Black Lives Matter

Grow your skills with Coursera Plus for $239/year (usually $399). Save now.

Black Lives Matter

Instructor: Tristan Cabello, PhD

5,375 already enrolled

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

82 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

82 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

13 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

There are 4 modules in this course

The #BlackLivesMatter movement is the most significant political movement in African American life in the United States in the last fifty years. BLM leaders denounced anti-black racism, white supremacy, and police brutality and reshaped how we think about gender, sexuality, social justice, economic injustice, and crime. The movement is grounded in a long history of African American activism. From slave revolts to the Black Panther Party, from the founding of the Congressional Black Caucus, to the eruption of the #BLM Movements, this course is an interdisciplinary and historical exploration of the BlackLivesMatter movement.

In this module, learners will study the fundamentals of a "Racist Culture." Learners will analyze the history of racism in America, the making of the conservative movement and the diversity of African American communities. Learners must receive a passing grade (80%) on all quizzes. Discussion boards are optional.

What's included

6 videos9 readings3 assignments3 discussion prompts

6 videosTotal 18 minutes

An Introduction to the Course2 minutes
"The American Dream"4 minutes
A Culture of Racism?3 minutes
Acts and Riots in the 1960s4 minutes
The Conservative Turn3 minutes
A Divided Community3 minutes

9 readingsTotal 90 minutes

"To Fulfill These Rights..."10 minutes
About The Moynihan Report10 minutes
Remarks by President Obama on "My Brother's Keeper" Initiative10 minutes
The Kerner Commission10 minutes
The Welfare Queen10 minutes
The Southern Strategy10 minutes
Remarks by President Obama on Economic Mobility10 minutes
The National Black Political Convention10 minutes
The Dilemma of the New Black Politician10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

A Culture of Racism30 minutes
The Conservative Movement30 minutes
Divided Communities30 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 30 minutes

Liberals, Conservatives and Racism10 minutes
On Institutional Racism and Capitalism10 minutes
On Black Communities10 minutes

In this module, learners will study the relationship between race and policing in the United States, by analyzing the history of policing, racial relations during the Obama Presidency and the tensions revealed by the killing of Trayvon Martin. Learners must receive a passing grade (80%) on all quizzes. Discussion boards are optional.

What's included

4 videos15 readings3 assignments3 discussion prompts

4 videosTotal 13 minutes

Race and Policing4 minutes
The Obama Presidency3 minutes
The Troy Davis Moment3 minutes
The Trayvon Martin Moment3 minutes

15 readingsTotal 150 minutes

The Black Code of St. Landry’s Parish, Louisiana, 186510 minutes
A Report from Occupied Territory by James Baldwin10 minutes
Racial gap in U.S. arrest rates: Staggering disparity10 minutes
The Many Causes of America’s Decline in Crime10 minutes
Chicago police misconduct payouts topped $50 million10 minutes
Police killed more than twice as many people as reported by US government10 minutes
Barack Obama’s Speech on Race10 minutes
Black Voters Turn Out in Big Numbers for Obama10 minutes
Has President Obama Done Enough for Black Americans?10 minutes
The Dream That Never Was: Black Millennials and the Promise of Obama10 minutes
Blacks back 'Occupy', want Obama to be tougher on Wall Street10 minutes
The Terrorists in Blue10 minutes
Obama's Statement on Trayvon Martin's Verdict10 minutes
A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement10 minutes
How Trayvon Martin’s Death Launched a New Generation of Black Activism10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 50 minutes

Policing Race in America10 minutes
The Obama Presidency20 minutes
The Trayvon Martin Moment20 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 30 minutes

Law and Order10 minutes
Barack Obama and Black Liberation10 minutes
The Occupy Movement10 minutes

In this module, learners will study the politics, the people and the organization of the Black Lives Matter movement. Learners must receive a passing grade (80%) on all quizzes. Discussion boards are optional.

What's included

6 videos10 readings3 assignments3 discussion prompts

6 videosTotal 18 minutes

A Generational Divide3 minutes
A Women's Movement4 minutes
Organizing the Movement3 minutes
"Funding the Movement"3 minutes
The Demands of a Movement3 minutes
The Solidarity of a Movement2 minutes

10 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Al Sharpton's Eulogy for Mike Brown10 minutes
Nurturing black youth activism10 minutes
Not all of the Black freedom fighters are men10 minutes
A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement 10 minutes
Obama on the Grand Jury Decision in the Death of Eric Garner10 minutes
Amid tensions, Sharpton lashes out at younger activists10 minutes
How to fund #BlackLivesMatter10 minutes
Do Foundations Co-Opt Civil Rights Organizations?10 minutes
The Black Youth Project 100 and Minimum Wage10 minutes
Black Lives Matter on the Docks10 minutes

3 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

The Demographics of the Movement30 minutes
The Organization of the Movement30 minutes
The Politics of the Movement30 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 30 minutes

Gender, Sexuality, Class and #BlackLivesMatter10 minutes
Funding the Movement10 minutes
Solidarity and Allyship10 minutes

In this module, learners will study the future of the Black Lives Matter movement, by analyzing the George Floyd moment, the globalization of the movement, and future political options. Learners must receive a passing grade (80%) on all quizzes. Discussion boards are optional.

What's included

4 videos9 readings4 assignments4 discussion prompts

4 videosTotal 10 minutes

The George Floyd Moment2 minutes
The Impact of a Movement3 minutes
"A Global Movement"3 minutes
An Anticapitalist Movement2 minutes

9 readingsTotal 90 minutes

From the George Floyd moment to a Black Lives Matter movement10 minutes
Why The Killing of George Floyd Sparked an American Uprising10 minutes
George Floyd: Five pieces of context to understand the protests10 minutes
Black Lives Matter Protests: What's been achieved so far?10 minutes
The Global Impact of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement10 minutes
Black Lives Matter: From Social Media Post to Global Movement10 minutes
“Black Lives Matter” has become a global rallying cry against racism and police brutality10 minutes
How Black Lives Matter went global, by co-founder Patrisse Cullors10 minutes
Black Lives Matter Protests: Hope for the Future? 10 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 120 minutes

The George Floyd Moment30 minutes
The Impact of the Movement30 minutes
A Global Movement30 minutes
The Future of the Movement30 minutes

4 discussion promptsTotal 40 minutes

The George Floyd Movement10 minutes
The Impact of the Movement10 minutes
The Globalization of a Movement10 minutes
The Next Steps...10 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(37 ratings)

Tristan Cabello, PhD

Johns Hopkins University

1 Course5,375 learners

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

Explore more from History

Status: Free
University of Michigan
Community Awareness: Police Brutality in the U.S.
Course
Status: Preview
Emory University
From Freedom Rides to Ferguson: Narratives of Nonviolence in the American Civil Rights Movement
Course
Status: Preview
University of Michigan
Black Performance as Social Protest
Course
Status: Preview
Morehouse College
Activism in Sports and Culture
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

5 stars
69.87%
4 stars
20.48%
3 stars
2.40%
2 stars
4.81%
1 star
2.40%

Showing 3 of 82

Reviewed on Nov 17, 2022

It was very helpful to me, as a white woman, to understand the Black Lives Matter movement more. Thank you!

Reviewed on Oct 7, 2021

I can't even begn to say how much I have learned. Outstanding course, lots to think about and Do.

Reviewed on May 19, 2021

Succinct yet easy-to-understand presentation of difficult materials. Well done!

View more reviews

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Learn more

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Explore degrees

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.