Over 300 people met in Springfield last night to talk about racial profiling and its effect on African American youth.
The local chapter of the NAACP hosted the event as a response to the fatal shooting of Micheal Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and its aftermath. Racial tension is nothing new to Springfield. The NAACP famously got its start as a result of a riot that occurred here in 1908.
More than a century later, there are still concerns in the state's capital city, especially among young black males.
Justin Rose, a member of the Black Male Collegiate Society, told the crowd the situation in Ferguson has left him in fear that he could be a victim of police brutality.
“I had no choice but to be afraid. At any given moment, that could have been my life, I could have lost my life. I could lose my life if I leave this building and I don't act accordingly.”
Representatives of the African American community and the Springfield Police Chief talked about issues including the amount of local black police officers, they consist of about 4 percent of the department. A similar meeting is expected to take place again in November.
