Troy Davis Lives Forever

Troy Davis Lives Forever

Before Davis was killed at age 42, he told his sister Kimberly and other family members “that he wanted us to continue the fight to clear his name and end the death penalty.”

Facebook
Twitter
Email
Flipboard
Pocket

Today is the first anniversary of the killing of Troy Davis, who was executed by the state of Georgia for a crime many believe he did not commit despite a massive international campaign for clemency.

Before Davis was killed at age 42, he told his sister Kimberly and other family members “that he wanted us to continue the fight to clear his name and end the death penalty.” Kimberly Davis is heeding her brother’s call. Next month she will be in California campaigning on behalf of the SAFE California Act that would commute the death sentences of all 725 current death row inmates in the state to life without parole. The proposal will be decided by California voters on November 6 as one of the state’s many referendums.

The video below was created by Rebel Diaz as a tribute to Davis. Sampling Billie Holiday’s classic ‘Strange Fruit’, the song highlights the parallels between old-fashioned, traditional racism and the modern systemic repression in which black people can be legally lynched on the orders of appointed officials.

Thank you for reading The Nation

We hope you enjoyed the story you just read, just one of the many incisive, deeply-reported articles we publish daily. Now more than ever, we need fearless journalism that shifts the needle on important issues, uncovers malfeasance and corruption, and uplifts voices and perspectives that often go unheard in mainstream media.

Throughout this critical election year and a time of media austerity and renewed campus activism and rising labor organizing, independent journalism that gets to the heart of the matter is more critical than ever before. Donate right now and help us hold the powerful accountable, shine a light on issues that would otherwise be swept under the rug, and build a more just and equitable future.

For nearly 160 years, The Nation has stood for truth, justice, and moral clarity. As a reader-supported publication, we are not beholden to the whims of advertisers or a corporate owner. But it does take financial resources to report on stories that may take weeks or months to properly investigate, thoroughly edit and fact-check articles, and get our stories into the hands of readers.

Donate today and stand with us for a better future. Thank you for being a supporter of independent journalism.

Ad Policy
x