“I just want to give love to my family and my friends – my new friends and my world,” Michael Brown Sr. told the crowd.
He spoke in honor of his son Michael Brown Jr. on Sunday, August 9, the first anniversary of his death.
At 18 years old, Brown was killed before he could truly live. Yet the unrest that his death incited spurred a national movement for black lives that assured he will never be forgotten.
They gathered at the very spot on Canfield Drive where Brown Jr.’s life ended at the hands of then Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.
“This year has been so hard. No accountability, no justice. And police are still killing us,” said Erica Garner, daughter of Eric Garner.
She was in attendance, as was the family of Oscar Grant – who was killed by an Oakland transit cop on New Year’s Day 2009.
Erica has become an activist in the wake of her father’s death on Staten Island, which took place a mere three weeks before Michael Brown Jr. was fatally shot.
Eric Garner’s death was captured on video, though the New York police officer who administered the chokehold that ended his life did not face criminal charges.
“It’s a crisis that’s going on. People like Sandra Bland, Sam DuBose – that shouldn’t happen,” Erica said. “We’re being killed on camera. Females are dying in jail cells with no explanation.”
Dr. Cornel West and activist Bree Newsome, who took down the Confederate battle flag at the South Carolina capitol, paid their respects, along with many supporters from Palestine and Yonasda Lonewolf, granddaughter of Minister Louis Farrakhan. Newsome said she found her courage to take down the Confederate flag by watching protests in Ferguson.
Renowned spoken word artist Jessica Care Moore moved the crowd – and the Brown family – to tears with poetic tribute. “I see Michael Brown’s face in my son’s eyes every morning when he leaves the house,” Moore said.
As hundreds piled into Canfield Green Apartments, Ferguson protestors were credited with starting a national movement.
“This is sacred ground,” said Rev. Larry Rice. “This was the epicenter of the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Brother Anthony Shahid, who works closely with the Brown family, was an early protest organizer in Ferguson.
“I’m not speaking to nobody but the street brothers,” Shahid said. “I want to give acknowledgement to them for starting this up. If it wasn’t for these youth in these streets, none of us would be out here.”
They observed four-and-a-half minutes of silence to symbolize the hours that Michael Brown Jr.’s body lie dead in the street.
Before he lapsed into silence, Brother Shahid said some choice words for those who speak against the protest movement.
“We’re not anti-police, so don’t try to get that off – I’ve got brothers in my family that are police,” Shahid said. “We’re talking about people like Darren Wilson – who are shooting us down in the streets and stripping us of our human rights.”
Shahid promised to commence silence at 12:02 – the moment that Michael Brown Jr. was killed – but continued to make his feelings known until the very last second.
“What’s the lion’s name – Cecil? Cecil got treated better than us,” Shahid said. “Y’all wanna tell us about being peaceful, you be peaceful. You the ones shooting us down.”
Following the silence, they marched to Greater St. Mark Family Church, which has provided sanctuary to the Ferguson movement since August of last year.
Michael Brown Sr. led the second march in memory of his son in as many days. Through his pain and tears, he showed pride that his community and indeed the world refused to allow his son’s death to be in vain.
“Y’all made this happen,” Michael Brown Sr. said. “Y’all are my new world.”
Mariah Stewart’s work appears as part of a partnership between The American and The Huffington Post.
