ABSTRACT
On August 9, 2014 Michael Brown was killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. Wilson stated that Brown attacked him. Some witnesses claim that Brown had his hands up in the air in a surrender position when Wilson shot and killed him. The way the police department and the local government handled the case involving the death of Michael Brown galvanized the formation of a social movement that is termed #BlackLivesMatter. The 36 hours following the non-indictment of Wilson ignited a wave of national protests that the United States has not seen in decades. Gilbert and Ray further racialize the criminal justice system by showing that Blacks are significantly more likely than Whites to be killed by police. While police killings served as the apex of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, social media served as the catalyst. Social media allows researchers and journalists to chronicle minute-by-minute occurrences during social movements.
