Eric Garner dies after a New York police officer places him in a chokehold; his words 'I can't breathe' become a rallying cry.
At a Glance
- Date
- 17 July 2014
- Location
- New York, New York
- Key people
- Eric Garner
- Category
- Civil Unrest & Racial Violence
- Source
- NYC Medical Examiner ruling (2014) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
His death intensified the emerging Black Lives Matter movement.
What It Means Now
'I can't breathe' endures as a slogan against police violence.
Also on 17 July
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Eric Garner Is Killed.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/eric-garner-is-killed/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Eric Garner Is Killed. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/eric-garner-is-killed/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Eric Garner Is Killed.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/eric-garner-is-killed/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.