By: Paris Alston, ’16 and Princess Streeter, ’16
T-shirts and posters, such as this one reading “Mass Action Against Police Brutality,” emphasized the march’s greater theme, Justice or Else.
Minister Louis Farrakhan addresses the crowd at the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March.
Justice…or else.
That was the theme for the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March. It’s something black people across the country can relate to in the midst of racial tension resulting from recent police violence, socioeconomic injustice, and more.
The march was held on October 10 on the lawn facing the U.S. capitol building in Washington, D.C. While the crowd did not quite reach one million, the event was like a homecoming for those tens of thousands in attendance. People called one another “brother” and “sister” whether they were longtime friends or had just met.
Some in the crowd were too young to remember the first march, or were not born yet. Some could not make it, so they promised themselves to be there this go around. Others, such as Barkim Young, were re-making history. He traveled from Queens, NY to Washington for the march in 1995 and for the one this year. He added that now, the march serves a greater purpose.
“Twenty years ago it was just about the experience,” Young said. “This time, it’s for real. We are revived.”
The Nation of Islam organized the event after months of planning, preparation and publicizing. The Nation spent most of the year targeting influential members of the hip hop community to inspire younger African Americans to attend what would be one of the most powerful organizations of Blacks in their generation.
Marlon Taylor, who goes by his Muslim name, Marlon 2X, is a member of the Nation and said the march organized itself.
“The enemy, which is oppression and injustice, did most of the work,” 2X said. “Everybody here comes from different facts of life but they all have a common goal. They want justice.”
2X added that Minister Louis Farrakhan, who leads the Nation, provided a way for the people to achieve justice.
Farrakhan addressed the march crowd with a speech that called for the black community to strengthen itself against white supremacy and institutionalism. Farrakhan also commended activist group Black Lives Matter for stepping up to the plate as a leader against the big issues facing blacks today, such as police brutality.
President Barack Obama, who attended the first march in 1995, was not in attendance this year. However, a number of notable names made appearances, including Sybrina Fulton, Travyon Martin’s mother, and hip-hop stars such as J.Cole, Dave Chappelle, and Snoop Dogg. Farrakhan spent a lot of time with celebrities and also made an appearance on hip-hop and R&B radio show The Breakfast Club to spread the word about Justice or Else.
One thing that was different from the march twenty years ago was the demographic of the audience. The first march only called for black males to stand in unity against injustice. This year, women, Hispanics, and Native Americans were included in the crowd. Farrakhan’s speech mentioned issues pertinent to these groups of people as well, such as immigration and the importance of raising children in a stable household.
Farrakhan mentioned abortion rights in his speech, saying, “It is your body, you can do what you want with it.” However, he added it would be tragic if someone who could create the cure for cancer or lead masses, like he does, was aborted.
No matter what the message, the march was a time for everyone to come together in solidarity to address the biggest problems facing minorities. No one is quite sure what the “or else” means yet; only time will tell.
