Million Man March Poem

The Million Man March A gathering of social activists, en masse, held at the National Mall in Washington D.C. on October 16 th The March was organised by the Nation of Islam, local chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and the National African American Leaders Summit. African American men from across the United States converged on Washington in an effort to “convey to the world a vastly different picture of the Black male” and to unite in self-help and self-defence against economic and social ills plaguing the African American community.

Context of the March The March took place within the context of a larger grassroots movement that set out to win politicians’ attention for urban and minority issues through widespread voter registration campaigns. A parallel event called the Day of Absence, organized by female leaders in conjunction with the March leadership, occurred on the same date, and was intended to engage the large population of African Americans who would not be able to attend the demonstration in Washington. On this date, all blacks were encouraged to stay home from their usual school, work, and social engagements, in favour of attending teach-ins, and worship services, focusing on the struggle for a healthy and self-sufficient African American Community.