Three months have passed since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, and this week the community there is nervously awaiting the grand jury’s decision whether to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson. On Monday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and issued an executive order to activate the National Guard to act as a backup to police in case protests get out of control.
How exactly did we get here? We recommend you watch this video animation by artist and activist Molly Crabapple. She beautifully illustrates the story of Mike Brown and the activism his death inspired. Crabapple highlights the history of police brutality and also recounts the details of other black men who have died recently at the hands of authorities, including Eric Gardner in New York and John Crawford in Ohio.