{{short description|American activist}} {{Use American English|date = October 2019}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = DeRay Mckesson | image = DeRay Mckesson - Collision 2024 (53802693171) (cropped).jpg | caption = Mckesson in 2024 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|7|9}} | birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | education = Bowdoin College (BA) | occupation = Activist, podcaster }} '''DeRay Mckesson''' (born July 9, 1985) is an American civil rights activist, progressive<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2020/08/14/deray-mckesson-kamala-harris-vice-president-biden-aman.cnn|title=BLM activist: Harris 'can be moved' on progressive issues |author=Amanpour, Christiane|date=August 14, 2020 |publisher=CNN|access-date=2025-12-01}}</ref> podcaster, and former school administrator.<ref name="baltimoresun_appointment" /><ref name=nytmag>{{cite news |title=Our Demand Is Simple: Stop Killing Us|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/magazine/our-demand-is-simple-stop-killing-us.html |first=Jay Caspian |last=Kang |work=The New York Times Magazine |date=May 4, 2015 |access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-12 |title=DeRay Mckesson {{!}} CCJ Task Force on Policing |url=https://policing.counciloncj.org/members/deray-mckesson/ |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=Task Force on Policing |language=en-US |archive-date=August 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827041740/https://policing.counciloncj.org/members/deray-mckesson/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> An early supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, he has been active in the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland and on social media outlets such as Twitter and Instagram.<ref name="nytmag" /> He has also written for ''HuffPost''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mckesson |first1=DeRay |last2=Packnett |first2=Brittany |last3=Elzie |first3=Johnetta |title=An Open Letter From Ferguson Protesters and Allies |date=November 18, 2014 |work=HuffPost |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/deray-mckesson/an-open-letter-from-fergu_b_6174602.html |access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref> and ''The Guardian''.<ref>{{cite news |url =https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/09/ferguson-civil-rights-movement-deray-mckesson-protest | title = Ferguson and beyond: how a new civil rights movement began – and won't end| date = 2015-08-09| newspaper = The Guardian| language = en-GB| issn = 0261-3077| access-date = 2016-02-25}}</ref> Along with Johnetta Elzie, Brittany Packnett, and Samuel Sinyangwe, Mckesson launched Campaign Zero, a policy platform to end police violence.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.colorlines.com/articles/deray-mckesson-johnetta-elzie-and-co-launch-campaign-zero-end-police-brutality|title=DeRay Mckesson, Johnetta Elzie and Co. Launch Campaign Zero To End Police Brutality|last=Rao|first=Sameer|website=Colorlines|date=August 24, 2015|access-date=2016-02-25}}</ref> He is currently part of Crooked Media and hosts ''Pod Save the People''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/darrensands/deray-mckesson-is-going-to-host-a-crooked-media-podcast|title=DeRay Mckesson Is Going To Host A Crooked Media Podcast|author=Sands, Darren|date=April 26, 2017 |publisher=BuzzFeed|access-date=2018-01-16}}</ref>
On February 3, 2016, Mckesson announced his candidacy in the 2016 Baltimore mayoral election. He finished with 3,445 votes (2.6%), placing sixth in the Democratic Party primary on April 26.<ref name=mayor>{{cite web|last1=Broadwater|first1=Luke|title=DeRay Mckesson files to run in Baltimore mayoral race|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-md-ci-filing-deadline-20160203-story.html|work=Baltimore Sun|date=February 3, 2016|access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref>
Mckesson is the author of ''On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope'', a memoir about his life and time as a Black Lives Matter organizer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deray.com|title=Deray Mckesson Official Website|website=Deray.com}}</ref>
==Early life, education, and career== Mckesson was an organizer in Baltimore City as a teenager, notably as the Chairman of Youth As Resources, Baltimore's youth-led grant-making organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2001/12/02/program-grants-teens-a-charitable-role/|title=Program grants teens a charitable role|website=Tribunedigital-baltimoresun.com|date=December 2, 2001 |access-date=2016-02-25|archive-date=March 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306053739/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2001-12-02/news/0112020060_1_mckesson-youth-resources|url-status=live}}</ref> He graduated from Catonsville High School in 2003. He then went on to Bowdoin College, where he was president of the student government. Mckesson graduated in 2007 with a degree in government and legal studies.<ref name="Guerette">{{cite news|url=http://bowdoinorient.com/article/2698|title='This place exists for you': DeRay Mckesson looks back on four years at Bowdoin|first=Bobby|last=Guerette|date=May 4, 2007|access-date=February 23, 2016|work=Bowdoin Orient|archive-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115105632/http://bowdoinorient.com/article/2698|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After graduation, Mckesson began his education career by working for Teach for America for two years in a New York City elementary school.