Omar McGee is returning to the Million Man March.
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But there is no doubt that the 1995 Million Man March struck a chord in the American psyche, and imitations followed: a Million Mom March, a Million Mask March, a Million Father March. He’d grown up on the hardscrabble streets of Flint, Mich., frequently skipping school and communing with drug dealers and pimps.
“In one of their emails they said that they were going to bring 3,000 people to Washington, D.C.in front of our mosque, and they were encouraging people to bring their weapons”, Ibrahim Mumim, the community outreach adviser, told WUSA 9.
“Walking through the crowd it was like, ‘I’m a doctor, ‘ ‘I’m a lawyer, ‘ ‘I’m a construction worker, ‘ – Cosby was not necessarily a sitcom, it was like, this is actually real”, McGee, now 39, recalled of the feeling.
According to official sources, it is the fourth-largest demonstration in Washington history, and the largest predominantly black gathering. The march, which was called by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, is intended as a day for black men to unite and pledge self-reliance and commitment to their families and communities. Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan was the key organizer but speakers ran the gamut, from Congress members to celebrities to the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
“They’re suffering in their land is very great”. Lance considers it a “duty” that he be in D.C. for this gathering. If you can’t make it to Washington, D.C., the Justice Or Else webcast http://webcast.justiceorelse.com/ will air the event live. The day before, McGee will go to the White House to discuss his Executive Preparatory Academy of Finance and his students’ high test scores. He was here for the Million Man March in 1995.
This time around, the buzz around the rally has been more low key, perhaps because people frequently “attend” events via their devices.
The theme of the march this time around was “Justice or Else”, and it featured a diverse line-up of speakers who touched on a wide array of issues – from immigration to the string of black men who have been killed by police. But Chavis says it’s not just for black America but “for Latinos, Asians, even white Americans”.
Twenty years later, black men are an estimated 20.2 million of the nation’s 318 million.
For an entire week leading up to the march, Farrakhan and a few of the nation’s most prominent Black leaders would shine an ugly spotlight on the economic and social injustices of a political establishment that is still being blamed for the ever-growing gap between the rich and poor. “All the brother and sisters from Ferguson that challenged the tanks we are honored that you have come to represent our struggle and our demand”, he said. “We will march so that every citizen will know that they can get health care”, Davis said.
CORLEY: Muhammad says it’s the responsibility of those gathering at this march to work to end the senseless killings among black and brown youth.
“There was this really great feeling that something great was going on”, said Bailey, now a 43-year-old attorney who lives right outside of Washington with her husband and their two young sons.
Muhammad’s group stayed in touch, and except for a couple being derailed by incarceration, all have become successful and all have stayed in touch, Muhammad said.
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Zaki Baruti, organizer for the Justice for Michael Brown Leadership Coalition, also plans to be at the rally.
