Trayvon Martin’s death: the psychological impact on America’s minority communities



Listen to the audio story from Annenberg Radio News:

imageIt’s been more than a month since Trayvon Martin was shot dead while walking home from school in Sanford, Florida, one hour outside Tampa. His shooter, Geroge Zimmerman, claims he was acting in self-defense and was forced to shoot down Martin after being attacked.

As of now, no formal charges have been filed against Zimmerman. Adding fuel to the fire, Sanford’s police chief announced today that he would temporarily step down from his post, a decision he attributes to the distraction his presence has caused to the investigation.

I spoke with Shana Redman, a professor of American Studies & Ethnicity at USC, about the incident, and how similar incidents impact the psyche of African American youth in the United States.