In Photos: March on Trousdale


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March on Trousdale was organized by USC’s Black Student Assembly on Wednesday as part of an event series occurring throughout February in honor of Black History Month. MarchOnTrousdale1_MarieMcCoyThompsonCommemorating Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 March on Washington, the march’s participants wore business casual and walked together in silence, emulating the historic demonstration that occurred 53 years ago.        MarchOnTrousdale2_MarieMcCoyThompsonAs Amaka Agodi announced at the start of the march, the purpose for their procession was to call attention to the institutional oppression still in place for people of color, and to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.MarchOnTrousdale3_MarieMcCoyThompsonThe students made and distributed signs with slogans such as “We still have a dream!” and “We march for black liberation.”MarchOnTrousdale4_MarieMcCoyThompsonThe group carried these signs from the north end of campus from Gavin Herbert Plaza to Tommy Trojan, but first snaked along McClintock Avenue, Watt Way, and the Campus Center.MarchOnTrousdale5_MarieMcCoyThompson
At the Steps of Troy, the group paused for four minutes of silence to pay tribute to victims of police brutality.MarchOnTrousdale6_MarieMcCoyThompsonMarchOnTrousdale7_MarieMcCoyThompsonMembers of the Professional Community Intervention Training Institute, which works to train and certify gang and crisis interventionists, participated as well, having been at the original 1963 March on Washington.MarchOnTrousdale8_MarieMcCoyThompsonThe march ended at the Tommy Trojan statue, where students had the opportunity to speak.MarchOnTrousdale9_MarieMcCoyThompsonMarchOnTrousdale10_MarieMcCoyThompsonMarchOnTrousdale11_MarieMcCoyThompsonThe march concluded with participants singing in unison the lyrics to the Black National Anthem, “Lift every voice and sing.”