Ferguson Vigil Comes to Marsh Plaza
BU community presses for change
Students listened to the words of Howard Thurman: “… Candles of hope where despair keeps watch/ Candles of courage where fear is ever present/ Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days.” Photo by Jackie Ricciardi
More than 100 people braved a snowy, 35-degree evening last night to be part of a peaceful candlelight vigil on Marsh Plaza. They came together to protest the November 24th grand jury decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the Ferguson, Mo., police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, on August 9. Wilson, who is white, has since resigned from the force.
The event was hosted by the School of Theology and UMOJA, the University’s black student union.
“Tonight’s event was really about providing students a sacred space to mourn, and then to allow them to move forward in whatever way they decide to be active,” said Julian Cook (STH’16), an event organizer and president of the Boston University Association of Black Seminarians. “Regardless of the results of the grand jury, we were going to be together because we wanted to acknowledge that a tragedy had happened that deeply affected this community.”
Over the last few months, Cook said, many people have come to Marsh Chapel “expressing a sense of loneliness.” “They didn’t know where to go,” he said. “This event was a place to claim that. We don’t know where to go, but we’re going to figure it out together.”
Brown’s death sparked weeks of demonstrations in Ferguson, where police used tear gas and rubber bullets, and the failure to indict his shooter triggered more violence in Ferguson and peaceful demonstrations in cities across the country, as many people, black and white, regard the shooting death of Michael Brown as evidence of police bias against people of color.
Pamela Lightsey, a School of Theology associate dean and clinical assistant professor of contextual theology, was in Ferguson in August. She kicked off the Marsh Plaza gathering by reading the names of young black people who have been killed in the last year. “Too many black lives have been lost from excessive police force,” she said, standing on the steps of Marsh Chapel. “Laws too often beat down and oppress black people. We demand accountability, and stand in solidarity.”
The crowd cheered, and Lightsey later led them in chants of “hands up, don’t shoot,” and “show me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like.”
While students shielded lit candles from the cold wind, Austin Washington (STH’16) read a Christmas prayer written by Howard Thurman (Hon.’67).
Candles of joy, despite all the sadness.
Candles of hope where despair keeps watch.
Candles of courage where fear is ever present.
Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days.
Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens.
Candles of love to inspire all of my living.
Candles that will burn all the year long.
Faridat Ilupeju (CGS’16) said she attended the vigil because she believed it was important to make others aware of “systematic racial injustices” all over the country.
Mahad Gudal (CAS’16) said he came to respect the life of Michael Brown and other victims of violence. “I wanted to bring awareness to police brutality in America on black bodies,” he said. “From events like this, I hope we can make changes to our society’s laws.”
As the 30-minute event drew to a close, people were asked to sign two banners that will be sent to Brown’s family in Ferguson.
In another gathering on Monday afternoon, more than 70 people assembled on Marsh Plaza at 1:01 p.m., 12:01 CST—the time of day that Brown died—for a demonstration that included a 4.5-minute “die-in,” representing the 4 hours and 5 minutes that Brown’s body was left in the street. The demonstrators read the names of people of color killed by police. High school students joined the BU crowd as they marched down Comm Ave to Kenmore Square. A larger protest—also peaceful—drew 700 Harvard University students and community members to Cambridge streets, and closed Harvard Square to traffic.
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