George Floyd And The Civil Rights Act Of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, was a pivotal moment in American history that marked a significant milestone in the ongoing Black struggle for racial equality and justice. Notably, the act ended segregation, expanded voting rights, opened up new economic opportunities, and set a new legal precedent (A&E Television Networks). However, in 2020, the tragic death of George Floyd reignited the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in an effort to reassess the progress made since the Civil Rights Act. Despite notable advancements, enduring inequalities and injustices, as noted by the continued systemic racism prevalent within the judicial and incarceration system, underscore the evolution of the country since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Systemic racism is a term

For instance, the militarization of law enforcement, symbolized by the deployment of federal forces donning and using riot gear against peaceful BLM protesters, exemplified the racially discriminatory tactics employed by authorities (Wolfendale, 2023). This use of excessive force through the militarization of police against the BLM protestors closely parallels that seen by the initial civil rights activists decades ago. Specifically, the police attack on the BLM movements is comparable to the civil rights Selma to Montgomery March (A&E Television Networks). Moreover, the criminal justice system plays a significant role in perpetuating systemic racism. Black individuals are disproportionately targeted, arrested, and incarcerated compared to their white counterparts. According to one research study conducted in 2022, despite the advancements of incarceration policies in recent times, Black adults were imprisoned at a rate four times higher than their White