Abstract:
This Justice for Her: A Digital Chronicle of Strength and Struggle project is an important, interactive exhibit that explores the history of the #SayHerName Campaign, Breonna Taylor’s tragic murder, and the impact her murder has had on the movement. Using an in-depth timeline, a dynamic H5P, and a press release, I will highlight the systemic structures that led to her murder on March 13, 2020 and the global movement that was amplified in her name.

The audience will examine the events revolving around her death, giving them a deeper understanding of the #SayHerName movement which will subsequently center Black women’s voices in the call for police reform. The goal of my exhibit is to inform and inspire people to fight for accountability and justice. This exhibit emphasizes Breonna’s story while also paying respect to the women whose stories have gone unheard.
Introduction:
The #SayHerName campaign was created in 2014 by the African American Policy Forum and the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies. This was done to bring attention to the Black women and girls who are impacted by police violence but being their stories often go unheard. The campaign’s goal was to emphasize these cases and to make sure they were not overlooked in the broader discourse about police brutality, and Breonna Taylor’s death became the biggest and most visible moment since the conception of the movement.
Historiography:
The origins: In 2014 the campaign was created in response to the lack of visibility of Black women in national discourse about police brutality. The conversations typically revolved around Black men who have been victims, such as Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and Eric Garner. Kimberle Crenshaw and Andrea Ritchie aimed to bring light the stories of women who were victims; Rekia Boyd, Sandra Bland, and more who were excluded from the conversations.
Development: In the years following its conception, the #SayHerName campaign gained momentum through community organizing, art exhibits, and the publication of reports like Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women. The campaign connected with Black Lives Matter to guarantee there is an intersectional approach to hold police accountable.

Analysis:
Breonna Taylor’s death gives direct insight to the patterns of police violence against Black girls and women, positioning her story within larger discourse on intersectionality and the way that institutional violence impacts marginalized groups at a higher rate. By connecting her story to historical and present-day analyses of police brutality, the lens uncovers the layers of oppression Black women face.
Although discourse regarding police brutality have mostly centered Black men, past and present scholarship has examined the specific issues that Black women face. Black women experiencing violence dates back all the way to slavery, and it reveals that their bodies have been places of both racial and gendered violence and control. Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis shows how Black women’s marginalization comes from systems that intersect, these systems include racism, sexism, and economic exploitation.
The term intersectionality was created by Kimberle Crenshaw, a scholar whose work in gender studies has made a significant impact on the way these issues are examined and discussed. Intersectionality is defined as a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects (Crenshaw, 2017). Kimberle emphasizes that understanding police violence requires looking at the ways race and gender connect to form experiences of oppression.
Contemporary Scholarship:
Police Violence and Invisibility: The death of Breonna Taylor is symbolic of the exclusion of Black women and girls in conversations about police brutality. Andrea Ritchie, who is a scholar argues that Black women are impacted by unique forms of violence which often goes unnoticed by the public and people academia. This violence can be physical, such a police violence, but it can also be the criminalization of their means to survival that leads to an increase of surveillance over their lives.
Victimhood: Research has provided insight on how Black women such as Breonna Taylor may not have the perception of innocent victims, which is the opposite experience compared to white women. Historically, the “strong Black woman” trope has desensitized people to the suffering that they face. Breonna’s case being ignored initially is evidence of that pattern.
Intersectionality: The #SayHerName campaign challenges racial justice and feminist movements to acknowledge and account for the stories of Black women and girls. Crenshaw makes a point to emphasize that the erasure of Black women’s stories reinforces the invisibility of them within campaigns that should advocate for them. The recognition of Breonna Taylor’s death globally within the context of the #SayHerName movement shows how intersectionality as a foundation has influenced social justice campaigns.
Breonna Taylor’s Impact
Nationally: Breonna’s murder occurred while police were executing an illegal no-knock warrant, and it became a pivotal moment in the #SayHerName movement. Her story was told through social media, community organizing, and increased visibility due to the advocacy of public figures. These sources coupled together brought unparalleled attention to the institutional issues Black women endure during their interactions with police. The slogan #SayHerName became a rallying cry at protests in America.
Internationally: In other countries, Breonna’s case has been an integral part of bringing awareness to Black women who have experienced police violence globally. Brazil, for example, Black people are disproportionately impacted by police brutality, specifically women like Claudia Ferreira and Marielle Franco. They have been important symbols of protest against institutional violence. Breonna’s name has also been used by activists in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Latin America to shed light on the cases of gendered violence happening in their countries. Black women are not only oppressed through overt violence, but also subtle forms of institutional oppression. Similarly to Crenshaw, Patricia Hill Collins, a scholar, argues that intersectionality is extremely important to understand how these systems move together to marginalize Black women.

All sources will be cited in the reference section