Thousands marched with only muffled drumsSourced
New York, 1917.
The marchers were silent; drums were not.
An estimated 8,000 to 15,000 African Americans marched down Fifth Avenue in 1917 to protest lynching and discrimination. They walked silently, accompanied by muffled drums, making silence part of the message.
Quiet can still
carry a demand.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Silent Parade · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-01