<ref name="Guerette"/> He later worked as special assistant in the office of human capital with the Baltimore City Public Schools, for the Harlem's Children's Zone, and as a human resources official at Minneapolis Public Schools.<ref name=TA>{{cite news|last=Graham |first=David A. |title=Beyond Hashtag Activism |work=The Atlantic |date=May 2015 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/05/beyond-hashtag-activism/391988/ |access-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youngedprofessionals.org/yep-dc-recess-blog/b-more-committed-finding-the-gift-in-your-work| title=B-More Committed: 'Finding the Gift' in Your Work|website=Young Education Professionals|access-date=2016-02-25}}</ref> In June 2016, he was appointed Baltimore City Schools' interim chief human capital officer by district CEO Sonja Santelises.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-deray-mckesson-appointment-20160628-story.html|title=Civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson to join new city schools cabinet|first1=Erica|last1=Green|first2=Luke|last2=Broadwater|date=June 28, 2016|access-date=July 10, 2016 |work=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref>
He has been criticized by some public education advocates for his involvement in Teach for America and for his support for charter schools.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://inthesetimes.com/article/18904/deray-mckessons-teach-for-america-baltimore|title=DeRay Mckesson's Baltimore Mayoral Run Has a Teach For America Problem|last=AlterNet|first=Drew Franklin|date=2016-02-22|work=In These Times|access-date=2019-03-17|language=en-US|issn=0160-5992}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jacobinmag.com/2015/10/black-lives-matter-teach-for-america/|title=An Open Letter to DeRay Mckesson|website=jacobinmag.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-17}}</ref>
== Activism and politics == Mckesson first drove from Minneapolis to Ferguson on August 16, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=DeRay McKesson '07 participates in 'principled protesting' in Ferguson |publisher=Bowdoin Orient |url=http://bowdoinorient.com/article/9475 |date=September 26, 2014 |first=Garrett |last=Casey |access-date=May 13, 2015 |archive-date=May 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514220057/http://bowdoinorient.com/article/9475 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=Rembert |title=In Conversation With DeRay Mckesson |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2015/11/conversation-with-deray-mckesson.html |access-date=3 December 2020 |work=New York Magazine |date=23 November 2015 |language=en}}</ref> He began spending all his weekends and vacations in St. Louis.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-schools-hr-director-is-real-time-reporting-witness-in-ferguson/283550531/ |work=StarTribune |title=Minneapolis schools HR director is real-time reporting witness in Ferguson |first=Alejandra |last=Matos |date=November 21, 2014 |access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref> On March 4, 2015, Mckesson announced via Twitter that he had quit his job at Minneapolis Public Schools and had moved to St. Louis.<ref>{{cite news |last=Holleman |first=Joe |title=Protester DeRay Mckesson has moved to STL |publisher=STL Today |url= https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/columns/joe-holleman/protester-deray-mckesson-has-moved-to-stl/article_115e84d4-9cec-5267-a38b-839b947d712c.html |access-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref>
In April 2015, Mckesson and fellow activists Johnetta Elzie, Samuel Sinyangwe, and Brittany Packnett launched "Mapping Police Violence", which collected data on people killed by police during 2014.<ref>{{cite web |last=Marusic |first=Kristina |title=This Map Of Police Violence Aims To Create A Path To Justice |publisher=MTV |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2133351/map-police-violence/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418000145/http://www.mtv.com/news/2133351/map-police-violence/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2015 |date=April 4, 2015 |access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref> In August 2015, the same group launched Campaign Zero, a ten-point policy plan for police reform. Key points included the decriminalization of trespassing, marijuana possession, loitering, public disturbance, and consuming alcohol in public as these crimes do not threaten public safety, but are often used to target African Americans.<ref name=":0" /> Mckesson and Elzie were awarded the Howard Zinn Freedom to Write Award in 2015 for their activism.<ref name="lat">{{cite news |last1=Pearce |first1=Matt |last2=Lee |first2=Kurtis |title=The new civil rights leaders: Emerging voices in the 21st century |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-civil-rights-leaders-br-20150304-htmlstory.html |date=March 5, 2015 |access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref>
