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Hey John,
Today, we’re uplifting the anniversary of a deeply consequential moment in America’s history of anti-Blackness and civil injustice.
On February 4, 1846, the Alabama legislature inaugurated a system of leasing incarcerated people for profit. This practice became known as convict leasing.
Convict leasing paved the way for modern-day slavery, and subjected countless Black people into labor under brutal conditions. It became a foundation of racialized incarceration and allows for the continuous exploitation that we see in the criminal legal system today.
Currently, the United States’ prison population is well over 2 million people, with major racial disparities to consider. This is no coincidence.
This anniversary isn’t just a day on the calendar. It’s a staunch reminder that the legacy of racial capitalism and state violence didn’t end with slavery — it’s where it began.
Today, we still see state-sanctioned violence in the form of economic abuse, and how legal systems were designed to extract Black bodies and labor.
This anniversary serves many purposes for us and our work: It contextualizes where we are today and how much further we must go. The strategies we build and how we use our collective power to move toward liberation with clarity and courage require us to root our efforts in history, care, data, and community.
As we continue observances during Black History and Black Futures Month, including honoring the contributions, brilliance, and perseverance of generations past and present, we hold these principles close:
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Truth-Telling as Resistance. History matters. Meaningful change starts with acknowledging what was done and to whom.
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Strategy as Care. Our internal assessment has made clear the importance of aligned solidarity practices that balance risk, legal constraints, and movement support.
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Solidarity as Action. Documenting histories like convict leasing, uplifting frontline community voices, and strengthening networked defense are not symbolic; they are tactical and transformative.
Thinking about today’s topic and these principles, we’re asking our community one simple question this week: What feels most important for BLMGNF to prioritize right now? Your voice helps shape how we move forward. Let us know by clicking this link.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Foundation
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Black Lives Matter imagines a world where Black people across the diaspora thrive, experience joy, and are not defined by their struggles.
We are building a future where Black people are free, safe, and able to thrive beyond cages, control, and violence.
To keep this work moving, we need consistency. Recurring donations are how grassroots movements win. Monthly gifts from people like you are the backbone of our work.
Will you make a recurring contribution of $5 or more today so that we can keep building momentum for our movement?
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