On July 28, 1917, thousands of Black Americans participated in the Silent Protest Parade in New York City, marching down Fifth Avenue to protest lynching, racial violence, and discrimination.

Key Facts About the Silent Protest Parade:

• Organized by the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and led by civil rights leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois and James Weldon Johnson.
• The march was a silent demonstration, with participants dressed in white (women and children) and black suits (men), carrying signs that called for justice.
• It was one of the earliest mass civil rights protests in U.S. history.
• The march was a response to the East St. Louis Massacre (July 1917), where white mobs attacked Black residents, killing hundreds and burning homes.

This powerful demonstration set the stage for future civil rights movements, proving the impact of peaceful protests against racial injustice.