Michael Brown was an 18-year-old African American man who was shot and killed by a white police officer named Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9, 2014. His death sparked widespread protests and unrest in Ferguson and across the United States, bringing national attention to issues of police brutality, systemic racism, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The circumstances surrounding Brown's death, as well as the subsequent controversial decision by a grand jury not to indict Officer Wilson, reignited conversations about the treatment of African Americans by law enforcement and the criminal justice system. The Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum in the wake of Brown's death, as activists called for an end to police violence and racial profiling against Black communities.

Michael Brown's name became a symbol of the broader fight for racial justice and police reform in America, and his death continues to serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against systemic racism faced by Black individuals in the United States.