thumb|Mckesson in 2019 In June 2015, Mckesson was the focus of a Twitter campaign while he was in Charleston, South Carolina to protest the Charleston church shooting.<ref name="twitter">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/21/deray-mckesson-twitter-charleston-gohomederay|title=DeRay Mckesson at centre of #GoHomeDeray Twitter storm|last1=Walters|first1=Joanna|work=The Guardian|date=June 21, 2015|access-date=June 24, 2015}}</ref> The campaign featured the hashtag "#GoHomeDeray", which was accompanied by statements demanding that Mckesson leave the city.<ref name="twitter" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2015/06/social_media_hate_mongers_create_gohomederay_directed_towards_activist_deray.html|title=Social Media Hatemongers Create #GoHomeDeRay Directed Toward Activist DeRay McKesson During Visit to Charleston, SC|last1=Callahan|first1=Yesha|date=June 22, 2015|publisher=The Root|access-date=February 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224053101/http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2015/06/social_media_hate_mongers_create_gohomederay_directed_towards_activist_deray.html|archive-date=February 24, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Mckesson responded to the hashtag, stating that he was there as a sign of solidarity for the nine deaths and that the hashtag was proof that "[r]acism is alive and well in places like South Carolina, and in towns across America."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.salon.com/2015/06/22/deray_mckesson_on_gohomederay_hashtag_its_proof_racism_is_alive_and_well_in_america/|title=#BlackLivesMatter activist DeRay Mckesson on #GoHomeDeRay hashtag: It's proof "racism is alive and well" in America|last=Kaufman|first=Scott Eric|date=June 22, 2015|access-date=June 24, 2015|work=Salon}}</ref>
In late 2015, he was a guest lecturer at Yale Divinity School.<ref>{{Cite web |title=#BLM Protester Deray McKesson to Teach at Yale University |url=https://www.bet.com/article/h9zje1/blm-protester-deray-mckesson-to-teach-at-yale-university |access-date=2022-08-27 |website=BET |language=en}}</ref> In November of the same year, Mckesson spoke at the GLAAD Gala, where he discussed his life as a gay man and asked LGBT people to "come out of the quiet."<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.mediaite.com/online/blacklivesmatter-protester-deray-mckesson-to-teach-at-yale/ |title=#BlackLivesMatter Protester Deray McKesson to Teach at Yale |website=Mediaite.com |date=2015-09-11 |access-date=2016-02-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=DeRay Mckesson Wants You to Come Out of the Quiet |url= http://www.advocate.com/40-under-40/2015/12/24/deray-mckesson-wants-you-come-out-quiet |website=The Advocate |date=2015-12-24 |access-date=2016-02-08}}</ref>
In February 2016, Mckesson announced his candidacy for Mayor of Baltimore just before the filing deadline.<ref name=mayor /> He placed 6th in the city's Democratic primary in April, with 2.5% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/2016-mayor-race/bs-md-ci-deray-20160426-story.html|title=DeRay Mckesson finishes 6th in Democratic primary for Baltimore mayor|last=Sun|first=Baltimore|website=Baltimoresun.com|access-date=2016-04-27}}</ref> In June 2016, he was named as interim chief human capital officer of the Baltimore City Public School System.<ref name="baltimoresun_appointment">{{Cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-deray-mckesson-appointment-20160628-story.html|title=Civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson to join new city schools cabinet|last=Greene|first=Erica|newspaper=Baltimoresun.com|access-date=2016-06-29}}</ref>
On July 9, 2016, in the aftermath of the shooting of Alton Sterling, Mckesson took part in a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While live streaming, he was arrested.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lowery|first=Wesley|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/10/black-lives-matter-activist-deray-mckesson-taken-into-custody-by-baton-rouge-police/|title=Black lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson taken into custody by Baton Rouge police|date=July 10, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> He was released the next day after being charged with obstruction of a roadway, and charges were later dropped.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Caplan|first1=David|last2=Knapp|first2=Emily|title=Black Lives Matter Activist Released From Jail After Being Arrested During Protest|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/prominent-black-lives-matter-activist-deray-mckesson-released-jail/story?id=40468815|access-date=July 11, 2016|work=ABC News|date=July 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Lowery|first=Wesley|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/07/15/deray-mckesson-others-wont-be-prosecuted-in-baton-rouge/|title=DeRay Mckesson, others won't be prosecuted in Baton Rouge|date=July 15, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> On July 13, he and other Black Lives Matter activists, along with police officials, politicians, and other activists, met with President Obama at the White House to discuss relations between black communities and law enforcement officials.