Eighteen-year-old Michael Brown is shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, and his body is left in the street for hours.
At a Glance
- Date
- 9 August 2014
- Location
- Ferguson, Missouri
- Key people
- Michael Brown
- Category
- Civil Unrest & Racial Violence
- Source
- Investigative records (2014) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
His death ignited sustained protests that propelled the Black Lives Matter movement.
What It Means Now
Ferguson became a turning point in national debate over policing and race.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Michael Brown Is Killed in Ferguson.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/michael-brown-is-killed-in-ferguson/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Michael Brown Is Killed in Ferguson. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/michael-brown-is-killed-in-ferguson/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Michael Brown Is Killed in Ferguson.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/michael-brown-is-killed-in-ferguson/.
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.