Andrews Daisha

English 101
Justice and Equality

The Civil Rights Era of the

1950s, Black Panther
movement, Freddie Gray and
Michael Brown case all have
something in common
(injustice towards African
Americans). Civil Rights Era
and Black Panther movement
are the history of African
American struggle for equality.
The recent fight is from the
injustice of the Freddie Gray and Michael Brown cases. In the mural there are protestors with
defiant and determined faces walking down the meadow holding up their fist or flags. The
animals in the mural represent symbolic meanings. The mural illustrates, after all these years of
ancestors fighting for justice and equality, the new generation is still facing problems.
The importance of being treated with justice and equality are two words African
Americans have fought for years about. The mural above shows protestors of a new generation
fighting for justice and equality. The bottom right of the mural, there is a young woman with her
left arm raised holding up her fist, blue scarf on her head, holding books on top of her head and

the dove. The look of her position with the books and a scarf on her head is similar to women in
Africa carrying baskets of food on their heads usually with a scarf to wrap up their hair. Also, the
colors of the books on her head (green, red and black) show the colors of the African flag which
the red represent the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry and shed for
liberation, on the flag the color black represents the people in Africa and on the flag the color
green represents abundant natural wealth of Africa. Instead of food on her head there are books
showing the artist is making a connection to the importance of education on youth. Also, in
mural she is holding up her fist which represents the history of the Black Panther movement
originating the symbol to represent black power. Then, the dove is another symbol that is used to
represent hope, peace and promise (all of these words are subjective of the mural); hope for a
solution to this civil conflict, peace in this world while protesting for such a controversial topic
and promise that in the future there is a permanent solution. The back right corner of the mural is
a young man holding up his right hand and fist symbolizing black power and in his left hand
holding the loud speaker. The loud speaker symbolizes the protestors courage and power to
address his viewpoint of the justice and equality he is fighting for. In the center of the mural
there is an African American boy holding a flag with the colors red, green, and black; on the top
right corner of the flag is a peace sign. The colors on the flag are the exact same colors of the pan
flag in Africa, but the difference is the flag the boy is holding up has a white peace sign. The boy
is showing the face of the peace sign as symbolism for this civil fight to continue in a peaceful
manner when the topic creates controversy. The mural shows the boy walking in front of the
police with the flag. The mural shows him walking in a peaceful manner and the police running
him away. In August of 2014, 18 year old African American male Michael Brown was shot
multiple times by the police while positioned with his hands held above his head. Brown

peacefully followed the police order to hold his hands above his head just like in the mural of the
boy holding the flag peacefully while the police are behind him hiding behind their weapons. On
the left side of the mural there is a boy holding a flag with the word rebel on it. The position
of his head is held high. He seems prideful of the flag he is holding and the cause he fights for.
The cause he is fighting for is self explanatory given the outline of Africa on his shirt. Then, the
lower left corner of the mural is showing the Black Panther, a great symbol of Black History of
Black Panthers. The organization objective is to provide for their people with services and fight
for black peoples rights. The murals setting contrast a beautiful day, but terrible that these
people in the image cant enjoy it with problems to fight for.
There is a history of fighting for justice and equality; but the solution of the problem is
blurry. During the 1950s and 60s, the Civil Rights Movement and Black Panther Movement
occurred. Both movements were fighting for justice and equality for African Americans, but used
different techniques of making their voices heard. The Civil Rights movement had leader Martin
Luther King Jr. who believed the best way to address racial mistreatment was peacefully and in a
non violent matter. The Civil Rights movement was a peaceful movement that believed the best
way to address the racial mistreatment was nonviolent civil disobedience. Martin Luther King Jr.
was a well known activist, humanitarian and the leader of the Civil Rights Movement. King was
president of Montgomery Improvement Association, founder and president of Southern Christian
Leadership Conference, and August 28, 1963 I Have a Dream speech in Washington, D.C. on
the steps of Lincoln Memorial. King led various events with March on Washington D.C. for
jobs/freedom where the speech took place, Montgomery Bus Boycott, March from Montgomery
to Selma for voting rights and the man who was the reason for the passing of the Voting Rights
Act and Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Voting Rights Act stated the right to all African Americans

to vote and Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in public places. King was a
leader for his continuous acts of his gallant behavior to further the fight for justice and equality.
However, the Black Panther Party took a different approach, but with the same objective of
blacks having justice and equality. The Black Panther Party patrolled African American
neighborhoods against acts of police brutality. May of 1967, the Black Panther Party garnered
national attention after marching fully armed into the California state legislature when the
Mulford Act was pending. Later that year, Newton was arrested in 1967 for an incident of a
shootout with police officers and in result an officer was killed. The Black Panther Party became
an international organization after Newtons arrest with 48 chapters in North America and
support groups in Japan, France, Germany, China, England, Sweden, South Africa, Mozambique,
Zimbabwe and Uruguay. Also, created resources for the communities they protected with such
action(s): more than 35 survival programs, education, tuberculosis testing, legal aid,
transportation assistance, ambulance service and manufacture and distribution of free shoes to
poor people (Duncan). The mural with the Black Panther represents the organization acts of
courage to fight and provide for blacks.
Now our recent fight is the monster of police toward African Americans. Recently, two
African American males were killed by the police. August of 2014, 18 year old Michael Brown
was shot multiple times by police officer Darren Wilson. Brown was suspected from a call for a
robbery at a local convenience store. Brown was approached by Wilson sitting in the police car.
Brown and Wilson had an altercation and began scuffling while Wilson is still seated in the
police car. Wilson fired a shot outside of the police car window at Brown. Brown began to run
after the first shot was fired, Wilson got out of the car and shot again. Witness and friend with
Michael Brown during the incident Dorian Johnson said While Mr. Brown was running away

from Mr. Wilson, Mr. Johnson says that his friend was shot once from behind and then turned to
face the police officer while raising his arms in the air. According to Mr. Johnson, the officer
fired several more shots at Mr. Brown before he fell to the ground. Months later, April of 2014
25 year old Freddie Gray was approached by police for alleged possession of an illegal switch
blade. Eyewitnesses suggested that the police used unnecessary forces during the arrest. Gray
was arrested and on his way to the police van he collapsed. Gray was taken to the police station
and while in custody he repeatedly told police at the station that he couldnt breathe. Gray told
police he needs medical attention while in custody. Gray fainted and couldnt breathe because his
voice box was smashed and was taken to the hospital. Gray died in the trauma unit of the
hospital with reports of his death due to a spinal cord injury. Lately, the police have been the
problem and spark of racial controversy with African American males. There is a change with the
new generation, but its negative. Now, the police are the problem for this social injustice and the
new generation is fighting the enemy that is supposed to patrol the world. The history of the
Civil Rights Movement and Black Panther Party were just factors of the fight against the civil
unrest, but all these years the fight is still going.