Various protest signs on the temporary walkway near the White House
Handmade posters cover the inside of the temporary, wooden walkway along H Street, NW in front of Lafayette Park and the White House in Washington, DC.
Messages read "Racism is a pandemic too," and "Can't trust a kneeling cop either," and more.
The walkway—a block long and built by the city—created a temporary art gallery and provided more protection for the artwork than the fence surrounding Lafayette Park which was exposed to the changing weather.
Urban Art Mapping
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-08-08">2020-08-08</a>
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Photographer: Kathleen Cole
UAM-GF_3262
H Street NW, Lafayette Park, Washington DC
BLM Memorial Fence with protest signs
The Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence with protest signs and art. A large banner reading Black Lives Matter in block letters dominates the area that would normally afford an unobstructed view of the White House. There is a yellow wreath situated on top of this banner. The fence is covered with protest signs on cardboard, neon pasteboard, and paper. A wide angle view shows the expanse of the fence. Detailed views show examples of protest signs and art that appeared on the fence. This includes portraits of Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin. Examples of textual signs are "If Covid 19 is a virus, trump is a plague," "If you're not standing with us you're against us your silence is deafening," "Am I next?," and "BLM."
The White House and Washington Monument are visible in the background.
Urban Art Mapping
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-09">2020-06-09</a>
Photographer: Aliza Leventhal
UAM-GF_3593
H Street NW and 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, USA
God Isn't Playing
Protest signs and art on the Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence. This includes text written or painted on cardboard or paper, reading "Black & Proud," and "Say Her Name Black Lives." There is a large panel combining text with an image of seven Black and Brown upraised fists. The fists are accompanied by text reading "God Isn't Playing," "Live to Love," and "We Built This Shit For Free."
Urban Art Mapping
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-09+">2020-06-09 </a>
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Photographer: Eliza Leventhal
UAM-GF_
H Street NW and 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, USA
Protest signs and artwork on the Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence, Date: 09 June 2020
Protest signs and posters on the Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence, located on the north side of Lafayette Park in Washington D.C.
In these images, some signs focus on text and were created using marker on white or neon posterboard or cardboard. A portrait of Breonna Taylor hangs near the top of the fence. There are mylar balloons with the numbers "27" to commemorate Taylor's birthday, which would have been four days before this photograph was taken. There are also pieces of cloth and small crosses with names on them attached to the fence.
The Black Lives Matter Memorial fence was a temporary chainlink fence installed in the area north of Lafayette Park and the White House from June 2, 2020 until January 30, 2021. The fence prevented public access to the area, and it also served as an important site of protest and self-expression. <br /><br />Activist Nadine Seiler played a crucial role in protecting and caring for the fence, along with Karen Irwin and other activists in a loosely-formed group informally known as the "Guardians of the Fence." Nadine Seiler and Aliza Leventhal systematicallly documented the fence over the course of months, and Seiler became the de facto curator of the fence. <br /><br />Additional information: <br /><br />Library of Congress blog post <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2022/01/protest-preserved-signs-from-d-c-s-black-lives-matter-fence/">"Protest Preserved: Signs from D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence" </a><br /><br />D.C. Public Library <a href="https://digdc.dclibrary.org/islandora/object/dcplislandora%3A337948">Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence Artifact Collection </a>
Urban Art Mapping
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020-06-09">2020-06-09</a>
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Photographer: Aliza Leventhal
UAM-GF_3595
H Street NW and 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, USA
Protest signs and artwork on the Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence, Date: 24 September 2020
Protest signs and posters on the Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence, located north side of Lafayette Park in Washington D.C.
In these images, there is text reading "No Justice No Peace", in white spray paint, outlined with purple and green. This text covers multiple posters with the same or similar statements. A painted portrait of Breonna Taylor includes a photograph of the artist who painted it. There are more posters that read "Silence is Compliance", "Solidarity" and other text. A typed letter titled "A Call to Americans Everywhere" is taped on the fence.
The Black Lives Matter Memorial fence was a temporary chainlink fence installed in the area north of Lafayette Park and the White House from June 2, 2020, until January 30, 2021. The fence prevented public access to the area, and it also served as an important site of protest and self-expression.
Activist Nadine Seiler played a crucial role in protecting and caring for the fence, along with Karen Irwin and other activists in a loosely-formed group informally known as the "Guardians of the Fence." Nadine Seiler and Aliza Leventhal systematically documented the fence over the course of months, and Seiler became the de facto curator of the fence.
Additional information:
Library of Congress blog post "Protest Preserved: Signs from D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence"
D.C. Public Library Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence Artifact Collection”
Urban Art Mapping
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2020+-+09-24">2020 - 09-24</a>
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Photographer: Aliza Leventhal
H Street NW and 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C., USA