March on West side highlights racial injustices

The Rev. Ira Acree, of St. John Bible Church, described Chicago as a "Tale of Two Cities." Photo Tia Carol Jones
The Rev. Ira Acree, of St. John Bible Church, described Chicago as a "Tale of Two Cities." Photo Tia Carol Jones

March on West side highlights racial injustices

BY TIA CAROL JONES

Clergy, elected officials and community leaders chanted “Black Lives Matter,” as they marched down Independence Blvd., holding a banner with George Floyd’s image and his name.

The mass gathering on the city’s West Side was meant to shed light on the injustices Black people face when it comes to treatment by law enforcement and culminated with a stop at the site where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., lived during his time in Chicago, at 15th and Hamlin.

The march was convened by the Rev. Michael Eddy, senior pastor of People’s Church of the Harvest Church of God in Christ Chicago.

The Rev. DeAndre Patterson sang, “I am on the Battlefield,” while they marched.

Alderman Jason Ervin, of the 28th Ward, said he was glad to be among his colleagues and West Side elected officials. He encouraged people to vote as a way to move communities forward.

“The power of the ballot is great. All we have to do is come together. And, doing things like this helps bring us closer together,” he said.

“When November comes and the March after comes, the vote is what will set us free against the policies of inequity, the resources that we need, but we have to have the courage to get up and vote.”

Marshall Hatch, Jr. spoke about the state of the West Side of Chicago. He began with the prayer, “Oh Lord, bless my soul.”

“We march today because God has ordained this moment as a moment of uprising, so put your fist up in the air. This is an uprising, all over the world. From Asia to Europe, from Africa to the Americas, they are crying with one loud voice, ‘Black Lives Will matter, Black Lives Do Matter.’ We are the salt of the earth and this is an uprising,” he said.

Hatch said the West side is in dire straits. He described it as a “stepchild of the city.” And, said it has been forgotten for too long. He called for unity in the community.

“This is a peaceful march, we are a peaceful people, but we also believe the word of the Lord. That judgement day is coming for the oppressors and vengeance is mine said the Lord,” he said. “That’s why we march, we march because the homes of grandmomma and granddaddy are being bought. We are being colonized as we speak. We are being moved off the land right now. Enough is enough.”

Hatch said the people marched because modern day slave patrols are policing Black communities as if they were occupied territories.

“And, as we march, we rise. The longer we march, we rise. And, as we rise, we recognize the spirit of Frederick Douglass, that power concedes nothing without a demand. We recognize the spirit of Denmark Vessey. We recognize the spirit of Fred Hampton. That you can kill a revolutionary, but you can’t kill the revolution,” he said. “We recognize the spirit of Harriet Tubman, who told the people that she went to go get, I’m going to prepare a place. That’s why we march.”

Hatch said the march was done in the names of George Floyd, Quintonio LaGrier, Bettie Jones, LaQuan McDonald and in the name of Jesus.

The Rev. Ira Acree, of Greater St. John Bible Church, said the death of George Floyd caused people to look at the need for police reform.

“It has also shed a light on centuries of America’s oppression and systemic racism toward African Americans,” he said. “We cannot fight for police reform in Minneapolis and ignore all the racism, inequities and injustices right under our nose in Chicago.”

Acree said Chicago is the tale of two cities. And highlighted the stark contrasts people live with. “In a typical year, absent of COVID-19, one Chicago would be enjoying the sports teams, the variety of restaurants, the world class museums,” he said. “The other Chicago is left behind and disconnected from the city’s success. This Chicago is primarily on the West side and [on] the South side, attending failing schools, witnessing 50 public schools closed, witnessing the closing of mental health facilities and suffers from extreme poverty and unemployment.”

Acree said on the North side, life is much more comfortable and accommodating. “Police operate with excellence. They do their jobs professionally on the North side. They serve those communities and taxpayers with respect. Like officers of the peace should,” he said. “It’s time for you Chicago leaders to take your hands, take your knees off our necks.”

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