Too Many Names

“What do we want?” “Justice!” “When do we want it?” “Now!”

For four centuries, Brooklynites resisted racism. When slavery dominated Kings County, enslaved people fled. When White mobs lynched Black people during the 1863 Civil War draft riots, the Weeksville community provided refuge. When racial segregation and discrimination shaped Brooklyn during the 1950s and ’60s, Black and White civil rights activists demonstrated, putting their bodies on the line once again. They demanded change. They protested police brutality. They restored and rehabilitated their communities. When protests in 2020 demanded that Black Lives Matter, Brooklynites took to the streets. 

They developed alliances and expressed allyship across lines of religion, culture, ethnicity, and color. Through self-expression and collective symphonies of style and music, Brooklynites turned celebration into political demonstration. Today, Brooklynites call for an end to overpolicing. They join voices around the country pressing to move funds from punitive policies to restorative community-building practices. They chant:

“Whose streets?” “Our streets!” And when they resist, democracy and freedom exist. 

To learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement and more, visit our More Resources page.