By DaQuan Lawrence, AFRO Worldwide Author, DLawrence@afro.com
Because the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (MOW) returned to the nation’s capital for its sixtieth commemoration and iteration, nationwide and worldwide leaders known as consideration to the significance of remaining dedicated to the battle for civil liberties and human rights.
On Aug. 26, 1000’s of attendees from throughout the nation and all through the world traveled to Washington, D.C., for the commemorative march, which was convened by the Rev. Al Sharpton’s Nationwide Motion Community and the Drum Main Institute.
Nationwide leaders such because the Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes, newly appointed president/CEO of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, emphasised the significance of understanding that the battle for human rights continues within the U.S.
“I believe it’s necessary that we bear in mind what happened 60 years in the past so we are able to recommit ourselves to what we have to do 60 years later,” Haynes advised the AFRO. “Sadly, the hell we had been catching 60 years in the past is attempting to play out in fashionable society however in several manifestations akin to racial disparities with lacking individuals, legislative adjustments to affirmative motion and abortion rights, in addition to the denial of Black maternal well being and entry to healthcare sources.”
Haynes is a social justice pastor and advocate for marginalized communities. He’s the senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, with greater than 13,000 members.
“I’m strolling with the mom of Jelani Day, who was killed in a Sunset city, and has been denied justice,” Haynes advised the AFRO. “I’m standing and preventing along with her as a result of 60 years later, as Jay Z mentioned, ‘There are nonetheless holes within the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’.”
Day was a graduate scholar at Illinois State College who mysteriously disappeared on Aug. 24, 2021, and was later discovered within the Illinois River in Peru, Illinois. In December of that yr, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity introduced an award for data, as Day’s case remained unsolved.
Whereas authorities declare Day drowned, his mom, Carmen Bolden Day maintains that foul play was concerned. She continues to demand that regulation enforcement remedy the case, and shared why she attended the MOW with the AFRO.
“I’m right here as a result of we do want justice. 60 years later we shouldn’t need to cope with the disparities of lacking Black folks versus lacking White folks, in order that’s my battle,” Day advised the AFRO.
The unchanged situations and ongoing struggles going through the Black group six many years after the March on Washington was a typical chorus amongst audio system and attendees.
Benjamin Crump, often called the lawyer for Black America, urged attendees to be unapologetic of their advocacy.
“As your lawyer common, I declare now greater than ever that we have to be unapologetic defenders of Black life, Black liberty and Black humanity,” he advised the group.
Referencing controversial new schooling requirements in Florida, Crump added: “They’ve the audacity to say that we have to educate our kids that slavery had optimistic advantages for Black folks. We should inform them with out Black historical past you wouldn’t have American historical past.
“Identical to we fought for justice for the households of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, George Floyd, Oscar Grant, Stephon Clark, A.J. Owens, Patrick Lyoya…Terence Crutcher, Jelani Day, Alton Sterling, Ronald Inexperienced and Tyree Nichols,” he continued, “we should additionally battle to guard our Black literature, tradition and historical past for all of our kids.”
Lots of these within the crowd listening to Crump and different audio system had attended different iterations of the occasion.
Sandra Veronica Richardson, of Alexandria, Va., attended the fiftieth anniversary of the March on Washington in 2013. She returned this yr as a result of she believes the march is a chance to proceed the Black battle for human rights and civil liberties.
“We aren’t right here simply to commemorate what occurred 60 years in the past. We’re right here to proceed to battle for voting and democracy as a result of the way forward for our democracy is now underneath menace greater than ever,” Richardson mentioned.
Angelique Walker-Smith, who serves as president of the World Council of Church buildings, spoke to the AFRO concerning the significance of the MOW, and the way ancestors affect future generations.
“The MOW is necessary as a result of we’re constructing on the shoulders of those that went earlier than us,” Walker-Smith mentioned.
One of many day’s audio system, Walker-Smith is a world human rights activist with expertise as a religion thought-leader and writer, and the nationwide senior affiliate for Pan African and Orthodox Church Engagement at Bread for the World in Washington, D.C.
“In my remarks, I used to be stating that we should not neglect our ancestors who went and marched with a lot much less. We’re the embodiment now of what our ancestors prayed for and dreamed for. We have to be stronger and do not forget that we’ve got the ability of those that got here earlier than us,” she continued.
Crump mentioned that simply as African-American forebears fought for this technology, right this moment’s Blacks need to agitate on behalf of the generations to return.
“Now we have to be able to battle till hell freezes over,” he mentioned, “after which we’ve got to be able to battle on the ice. So, all our kids will know that we’re able to battle for them.”
The March on Washington was reside streamed by the Drum Main Institute on YouTube for individuals who needed to take part nearly.
