Black Americans flock to gun stores and clubs: ‘I needed to protect myself’
Americans bought a record number of firearms last year, with gun ownership among black Americans up 58.2 percent
By Abene Clayton / The Guardian, OAKLAND, California
Janice Matthews always knew she would be a gun owner someday. She was raised in Alabama where her family members rarely left their home unarmed. Still, after more than three decades in California she was not in a rush to start shopping around at gun stores. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Matthews started hearing rumors of food shortages and noticed store shelves emptied by shoppers panic-buying everything from bullets to toilet paper. After her daughter moved out of their home, she was left with an empty nest and a lot of anxiety.
Last modified on Mon 5 Apr 2021 06.01 EDT
Janice Matthews always knew she would be a gun owner someday. She was raised in Alabama where her family members rarely left their home unarmed. Still, after more than three decades in California she wasn’t in a rush to start shopping around at gun stores. Then the pandemic hit.
Matthews started hearing rumors of food shortages and noticed store shelves emptied by shoppers panic-buying everything from bullets to toilet paper. After her daughter moved out of their home, she was left with an empty nest and a lot of anxiety.
“I was thinking of what they predicted in the Bible and I thought I would have to protect the little bit that I had,” Matthews, 55, recalled.