CULTURE + LANGUAGE

Why Phrases Like "Rest in Power" Belong to the Black Community

And why some are desperately trying to strip it of context

AI-generated painting of a Black woman kneeling near flowers | created by the author

“Rest in power" is a phrase popularized in the black community, a revolutionary eulogy. There are two primary ways it's generally used to honor someone who made significant contributions to society, like in the case of John Lewis, the late civil rights leader and House representative. Or when someone's suffered a great injustice, as in the case of Sandra Bland, a Black woman found hanging in her jail cell, or Trayvon Martin, a teenager fatally shot to death while walking home with an Arizona Iced Tea and Skittles. The phrase "rest in power," is a way of honoring someone who passed away in the black community, promising to keep not just their memory but their hopes and dreams alive.

For instance, in the few years since John Lewis passed away, his motto, "get in good trouble, necessary trouble," has become a slogan among modern-day activists. This quote, which Lewis shared while commemorating Bloody Sunday, the 1965 protest in Selma, Alabama, where he marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many other organizers, has become synonymous with his life's work. The takeaway being to never be afraid of getting into what Lewis characterized as "good trouble," of…