A rally and march timed to the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington is expected to bring thousands of people Saturday to the same spot on the National Mall where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about his dream of a more just and equitable America.
King’s eldest son, Martin Luther King III, along with other civil rights leaders, will stand in front of the Lincoln Memorial and emphasize that the gathering is not a commemoration. Rather, he says, it is a continuation of the work of his parents and other leaders who came before him to fight for social justice and civil rights.
Those rallying also will hear from the Rev. Al Sharpton, the civil rights leader, founder and president of the National Action Network.
End of carouselMore than 200,000 people from across the country came to the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a gathering that helped spur the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Organizers of Saturday’s March on Washington estimate 75,000 people will attend, according to a permit issued Tuesday by the National Park Service. There are nearly 300 buses bringing people from states including Georgia, Pennsylvania and New York, and more than 1,000 students from at least two dozen Historically Black Colleges and Universities, according to a march spokesperson.
Advertisement
Here’s what else you need to know:
When and where is the march and rally?
The main program will begin at the Lincoln Memorial at 11 a.m., with a pre-program of speakers starting at 8 a.m. The speeches are expected to last until about 1 p.m., then shortly after that, the march is scheduled to begin, according to a permit.
Marchers will start at Lincoln Circle NW and continue south on 23rd Street toward West Potomac Park by the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, according to the permit. Then the march will disperse, and attendees will be directed to nearby Metro stations, including Farragut West and North, Federal Triangle and Smithsonian.
What is the purpose of this event?
While the event coincides with the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, Martin Luther King III and his wife, Arndrea Waters King, emphasized that this is not a celebration or a commemoration of past work. Instead, they are calling on those who support their mission to rededicate themselves to the same fights for social justice and civil rights.
Advertisement
“We all have a role in realizing the dream,” Arndrea Waters King said.
Both said they worry about the future of the country and what they see as an erosion of democracy, including state laws that critics say make voting more difficult, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the backlash to expanded LGBTQ rights, gun violence, school boards banning books and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
At the march, Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King will call on Congress to pass federal voting rights legislation — something they have sought for years, especially as the Supreme Court in 2013 invalidated a critical part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
“Over the past two years, when we are literally witnessing oppression being legislated, when we have witnessed the physical attack on democracy with an insurrection,” Arndrea Waters King said, “I believe it is more critical than ever to have some type of optimism.”
Advertisement
Although he said his father’s vision is far from realized, Martin Luther King III believes it is still a possibility.
“It feels like we’ve gone backwards in relationship to civil and human rights. Dad talked about eradicating the triple evils of poverty, racism and violence. ... Just about any problem that we are faced with in our nation falls under one of those categories,” he said. “So we have to be more vigilant, we have to be more engaged, we have to be more, in fact we are, more determined than ever to actually address these great issues.”
Who will speak at the rally?
The expected speakers include Yolanda Renee King, the 15-year-old granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr.; her mother Arndrea Waters King; Andrew Young, a former Congressman, mayor, United Nations ambassador and aide of Martin Luther King, Jr.; Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League; Janet Murguía, the CEO of UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights and advocacy organization; House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who is the first Black lawmaker to lead a congressional conference in the United States; and Assistant Democratic Leader and civil rights leader Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.).
Can I watch from home?
If you can’t be there in person, you can tune in at nationalactionnetwork.net. Organizers say C-SPAN will also carry the event beginning at 11 a.m.
Will there be street closures?
According to a U.S. Park Police news release, these roads will be closed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the area of the rally and march:
- Ohio Drive SW from Inlet Bridge to Independence Avenue SW
- West Basin Drive SW
- 23rd Street north of Independence Avenue SW
- Daniel French Drive SW and
- Henry Bacon Drive SW
Sections of other nearby roads, including Independence Avenue SW, Ohio Drive SW and Rock Creek Parkway, may experience temporary closures.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLGkecydZK%2BZX2d9c3%2BOaW9oamRkuqK%2BwqFkqKZdrK60tMinnq2nnmJ%2FcX6SZm1prJhirq%2B6yK%2Bcq6uRp8Zuv8%2BemKSdoqh6s63LpbBo