OUT ON THE HILL is the official blog of the Victory Congressional Interns. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. Learn more about the internship at victoryinstitute.org/vci.
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Walking through the halls of the National Museum of African American History and Culture was a painful journey, in remembrance of a community whose resilience knows no bounds. As we leave Black History Month, I find it important that we remember the struggles and triumphs of Black people throughout history.
One of the most powerful moments of our visit to the museum was when we encountered Emmett Till’s casket. There was a heavy silence that enveloped the room. My roommate and I noticed a group of Black kids hanging on the rail trying to look inside the casket. Their surprised expressions spoke volumes, reflecting a generation still grappling with the painful realities of our history. “It could have been me,” one of the kids said.
When a Black person dies, the news eats at our bodies like maggots. They rip us limb for limb and sell our bodies for parts. When a Black person dies, we never rest in peace, we rest in pain and protests. We rest in the back of poets’ throats, we rest in courtrooms, and even after a verdict, we rest in political campaigns. When a Black person dies, there is no remembrance of our names. There is no aspect of love for who we have left. We are martyrs and that is it.
When we die, nobody talks about how bad it was, and how sad we were. When we die, we are killed. Our heart stops at the case of other people and they don’t care that they killed us. When we die, so much is said in our name. We wish we were alive at the funeral, to stare our killers in the eyes and smile and keep smiling until they kill us again.
When a Black person dies, our death is displayed for the world to see. Even in passing, we are performative, there for everyone’s judgment. Our society becomes numb, if not already, to the horrors we witness. Our bodies call for more than just a little funeral, our death must be laid out in front of the world to be deemed valid. We have to see Black bloodshed on every social media platform until it is deemed inappropriate but death is so common that it has to be appropriate. It has to be natural, everyone has to see it and keep seeing it—
In the midst of it all, I can’t help but reflect on Till’s mother’s words written on the museum wall: “Let the people see what they did to my boy.” It was a sobering moment, a reminder that the struggles of the past are not confined to history books but continue to reverberate through our society today.
As we left the museum, our hearts heavy with the weight of history, we were filled with a renewed sense of purpose. It was a powerful reminder of the resilience of our community and the enduring hope of a better future. We carried with us the stories of those who came before us, vowing to honor their memory by continuing the fight for a more just and equitable world on the Hill. Our death matters because we are forever reminded to continue the life of the fight for equality and justice for all.
Rest in peace Henry Truman, Berry Lawson, Harrison Ware, Robert “Bobby” Hall, Daniel Bell, Luther Jackson, Roman Ducksworth Jr., Johnny Robinson, Jimmie Lee Jackson, Leonard Deadwyler, Matthew Johnson, Martin Chambers, Rose Abraham, Eddie Moss, Robert Lee Martin, Isaac Harrison, Albert Mersier Jr., Rufus Council, Tedock Bell, Leroy Boyd, Cornelius Murray, Oscar Hill, Richard Taliaferro, Eloise Spellman, Rebecca Brown, Hattie Gainer, William Furr, Raymond Hawk, Michael Pugh, James Rutledge, Raymond Gilmer, Robert Beal, Joseph Chandler, Herman Canty, Alfred Peachlum, Alphonso Smith, Mike Williams, Edward Kemp, Richard