Tomorrow marks the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington and crowds are expected to repeat it again this year.
Friday, August 27, marks the 57th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom at which Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his transcendental “I Have a Dream” speech. The march marked a turning point in the fight for civil rights. Now, fifty-seven years later, activists are set to repeat it once again.
Friday’s Commitment March: Get Your Knees Off Our Necks has been organized by the National Action Network (NAN) in reference to the killing of George Floyd in May. Collaborators for the event include the NAACP National Urban League, AFSCME, the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Hispanic Federation, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
The NAACP announced it will also be holding a virtual march online as part of the event. “Our 2020 Virtual March on Washington is about asking everyone — from protesters in the streets to elected officials at all levels of government — to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes equity, justice, and equal opportunity for all,” Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of NAACP, said in a statement. “As we approach the November elections, we must mobilize to vote like we’ve never done before.”
Several key figures are expected to speak at tomorrow’s Commitment March including Martin Luther King III, attorney Benjamin Crump as well as family members of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner.
Barricades have been ready since Tuesday, August 25, and several streets are expected to close down for the event.
To ensure everyone’s safety the NAN is asking all attendees to wear a face mask throughout the event. Additionally, temperature checks will be carried out at the 17th Street entrance and anyone without a mask will be provided one if they don’t have one.
Here’s the schedule breakdown:
- 7 a.m.: attendees gather
- 8-11 a.m.: pre-program
- 11 a.m.: program
- 1 p.m.: march
- Conclude by 3 p.m.
Tickets are available for registration via the NAN’s website.
[Featured image: Max Bender, Unsplash]