Silent Parade

The Negro Silent Protest Parade, commonly known as the Silent Parade, was a political protest in New York City on July 28, 1917. The primary objective of the march was to draw national attention to the widespread racial violence and entrenched systemic discrimination endured by African Americans. It was organized in direct response to a series of racially motivated attacks in 1916 and 1917, including the East St. Louis massacre and lynchings in Waco and Memphis.

The parade was organized by a coalition of African American groups, led by the recently formed NAACP. Starting at 57th Street, the parade route proceeded down Fifth Avenue, ending at Madison Square. It was a silent procession, with an estimated 8,000 to 15,000 African American participants marching in protest, accompanied by a muffled drum beat.

The event was widely publicized and drew attention to violence against African Americans. Organizers hoped the parade would prompt the federal government to enact anti-lynching legislation. However, President Woodrow Wilson did not act on their demands. Federal legislation was required because Southern states often refused to prosecute lynchings under existing state statutes that outlawed murder, kidnapping, and assault. The federal government would not pass an anti-lynching law until 2022, when the Emmett Till Antilynching Act was passed.