Fifty-seven years after Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have A Dream,” speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a group of activists have once again gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to advocate for the value of Black lives.
“The Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,” was organized by Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III and the National Action Network following the widespread protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. The march follows a week where Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot in the back multiple times by an officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. During the ensuing protests a white teenager shot and killed two protesters.
The event is expected to draw over 50,000 people from across the nation. Among those in attendance will be the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner.
For those unable to attend the march, fear not, as the event will be livestreamed in its entirety and you can watch it above. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has already spoken with Congressman Al Green today; journalist Joy Reid, attorney Benjamin Crump and Rep. Joyce Beatty are expected to speak later. After the speakers give their remarks the attendants will march from the Lincoln Memorial to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at 1 p.m.
Later this evening at 9 p.m. EST, the event will continue with a virtual event hosted by April Ryan with a keynote speech from Rev. William Barber II, remarks from NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, and a performance by Bebe Winans.