Chapter 4: Intersectionality and the Status of Black Males: Risk, Resilience, and Response

On February 26, 2012 an unarmed male teenager named Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by 28-year old George Zimmerman, a volunteer on neighborhood watch patrol. Trayvon Martin was Black, and George Zimmerman was initially described by police as “White” (Zimmerman is in fact half Latino). The killing, which generated a national wave of protests because Zimmerman had not been charged with a crime by the police or local prosecutors for over a month after the killing, fit into a well-established narrative in America’s long troubled history of race relations (Legum, 2012). While the details of the incident are still emerging, and the trial of George Zimmerman will occur after this paper is published, it is clear is that Zimmerman deemed Martin’s mere presence in his gated community as “suspicious.” Zimmerman justified his pursuit of the teenager on the grounds that he posed a “threat.” He followed the teen, even after he was instructed by the police not to do so, first in his vehicle, then on foot, and eventually confronted him. A physical conflict between Zimmerman and Martin ensued and resulted in the shooting death of the teen. Conflicting stories from witnesses made it difficult to determine exactly what had occurred; in the darkness, nothing was clear. However, in the aftermath the police determined that Martin had a right to be in the area (he was visiting his uncle) and was not involved in any criminal activity. In fact, the only items Martin carried were a can of Arizona Iced Tea, $40 and change, a red lighter, and a now iconic bag of skittles (Treyvon Martin Case, 2012). Surveillance video from the local convenience store shows Martin purchasing these items while wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, also known as a “hoodie,” shortly before his encounter with Zimmerman.