Rest in power
Rest in power is a saying that is used to replace "rest in peace," which is said after someone dies. The phrase "rest in power" is used for people who have dedicated their lives to activism or those who have died due to oppression, such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. Using the term "rest in power" instead of "rest in peace" sends a message that the dead person cannot rest in peace until change occurs. "Rest in power" also means that the dead person is making changes in society despite being dead.
The phrase "rest in power" is used in progressive groups.
History[change | change source]
"Rest in power" is a newer phrase. An early example of the phrase was published in an LA Weekly article about Latino gangs in East L.A. in 1989.[1]
Another use appeared in 2000 in honor of Mike “Dream” Francisco, a graffiti artist in Oakland, California who was shot and killed.[2]
By the mid-2000s, the phrase began to appear in print, again linked to young people's premature, violent deaths. In March 2003, under the headline "Rest In Power, Rachel Corrie", In These Times eulogised the death of activist Rachel Corrie at the hands of the Israeli military in Gaza.[3] In a 2005 opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, Meredith Maran reflected on 19-year-old Meleia Willis-Starbuck, a Dartmouth College scholarship student who was home in Berkeley for the summer when she was shot and killed by an unknown assailant outside her apartment. Writing of the makeshift public altar set up to mourn Willis-Starbuck, Maran wrote, "I've never seen 'Rest in Power' written as a substitute for 'Rest in Peace.'"[4]
A September 29, 2005 article in the Ottawa Citizen, a Canadian newspaper, described a public graffiti memorial for teenage Ottawa murder victim Jennifer Teague that portrayed "a smiling Ms. Teague beneath the words, 'Rest in power'" and framed by "two black angels."[5]
Black Lives Matter[change | change source]
People who are part of Black Lives Matter use "Rest in power" to remember all Black people who died because of racism. Even though the phrase wasn't used yet during the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, people still say "rest in power" when talking about people who died because of racism back then or were involved in the movement. For example, Emmett Till died in 1955, but people still say "rest in power" when they're talking about him.[6][7]
When Trayvon Martin died, his parents used the phrase to honor him. They wrote a book called Rest in Power about his life.
Transphobia[change | change source]
An American trans girl named Leelah Alcorn committed suicide in 2014, citing her inability to continue living with her parents' transphobia. After her death, her parents continued to refuse to recognize or respect her identity, and instead chose to use her deadname instead of her preferred name. People in queer online communities used "rest in power" to honor Leelah and her struggle for recognition and acceptance.
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Martinez, Ruben (1989-04-13). "Going up L.A." LA Weekly. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ↑ Taylor, Tara (May 1, 2014). "Remembering Dream Francisco". Alameda Magazine. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ↑ Parrish, Geov (March 21, 2003). "Rest In Power Rachel Corrie (1979-2003)". In These Times. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ↑ Maran, Meredith (July 21, 2005). "Gun Violence Tragedy in Berkeley / Meleia, in memoriam". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ↑ Popik, Barry (May 31, 2019). "Rest in Power (RIP)". BarryPopik.com. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ↑ Southern Poverty Law Center (29 August 2018). "Rest in power, Emmett Till. #TheMarchContinues". Twitter. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ↑ Boykin, Keith (October 21, 2019). "It's a shame that we have to erect bulletproof memorials to the victims and martyrs of white racist violence in America. Rest In Power Emmett Till". Twitter. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2020.