2007

Deamonte Driver, 12, a Black boy in Prince George's County, Maryland, died after a tooth abscess spread bacteria to his brain. His family's Medicaid coverage had lapsed; dentists who accepted Medicaid were scarce. Two brain surgeries and six weeks of hospitalization could not save him. His death, reported in the Washington Post, prompted congressional hearings on Medicaid dental coverage gaps that disproportionately affected Black children.

Deamonte Driver, 12, of Prince George's County, Maryland, died after a tooth abscess spread bacteria to his brain. His family's Medicaid had lapsed; Medicaid dentists were scarce. His death prompted congressional hearings on Medicaid dental gaps disproportionately affecting Black children.

Troy Davis, a Black man convicted in 1991 of killing an off-duty Savannah police officer, came within hours of execution in September 2007 when the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay. Seven of nine non-police witnesses had recanted or contradicted their trial testimony. His case became an international cause célèbre, with Amnesty International, Pope Benedict XVI, former President Jimmy Carter, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu calling for clemency. He was ultimately executed in 2011.

Troy Davis, a Black man convicted in 1991 of killing an off-duty Savannah officer, came within hours of execution in 2007 after seven of nine non-police witnesses recanted. Amnesty International, Jimmy Carter, and Archbishop Tutu called for clemency. He was ultimately executed in 2011.

Approximately 50,000 people converged on Jena, Louisiana — a town of fewer than 3,000 — in one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in decades, demanding justice for the Jena Six. The march was organized largely through Black radio and online networks. Mychal Bell's adult conviction was later overturned; most charges were eventually reduced or dropped.

An estimated 20,000–50,000 demonstrators descended on Jena, Louisiana — population 3,000 — to protest the disproportionate attempted murder charges against six Black students. Organizers chartered hundreds of buses from across the country. The march was widely credited with forcing reduced charges; all six eventually avoided felony convictions. The mobilization demonstrated the continued power of mass direct action in the internet organizing era.