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Black Lives Matter Plaza

Coordinates: 38°54′3.506″N 77°2′11.548″W / 38.90097389°N 77.03654111°W / 38.90097389; -77.03654111
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Black Lives Matter Plaza
Black Lives Matter Plaza Northwest
The letter "B" in the mural reading "Black Lives Matter" painted in June 2020
The letter "B" in the mural reading "Black Lives Matter" painted in June 2020
Map
NamesakeBlack Lives Matter
Maintained byDDOT
LocationDowntown Washington, D.C.
Postal code20006
Nearest metro station McPherson Square
Coordinates38°54′3.506″N 77°2′11.548″W / 38.90097389°N 77.03654111°W / 38.90097389; -77.03654111
North end US 29 (K Street, NW)
South endH Street, NW at Lafayette Square of President's Park
Construction
CommissionedJune 5, 2020
CompletionOctober 28, 2021

Black Lives Matter Plaza (officially Black Lives Matter Plaza Northwest) was a two-block-long pedestrian section of 16th Street NW in downtown Washington, D.C.[2][3] The plaza was renamed by Mayor Muriel Bowser on June 5, 2020, after the Department of Public Works painted the words "Black Lives Matter" in yellow, 35-foot-tall (11 m) capital letters, along with the D.C. flag, during the series of George Floyd protests taking place in the city.[4][5][6]

The plaza was removed in March 2025, due to a threat by a Republican congressman demanding its removal as a condition of future federal funding and Trump's war on DEI.[7]

History

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On June 5, 2020, during the series of George Floyd protests, the D.C. Department of Public Works painted the words "Black Lives Matter" in 35-foot-tall (11 m) yellow capital letters on 16th Street NW on the north of Lafayette Square, part of President's Park near the White House, with the assistance of the MuralsDC program of the Department of Public Works, with the D.C. flag accompanying the text.[8][9][10] On the same date, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that part of the street outside of the White House had been officially renamed to Black Lives Matter Plaza posted with a street sign.[11][12][13] When announcing the renaming, she said, "Breonna Taylor, on your birthday, let us stand with determination."[14] In a press conference, she explained, "There are people who are craving to be heard and to be seen and to have their humanity recognized. We had the opportunity to send that message loud and clear on a very important street in our city."[15] In October 2020, the DC City Council voted to keep the name permanently.[16]

The naming of the street has been seen by many as not only a reaction to the protests but part of it.[17]

Mayor Bowser's decision to rename the segment of 16th Street NW as a public gathering place, or plaza, followed DC precedent for the commemorative renaming of city streets,[18] under the Code of the District of Columbia.[19][20]

In September 2020, according to WUSA9, the Federal Highway Administration, Mayor Bowser's office and area business were engaged in talks about removing the lettering and street sign, although no formal request had been made by the federal government.[21]

In May 2021, Mayor Bowser announced that the mural would undergo a refurbishment to make it a permanent installation, and add "all the things that you expect an iconic art installation". She described the mural as "a very affirming message that not only our residents needed to hear, but people around the world needed to hear."[22]

In October 2021, the street was reopened as a permanent installation featuring similar yellow lettering and a permanent concrete plaza. Unlike the original installation, which was closed to traffic, the permanent plaza includes one lane of traffic in each direction separated by a 14-foot (4.3 m) pedestrian island in the center. Total construction costs were estimated at $7.8 million.[23]

Location

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Black Lives Matter Plaza Street Sign. The signs are black with white lettering. This style of sign is unique in DC to Black Lives Matter Plaza.
Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C., as seen from space on June 8, 2020

The plaza is a two-block-long section of 16th Street NW, south of K St NW, extending through I St, and north of H Street NW on the north side of President's Park on the south side of the Downtown neighborhood in Northwest D.C.[24][25][26][27] Vehicular entry to the temporary installation was blocked by barricades on the right-hand side of the street, though emergency vehicles had access on the left side. After the completion of the permanent installation in October 2021, vehicular entry has been restored.

