Devendra Kumar
The 60th anniversary of the March on Washington was marked by a gathering of thousands on the National Mall, where civil rights leaders and allies convened to say that the United States has yet to fulfill the dream of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Speakers emphasized the progress made since 1963, but also the ongoing struggles with racial inequality, poverty, and gun violence. Yolanda King, the granddaughter of Reverend King, spoke from the same spot where her grandfather delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, saying, “Today, racism is still with us. Poverty is still with us. And now, gun violence has come for places of worship, our schools, and our shopping centers.”
Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader and organizer of the event, promised more demonstrations to push back against injustices, saying, “The dreamers are fighting for voting rights. The schemers are changing voter regulations in states. The dreamers are standing up for women’s right to choose. The schemers are arguing whether they are going to make you stop at six weeks or 15 weeks.” Sharpton also emphasized the importance of unity, saying, “We’re not just fighting for civil rights, we’re fighting for human rights.”
The event was attended by members of various civil rights organizations, including the Global Black Economic Forum, the Kings’ Drum Major Institute, and the Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. Some attendees, like Marsha Dean Phelts of Florida, reflected on the contrasts between the original march and the more modest turnout this year, saying, “It was more fired up then. But the things we were asking for and needing, we still need them today.”
The gathering concluded with a march to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, where attendees paid tribute to the civil rights leader’s legacy. The event was a precursor to the actual anniversary of the March on Washington, which will be marked on Monday by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris meeting with organizers of the 1963 gathering. Dr. King’s children have been invited to meet with the president. Despite the progress made since 1963, speakers warned that Dr. King’s unfinished dream is in danger of being further whittled away, and that continued action is necessary to ensure the United States continues to move towards a more just and equitable society.