This song, and its impactful imagery from the music video, speaks to the Black Lives Matter movement. In analyzing the content (words and video), the last minute of  the video speaks volumes and warrants deeper dissection for its powerful imagery and meaning. After watching this video, I find myself asking, "Does this video and all its elements symbolize the death of racism," "Is this a tribute to the black lives lost due to racism,"  "To whom do black lives matter," and "Will hard work to prove one's worth make a difference?” The visual text is rich with meaning and purpose. In this day and age, it is very relevant, given the current state of affairs with oppression of black people, racism against them, and white power, especially that of law enforcement, over black people. This video is directed to both black and white people, as both races are able to find worthwhile and thought provoking elements. 

During the final minute of the video, a “formation” of black women is united, dancing at the bottom of an empty pool. This symbolism represents oppression having drowned blacks, but it is time to empty the pool of racism and rise up, stand strong with a united front, and work hard to make a living and to create value and purpose in one’s own life. Beyonce, herself, is a prime example and states, throughout the video, that her hard work has made her a very big, financially stable star. Comparatively, a young black boy is seen dancing in front of a line, or “formation,”of police officers. The boy is innocently dancing with a black hoody on, as officers stand watch over him. Perhaps this is a nod to Trayvon Martin, who lost his life as a young black youth. While wearing a black hoodie, he was wrongly assumed to be carrying a weapon and killed by a non-black, weapon carrying man feeling threatened by a young black boy. This powerful imagery leads one to believe, or realize, that innocent freedom of expression by blacks should be welcomed, not looked upon as criminal, and the scene reinforces this with the graffiti on the wall behind the officers that states, "stop shooting us". When the officers put their hands in the air, it symbolizes that finally they have let go of racism. Instead of a black boy dying at the hands of white police, it is necessary that racism die in the name of equality and freedom for all. 

Along these same lines, at 3:54 minutes into the video, black people are shown in church with hands up and arms flying in the air, freely and innocently worshiping their God. This is in direct contrast to the numerous examples in the media of black hands up in the air by force, under the power of white law enforcement officers. Don't black lives matter and don't they deserve the same equality and freedom as whites? The Black Lives Matter movement even has a mantra that is used during peaceful protests, “Hands up, don’t shoot.” This video could have been a reference to the early and mid 1900s, with some older generation’s clothing style seen in the video at the plantation and with the black women dressed in white, sitting in a parlor with old fashioned style furniture.  Even a newspaper titled “The Truth,” showing Martin Luther King, is displayed with the headline, “ More Than a Dreamer.” It evokes times of old, when racism was prevalent, but sadly, it is speaking of our current condition and has relevance today with the evidence of racism permeating our society. Haven’t we learned a thing from our history on racism?

This video depicts hard work as empowering, with Beyonce dancing hard, working in formation with her fellow dancers, proving that hard work is the ultimate pay off, while earning respect and income. Beyonce's line, "The best revenge is your paper" shows her rubbing her thumbs and fingers together to identify lots of hard earned money, while dripping in jewelry. Again, Beyonce is proving to her audience that hard work not only earns her money, but respect and she is proud of her accomplishments. She even states in the song, “I might be the next black Bill Gates in the making.” 

Beyonce also uses the repetition of "I slay” for what is likely a double meaning. She uses it to identify with working extremely hard to get ahead and winning big time. Could she also be implying that white people have "slain" blacks with violent racism? She is very powerful with her success, driven by ethics and hard work. The power held by white people, specifically law enforcement, over blacks in our racist society, has brought about oppression and the slaying of innocent black lives. Why don't black lives matter? She now holds power from her success and "slays" with a very different meaning than killing.

The last image of the video is of Beyonce on a white police car in the middle of a lake, as it sinks. The depiction of white police power sinking and she being the one pushing it under is incredibly meaningful. She will not let white police power oppress her. She has worked hard, made money and a name for herself and holds power over her life, ethically, morally and fairly.

The last minute of this video contributes mightily to the theme of her song “Formation.” It cleverly, powerfully and movingly illustrates that the Black Lives Matter movement represents a serious and necessary issue to be addressed by society. Racism must be eliminated. Beyonce uses many elements of imagery and double meaning to profoundly state her message. All of these elements work to develop that message, culminating in an impossible to ignore stand on “Black Lives Matter.” Hopefully, at some point in my lifetime, our world will be completely stripped of racism and hate. Though this wish is unlikely to come true, it is very possible to obtain. We must learn from history and not repeat our mistakes of the past. It is time to be a stronger society, with freedom and equality for all.