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/deray-mckesson-meets-obama-black-lives-matter-meeting-white-house-2391342 |title=DeRay Mckesson meets with President Obama for Black Lives Matter Movement |last=Silva |first=Christina |website=International Business Times |date=13 July 2016 |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Activist And City Schools Exec. DeRay McKesson Meets With President|url=http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/07/13/activist-and-city-schools-exec-deray-mckesson-meets-with-president/|work=CBS Baltimore|date=July 13, 2016|access-date=July 14, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Obama: Still far from solving police, community issues|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e2cebaa9d8d94e8b8e047ef8255857e1/law-enforcement-activists-meet-obama-white-house|agency=Associated Press|date=July 13, 2016|access-date=July 17, 2016|archive-date=July 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160714163439/http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/e2cebaa9d8d94e8b8e047ef8255857e1/law-enforcement-activists-meet-obama-white-house|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2016, Mckesson appeared on ''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' to have a dialogue about race and education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teachforamerica.org/top-stories/deray-mckesson-appears-colbert-talk-white-privilege-activism|title=DeRay McKesson Appears On Colbert To Talk White Privilege, Activism|publisher=Teach For America|author=The TFA Editorial Team|date=January 19, 2016|access-date=August 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826214538/https://www.teachforamerica.org/top-stories/deray-mckesson-appears-colbert-talk-white-privilege-activism|archive-date=August 26, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Mckesson voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary of the 2016 election,<ref>{{cite tweet|user=deray |author=DeRay Mckesson |number=801820396152557568 | date=November 24, 2016 |title=And I voted for Bernie in the primary. But the Bernie Bros continue to be one of the worst things about his entire campaign.}}</ref> and voted for Hillary Clinton in the general election.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/10/26/deray-mckesson-why-im-voting-for-hillary-clinton/|title=DeRay Mckesson: Why I'm voting for Hillary Clinton |first=DeRay |last=Mckesson |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 26, 2016}}</ref>
In 2017, Mckesson launched the ''Pod Save the People'' podcast'','' discussing news, culture, social justice, and politics with co-hosts Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Samuel Sinyangwe, Dr. Clint Smith, and guests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pod Save The People Archives|url=https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-people/|access-date=2020-06-10|website=Crooked Media|language=en-US}}</ref>
In July 2017, Mckesson, Black Lives Matter, and other BLM leaders were sued by a Baton Rouge policeman who sustained life-altering injuries in an ambush attack, claiming that Black Lives Matter "incited the violence against police in retaliation for the death (sic) of black men shot by police".<ref>{{cite web|publisher=CNN|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/09/us/lawsuit-black-lives-matter-baton-rouge/index.html|date=July 10, 2017|title=Baton Rouge officer sues Black Lives Matter over 2016 ambush of cops|author=Andone, Dakin}}</ref> The suit was dismissed in October 2017; U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson's ruling would be upheld in August 2018 by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in an unpublished (that is, not precedential) opinion.<ref>''Smith v. McKesson'', Court of Appeals, [https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17083068752541479610 5th Circuit 2018]</ref>
Mckesson and Black Lives Matter were also sued by another Baton Rouge police officer who was injured by a thrown rock during a protest on July 9, 2016, when Mckesson had been present. Jackson also dismissed that case in September 2017, ruling that the officer "utterly failed to state a plausible claim" and instead launched a "confused attack" against Black Lives Matter and others.<ref>''Doe v. McKesson'', Dist. Court, [https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3450028840820338255 MD Louisiana 2017]</ref><ref name="BSun20171028">{{Cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-black-lives-matter-dismiss-20171028-story.html |title=Court rulings toss lawsuit against Black Lives Matter and Mckesson, allow class-action payments to protesters |work=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=2017-12-20 |language=en-US |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052620/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-black-lives-matter-dismiss-20171028-story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> On the same day U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles approved a settlement awarding up to $1,000 to protesters, including Mckesson, who claim police used excessive force in arresting them.<ref name="BSun20171028" />
However on April 24, 2019 the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Jackson's ruling against the officer injured by the rock, allowing that suit to go forward. The ruling stated that: "Given the intentional lawlessness of this aspect of the demonstration, Mckesson should have known that leading the demonstrators onto a busy highway was most nearly certain to provoke a confrontation between police and the mass of demonstrators, and not withstanding, did so anyway. By ignoring the foreseeable risk of violence that his actions created, Mckesson failed to exercise reasonable care in conducting his demonstration."<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Doe vs. McKesson |reporter=No. 17-30864 |court=5th Cir. |date=2019 |url=http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/17/17-30864-CV0.pdf |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428161250/http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/17/17-30864-CV0.