“The summer of 2016 was filled with protests all across the country. People took to the streets in Baton Rouge, where Alton Sterling was killed by a police officer. People protested outside of St. Paul, Minnesota, where Philando Castile was killed by a police officer less than 24 hours later.

And people took to the streets in Memphis, where Darrius Stewart was killed by a police officer the previous summer.

In what became the largest spontaneous protest in Memphis history, more than 1,000 protesters made their voices heard when they stopped traffic in all six lanes of the Interstate 40 bridge to Arkansas.
As we approach the anniversary of this historic protest, MLK50 will bring you the story.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Read more from MLK50 on the bridge protest:

• Friday, July 7: “Take It To The Bridge,” The changes the bridge protest brought and the ones it didn’t, by MLK50 founder Wendi C. Thomas
• Also Friday: When A City Fails To Hear, a photo essay by photographer Andrea Morales
• Saturday, July 8: Policing the protesters, a look at police-community relations by MLK50 contributor Micaela Watts
• Also Saturday: Sunday rally planned for anniversary of bridge protest by MLK50 founder Wendi C. Thomas
• Sunday, July 9: In Their Voices, a multimedia presentation by MLK50 contributor Molly Mulroy
• Monday, July 10: MLK50’s coverage of the Coalition of Concerned Citizens’ anniversary event”