By Michael Leavy
About 80 people participated in a “die-in” Thursday at Drew University to protest police violence against black men.
“As an African-American, I am crying, crying inside because I need people to understand black lives matter” said Drew student Danielle Williams.
Drew University theological students Dana Gill and Linda Wiggins-Edwards organized the rally, which included a march to Madison’s town hall and a discussion in the Drew chapel. Members of the university’s graduate and undergraduate schools also participated.
Demonstrations also are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, in Washington DC, and at Morristown’s Pioneer Park (2:30 pm, across from the Green at Headquarters Plaza), in response to non-indictments of officers who killed unarmed African Americans during confrontations on Staten Island and in Ferguson, Mo.
Gill expressed a mix of emotions in the wake of those grand jury decisions.
“On a certain level I feel that we are angry. Unarmed people of color are being killed by people who are supposed to be protecting us … I feel there’s anger and hurt,” Gill said.
Students made signs before the rally and had prayers in English and Hebrew. Then they held an open mic session to discuss what they were feeling, and Drew President MaryAnn Baenninger read aloud the names of black men killed.
At noon, students went outside and laid down in silence for several minutes. After the “die-in,” they made their way to the chapel, where students exchanged stories of discrimination and its impact on them.
“Every day, when I’m leaving my house, I’m wondering if I’m next,” said student Keynon Jackson.
One student led the crowd in singing a spiritual song. The events were peaceful.
“I hold Martin Luther King Junior in high esteem. I’m a huge advocate of non-violence. As a peaceful demonstration, I believe we can change the ideology of the community at large and that we are all people and everybody matters,” Jackson said.
Students marched down Madison Avenue to the borough hall, to show their concern to local government, Gill said.
Drew University has a long history of social activism, according to Gill, who said students took part in the Barber Shop riots for civil rights in 1964. Theology students, she added, attend Drew to train for the ministry “to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly, and we are responding to the hurt.”
Gill said she hoped the rally would raise public awareness, bring positive change and promote healing.
Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty said he plans to attend Saturday’s demonstration.
“I think the rally speaks for itself and I support our residents and their right to peacefully protest. At its core, this is a human issue, in that all should be treated fairly and equally,” the Mayor said.
Scheduled speakers include the Rev. Wesley Marrow, president of the Morris chapter of the NAACP; the Rev. Janet Broderick, rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown; and Drew student Danielle Williams, who also is director of the St. Peter’s youth group.
The Morristown rally is being organized by the Black Lives Matter Action Committee of Morris County, led by Debbie Winston, the Rev. Carol Lynn Patterson and Mike Harris, who are members of Calvary Baptist Church.
Kevin Coughlin contributed to this report.
