Presbyterian March

LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB) — A religious community based in Louisville organized a march for equality and racial justice through downtown on Saturday. 

Nearly 200 members of the Presbyterian Church USA met on the steps of the denomination’s Louisville headquarters on Witherspoon Street to listen to several religious leaders speak out about racial injustice and oppression.

Several other churches across the country joined in on the event via social media.

Presbyterian march

Members of Presbyterian Church USA gather in Jefferson Square Park in downtown Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. 

"We are a church, and we have a responsibility to call it out and also be a part of the transformation and change," said the Rev. James Herbert Nelson II, who is the stated clerk of the general assembly.

After the speakers addressed the crowd, the group formed a line and marched several blocks from the headquarters to Jefferson Square Park.

Many held signs that read, "No Justice No Peace" as they walked behind a banner that read, "Presbyterians affirm Black Lives Matter."

Presbyterian March

Members of Presbyterian Church USA march through downtown Louisville, Ky., on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. 

The group took to the sidewalks for the 15-minute walk to the square. Once there, participants held an 8-minute, 46-second moment of silence in honor of the late George Floyd, signifying the amount of time a Minneapolis Police Department officer had his knee on Floyd’s neck. 

Some in the crowd stood with their fists in the air, while others bowed their heads.

"That eight minutes, for me, took me right to imagining what that moment would be like," protester Donna Miller said. "It kind of took me back to the scene." 

The silence was broken after a trumpet started to play, and the crowd began to sing "We Shall Overcome." Demonstrators then started their march back to the Presbyterian headquarters.

Nelson said he’s encouraged by Saturday’s turnout and the support the church received.

"It is our hope that actually our presence here will begin the process of becoming heavily engaged and freeing this city from the burden it is carrying now because of Breonna Taylor's death," Nelson said.

Saturday’s event was the culmination of a week of action, which included town hall discussions and Bible studies. The church also placed messages on its electronic billboard next to the KFC Yum! Center to remind people of minorities who have died in cases involving police.

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