2020 has been largely characterized by a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, in a mediascape largely oversaturated with varying perspectives, it is perhaps more crucial now more than ever that black voices are heard. Within a week of George Floyds death there were already protests happening across the United States. One of these protests was a Justice Caravan hosted by the Jacksonville Community Action Committee in Downtown Jacksonville on May 30th 2020.

Motivated additionally by the deaths of Ahmaud Arbury, Breonna Taylor and Jamee Johnson, the protest served as a call to action for more police accountability. The importance of these protests lies in the fact that they show exactly what the American citizens want and are tired of. They are important because the right to even gather was a right people before us had to fight even harder for, and its accurate documentation serves to show exactly what happened so future generations may know our point of view.

During my Summer 2020 internship I was assigned the role of student researcher for a research paper documenting the Black Press pre-Civil rights moment. My particular focus was in the evolution in how political comics regarding the matter overtime, which expanded to the influence and importance of visual media in telling the story of Black America. Being a photographer, it only felt natural to contribute to the conversation the best way I know how.

My full body of research is available right here