The 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place two days before the actual anniversary which was August 28, 1963.
This year’s march was always going to be a bit different anyway with all of the social media, print, digital and television media on hand, and diversity of speakers set to be a part of the annual affair. In 1963 there was only one female speaker, this year the female speakers outnumbered their male counterparts.
From Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) to Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson to singer/actress Melba Moore, who used her time in front of thousands gathered on the National Mall to sing a melody of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” the female voice of the march was heard loud and clear.
The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) President Shavon Arline-Bradley spoke of being able to speak for the Black women that did not get the opportunity to do so at the first march. “60 years later we now have women involved,” said Arline-Bradley, who added that the issues Black people were fighting for 60 years ago are still up for debate.
Wanda Farmer (above), in town for the march from nearby Baltimore, Maryland, waved a pair of signs that read, “Hatred Must Die, Kill It Now” and “Last Drop. Stop. Stop.” The later sign was about gun violence. Farmer said she didn’t think she has enough hands to hold the amount of signs she really wanted to bring with her to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. She also added that she came to the March on Washington to “obliterate hatred.
Attoney J. Wyndal Gordon, the vice president of the National Bar Association (right) brought his eight-year-old son Jansen to the march. Having woke up at 4 a.m. for the 40-plus mile drive south on Interstate 95, Jansen was still sleepy around 8 a.m. when the invited speakers started making their way to the podium. asked why he brought Jansen to the march Gordon said, “we’re here because it’s represents what took place in 1963 and to re-energize our base because not much has changed since then.”
This year’s theme is “Not a commemoration, a continuation” and many of the people (there were nearly 40 speakers beginning at 8 a.m. and ending past 3 p.m.) that spoke made sure to mention the bravery and sacrifices of the people that came before them 60 years ago, but also the fact that many of the hard won freedoms that were earned after the first March on Washington are under fire today.
“It’s time that we galvanize ourselves to fight some of the isms that we are dealing with today,” said Gordon.
Nearly 40 speakers took the stage Saturday and under a hot sun, thousands of people listened to religious leaders from various faiths, CEOs from various organizations, including the Global Black Economic Forum, National Nurses United, the country’s largest organization of registered nurses, the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, Sisters Song and Every Town for Gun Safety. Ambassador Andrew Young and pastor Jamal Bryant, the pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church were there to represent Atlanta along with Congresswoman Williams.
Public speaker and noted academic Michael Eric Dyson also made an appearance, bringing the crowd to its feet when he brought a while folding chair on stage. “Bring your chair, bring your insight, bring your hope, bring God with you,” Dyson said at the end of his three-minute speech on fighting for rights.
The event was hosted by the National Action Network and Drum Major Institute. Both Rev. Al Sharpton and members of Dr. Martin Luther King’s family addressed the crowd hours after the event started.
The march started shortly after Sharpton finished speaking and people wearing t-shirts that read “Trust Black Woman”, “We March for Peace”, “Black Lives Matter” and waving flags that said Roe, Roe, Roe Your Vote” and “Voter Supremacy Makes Democracy Fake” marched through the National Mall down Independence Avenue to West Potomac Park. There were men, women, children marching. They were Black, white, Latinx, Asian, LGBTQIA+, all marching to continue the mission that started at the same place 60 years ago. The March on Washington continues.
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