I am again recording my “March on Washington” Protest participation in effort of continuing to keep alive the spirit of the original March in 1963 whose ‘Civil Rights’ motivation gave purpose as “Jobs and Freedom”. I am a founding member of the S.C.L.C./ W.O.M.E.N from my Seminary days at I.T.C. Atlanta; in student ministry at Central United Methodist Church. In 1983 while serving my first appointment as Pastor to the Gordon Road UMC Atlanta, the Annual Meeting of SCLC was held as the “20th Anniversary of the March on Washington” in DC. My presence that year was not only in assistance to Dr. Lowery in his agenda for SCLC but also in assistance to Evelyn Gibson Lowery in her work as Vision Founder of SCLC/W.O.M.E.N. Then in 2013 I participated in the “50th Anniversary of The March on Washington”.
In 2019 the “March on Washington” has taken on a life all it’s own. This review of the year’s protests barely scratches the surface of the unrest in the national life of our times.
The January 18th annual “March for Life 2019” brought the protest to D.C. for their 47th time; in dissent of the decision made in the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. Also on January 18th, the “Indigenous Peoples March” gathered first at the Department of the Interior to personify the national and global injustices against the native and indigenous peoples. When these two groups met at the Lincoln Monument Mall, it became of the most incidental marches of the year.
The following day, on January 19th the “Women’s March on Washington” for the 2nd time. What began in 2017 as resistence to Trump Administration’s misogony, turned into a political electoral sweep by women across the land. This 2nd March became, as they said, ‘Agenda’ driven.
On February 16th the “Take Back the Vote March on Washington” was a protest prelude to the Congressional introduction of the new Voting Rights Act.
On March 14th the Kids at Washington Liberty, Yorktown, and other schools near D.C, marched in protest of “Gun Violence”. The photos of the children in their orange garments documents their place in this history.
Significant in October was the “Fire Drill Fridays” movement begun by America’s celebrity protest child, Jane Fonda. She moved to DC and staged weekly protests, being arrested week after week giving purpose to the demand for action from Congress on the “Green New Deal”. She brought various celebrities with her each week adding credence to her stand.
Also from October 18th – 22nd “Targeted Justice” Marched as a civil rights movement. While I have followed the “Occupy Wall Street” protests since day 1 (or maybe day 2)… this movement right here has taken the most serious levels of protests from the street of New York City to the Streets of Washington DC. Disclaimer: not for the faint of heart!
And then there is the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II who began a movement at the North Carolina State House as “Moral Mondays”; now known in 2019 as the “Poor Peoples Campaign – A National Call for Moral Revival” ; who in June, took what is now a very well organized at State levels, oiled, tested and arrested, tried and found true movement to Washington DC to FORUM the 2020 Presidential Candidates on their ‘Poor People AND Moral’ agendas. What I will say is that this is the Movement to watch and… follow.
by email: myfathersmansion@mail.com
