black votes matter, why so many african-american men are missing at the polls. black lives matter, it's a phrase and a movement aimed at raising awareness at what the group's founders call antiblack racism perm yalting our society -- permeating our society. it began after george zimmerman shot trayvon martin. it gained momentum after michael brown and others. black lives matters are making views clir to candidates. including hillary clinton. she met with several members in a meeting described as tense and raw. here is a reason for that. former president bill clinton signed harsh sentencing laws that had a disproportionate affect on black members convicted of violent drug crimes. sent to 1 million of the population of 2.3 million is black.