Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Poster of the Week


Still Waiting for Justice
Hunter Langston
digital print, 2012
Michigan
39498

Text:  Still Waiting for Justice  Trayvon Martin  born February 5, 1995 Murdered February 26, 2012

Trayvon Martin was an unarmed 17-year-old African American male who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida.   Zimmerman, a 28-year-old biracial Hispanic American, was a community watch volunteer for the gated community where the shooting took place. Zimmerman was taken into custody, but released when the police agreed with Zimmerman’s claim that the shooting was in self-defense.  Six weeks later, amidst heightened media attention, Zimmerman was charged with murder by a new prosecutor.  The circumstances of Martin's death, the delay in charging Zimmerman, and questions about Florida's Stand Your Ground law received national and international attention.  After Zimmerman was found not guilty on July 13, 2013, thousands protested the verdict across the United States, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, New York, Tampa and Washington, D.C.   The Justice Department is considering filing Federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman.

When this poster was first produced following Trayvon’s murder, the title referred to the fact that George Zimmerman had not been arrested for the crime.  Sadly, the poster now reflects on the not-guilty verdict. Trayvon Martin and all of us are still waiting for justice.

Sources:
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/07/images-travyvon-martin-protests-zimmerman-verdict
http://www.democracynow.org/2013/7/16/naacp_leads_push_for_federal_civil
http://www.democracynow.org/topics/trayvon_martin