The Death Of Black Americans - 1273 Words

â€Å"Gone too soon† are the words often used following the tragedy of death. Within the past few years, black Americans have been specifically targeted as victims of racial hate crimes. In 2016, more than 250 black Americans were killed by police (Huffington Post). The deaths of black Americans have become an epidemic, one that will have lasting effects on society. One effect is that of the â€Å"Black Lives Matter† movement which was birthed after the murder of an unarmed black teen in Sanford, FL. On February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by a neighborhood watchman while walking home from a convenience store. In â€Å"Skittles for Trayvon: A Diminishing Suite in Verse†, Lillian Bertram paints a vivid depiction of the events leading†¦show more content†¦At this point, the references to the real-life occurrence become obvious. On the night of his death, Trayvon was walking from the store holding an Arizona tea and a bag of Skittles. These objects were apparently mistaken for weapons by the neighborhood watchman, although it was made evident at the crime scene and in court that Trayvon was unarmed. The Arizona tea can and the bag of Skittles became the poster images for the injustice that black Americans believed was bestowed upon Martin, as these blatantly harmless articles led to his untimely death. The fact that the Singing Boy is supposedly descended from the Volcano people relates to the belief that black people were the first people on Earth. Truthfully, there is evidence to support that all life began in Africa. The poem â€Å"! ! Spirit of Africa† supports this claim. It reads â€Å"For Africa is a/land of spirits,/they occupy dirt,/soil, trees, flowers/fruit, food that feeds;/(†¦)all the people of its land./Africa believes,/that before time,/before,/things began,/there was nothing,/save for a void†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 29-43). The Volcano people were natural and bore the necessities; then came the Water people (who can be seen as white people) that used what was provided by the Volcano people in order to produce their own goods. As the poem continues, it is stated that the Singing Boy is lost in song, and wanders onto the lands of the Troubled Man, someone who is descended from the WaterShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of The Black American From Miami Garden Essay1456 Words   |  6 Pages Treyvon Martin was a 17-year old Black American from Miami Garden FL, where he resided with his mother. In February 2012 Treyvon was visiting his father in Sanford FL when he was fatally shot in self-defense by 28-year old George Zimmerman. The evening on February 26, 2012 Martin went to a nearby convenient store in and purchased a bag of candy and a drink. 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