Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin is shot and killed in Sanford, Florida; the case and the 2013 acquittal of his shooter galvanized national protest.
At a Glance
- Date
- 26 February 2012
- Location
- Sanford, Florida
- Key people
- Trayvon Martin
- Category
- Civil Unrest & Racial Violence
- Source
- Court records, Florida v. Zimmerman (2013) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
It became a catalyst for the founding of the Black Lives Matter movement.
What It Means Now
Martin's name remains central to organizing against racial violence and 'stand your ground' laws.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Trayvon Martin Is Killed.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/trayvon-martin-is-killed/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Trayvon Martin Is Killed. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/trayvon-martin-is-killed/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Trayvon Martin Is Killed.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/trayvon-martin-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.