Trayvon Martin was shot and killed him on February 26, 2012, while he was walking home in Sanford, Florida. At first, Trayvon’s death was written off as an act of self-defense even though he was unarmed and had done nothing wrong.
Despite killing an innocent teen, George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who race-profiled the 17-year-old, was exonerated of second-degree murder and manslaughter in 2013 and was allowed to go free. His release revealed the pervasive racial inequities in the way cases involving Black victims are handled and was widely viewed as a failure of the legal system.
Even though justice was denied in the courtroom, Trayvon’s passing sparked a movement. The #BlackLivesMatter movement, which calls for racial justice, accountability, and changes to laws pertaining to self-defense, was born as a result of the nationwide demonstrations that his case triggered. In the continuous struggle for justice, Trayvon’s story has grown to be a potent symbol, demonstrating that even though the system failed him, his legacy still motivates change.