Reaction

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Park police

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The United States Park Police reacted to the public gatherers by erecting a temporary seven-foot-tall (2.1 m) chain-link security barrier on the north boundary of the park, which was used to post messages by the protesters.[28]

Community response

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The Defund the police addition by activists to the mural

The group Black Lives Matter DC criticized the renaming by calling the acts a "performative distraction from real policy changes." On June 6, protesters painted "Defund the Police" in the same yellow block letters that the city had painted "Black Lives Matter." Protesters also painted black the 3 stars on top of the DC City Crest so that from the air the lettering on the street reads "BLACK LIVES MATTER = DEFUND THE POLICE." The stars on the DC crest were subsequently re-added.[29][30][31]

Following the Mayor's announcement that the mural would be removed in 2025, Nee Nee Taylor, a founding member of Black Lives Matter DC reiterated the group's stance, stating “You never cared about Black Lives Mattering. You painting those words were performative.”[32]

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Religious groups

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A group of religious organizations, including the Warriors for Christ and the Special Forces of Liberty, filed a federal lawsuit on June 12, 2020, against Bowser in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia over the renaming of the plaza.[33] The suit contends that Black Lives Matter is a "cult for secular humanism" and a religious organization, and thus Bowser's action of renaming the plaza an endorsement of a religion violating the separation of church and state. The suit called for the mural to be removed and the plaza to be renamed to a more secular name, as well as the display of different banners giving equal time for other groups, which include All Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, and "Green Lives Matter" for National Guardsmen.[33]

The lawsuit was dismissed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on August 21, 2020, without prejudice.[34] A refiled case was similarly dismissed on July 12, 2021, by Judge McFadden.[35]

Judicial Watch group

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The conservative activist group Judicial Watch also filed suit against Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District Department of Transportation in response to the installation of Black Lives Matter Plaza. Arguing that the painting of the Black Lives Matter message created a public forum for expression, Judicial Watch requested permission to paint its slogan "Because No One Is Above the Law!" in a similar size on a District street. After the District government did not respond to its inquiries, the group sued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging a violation of its First Amendment rights. The case was dismissed on February 7, 2022, by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan.[36]

Removal

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Crews beginning to remove the Black Lives Matter Plaza installation.

