Whether they’re fake or actually padded, bulletproof vests have been worn by Black men for decades. Music artists in the 90s wore them to protect themselves from potential enemies and police. Nowadays these vests have become something completely different.
There are Black suburban youth wearing these vests and while it may seem foolish, there is one threat that affects us all: police shootings.
Research has shown that Black people make up 13 percent of the U.S. population yet account for 24 percent of fatal police shootings. And from 2015-2021, there were approximately 135 unarmed Black people killed by police. So what does this all have to do with bulletproof vests?
The lineage of trauma from police violence could be subconsciously encouraging Black men to protect themselves. Bulletproof vests for fashion could be a way of doing that. In 2020, a Black-owned company selling bulletproof vests saw sales increase nearly 400 percent after Jacob Black was innocently shot by police.
Whether you find bulletproof vests appealing or not, let’s continue to raise awareness about the tyranny Black men continue to endure and show them love.