Say Their Names
#SayTheirNames demands recognition of Black people killed by police and vigilante violence. The campaign insists on naming victims, humanizing them beyond statistics, and ensuring their deaths aren’t forgotten. Founded by the African American Policy Forum, the hashtag centers Black women and girls often erased from police brutality narratives.
Origins: Say Her Name
The movement began as #SayHerName in May 2015, launched by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw and the African American Policy Forum. The report “Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women” documented how Black women killed by police received minimal media attention compared to Black men.
Victims highlighted:
- Sandra Bland: Died in Texas jail after traffic stop (2015)
- Rekia Boyd: Shot by off-duty Chicago officer (2012)
- Michelle Cusseaux: Killed by Phoenix police during wellness check (2014)
- Tanisha Anderson: Died in Cleveland police custody (2014)
- Kayla Moore: Died in Berkeley police custody (2013)
Expansion
#SayTheirNames expanded beyond gender to honor all Black victims:
- Trayvon Martin (2012)
- Eric Garner (2014)
- Michael Brown (2014)
- Tamir Rice (2014)
- Walter Scott (2015)
- Freddie Gray (2015)
- Philando Castile (2016)
- Alton Sterling (2016)
- Breonna Taylor (2020)
- George Floyd (2020)
- Tony McDade (2020)
- Ahmaud Arbery (2020)
2020 Resurgence
During summer 2020 protests, #SayTheirNames became a protest chant and organizing tool. Demonstrators:
- Recited names at rallies
- Created memorial art and murals
- Wore shirts listing victims
- Projected names on buildings
- Demanded policy named after victims (Breonna’s Law, George Floyd Justice in Policing Act)
The List Grows
The hashtag sorrowfully acknowledges that the list never stops growing. Each police killing adds another name to remember:
- Daunte Wright (2021)
- Ma’Khia Bryant (2021)
- Patrick Lyoya (2022)
- Jayland Walker (2022)
- Tyre Nichols (2023)
More Than Statistics
#SayTheirNames insists on:
- Naming victims (not just “another police killing”)
- Sharing their stories and humanity
- Honoring their lives, not just mourning deaths
- Holding systems accountable
- Ensuring history remembers
The campaign challenges American amnesia about racist violence, demanding we “say their names” until justice is achieved.
Sources: