Larry Roberts/Post-Gazette
Gerry Shields-Travis from the Hill District applauds in affirmation of what one of the speakers said to people gathered at Freedom Corner after a march for justice from the churches of the Hill District.
They came by the dozens, totaling upward of 300, some carrying signs bearing "Together We Can" and "Justice for All," most wearing their Sunday best, many holding hands or raising them in supplication.
The members of the 19 churches of the Hill District Ministers Alliance turned out Sunday afternoon, the first Sunday of the new year, at the historic Freedom Corner in the Hill District to "get the ear not only of elected officials but of God," said organizer Victor Grigsby, chairman of the alliance and pastor of the Central Baptist Church in the Hill District.
There was stirring talk and singing. Mostly, there was prayer.
"There's an urgency in our community. We felt a strong need to voice our concerns. We wanted to talk about injustice. We wanted to pray, as a community," Rev. Grigsby said. Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay and Cmdr. Eric Holmes attended. "I'm here because I support anything that brings community together [to support peace,]" Cmdr. Holmes said.
Recent national incidents involving the deaths of African-American citizens during encounters with police sparked the "rally for justice and against violence," which began at 1:30 p.m. with a march down Centre Avenue to Freedom Corner, where speakers took turns at the microphone.
"The precipitating factors were [shootings in] Ferguson [Mo.] and Brooklyn, New York, but this is the way we wanted to begin 2015, the first Sunday in 2015, in a peaceful voicing of our concerns," Rev. Grigsby said.
Speaker after speaker asked the group to join in prayer for government leaders, for funding of programs to benefit the community, for police, for peace.
Karen Kane: kkane [at] post-gazette.com or at 724-772-9180.
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