I feel like the mantra for this moment is: “Disappointed but not surprised.”
Under the Trump regime, we are inundated with disappointing, even devastating developments, but those of us who have been paying attention aren’t necessarily surprised.
That’s how I felt when I heard that the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC was set to be removed.
Crews started the process this week—at a cost of $610,000.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, under pressure from Trump and GOP officials—authorized its removal.
What gets me…they’re not just painting over it, they are using a jackhammer to completely remove the layer of asphalt that had the words “Black Lives Matter” painted on it.
That’s why I call this episode “Jackhammering Justice.”
This isn’t just about removing painting, it’s part of a larger campaign to suppress Black-led activism and maintain control over the narratives that shape public memory.
The violent, invasive removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza reminds us that progress is not just about making history but about protecting it from being erased.
P.S. I’m out of town on a thrilling Southern civil rights tour/pilgrimage with the Telos Group, so I couldn’t do our regular Office Hours. Can’t wait to tell you all about it. We’ll be back next month!
Do you think removing Black Lives Matter plaza has any deeper significance or is this just a distraction? And do you think the occasional video format is helpful? Let me know in the comments.
I write about Black Lives Matter and contemporary racial justice advocates in the final chapter of The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Religion. Get your copy today!
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