Beyoncé walked the MTV Video Music Awards white carpet flanked by notable black women — from model Winnie Harlow to young actor Quvenzhane Wallis. Her companions also included four prominent mothers.
Their inclusion comes not from celebrity, but tragedy: their sons Mike Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Oscar Grant were black men who were killed in high-profile altercations in the U.S. All the cases but one involved police.
The women are sometimes known as "Mothers of the Movement," referring to the Black Lives Matter movement, which was fuelled at various times by the deaths of their sons.
Three of them made cameos in Beyoncé's HBO special, "Lemonade," holding photos of their deceased sons.
Dressed like royalty in shades of purple and champagne, Lezley McSpadden, Sybrina Fulton, Gwen Carr and Wanda Johnson walked alongside pop icon Beyoncé, and several other women who appeared in "Lemonade."
The musical film was nominated for 11 VMAs this year.
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