Sims, Frank Tanner, Henry Denson, Emanuel Cosbey, Ronald Evans, William Jones, Roy Banks, Arthur Johnson, Perry Williams, Tonia Blanding, John LeRoy, Carl Cooper, Aubrey Pollard, Fred Temple, George Talbert, Albert Robinson, William Dalton, Ernest Roquemore, Samuel Ephesians Hammond Jr., Delano Herman Middleton, Henry Ezekial Smith, William Leonard, Larry Payne, Vivian Strong, Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, James Earl Green, Jerry Lee Amie, Leonard Brown, Denver Smith, Rita Lloyd, Clifford Glover, Edward Garner, Bernard Whitehurst, Michael Sherard, Randolph Evans, Michael Carpenter, Cornell Warren, Emery Robinson, Arthur McDuffie, William Green, Michael Smith, Ernest Lacy, Anthony Nelson, Donald Harp, Lloyd D. Stevenson, Robert V. Logan, Clement Lloyd, Allan Blanchard, Leonard Bennett, Christopher Rogers, Roy Lee Jones, Brian Edmund Andrew, Charles William Orebo, Howard Eugene Martin, John L. Daniels Jr., Malice Green, Paul Monroe, Simmont Donta Thomas, Don Myrick, Ernest Sayon, Nicholas Heyward Jr., Lawrence Meyers, Jerry Jackson, Joseph Gould, Jonny Gammage, Christopher Thomas, Nathaniel Levi Gaines, Malik Jones, William J. Whitfield, Donta Dawson, Deron Grimmitt, Franklyn Reid, Amadou Diallo, Aquan Salmon, Stanton L. Crew, LaTanya Haggerty, Demetrius DuBose, Mardio House, Antonio Butler, Malcolm Ferguson, Patrick Dorismond, George Bibins, Prince Jones, Anthony Lee, Roger Owensby Jr., Timothy Thomas, Bilal Dashawn Colbert, Egbert David Dewgard, Corey Ward, Charles Dixon Sr., Orlando Barlow, Michael Pleasance, Marquis Hudspeth, Alberta Spruill, Ousmane Zongo, John Eric Henderson, Nathaniel Jones, Timothy Stansbury, William Lomax, James Jahar Perez, Christopher Hicks, D’Koy Dancy, Jashon Bryant, Henry Glover, James Brisette, Ronald Madison, Vincent Smith, Lorenzo Matthews, Herman Barnes, Sean Bell, David Antjuan Ware, Brandon Washington, Anthony Smashum, DeAunta Farrow, Shawn Watson, Khiel Coppin, Tarika Wilson, Baron Pikes, Edward Lamont Hunt, Frederick Devon McAllister, Maurice Leroy Cox, Michael Byoune, Julian Alexander, Lawrence Allen, Dontaze Storey Jr., Oscar Grant, Domonick Washington, Roy Glenn Jr., Steven Eugene Washington, Michael Patrick Jacobs Jr., Woodrow Player III, Shem Walker, Harold Phillips, Michael Wayne McKnight Jr., Kiwane Carrington, Leonard Bailey Jr., Aaron Campbell, Darrell Swain, Darrell Swain, Lejoy Grissom, Keith Briscoe, Aiyana Jones, Trevon Cole, Dexter Luckett, DeCarlos Moore, Damon Lamont Falls, James Rivera Jr., David Smith, Jamail Amron, Derrick Jones, Eugene Ellison, Reginald Doucet, Kemp Yarborough, Corey Brown, Walter Bailey, Henry Lee Jones Jr., Flint Farmer, Derek Williams, Alonzo Ashley, Jason Moore, Cletis Williams, Dwight Person, Stanley Gibson, Ariston Waiters, Willie Ray Banks, Ramarley Graham, Lamont Harmon, Manuel Loggins Jr., Troy Stewart, Wendell Allen, Marquez Smart, Dane Scott Jr., Shereese Francis, Rekia Boyd, Kendrec McDade, Davinian Williams, Anton Barrett Sr., Shantel Davis, James Brown Jr., James Harper, Cjavar Galmon, Bobby Moore, Carleton Wallace, Anthony Anderson, Sherron Norman, Dakota Bright, Derrick Ambrose Jr., Timothy Russell, Malissa Williams, Jamaal Moore, Cedrick Chatman, Jayvis Benjamin, Clinton Allen, Willie Lee Bingham Jr., Craig Demps, Jordan West-Morson, Leonard Thomas, Tyrone West, Larry Jackson, Ryan Stokes, Jermaine McBean, Jonathan Ferrell, Alexander Jamar Marion, Brandon Devone Smith, Tyler Woods, Jordan Baker, Ernest Satterwhite, Yvette Smith, Deandre Lloyd Armstrong-Starks, Gregory Towns, Arthur Green Jr., Dontre Hamilton, Justin Griffin, Howard Bowe, Craig McKinnis, Jerry Dwight Brown, Icarus Randolph, Charles Goodridge, Ronald Singleton, Dominique Lewis, Eric Garner, John Crawford III, Michael