Anand Giridharadas on How the Reverend Al Sharpton Works to Shape Narratives of Justice

Reverend Al Sharpton received a text message from his staff about a young Black man who had been choked to death on the subway. The story had been shared on social media. Sharpton immediately called his Harlem headquarters to inform his lieutenant, Malcolm Byrd, to investigate the story and learn more about the family. He instructed Byrd to alert the police and the prosecutor, as someone he knew in the city would be able to help.

The family of Jordan Neely, the victim, appreciated having the Rev's call but were also shocked. Sharpton's involvement was seen as a chance for Jordan's death to mean something beyond a personal tragedy. The family was hesitant due to internal divisions - Jordan and his father had a tumultuous relationship. Sharpton tried to reassure the family that the fight for justice wouldn't be affected by their family dynamics.

He shared his own story of familial strife to emphasize that the family's unity was not a prerequisite for the pursuit of justice. Sharpton emphasized that Neely's death was a result of vigilantism, not self-defense. He advised the lawyers representing the family to combat the narrative that Neely had a mental breakdown and posed a threat.

Sharpton had seen similar dehumanization tactics used throughout history, from the panic about Black men in the Jim Crow era to the panic about "superpredators" in the 1990s. He wanted to prevent the narrative from congealing and ensure the pursuit of justice wasn't compromised. Sharpton didn't want to bring in high-powered lawyers that could overshadow the family's representatives.

He reassured them that he never recommended lawyers and that their positions were safe. Sharpton invited the lawyers to appear on his TV show, an extension of his social justice conglomerate.