Why ‘I will light you up’ was a KKK threat to Sandra Bland

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When Officer Brian Encinia threatened now dead Black activist Sandra Bland with “I will light you up” over a cigarette and improper lane change, he was echoing a part of America’s racist KKK past. When a KKK member threatens to “light you up” they mean it literally.


Here are five historical photos of what “I will light you up” means to Black Americans.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6
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Mo Barnes
Maurice "Mo" Barnes is a graduate of Morehouse College and Political Scientist based in Atlanta. Mo is also a Blues musician. He has been writing for Rolling Out since 2014. Whether it means walking through a bloody police shooting to help a family find justice or showing the multifaceted talent of the Black Diaspora I write the news.
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