Members of the Clemson football team lead a march Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., on the school's campus during a protest over the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Members of the Clemson University football team led hundreds of demonstrators on the school's campus Saturday as they marched for equality and against police brutality toward African Americans.
The demonstration included a moment of silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time prosecutors say George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was pinned to the ground under a white Minneapolis police officer's knee before he died last month.
'œThis is a historic time, and a challenging time,'ť head football coach Dabo Swinney told the crowd during a speech. 'œBut as I tell my team all the time, challenge is what creates change. '¦ Black lives more than matter - black lives significantly matter and equally matter. For far too long that has not been the case for the black community."
The protest was organized by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, linebacker Mike Jones Jr., wide receiver Cornell Powell and running back Darien Rencher, according to news outlets.
The march came a day after Clemson trustees voted to rename its honors college, stripping from the program the name of former vice president and slavery proponent John C. Calhoun.
Calhoun, who was born in South Carolina, declared slavery a 'œpositive good'ť on the U.S. Senate floor in 1837.
Prior to the administrators' vote, an online petition by students calling for the name to be changed drew more than 20,000 signatures. Clemson football alumni and onetime Houston Texans teammates DeAndre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson voiced support for the petition on social media.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, center, marches with teammates during a protest Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., over the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
Clemson running back Darien Rencher kneels Saturday, June 13, 2020, during an 8-minute, 46-second moment of silence for George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
Members of the Clemson football team lead a march Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., on the school's campus during a protest over the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney speaks Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., during a protest over the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence speaks Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., during a protest over the death of George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
Members of the Clemson football team kneel for 8 minutes and 46 seconds Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., during a moment of silence for George Floyd who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
A protester holds a sign during a protest, Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C., over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press
Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney, left, and his wife, Kathleen, kneel for 8:46 minutes in memory of George Floyd during a protest on campus, Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Clemson, S.C. Floyd died May 25 while in police custody in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Associated Press