WASHINGTON — The chanting heard at Black Lives Matter Plaza over the last few nights has largely subsided, but the message is still just as clear.
Just feet from the White House is Washington's newest memorial.
The temporary fence erected last week to keep protesters out of Lafayette Square is now covered with carefully crafted messages, remembering black people killed by police or in other racially motivated murders.
There are pictures of George Floyd, balloons for Breonna Taylor on what would've been her 27th birthday and remembrances of Emmett Till, a 14-year old killed in the 1950s after being accused of offending a white woman.
"I’ve had a few tears, it makes your heart hurt,” Phyllis Myers, who came to see the messages first-hand, said. "We finally got a wall and it's beautiful."
This has become a place for healing and a place to be heard. The collection of messages etched on poster board continues to grow, even as plans are being made to start tearing it down.
"Silence is Violence," "Racism is a Pandemic too," and "I can't breathe," are a few of the words adorning the temporary barrier between the White House and protesters.
Many people are still looking to add their own words to this historic movement.
Christian Whitfield brought her kids along with posters in hand.
“When people say 'All Lives Matter,' I feel like it's not really fair," Whitfield said. "It's just being petty, because we're saying Black Lives Matter."
For others, the messages are also a sign of hope.
A recent high school graduate wanted to document this moment with a brighter future in mind.
“Can't wait to look at this 20 years from now and possibly show my kids," Terrence McKnight said. "This is what was happening in my time when I was graduating."
The relative quiet outside the White House stands in stark contrast to the noise and fear that emanated in the space one week ago, when tear gas was deployed to clear protesters out of the street before President Trump made an appearance at nearby St. John's Church. To date, no law enforcement agency has claimed responsibility for using tear gas,
The National Park Service said they’ll start taking the barricades down on the south side of the White House Wednesday.
"The temporary fencing on the south side of the White House complex, to include the Ellipse, will be removed on or about June 10," a Secret Service spokesperson said. "The Secret Service is in continuing discussions with the US Park Police regarding the temporary security fencing in and around Lafayette Park."
A source told WUSA9 that several local museums are collecting some of the posters to preserve for future generations.