Brown, Ezell Ford, Cory Tanner, Cameron Tillman, Lashano Gilbert, Michael Ricardo Minor, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Rumain Brisbon, Dennis Grigsby, Jerame Reid, Artago Howard, Calvon Reid, Charley Leundeu Keunang, Tony Robinson, Naeschylus Vinzant, Anthony Hill, Brandon Jones, Nicholas Thomas, Eric Harris, Donald “Dontay” Ivy, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Frank Shephard, William Chapman, David Felix, Brandon Glenn, D’Angelo Stallworth, Richard Gregory Davis, Kris Jackson, Spencer Lee McCain, Victo Larosa III, Jonathan Sanders, Samuel DuBose, Christian Taylor, Felix Kumi, India Kager, Adrien Campbell, Keith McLeod, Tanisha Anderson, Jamar Clark, Nathaniel Harris Pickett Jr., Miguel Espinal, Roy Lee Nelson Jr., Kevin Matthews, Bettie Jones, Keith Childress, Antronie Scott, David Joseph, Calin Devonte Roquemore, Che Taylor, Christopher Davis, Greg Gunn, Peter Gaines, Kevin Hicks, Demarcus Semer, Ashtian Barnes, Vernell Bing Jr., Deravis Caine Rogers, Delrawn Small, Philando Castile, Dalvin Hollins, Paul O’Neal, Donnell Thompson Jr., Levonia Riggins, Terence Crutcher, Alfred Olango, Christopher Sowell, Muhammad Muhaymin Jr., Sean Moore, JR Williams, Deaundre Phillips, Wardel Davis, Chad Robertson, Quanice Hayes, Raynard Burton, Luke Stewart, Alteria Woods, Kenneth Johnson, Jordan Edwards, Landon Nobles, Tashii Farmer, David Jones, Aaron Bailey, Eurie Martin, Damon Grimes, Anthony Antonio Ford, Armando Frank, Lawrence Hawkins, Keita O’Neil, Dennis Plowden, Corey Mobley, Crystalline Barnes, Ronnell Foster, Darion Baker, Christopher Eisinger, Stephon Clark, Danny Ray Thomas, Saheed Vassell, Juan Markee Jones, James Bauduy, Jeffrey Melvin, Keeven Robinson, Marcus-David Peters, Earl McNeil, Maurice Granton Jr., Robert Lawrence White, Antwon Rose Jr., Anthony Marcel Green, Joseph Pettaway, Rashaun Washington, Cynthia Ann Fields, O’Shae Terry, James Leatherwood, Botham Jean, Marcus Smith, Anton Black, Chinedu Okobi, Charles Roundtree Jr., Albert Dorsey, Tony Bernard Smith Jr., Robert Loggins, Gregory Edwards, David Baker, Jameek Lowery, George Robinson, D’Ettrick Griffin, Jimmy Atchison, Eleanor Northington, Mario Clark, Michael Elam Jr., Javier Ambler, Isaiah Lewis, Ronald Greene, Terrence Bridges Jr., Ryan Twyman, Josef Richardson, Elijah McClain, Byron Williams, Christopher Whitfield, Marshall Miles, Michael Lorenzo Dean, Cameron Lamb, Kwame Jones, William Howard Green, Jaquyn Oneill Light, Leonard Parker Jr., Manuel Ellis, Barry Gedeus, Donnie Sanders, Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude, Fred Brown, Denzel Marshal Taylor, Shaun Fuhr, Maurice Gordon, George Floyd, William Wade Burgess III, Julian Edward Roosevelt Lewis, Kurt Reinhold, Jonathan Price, Anthony Jones, Marcellis Stinnette, Frederick Cox, Angelo Crooms, Sincere Pierce, Johnny Lorenzo Bolton, Andre Hill, Carl Dorsey, Akeem Terrell, Patrick Warren, Jenoah Donald, Daverion Deauntre Kinard, James Lionel Johnson, Dominique Williams, Daunte Wright, Lindani Myeni, Andrew Brown Jr., La’Mello Parker, Latoya James, Renardo Green, Frederick Holder, James Holland Sr., Tory Brown, Fanta Bility, Cedric Lofton, Michael Craig, Jermaine Jones, Jim Rogers, Calvin Wilks Jr., Eldred Wells Sr., Quadry Sanders, Terence Caffey, James Lowery, Jason Walker, Dyonta Quarles Jr., Robert “Junior” Langley, Donnell Rochester, Tracy Gaeta, Patrick Lyoya, Herman Whitfield, Jalen Randle, Jayland Walker, Brett Rosenau, Roderick Brooks, Raymond Chaluisant, Kyle Dail, Donovan Lewis, Genesis Hicks, James Wilborn, Ki’Azia Miller, Eric Holmes, Keenan Anderson, and Tyre Nichols.
Your memory will live on in our hearts forever, and your legacy will continue to inspire us in the ongoing fight for freedom for all oppressed people.
