Violin Vigils Honor the Memory of Elijah McClain

nat rosasco • January 25, 2021

In the summer of 2020, violinists gathered across the country to remember Elijah McClain through music. The first vigil, held in the Colorado town where McClain was slain, was organized by professional violinists Lee England and Ashanti Floyd. The pair led a group of a dozen local violinists through renditions of songs like "Hallelujah" and "Amazing Grace" while Aurora police officers, equipped with riot gear and tear gas, attempted to disassemble the gathering. The incident subsequently went viral, inspiring similar vigils from Chicago and Portland to New York and New Orleans. Over 20 such vigils have been held nationwide. The vigils, attended by musicians and non-musicians alike, allow attendees to honor the memory of McClain, who was himself a violinist, while raising awareness about greater issues of racial inequality, discrimination, and police brutality.

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