“Every day when we wake up and look in the mirror, we see a reflection of the parents who were taken from us. We are their legacies.”
- Montinque Monroe, daughter of Paul Monroe
Creators Joy and Elise Proctor
About the Memorial
The Say Their Name Memorial is a nationwide initiative to honor Black lives taken by systemic racism and racial injustice. The memorial started in Portland, Oregon, on Juneteenth 2020, and since has been in over twenty locations nationwide. The STNM project manages a submission-driven database including photos and tributes of Black lives taken unjustly. The project also produces traveling memorials for public exhibitions as well as providing support for communities looking to create grassroots memorials in their own neighborhoods. The aim of STNM is to facilitate conversations around systemic racism while honoring the lives taken by it.
Submit a name to the memorial
Our database is not exhaustive and we need your help to learn the names and hear the stories of loved ones and community members who are not on our list. Click here for our current list of names which have been compiled to highlight the gravity of systemic racism on the Black community. It is not meant to be exclusionary, however names included must represent this cause.
Create a Community Memorial
The Say Their Names Memorial team provides a database of names, photos, and information to individuals who desire to put up memorials in their community. We have two mobile installations available for rent, depending on location: the Hall of Injustice structure —or— up to fifty free-standing pillars on which to display images and flowers. Our goal is to foster community engagement by creating memorials for and by your community. Submit a request below and we will coordinate. All local organizers must agree to complete liability and take responsibility to enforce safety regulations. For information on past and upcoming memorials, please visit the Memorials Page. Please note, our team is 100% volunteer-based. Please allow 2-3 business days for response.