Can Black Mothers Raise Kids Without Fear Of Police Brutality?

Lezley McSpadden, Mike Brown’s mother, speaks onstage during the Mother’s Moments of Courage panel at the 2016 ESSENCE Festival presented By Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 2, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

In 2014, the world shockingly watched in dismay and angst as Ferguson, Missouri, became the epicenter of a national conversation about race, policing, and justice. Michael Brown. Jr, an unarmed Black teen, was fatally shot by a police officer, leading to widespread outrage and protests across the nation. For many Black mothers, this life-taking tragedy was a heart-wrenching reminder of the constant fear they face: that their children could become victims of police violence, no matter their age or innocence. The grief that comes from losing a child to such violence is more than a personal tragedy—it’s a profound issue of reproductive justice. Every Black mother deserves the peace of knowing they can raise their children without living in constant fear of police brutality.

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What exactly is reproductive justice?

Reproductive justice is a concept that Black women introduced in the 1990s to broaden the traditional view of reproductive rights. It goes beyond the right to have or not have children; it includes the right to raise children in a safe, healthy and supportive environment (Ross & Solinger, 2017). For Black mothers, this right is severely undermined by the threat of police violence, which feels like a form of state control over their families.

The history of systemic racism in the U.S. has always sought to control Black lives, particularly Black women. It’s a continuation of the historical oppression Black women have repeatedly faced, from the forced separations of mother and child during slavery to the co-erced sterilizations of the 20th century, Black mothers have faced oppressive policies and practices designed to control their reproductive lives. Today, the fear of losing a child to police violence is an exhausting continuation of this long history of injustice. It’s a complete injustice that Black mothers must navigate every day, worrying for their children’s safety in a society that often devalues their lives. (Roberts, 1997)

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The broader impact

The unaliving of Black males such as Michael Brown and others like him reflects a broader pattern of racialized state violence that disproportionately affects Black communities. Alongside Lezley McSpadden (Brown’s mother), mothers like Sybrina Fulton (Trayvon Martin), Gwen Carr (Eric Garner), Valerie Castile, (Philando Castile) Samaria Rice (Tamir Rice), and Roxie Washington (George Floyd) have also been thrust into the national spotlight after the unaliving of their respective sons. These mothers, much like McSpadden, have become powerful advocates of change by transforming their grief into activism and joining in the fight for justice and systemic change. Their stories remind us that police violence affects entire communities, not just individual families.

Statistically speaking

Statistics paint a clear, but stark picture. Research shows that Black men are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white men, and Black women are 1.4 times more likely than white women to face similar fates (Edwards, Lee, & Esposito, 2019). A CNN report states that police violence is one of the leading causes of death for young Black men, with a 1 in 1,000 chance of being killed by law enforcement over their lifetime (CNN, 2019). These numbers represent not just statistics but the countless Black families shattered by violence that could be prevented. The collective pain of mothers like McSpadden, Fulton, Carr, Castile and Rice underscores the urgent need to address police violence as a public health crisis and a reproductive justice issue.

For some Black mothers, the unwarranted anxiety and fear about their children’s safety is a daily burden. Simple, routine parenting tasks—sending a child to school, letting them play outside, or encouraging them to follow their dreams—are overshadowed by the fear that their child’s life is at risk. This fear is not just a personal concern but a public health crisis that requires urgent action.

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Moving towards solutions

To tackle this issue, we need a multi-faceted approach that addresses the root causes of police violence and elevates the voices of Black mothers. Below are several suggestions that can be implemented toward creating safer environments for all children (Campaign Zero, 2020).

• Policy Reforms: Increased accountability for police officers is essential. We have to move away from policies that protect officers from accountability (namely “police immunity” – a controversial policy currently being advocated for by the current republican party presidential nominee.)
• Demilitarization: Reforming law enforcement to focus on community safety rather than military-style tactics helps build trust and prevent violence.
• Community-based Initiatives: Investing more in local programs like The Detroit 300 and Cure Violence in Chicago, which focus on preventing violence and supporting communities, is vital.

Furthermore, supporting organizations and movements led by Black women, such as the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and Mothers Against Police Brutality, can also amplify the call for justice and systemic change.

Conclusion

The fight for reproductive justice is deeply intertwined with the right to parent without fear. For Black mothers, this means envisioning a world where their children can grow up safely and with dignity. It also means living in a society where their children can thrive, free from the threat of violence at the hands sworn to protect them. It involves dismantling systems of oppression that perpetuate violence and ensuring a future where justice is not just an ideal but a reality.

As we remember Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, George Floyd, and the countless other Black children and men whose lives have been tragically cut short by police violence, let us honor their memories by committing to a future where reproductive justice is not just an aspiration but a reality. Black mothers deserve nothing less than the assurance that their children can grow up in a world that recognizes their humanity, cherishes their potential and embraces their well-being – a peaceful world where their children’s lives are valued and protected.