Black Lives Matter

noun

: a movement founded in 2013 to end white supremacy and support Black communities

Note: Black Lives Matter was founded by Black community organizers Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi after George Zimmerman was acquitted of charges relating to his fatal shooting of Black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012; the movement expanded as people reacted to police killings of unarmed Black people in years following. The name Black Lives Matter functions as a declaration that Black people's lives have as much value as white people's lives, and as a call to end systems and practices that challenge this fact.

abbreviation BLM

Examples of Black Lives Matter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Brooks-Moon, who is Black, was also vocal in her support of the Black Lives Matter movement after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Soon, Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Thin Blue Line, Pride flags, and other posters and materials were removed from classrooms. Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2024 Through their Archewell Foundation, Harry and Meghan have supported efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and focused their attention on the Black Lives Matter movement and fighting for racial justice. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Releasing this in 2020 was an intrepid choice, especially at the height of the pandemic, but more pointedly, the epicenter of Black Lives Matter. Shannon J. Effinger, SPIN, 13 Mar. 2024 Despite that criticism– and despite making a big show of painting a Black Lives Matter mural on the ground and renaming a plaza amid the George Floyd protests– Washington D.C.’s city council passed a crime bill that would give the police unfettered power in the city. Olayemi Olurin, Essence, 11 Mar. 2024 The shirt is an appropriation of the Black Lives Matter movement's chant that is intended to give voice to women who had been killed by police. James Powel, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Prior to Reid, Parson’s most controversial clemency action had been pardoning Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who waved guns in front of Black Lives Matter demonstrators. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Although this experience is nothing new for ethnic minorities, corporations have been publishing diversity and inclusion pledges in the wake of Black Lives Matter. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Black Lives Matter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

2014, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Black Lives Matter was in 2014

Dictionary Entries Near Black Lives Matter

Cite this Entry

“Black Lives Matter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Lives%20Matter. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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