Marches, Celebrations, Calls For Justice

The lure of backyard barbecues and fireworks wasn’t enough to stop hundreds of people from taking to the street in pursuit of social justice. Saturday marked the 37th day a protest march or car caravan took place in Milwaukee following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

At least three different marches took place in Milwaukee on Independence Day, as well as two “festivals.”

Urban Milwaukee followed the “‘Independence’ Day Protest” that started outside Rufus King International High School and ended in a block party in the parking lot outside Riverside University School.

The march, over three miles in length, was led by Malaina Moore, Ayanna Ellzey and Ahmed Ibrahim. Several hundred people, including state representatives David Bowen and Jonathan Brostoff and Alderman Nik Kovac, marched and at least a dozen cars rolled behind.

When the group, sweating under the mid-day sun, arrived at Riverside they were treated to free food and drinks, vendors selling or giving away t-shirts, information on future activism and art from Fatima Laster.

And while that group gathered, Frank Nitty was leading a gathering in the parking lot at the former Ceria M. Travis Academy at 4744 N. 39th St. Nitty is seeking to redevelop the building into a community center, but Saturday he led the creation of a mini-festival that including free bounce houses for kids, live music and free food.

Similar to many of the marchers he leads, Nitty and other organizers spent the time before the event coordinating supplies on social media in a grassroots fashion.

Two other marches, a “Moment of Mourning” and Mother’s March, also took place.

The Wee Chalk Your Walk group also met in the city’s Capitol Heights neighborhood and was joined by Congresswoman Gwen Moore and her son and county supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde.

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