SACRAMENTO – Today, Wednesday April 4th, the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Black Lives Matter (BLM) Sacramento, the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the Anti-Police Terror Project (APTP) and the Justice Team Network have partnered to call for a National Day of Action in remembrance of Stephon Clark.
In an effort to uplift the assassination of Dr. King, the organizations will also uplift the radical legacy that he has became known for, and the egregious murders of Stephon Clark and the countless others before him.
“Fifty years later, and Black Lives Matter has continued in the legacy of Dr. King, Diane Nash, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker and Winnie Mandela,” said Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter. “Many people see the Black Lives Matter Global Network as the modern incarnation of the drive for human dignity and legal standing that Dr. King embodied. But our work here is not done. We must reclaim Dr. King’s legacy and continue demand justice until the lives of Black people and thus all people truly matter. “
The Sacramento Chapter of BLM has been fighting for justice for Stephon Clark since his murder by Sacramento Police Department on March 18, 2018. They have called for cities across the country to remember Stephon Clark and the numerous victims before him with a day of action. There are five cities on record that will be participating in actions in their respective cities: BLM Chicago, BLMLA, BLM Lansing, BLM Greensboro and BLM Sacramento.
“As we mark this day in history, we continue to fight for the lives of all those who are harmed, treated with no respect and dignity, and killed by the state. Stephon’s family, like so many families nationwide deserve answers.” said Tanya Faison, BLM Sacramento Chapter Founder. “The killing of Stephon Clark by officers of the Sacramento Police Department is another glaring example of the dehumanization of black lives by law enforcement. Stephon’s family deserves to understand why he was first reported to have held a gun, then a crowbar, when in reality he was unarmed, and in his own backyard.”
Through the use of the social media hashtags #KingsLegacy and #Justice4Stephon, the coalition of organizations will honor the history and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and the continous fight for justice until all lives truly matter.
“Today marks the 50th anniversary of King’s Assassination – we are in the streets to uplift the radical nature of his legacy of resistance as well as the names of those gunned down in the streets of the country,” said Cat Brooks, Executive Director of the Justice Teams Project and co-founder of Anti Police Terror Project. “Stephon Clark is not just a Sacramento issue – it is a national issue – we say all of the names and demand an end to all forms of state sanctioned violence against Black bodies.”