“It Just Felt Nice to be Able to Scream”: A Qualitative Examination of the Experiences of College Students Participating in the Black Lives Matter Movement

Abstract

This study was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the role of emotions within protest experiences among college students. The study sample consisted of 18 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 who participated in the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement protests. Within the sample, the majority of the participants identified as female (61.11%, n = 11) and were Black (38.89%, n = 7). In-depth interviews were conducted, and subsequent data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings distinguished four themes: (1) emotions as motivators for protest participation, (2) emotional residence during protests, and (3) identity development and the way ahead. A substantial portion of the participants experienced negative emotions following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, which motivated them to participate in protests. Interestingly, the majority of participants described experiencing positive emotions, including empowerment and hope, while at the protest sites. The protest elements: chanting, listening to protest speakers, and being in community with others were the source of positive emotions. Most participants described protesting as a momentary emotional release. These findings demonstrate that protesting does impact student emotional well-being and is an adaptive emotion-focused coping strategy for negative feelings garnered by the sociopolitical climate.