--- title: Obama on Black Lives Matter: Blacks Aren't 'Making This Up' description: “The African American community is not just making this up. It’s not just something being politicized,” the President said. “It’s real.” canonical: https://time.com/4084113/obama-on-black-lives-matter-the-black-community-isnt-making-this-up/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-10-22T21:22:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:57:22.245Z article:section: Politics og:title: Obama on Black Lives Matter: The Black Community Isn't 'Making This Up' og:description: "There is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community" og:url: https://time.com/4084113/obama-on-black-lives-matter-the-black-community-isnt-making-this-up/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6e450c8287db2dd1/69886973a988ca9a956b4ed1/barack-obama-keller.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 22: U.S. President Barack Obama participates in a conversation on criminal justice reform while flanked by Bill Keller (L) of The Marshall Project, and Charlie Beck (R) of the Los Angleles Police, at the White House October 22, og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama on Black Lives Matter: The Black Community Isn't 'Making This Up' twitter:description: "There is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6e450c8287db2dd1/69886973a988ca9a956b4ed1/barack-obama-keller.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama Defends Black Lives Matter: The Black Community Isn't 'Making This Up' > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=010624eb-2992-4718-b20a-1ab7b1369d82&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Black Lives Matter Co-Founder: No Endorsement For 2016 [Watch (HLS stream): Black Lives Matter Co-Founder: No Endorsement For 2016](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/gsYoy8U6.m3u8) (1:26)  _Published 2015-09-19. Alicia Garza told the Associated Press Black Lives Matter will continue protesting and advocating for social issues rather than endorse a 2016 presidential candidate._ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Oct 22, 2015 9:22 PM UTC  President Barack Obama participates in a conversation on criminal justice reform while flanked by Bill Keller (left) of The Marshall Project, and Charlie Beck (right) of the Los Angleles Police, at the White House in Washington on Oct. 22, 2015. President Barack Obama participates in a conversation on criminal justice reform while flanked by Bill Keller (left) of The Marshall Project, and Charlie Beck (right) of the Los Angleles Police, at the White House in Washington on Oct. 22, 2015. Mark Wilson—Getty Images by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Oct 22, 2015 9:22 PM UTC President Obama defended the Black Lives Matter movement during a panel discussion Thursday, saying the campaign’s grievances are based in truth. “There is a specific problem that is happening in the African American community that is not happening in other communities,” Obama said toward the end of a wide-ranging conversation on criminal justice reform hosted by the Marshall Project, a non-profit criminal justice news organization. “And that is a legitimate issue that we’ve got to address.” He added, “There is a specific concern as to whether African Americans in specific jurisdictions are sometimes not treated fairly or subject to excessive force more frequently.” The President also reiterated a point he has made repeatedly since the Black Lives Matter movement took on new life during the Ferguson protests: police officers have a tough job and the majority of police officers want to and are doing the right thing. But, as a society, he said, we need to take seriously the concerns of those who feel they’re being treated unfairly by law enforcement. “The African American community is not just making this up. It’s not just something being politicized,” he said. “It’s real.” President Obama appeared on the panel alongside Los Angeles police chief Charlie Beck, John Walsh, the U.S. Attorney from the District of Colorado, and former New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller who served as moderator. While most of the afternoon conversation focused on ways the federal, state, and local government can go about reforming the criminal justice system, Obama also used the discussion as an opportunity to talk about the racial aspect of criminal justice. He noted disparities in incarceration rates and interactions with police, even recalling being pulled over by police when he was a private citizen without knowing why he had been stopped. After facing criticism from some quarters during his first term for treading too lightly on the subject of race, Obama has been speaking more openly about issues of race and criminal justice reform as his second term draws to a close. In the past year, since the wave of Black Lives Matter protests brought renewed attention to community police relations, Obama has commissioned a task force to recommend steps law enforcement can take to mend ties in disillusioned and distrusting communities. The panel discussion followed an emotional event in Charleston, West Virigina where the President spoke to and heard from individuals battling the state’s heroin epidemic, including those whose family members struggle with opioid addiction. During Thursday’s conversation, Obama made a point of rejecting the idea that the statement “black lives matter” suggests that other lives don’t—a complaint that has been voiced by some critics of the movement. “I think everybody understands that all lives matter,” Obama said. “Everybody wants strong effective law enforcement. Everybody wants their kids to be safe when they’re walking to school. Nobody wants to see police officers, when they’re doing their job fairly, hurt.” ## Transcript The Black Lives Matter movement has a major announcement on its endorsement for the 2016 Presidential race. It won't have one. Black Lives Matter co- founder Alicia Garza told the Associated Press, instead of endorsing a candidate, the movement will focus more on protests and advocating for social issues during the election season. Garza told the AP sometimes you have to put a wrench in the gears to get people to listen. If you do not listen to her your event will be shut down right now. People are certainly listening now, especially the Candidates with varying degree of success. Besides multiple interruptions to rallies or speaking events for candidates including Bernie Sanders and Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton spoke with protestors in August. Look I don't believe you change hearts. I believe you change laws, you change allocation of resources. You change the way systems operate. And when the Democratic National Committee issued a resolution of support for the movement Garza was outspoken on social media that it did not mean Black lives matter endorsed the DNC. Garza wrote, resolutions without concrete change are just business as usual. It's not terribly surprising any group would withhold an endorsement this early in an election, but Garza's comment means a group with the potential for enormous influence won't back any candidate in the name of its cause, and arguably in the name of that continued influence. 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