#JusticeForTrayvon emerged after the February 26, 2012 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida.
Martin, unarmed and wearing a hoodie, was walking to his father’s girlfriend’s house from a convenience store when Zimmerman followed and confronted him despite 911 dispatcher telling him not to. A struggle ensued; Zimmerman shot Martin claiming self-defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.
Delayed arrest: Zimmerman wasn’t initially charged, sparking outrage and #Justice ForTrayvon campaign demanding prosecution.
Million Hoodie March (March 2012): Protesters wore hoodies in solidarity after Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera blamed Martin’s hoodie for his death.
Celebrity involvement: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Miami Heat posted team photo in hoodies. President Obama said “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.”
July 13, 2013 acquittal: Zimmerman found not guilty. Protests erupted nationwide.
Birth of Black Lives Matter: Activists Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created #BlackLivesMatter hashtag (July 13, 2013) in response to the verdict.
Martin’s death catalyzed a decade of activism against racial profiling, Stand Your Ground laws, and vigilante violence against Black youth.
Sources:
- Department of Justice investigation: https://www.justice.gov/
- Black Lives Matter founders’ story: http://web.archive.org/web/20260130040433/https://blacklivesmatter.com/herstory/
- Miami Herald coverage: