I mentioned in the One Year Anniversary Thread that I’d put up a photo diary of the photos I took down in Washington, DC during the March for Peace in September of 2005.
I took around 500 photos and made an initial edit down to 180 or so which are up in a flickr set, but I put up a much tighter edit onto my dedicated photoblog of fifteen shots that I thought were the best of the bunch.
There’s Cindy Sheehan and Rev. Jesse Jackson joining the march right in front of the Treasury building. I jsut happened to be right there when they joined the parade. More shots below.
A troupe of well organized and coreographed effigies.
The crowd within the Ellipse waiting to make their way out to join the parade. The Washington Monument standing tall in the background.
They chanted from the small bullhorn: “Show me what democracy looks like!” and the sea of activists chanted back “This is what democracy looks like!” This was at the first turn leaving the Ellipse and the start of the march to the White House.
That’s my friend and 1L Austin being interviewed by some organization [can’t for the life of me remember] with the masses behind him.
This is an old 45-star flag. There was a sign next to it which read: “1896-1912 45 Stars Before the “Pledge” was nationalized.
Three of the many guards all around the Treasury buliding. There were plenty of DC Metro out in full riot gear. These officers were behind a barricade and I guess didn’t need the gear.
On our way back from dinner [I think] to the Mall, me and my friends walked right towards the Washington Monument which looked so serene with so much open space in front of it.
Walking on the eastern side of the Washington Monument to get to the other side of the stage, we saw this poster.
People were dressed in the usual crazy outfits with puppets, paint and whatnot. I think this got the message across well.
Standing silently with her fingers outstretched for peace.
And some people came fully prepared for tear gas. I didn’t see anyone get gased and I don’t recall [6 months later] reports of gas being used.
One of my favs, Dr. Cornel West was in the house for the parade as well. I caught him in the media tent before the night concert.
My friend Brian Russell, a North Carolina activist and blogger at Audtio Activism watching Jello Biafra on stage [and in case you’re confused, the shot has Jello on the big screen to Brian’s left, he’s on stage to the right].
And Le Tigre closed out the night with a rocking set.
Brings so much back.
I remember Joan Biaz sing Dylan’s “hard rain is gonna fall” just as droplets started to fall and then they just stopped. That whole day it threatened to rain but never really did.
I think you and I must’ve been marching fairly close. I remember the “this is what democracy looks like” and was there when all of a sudden Jesse Jackson and Cindy Sheehan were too. Didja know they used StevenD’s flag?
I wasn’t there for Biaz singing. I can’t recall exactly when we got down to the concert area. Such an annoying pitter patter of rain. Just enough for me to not want to keep my camera out and shielded under my arms.
In that sea of people, funny how so many of us were so close to each other. I actually ran into the photographer for Philadelphia Weekly [1 of 2 alt weeklies in town] who I know from when I worked there. It was funny. There were some 300K people around us and I just called out Jeff! And he turned around kinda stunned to see me, just as I was stunned to see him. And eggcellent that they carried along StevenD’s flag!
Thank you for posting this diary with your comments explaining all the photos. What a wonderful time that was. I was so proud of all the BTers that went. Thanks again!
it was a great weekend!