Gun Control and Black Powerlessness: The Racist Origins, and Legacy of Firearms Legislation

Following the widely publicized 2012 shooting of the unarmed youth Trayvon Martin, many opportunistic politicians and anti-gun-rights activists took it upon themselves to blame Florida gun laws, Concealed Carry permits and so on for the death of this young man. These opportunists, however, have ignored the fact that gun-control legislation has historically emerged to disempower black communities, when they were perceived as a threat. The historical record provides irrefutable evidence that racism, overtly and covertly, underlies Gun Control laws. The history of Gun Control in America contains an ugly, often unknown component of discrimination, particularly against black people. Throughout the bulk of American history, Gun Control has been openly stated as a method for keeping black people “in their place,” and to quiet the fears of whites. This work will provide a summary of the historical interweaving and inseparable relationship of Gun Control with American Racism.