Over a million black women thronged Philadelphia on Saturday for the Million Woman March, a mass rally aimed at building political, economic and social unity within black communities in the United States.
In the largest gathering of black women in US history, they stood shoulder-to-shoulder in an autumn drizzle to sing the Black National Anthem, pray and listen to an all-day programme of inspirational speeches.
As a sea of marchers filled a mile-long boulevard stretching from the huge Greek-style Philadelphia Art Museum to City Hall, the turnout appeared to surpass that of the Million Man March in Washington two years ago.
Unofficial police estimates put the number as high as 1.5 million, while organisers said 2 million women attended. In 1995, between 400,000 and 800,000 black men gathered in Washington.
Speakers included Mrs Winnie Mandela, former wife of President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat.
"After today, we will never be the same," said Ms Waters, who condemned racism in the US criminal justice system and aired long-standing allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency introduced crack cocaine to the inner city to fund the Nicaraguan Contras.
"America, be placed on notice. We know who we are. We understand our collective power. Following today, we will act on that power," she told her cheering listeners.
Mrs Mandela, wearing an African headwrap, praised American black women for overcoming racial oppression and striving to attain self-empowerment.
Modelled on the Million Man March, the women's rally was meant to show unity in the face of inner-city problems ranging from inadequate health care and poor education to teenage pregnancy, high unemployment and crime.
Under a banner theme of repentance, resurrection and restoration, organisers called on women to pursue mentoring programmes for adolescent girls, establish independent black schools and help black female prisoners to make the transition to mainstream life.
"This is a very, very positive march," said Ms Marcia Harris, a 35-year-old financial planner from New Haven, Connecticut. "It shows the media that we can come together without the violence that people in the media have been talking about."
"Black women have been the epitome of strength in this country," said Ms Phile Chionesu, who founded the Million Woman March last year with help from her friend Ms Asia Coney, a local housing activist.
"We want to prepare our women, no matter what their status in life, to look at how we can begin to invest as black women and how we can begin to vote in blocs as black women."