Politics
Many Events Planned for March on Washington
By George E. Curry
NNPA Editor-in-Chief
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – In addition to the long-planned March on Washington scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 24, the White House has announced that President Obama will speak at a commemorative service at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Justice.
“National Action to Realize the Dream March” on Aug. 24 will be co-chaired by Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King, III. According the list of speakers announced thus far, it will be held in the spirit of the original march. On the other hand, the King Center in Atlanta, headed Bernice King, is more commemorative. It is celebrating Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech by asking communities to organize “Let Freedom Ring” bell-ringing events on Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to observe the exact time Dr. King delivered his historic address.
The Let Freedom Ring” commemoration and call to action” will be held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on August 28. The program begins with an interfaith service from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall, followed by the “Let Freedom Ring” ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
President Obama is scheduled to speak at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Ironically, Obama accepted his party’s nomination on 45th anniversary of the march on Aug. 28, 2008 in Denver. In his acceptance speech, he made reference to Dr. King but did not call him by name, preferring to refer to him as “a young preacher from Georgia.”
Obama’s second inauguration in January of this year fell on the day of national observance of Dr. King’s birthday, but Obama referred to “a King,” but again did not mention MLK by name. On Aug. 28, he gets a third time to be more specific.
Throughout most of his presidency, Obama has been reluctant to address the issue of race. But that apparently changed with the shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and the subsequent acquittal of George Zimmerman on second-degree murder charges. The Aug. 28 platform will provide him another opportunity to address race.
With one member of the King family – Martin III – helping lead the Saturday march and another – Bernice – the driving force behind the March 28 event at the Lincoln Memorial, some supporters are worried that holding two separate marches might reduce attendance at each event, sending the wrong message about Blacks’ determination to fight regressive actions and court decision.
Trying to put the best face on the situation, organizers argue that because the Obama announcement came so late, it will not interfere with the Aug. 24 march because those planning to attend have already solidified their transportation and hotel plans.
Both the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Bayard Rustin Institute are holding their annual conventions in Washington that week.
Obama’s speech will culminate a week of activities centered around the original march. Among the events planned:
Wednesday, August 21
Praise and Worship Service for 50th Anniversary Celebration
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Mt. Airy Baptist Church
1100 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC 20002
Hosted by the National African American Clergy Network
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Celebrating the Legacy of Women in the Movement
Women in the Movement: Past, Present & Future
Intergenerational Roundtable
11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Venue TBD
Washington, D.C.
Hosted by NCBCP Black Women’s Roundtable, National Council of Negro Women, National Action Network in partnership w/The King Center, Planned Parenthood
Invitation Only
Celebrating the Legacy of Youth in the Movement
Protect Our Voting Rights & Social Justice Youth Organizing Training
10th Annual Black Youth Vote! National Civic Leadership Training Conference
Highlights: Unity Breakfast, Tribute to Jamal Rose, Gathering of Black Men “I Am Trayvon” Dialogue, Sister Circles, Issue Organizing Breakouts, Regional/State-Based Organizing Strategy Sessions
9:00 am – 9:00 pm
National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C.
Hosted by National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, NAACP, NEA, Generational Alliance, NAN Youth Move, The Praxis Project, NUL Young Professionals, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., BK Nation, 100 Black Men of America, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
“Covering Civil Rights: On the Front Lines”
7 p.m. Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. The Newseum, in partnership with the National Council of Negro Women, will host a free evening program that will include a special appearance by Elder Bernice King, chief executive officer of The King Center and daughter of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Rev. King will receive the NCNW’s 2013 Leadership Award. Moderated by Sirius XM radio host, Joe Madison, the event will also feature a discussion with journalist and author of Shocking the Conscience: A Reporter’s Account of the Civil Rights Movement, Simeon Booker, who was on the front lines of covering the civil rights story. The program is free and open to the public, but seats are limited and must be reserved at CoveringCivilRights.eventbrite.com.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Redeem the Dream National Summit & Reception
8:00 am – 2:00 pm
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, DC
Hosted by National Urban League
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Celebrating the Legacy of Youth in the Movement
Protect Our Voting Rights & Social Justice Youth Organizing Training
10th Annual Black Youth Vote! National Civic Leadership Training Conference
8:00 am – 6:00 pm
National Education Association
1201 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C.
Hosted by National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, NAACP, NEA, Generational Alliance, NAN Youth Move in partnership w/The Praxis Project, NUL Young Professionals, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., BK Nation, 100 Black Men of America, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
To register go to http://www.ncbcp.org
National Town Hall Meeting on Poverty & Economic Empowerment
Moving Together, Moving Forward: Jobs and Freedom
57th Annual SCLC International Convention
Race & Poverty Panel 2:00 pm -4:00 pm
Voting Rights Panel 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street, NW, Washington, DC
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Hosted by Southern Christian Leadership Conference, SCLC Poverty Institute, Rainbow PUSH
Saturday, August 24, 2013
50th Anniversary March on Washington National Action to Realize the Dream March and Rally for “Jobs, Justice & Freedom.”
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Lincoln Memorial
Washington, D.C.
National Conveners: Martin Luther King, III and Al Sharpton, National Action Network
Co-Convened by: National Conveners: National Action Network AFSCME, AFT, AFL-CIO, APRI, HRC, LCCR, NAACP, NBJC, SCLC, SEIU, NCBW, NOW, NUL, NCNW, NCBCP, The King Center, National African American Clergy Network and CWBI.
Among the speakers are Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, Charles Steele, Jr. the families of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till; and Congressman John Lewis.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Sunday, August 25, 2013
SCLC Worship Service
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Howard University
Washington D. C. Convention Center
Hosted by SCLC
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Monday, August 26, 2013
Legacy & Leadership Gala
Time: TBD
Capital Hilton
1001 16th St NW, Washington, DC
To register go to: http://www.sclc.org
Hosted by Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
9-12th Grade Educational Initiative
Time and Location: To be Announced
Will be Accessible via Online Streaming
Hosted by the King Center, Operation Hope and the NCNW in partnership with Discovery Education
To register go to: http://www.thekingcenter.org
2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
The National Mall
7th & 14th Street, NW
Washington, Dc
Hosted by: National Park Service, with the King Center
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
###
