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Zimmerman, who successfully claimed that he was protecting himself when he shot Martin, identifies himself as Hispanic. Martin was black. The Rev. Chants rang out across the rallies. No peace! And plenty of participants carried signs: "Who's next? Most rallies began at noontime. Fulton told the crowd she was determined to fight for societal and legal changes needed to ensure that black youths are no longer viewed with suspicion because of their skin color.

At a morning appearance at Sharpton's headquarters in Harlem, she implored people to understand that the tragedy involved more than Martin alone.

Tomorrow it might be yours," she said. In addition to pushing the Justice Department to investigate civil rights charges against Zimmerman, Sharpton told supporters he wants to see a rollback of stand-your-ground self-defense laws. Stand-your-ground laws are on the books in more than 20 states, and they go beyond many older, traditional self-defense statutes.

In general, the laws eliminate a person's duty to retreat in the face of a serious physical threat. Zimmerman relied on a traditional self-defense argument and didn't invoke stand-your-ground, though the judge included a provision about it in instructions allowing jurors to consider it as a legitimate defense.

And race wasn't discussed in front of the jury. This week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the department would investigate whether Zimmerman could be charged under those federal civil rights laws, which would require evidence that he harbored racial animosity against Martin. Most legal experts say that would be a difficult charge to bring. Holder also said the shooting demonstrates the need to re-examine stand-your-ground laws nationwide.

By The Oakland Press. She said jurors may not have had enough evidence to convict, but added that "we have to stand up for any person of any race who has been unjustly murdered. Washington resident Ralph Reynaud, 69, said the verdict shows that many people connect more easily with Zimmerman than with a black teen. In Nashville, a rally-turned-prayer-service drew about people. Brandi Walker of Goodlettsville and her three children were among them, carrying signs that read "I am Travyon Martin" and decorated with Skittles candy wrappers.

Martin was returning home from a convenience store with some of those candies the night he died. Walker said the verdict in the Zimmerman trial made her afraid for her sons, who are 11 and Caleb Boggs Federal Building as passersby honked their horns in support. Local resident Mary Gilbert was upbeat, saying the verdict in the case will eventually have a positive effect on society.

Most of the rallies and vigils were taking place outside federal court buildings. Sharpton said the vigils will be followed by a conference next week in Miami to develop a plan to address Florida's stand-your-ground law. The rallies came a day after President Obama, speaking to reporters at an impromptu gathering in the White House briefing room, said that all Americans should respect the jury's acquittal of Zimmerman, but that white Americans should also understand that African Americans are pained by Trayvon's death and continue to face racial discrimination.