Silent Parade

Silent Parade
Part of the anti-lynching movement
The 1917 Silent Parade in New York City
Date	July 28, 1917
Location	Fifth Avenue, New York City, United States
Caused by	Murders of African Americans from lynchings and in the East St. Louis massacre
Goals	To protest anti-black violence; to promote anti-lynching legislation, and advance black civil rights
Methods	Public demonstration

The Negro Silent Protest Parade, commonly known as the Silent Parade, was a political protest in New York City on July 28, 1917. The purpose of the parade was to bring attention to discrimination and violence faced by African Americans, particularly the recent East St. Louis massacre, and lynchings in Waco and Memphis. Organizers of the parade included several African American groups, led by the recently formed National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Starting at 57th Street, the parade route proceeded down Fifth Avenue, ending at Madison Square. An estimated 8,000 to 15,000 African Americans marched in silence, accompanied by a muffled drum beat. The parade was widely publicized and drew attention to violence against African Americans. Parade organizers hoped the parade would prompt the federal government to enact anti-lynching legislation, but President Woodrow Wilson did not act on the demands of the African Americans. The federal government would not pass an anti-lynching law until 2022, when the Emmett Till Antilynching Act was passed.