Police brutality against Black individuals has been a pervasive issue throughout American history. Dating back to the era of slavery, slave patrols were established to capture and punish enslaved people who attempted to escape or challenge the system. These patrols often employed violent tactics to maintain control over Black individuals.

During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Black activists and communities faced severe police brutality as they fought against segregation and racial inequality. Images and accounts of police officers using excessive force, such as water hoses and attack dogs, against peaceful protesters like those in the Birmingham campaign in 1963 shocked the nation and galvanized support for the civil rights cause.

In more recent times, the cases of Rodney King in 1991, Abner Louima in 1997, and Amadou Diallo in 1999 brought national attention to the issue of police brutality against Black individuals. The Black Lives Matter movement, sparked by the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2013, has also been at the forefront of raising awareness and demanding accountability for police violence against Black communities.

The deaths of George Floyd in 2020 and Breonna Taylor in 2020, among many others, have reignited calls for police reform and sparked nationwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality. These incidents, along with countless others throughout history, underscore the urgent need for meaningful changes in law enforcement practices to ensure the safety and equal treatment of Black individuals by police.