Vigilantes are regular citizens who take justice into their own hands, outside of the law. When people take action in this way, the consequences can be devastating. Over the course of American history, vigilante behavior has led to the deaths of thousands of Black Americans, including Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, and Ahmaud Arbery. Learn about the long history of racially-motivated vigilantism and how people are working to protect Black lives from this dangerous threat.