FREEPORT (WREX) — In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debated in Freeport whether black slaves should be freed in what became known as the Freeport Doctrine.
More than 150 years later, Freeport again discussed the injustices faced by black people within the city and the country.
On Saturday, more than 100 people attended the "March on Stephenson Street" in Freeport organized by three black Freeport graduates.
Phylinese Brooks, Tomiah Burrows and Anthony King organized the event over Zoom, text messages and phone calls after last Sunday's protests turned violent.
The organizers saw what they said were hateful comments on various Facebook Live streams of Sunday's protests. The comments compelled them to act in their hometown.
On Friday, Freeport locals donated over 1,600 water bottles and $2,000 in support of the event. The group plans to donate the money to Freeport's Boys and Girls Club.
While the event started at 1 p.m., dozens of people showed up an hour before to set up voter registration tables, sign petitions and hand out cold water bottles.
After hearing from speakers, protesters marched down Stephenson Street and Lincoln Street chanting "No Justice, No Peace" which has become a popular demand within the larger movement.
Other supporters, lined up on Stephenson Street to show their support.
The march circled back to the Freeport City Hall where Warren Pearson Jr., Jabria Pearson and LaFrancine Baker spoke about their experiences as black people in Freeport.
Freeport Police Chief Matthew Summers unexpectedly addressed the crowd about his department's responsibility for change in the coming weeks and months.
People called his office asking what the police were going to do. The answer is simple: listen, he said. For Summers, now is the time to listen and learn to make sustainable change within the police department.
"Over the last week, everybody has been calling my office wondering what I'm going to do just to make change and change in the police department and different things and the first thing I have to do is I have to listen," he said. "We have to get together and come together. It's not something we can change in a march, it's not something we can change in one meeting. It's going to be a long time and we're trying to work with the community and meet with those people so we can listen."
Organizers said Freeport Mayor Jodi Miller marched, but had to leave.
The group dispersed around 4 p.m., one hour earlier than planned.
Brooks, King and Burrows want the community to understand one simple thing: "Black Lives Matter," they said.
The work isn't done though, the three organizers said. Now, is the time to finish the job.
https://wrex.com/2020/06/06/freeport-march-on-stephenson-street-protest/
