Beyoncé Gives a Voice to the Mothers of Victims of Police Brutality In Lemonade

There are so many poignant moments from Lemonade to be discussed and absorbed, including the moment where Beyoncé chose to address police brutality. In her visual album, which dropped Saturday, the singer had the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner make special appearances in her video. If you blinked, you may have missed this important but powerful moment. During the latter half of Lemonade, the moms unflinchingly held photos of their dead sons as James Blake's lyrical prose rang throughout the somber scenes.

All three mothers — Sybrina Fulton, Lezley McSpadden, and Gwen Carr — shared the same heartbreaking grief of losing their sons. For those who recall, Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer, and both Michael Brown and Eric Garner died at the hands of the police. By including these moms in her video, Beyoncé sent a haunting reminder of the injustices these moms went through, and are still going through, every day of their lives. She not only gave them a powerful platform to highlight their stories but also painted a vivid picture to viewers that police brutality still continues at this very moment.

Beyoncé is not one to shy away from making controversial comments through her music, and these scenes contribute to a larger discussion about injustice, power, privilege, love, and life. Read ahead to catch a glimpse of mothers in Lemonade, and then see the group photo Beyoncé took with the women, which speaks volumes.