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Supreme Court, in a ''per curiam'' order, vacated the Fifth Circuit's decision on November 2, 2020, ruling that the Fifth Circuit failed to review Louisiana state law prior to determining the constitutional aspects, and remanded the case back to the Fifth Circuit for review.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/02/politics/supreme-court-black-lives-matter-organizer/index.html | title = Supreme Court rules in favor of Black Lives Matter organizer | first = Ariane | last= de Vogue | date = November 2, 2020 | access-date = November 2, 2020 | work = CNN }}</ref> However, on March 19th, 2026 the Fifth Circuit's three-judge panel reaffirmed that there are grounds for Officer Ford to sue McKesson over potential negligence in organizing the protest that led to his injury. "Eight years of pretrial litigation are enough," said U.S. Fifth Circuit Judge Edith Jones, in her majority opinion, "It is time for Officer Ford to have a jury assess his claim that DeRay McKesson’s negligence in leading a violent protest caused him to suffer injuries at the hands of rioters." <ref>{{Cite web |last=Coffman |first=Quinn |date=2026-03-25 |title=Police officer injured during Alton Sterling protest can proceed in suit against Black Lives Matter organizer |url=https://www.nola.com/news/courts/black-lives-matter-trial-brpd/article_3dedc835-8a85-58f4-aae4-986125d3e8b9.html |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=NOLA.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 2018, a portrait of Mckesson was created for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.<ref>{{cite web |title=DeRay Mckesson - Quinn Russell Brown 2018 |url=https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/deray-mckesson-quinn-russell-brown/4QFb3rg0fqZwxA |website=artsandculture.google.com |access-date=3 December 2020}}</ref>
In May 2021, McKesson was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters from his alma mater, Bowdoin College.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bowdoin Announces 2021 Honorary Degree Recipients|url=https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2020/12/bowdoin-announces-2021-honorary-degree-recipients.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-29|website=Bowdoin College|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216182917/https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2020/12/bowdoin-announces-2021-honorary-degree-recipients.html |archive-date=December 16, 2020 }}</ref>
In January 2024, McKesson demanded the firing of White Baltimore high school principal Eric Eiswert after an AI-generated forgery of the principal's voice purportedly showed him making racist comments.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/26/baltimore-ai-voice-audio-framing-principal/|title=Baltimore principal's racist rant was an AI fake. His colleague was arrested. |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 26, 2024}}</ref> McKesson stated, "Eric Eiswert was my social studies teacher and then the SGA Advisor at Catonsville High School and I am in no way surprised by his comments in this recording. He should be fired immediately and his Maryland teaching and administrator licenses should be permanently revoked."<ref>{{cite tweet|user=deray |author=DeRay Mckesson |number=1747740683283091800| date=January 17, 2024 |title=Eric Eiswert was my social studies teacher and then the SGA Advisor at Catonsville High School and I am in no way surprised by his comments in this recording. He should be fired immediately and his Maryland teaching and administrator licenses should be permanently revoked.}}</ref> It was later revealed that Principal Eiswert conducted no wrongdoing, and the high school's Black athletic director, Dazhon Darien, created the recordings with artificial intelligence. Mr. Darien received four months in jail after pleaing guilty to Disturbing School Operations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wmar2news.com/local/disgraced-ex-pikesville-high-athletic-director-sentenced-for-using-ai-to-frame-principal/|title=Disgraced ex Pikesville High athletic director sentenced for using AI to frame principal. |newspaper=WMAR-TV |date=April 28, 2025}}</ref>
==Books==
* ''On the Other Side of Freedom'' (2018) {{ISBN|978-0525560326}}
==See also== *Ferguson unrest *2015 Baltimore protests * Mckesson v. Doe
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{official website}} * {{C-SPAN|98254}} * {{IMDb name|7620608}} * [http://thisisthemovement.launchrock.com/ This Is the Movement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702092422/http://thisisthemovement.launchrock.com/ |date=July 2, 2020 }} * [http://www.wetheprotesters.org/ We The Protesters] *[https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/ Mapping Police Violence]
{{Black Lives Matter}} {{Progressivism US footer}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mckesson, DeRay}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Activists from Baltimore Category:LGBTQ people from Maryland Category:Black Lives Matter people Category:Activists for African-American civil rights Category:American political podcasters Category:American LGBTQ writers Category:American gay politicians Category:African-American LGBTQ people Category:Criticism of police brutality Category:Maryland Democrats Category:Bowdoin College alumni Category:20th-century African-American people Category:21st-century African-American people Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:21st-century American male writers Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:Gay memoirists Category:Crooked Media people