Black Lives Matter Plaza

Welcome, travelers and scholars. I invite you to stand with me here at the intersection of Sixteenth Street and K Street Northwest, looking directly south. …

As you walk southward, you are now traversing the immense, fifty-foot-tall yellow letters that spell out 'Black Lives Matter.' I encourage you to pause and look down at the sheer volume of paint required to cover this…

Continuing our walk down the plaza, we must delve into the complex political mechanics that keep this mural alive. One might assume that a monument of this magnitude is entirely protected from the mundane realities of urban…

As you reach the midpoint of the plaza, I invite you to stop and observe the people around you. You will notice a diverse array of individuals: families with young children, international travelers, school groups, and local…

We have now arrived at the intersection of Sixteenth and H Streets. Turn your attention to the elegant, yellow stucco building on the eastern corner. …

As we walk the final block, approaching the southern terminus of the yellow letters, you will notice a distinct shift in the atmosphere. The open, pedestrian-friendly expanse of Black Lives Matter Plaza abruptly meets the…

Before we conclude our walk, let us pause here at the southern edge and consider the broader, global implications of this specific physical space. What began as an assertive, localized response by the District of Columbia to…

We have reached the southern conclusion of Black Lives Matter Plaza. As you stand here, looking directly across Lafayette Square at the North Portico of the White House, let us synthesize our journey. …