(AURN News) — On July 28, 1917, thousands of Black Americans marched silently through Harlem to protest racial terror, lynching and the massacre in East St. Louis, Illinois.
Organized by the NAACP along with Black civic and religious organizations, the Silent Parade drew as many as 8,000 people down Fifth Avenue, accompanied only by the sound of muffled drums.
Marchers carried signs reading, “Mr. President, why not make America safe for democracy?” and “Give us a chance to live.”
The demonstration followed days of racist violence in East St. Louis, where white mobs attacked Black residents through shootings, beatings and arson. Hundreds were killed, and more than 6,000 Black people were forced to flee.
The march became one of the earliest large-scale civil rights demonstrations in American history, demanding federal action, justice and protection for Black citizens.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.
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