at the forefront of the African American psyche. We know that we are in no way different than Michael Brown. We know that what has befallen him and his community could have easily have happened to any one of us. Police mistreatment is not something that African Americans are unfamiliar with–even on Wash U’s campus many African American students are stopped and “questioned” as we make our way through the community. While it is unfortunate that some crimes in the area are committed by young black males, is it appropriate to stop every black male who fits the description? By constantly being aware of our position in society and on this campus, African American students have no choice but to view ourselves through the lens of subordination by law enforcement officials.

Beyond these negatives, many in the black community have been surprised by the swift and direct action of those in Ferguson and greater St. Louis—and here at Wash U—in the wake of Michael Brown’s murder. The Ferguson community has shown that we, as African Americans, and more broadly, as members of the Wash U community, can work and protest together for the common good of our brothers and sisters. Those on the ground in Ferguson have been working day and night for the sake of not only demanding justice for the murder of Michael Brown, but also demanding justice for those who have been the victims of the systematic structures that continue to persecute young black men and women. By continually protesting the treatment of young black youth, and black men in particular, the Ferguson protesters act as an international reminder that “we ain’t equal yet,” and as much as African Americans continue to attain a larger piece of the American Dream, we must not forget that we still live under a state of inequality. This situation will not be resolved until we achieve systemic and structural changes that alter the way African Americans are perceived by non-black counterparts and a discriminatory legal system.

When I was in Ferguson two weeks after Mike Brown’s murder, the mood on the protest site among the protesters wasn’t one of hostility— which came from the militarily-armed police officers—but rather one of hope. It was hope that we could somehow come together and bring about justice for yet another young black male killed by a system that perpetuates the belief that black lives aren’t important. People believed that we would get justice, and they weren’t deterred by tanks in the street or policemen with assault riffles. In all my years of social justice work in Chicago and at Wash U, I have never seen black people come together in such a peaceful and united way. In Ferguson, I saw people making their discontent known while still trying to figure out how they would build change. Young and old, rich and poor, locals and those from outside the St. Louis community all came together and united to demand justice for a young man slain in the streets.

Here at Wash U, we have also been taking on the mantle of social justice with many students joining the protests in Ferguson and using their talents to facilitate change throughout the St. Louis community. The Association of Black students has led a series of talks and meetings about the events in Ferguson and the state of African Americans at Wash U. Students have organized walkouts and panel discussions to discuss the future of race relations in America, and those outside the black community have become active in working towards equality.

I can’t predict the exact long-term ramifications of Ferguson, but I do know that the events of the past summer opened up national dialogue on race and privilege. In terms of creating lasting change, this is a great start