Charlottesville Came Together to Heal Last Night

From Esquire

On Wednesday night, the campus of the University of Virginia was once again lit up-but this time, it wasn't with polo-shirt-clad racists holding tiki torches. Instead, hundreds of people in Charlottesville came together for a candlelit vigil against the hate and violence they witnessed over the weekend.

The Washington Post reports the vigil began after local memorial services ended for Heather Heyer, a counter-protester who was killed after a man drove his car into a crowd. The group moved slowly throughout the campus, singing spirituals and observing a moment of silence for the three people killed during the violent weekend. They also sang "Good Old Song," UVA's alma mater song.

According to CNN, news of the vigil was spread through word of mouth, phone calls, emails, and text messages. It was not posted on social media to ensure the safety of participants. But once the event started, social media was flooded with photos of the peaceful vigil, showing a stark contrast to the horrifying images that rocked Charlottesville-and the rest of the country. Here are more scenes from the vigil.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

You Might Also Like

• 25 Reasons the Pantsuit Is Un-Stuffier Now Than Ever

• 45 Amazing Curly Hairstyles That Are All About Texture

• 40 Fresh Ways to Amp Up Your Ponytail