After the shooting of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, news media briefly circulated a photo of the 18-year-old flashing a "gang sign," transforming him into a menace to society. Twitter users, many of them also young, black males, responded by posting side-by-side photos of themselves — one "flattering," one "thuggish" — with the ironic hashtag #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, questioning which portrayal would be used by news media if they happened to be shot. It was a reminder of the importance that images play in shaping perceptions of the African-American community, for better and for worse.