Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
Spring 2019
Publisher
Philosophy Documentation Center
Source Publication
Philosophy Today : Charlottsville
Source ISSN
0031-8256
Abstract
I argue that the key ideas of the movement for Black lives have resonances with Frantz Fanon's ideas particularly in Black Skin, White Masks. I first demonstrate how the mission to repudiate Black demise and affirm Black humanity captures Fanon's critique of universal humanism. The fear of the Black body was central to the testimonies of Darren Wilson, Jeronimo Yanez, and George Zimmerman (the individuals that shot and killed Mike Brown, Philando Castile, and Trayvon Martin respectively). Fanon prioritized the role of the body in his account of racism. It is difficult to not see the relevance of Fanon's analysis when one considers these testimonies. Lastly, I demonstrate how the chants "Black lives matter," "Hands up, don't shoot," and "I can't breathe" are acknowledgments of the significance of Black lives and serve as contemporary instances of Fanon's sociodiagnostic approach.
Recommended Citation
Harris, Kimberly Ann, "What Does It Mean to Move for Black Lives?" (2019). Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications. 786.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/phil_fac/786
Comments
Accepted version. Philosophy Today : Charlottsville, Vol. 63, No. 2 (Spring 2019): 275-291. DOI. © 2019 Philosophy Documentation Center. Used with permission.