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Friday, October 17, 2025 at 3:26 PM in Nineveh, Assyria

To know your past, is to know yourself.

During the months of Turkish occupation, there was never a moment of real safety for the Christians. The most unremitting efforts on the part of the missionaries secured comparative safety within the city walls, so that the people were scattered to some extent from the Mission Compound; and a few villages, including two that were not plundered at the beginning, were kept comparatively safe through the efforts of the Persian Governor.

Beyond these narrow limits the Christians could not go. This was shown by constant robberies and murders when Christians ventured forth. During this period the Turks were guilty not only of failure to protect the Christians effectively, but also of direct massacres under their orders. One hundred and seventy men thus massacred were buried by the American missionaries...

-- William A. Shedd

Assyrian Holocaust - religious persecution and ethnic genocide of Assyrians in the Middle East.

Assyrian Holocaust | History Timeline | 1900's section

Assyrian Community Calendar | View | Add

USA, Chicago: The Black March in Chicago

November 8, 2010

This week, in reaction to the hideous crimes against Assyrian Christians in Baghdad on October 31st, over 5,000 Assyrian and other Americans have sent over 20,000 letters to their Senators, Representatives, and President Obama. You have shattered all previous Assyrian-American organizing efforts, and for that, you should be proud. Now we see what can happen when we work together for a common cause without second thought − we succeed.

Think letter writing isn’t enough? Well, we don’t either. Assyrians have power in numbers in the United States − let’s use it.

The worldwide Assyrian community, including Australia, Canada, Sweden, London, Brussels, and the United States, is preparing to peacefully protest next week. And Chicago is joining in, so take Monday off and join in.

The Black March

When: Monday, November 8th from noon to 3 pm.

Where: State of Illinois Building, 100 W. Randolph, Chicago.

What: Wear all black! This is a worldwide coordinated event and we will all be wearing the same color, black, and have the same message: Protect Iraq’s vulnerable Assyrian Christian minority.

Signs should discuss:

The Black Sunday Massacre on October 31, 2010
Having our own local police force
State Department and Congressional inaction on minority issues
Stronger Iraqi security for Assyrian population in Iraq, and other relevant issues.

Be creative. Make it short and sweet. Bring your outside voices. Dress warmly. And spellcheck!

Why: Because if they can live in Baghdad, we can spend an afternoon in beautiful downtown Chicago.

Unfortunately, due to heavy construction around the entire perimeter, the protest could not be held any closer to the Federal Building. If you have any questions, please contact us at mail@assyrianamericancoalition.org and we will do our best to answer everyone in a timely fashion. Please forward this communication to anyone who may not be on our mailing list.

AANC is facilitating communication for this peaceful protest. We would like to thank all of the youth involved in making this happen, not only in Chicago, but around the world.

Thanks!

Assyrian American National Coalition
https://www.assyrianamericancoalition.org

The Black Marches
https://www.atour.com/community/calendar/1289022418.shtml

Related Information

Assyrian Posters

These advertising and marketing media have been created to promote online campaigns and local community events.

Feel free to copy, distribute, and print these posters at your local printing store and then display them in your Assyrian campaigns.

8” x 11” - low-resolution PDF (online usage)

11”x 17” - high-resolution PDF (poster printing)