Overview
#SayHerName is a social justice campaign highlighting police violence and systemic racism against Black women, launched by the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) in December 2014.
Origins
Created by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw and AAPF to address the erasure of Black women from conversations about police brutality
Key Victims Centered
- Sandra Bland (2015) - Died in Texas jail after traffic stop
- Breonna Taylor (2020) - Killed by Louisville police in botched raid
- Atatiana Jefferson (2019) - Shot through window by Fort Worth officer
- Michelle Cusseaux (2014) - Killed during welfare check
- Tanisha Anderson (2014) - Died in police custody
2015 Report
AAPF published groundbreaking “#SayHerName: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women” report
- Documented 64+ Black women killed by police 2010-2014
- Highlighted how media coverage prioritized male victims
- Introduced intersectionality framework to police violence discourse
2020 Resurgence
Breonna Taylor
- March 13, 2020: Taylor killed by Louisville Metro Police during no-knock raid
- Initial media silence; #SayHerName activists forced national attention
- Protests erupted May-September 2020 alongside George Floyd demonstrations
- “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor” became rallying cry
- 87 consecutive days of Louisville protests
- Only one officer charged (not for her death, for endangering neighbors)
Cultural Impact
- Music: Janelle Monáe released “Say Her Name (Hell You Talmbout)” (2015)
- Art: Murals of Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland in major cities
- Sports: WNBA players wore “Say Her Name” warm-up shirts (2020)
- Awards: Time Magazine included Breonna Taylor’s mother in 100 Most Influential (2021)
Intersectionality Focus
Highlighted how Black women face unique combination of racism and sexism in policing
- Hypersexualization and perceived “aggression”
- Domestic violence victims criminalized
- Trans Black women exceptionally vulnerable
- Pregnant Black women violently arrested