In March 2025, Andrew Clyde (R-GA) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would withhold certain federal funding from the city unless the plaza is renamed "Liberty Plaza", the mural is removed, and the city removes all references to "Black Lives Matter" from any official publications.[7] On March 10, 2025, city crews began to remove the installation; Mayor Bowser stated that the removal was the result of threats of encroachment from both President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress. She stated that "the mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern". It was stated that the plaza would receive new art by students and artists as part of DC's America 250 mural project.[37][38][39][40]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Black Lives Matter Plaza" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Asmelash, Leah (June 6, 2020). "Washington's New Black Lives Matter Street Mural Is Captured on Satellite". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  3. ^ Johnson, Martin (June 6, 2020). "Bowser Addresses Record Crowd at Black Lives Matter Plaza". The Hill. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  4. ^ Johnson, Ted (June 6, 2020). "DC Mayor Chides Donald Trump at Largest Protest Since Death of George Floyd: 'We Pushed the Army Away from Our City'". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  5. ^ Aratani, Lauren (June 6, 2020). "Washington Mayor Stands Up to Trump and Unveils Black Lives Matter Mural". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. ^ Mamiit, Aaron (June 9, 2020). "Google Maps, Bing Maps add marker for Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C." Digital Trends. digitaltrends.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "'Bigger fish to fry': Why DC is making changes to Black Lives Matter Plaza painting". WTOP News. March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  8. ^ Austermuhle, Mark; Cheslow, Daniella (June 5, 2020). "DC Renames Intersection near White House 'Black Lives Matter Plaza' Paints 35-Foot Message on Street". DCist. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  9. ^ Barnes, Sophie; Finch, Justin (June 5, 2020). "City of DC Painting 'Black Lives Matter' on Street Near White House". Washington, DC: WRC-TV. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  10. ^ Willingham, AJ (June 5, 2020). "Washington DC Paints a Giant 'Black Lives Matter' Message on the Road to the White House". CNN. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  11. ^ Barnes, Sophia; Finch, Justin (June 5, 2020). "City of DC Names Street to White House After Black Lives Matter; Emblazons Name on Road". Washington, DC: WRC-TV. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  12. ^ Wu, Nicholas (June 5, 2020). "DC Renames Street near White House 'Black Lives Matter Plaza' to Honor George Floyd Protests". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  13. ^ Heavey, Susan; Gorman, Steve (June 7, 2020). "'A Part of History': Calm Prevails over DC's Biggest George Floyd Protest". Reuters. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  14. ^ "DC Mayor Inaugurates 'Black Lives Matter' Plaza near White House". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  15. ^ "Mayor inaugurates 'Black Lives Matter Plaza' in DC with giant yellow letters". France 24. Associated Press. June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  16. ^ "D.C. Council votes to permanently keep name 'Black Lives Matter Plaza'". WJLA. October 19, 2020.
  17. ^ Chayka, Kyle (June 9, 2020). "The Mimetic Power of D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Mural". The New Yorker. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  18. ^ Oprysko, Caitlin (June 5, 2020). "D.C. Government Dubs Intersection Where Police Cleared Peaceful Protesters 'Black Lives Matter Plaza'". Politico. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  19. ^ "Chapter 2. Street and Alley Closing and Acquisition Procedures". Code of the District of Columbia. DC Law Library. 2020. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  20. ^ Dwyer, Colin (June 5, 2020). "'Black Lives Matter Plaza,' Across From White House, Is Christened By D.C. Leaders". NPR. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  21. ^ The Federal Highway Administration responds to our report that the Black Lives Matter mural could be, September 16, 2020, retrieved May 17, 2021
  22. ^ "DC's Black Lives Matter Plaza to Become Permanent Art Installation". NBC4 Washington. May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  23. ^ Weil, Julie Zauzmer (October 28, 2021). "D.C.'s Black Lives Matter Plaza, created overnight, is now a permanent multimillion-dollar concrete installation". Washington Post. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  24. ^ "Google Maps adds 'Black Lives Matter Plaza' after giant mural completed in Washington". Seattle: KIRO-TV. Cox Media Group National Content Desk. June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  25. ^ "Black Lives Matter Plaza". OpenStreetMap.
  26. ^ Belfiore, Emily (June 5, 2020). "DC Mayor Changes Street Name to Black Lives Matter Plaza". E! Online. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  27. ^ Ricker, Thomas (June 8, 2020). "Apple Maps updated with giant Black Lives Matter DC mural". The Verge. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  28. ^ "Massive fence erected around Lafayette Park becomes gallery of protest art". Fox 5 DC. Associated Press. June 8, 2020.
  29. ^ Stephanie Ramirez (June 7, 2020). "DC Won't Remove 'Defund The Police' Street Art next to Black Lives Matter Mural". Fox 5 DC. Washington, DC: WTTG-TV. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  30. ^ Brewster, Jack (June 5, 2020). "DC Mayor Designates 'Black Lives Matter Plaza'— But BLM Organizers Say It's Not Enough". Forbes. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  31. ^ Dugyala, Rishika (June 7, 2020). "DC Mayor Won't Play Art Critic". Politico. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  32. ^ "Washington, DC, to remove 'Black Lives Matter' painting from street near White House, mayor says".
  33. ^ a b Pomeroy, Courtney (June 12, 2020). "D.C. faces First Amendment lawsuit over Black Lives Matter Plaza". WJLA-TV. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  34. ^ Penkoski v. Bowser, 486 F. Supp. 3d 219 (D.D.C. 2020).
  35. ^ Penkoski v. Bowser, Case No. 20-cv-01519 (D.D.C. 2021).
  36. ^ Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Bowser, Case No. 1:20-cv-01789 (D.D.C. 2021).
  37. ^ Harris, Christopher (March 4, 2025). "Black Lives Matter Plaza to be redesigned as part of new DC mural project". FOX 5 DC. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  38. ^ Kim, Juliana (March 8, 2025). "D.C.'s Black Lives Matter mural will be erased. Look back at the iconic street painting". NPR. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  39. ^ Archie, Ayana (March 10, 2025). "City crews have begun removing the 'Black Lives Matter' street mural in D.C." NPR. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  40. ^ Khalil, Ashraf (March 4, 2025). "Washington, DC, to remove 'Black Lives Matter' painting from street near White House, mayor says". Associated Press. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
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