57 years after Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” address at the March on Washington, demonstrators once again descended on the National Mall to demand racial justice.
United under the rallying cry “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,” thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial Friday to demand an end to police violence and fight for changes to the criminal justice system. The march occurred during a time of acute focus on systemic racism and amid protests tied to the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others.
The march also occurred just days after Jacob Blake, a Black 29-year-old man, was shot by police seven times on August 23.
Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III delivered speeches to the crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial, as did the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Jacob Blake.
Democratic Vice President candidate Kamala Harris addressed the crowd via video, in which she discussed history and honored John Lewis, the late U.S. representative who spoke at the initial March on Washington.
“The road ahead, it is not going to be easy, but if we work together to challenge every instinct our nation has to return to the status quo, and combine the wisdom of long-time warriors for justice with the creative energy of the young leaders today, we have an opportunity to make history, right here and right now,” Harris said.
Other speeches also referenced the historical gravity of the day.
“Today I am thinking of the ancestors. Not just the ones recorded in our history books, but the ones omitted from those pages,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said in her speech before the crowd. “Their sacrifice and self determination shaped history, and brought us to this moment. The truth of the matter is we are because of them.”
Following the speeches, demonstrators walked to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in West Potomac Park, next to the National Mall.
To curb the spread of coronavirus, advanced safety precautions were put in place. Before entering the rally, those in attendance had to get their temperature taken, according to the Washington Post. Additionally, seating in front of the Lincoln Memorial for families impacted by police violence and speakers was spread apart to adhere to social distancing. Participants donned face masks as well.
Demonstrators raise their fists while waiting for the main events to begin.
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Families impacted by police violence, as well as speakers and public figures, sat in socially distant seating arrangements to watch the speeches.
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Demonstrators listening to speeches in the National Mall.
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Yolanda Renee King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter, prepares to give her speech before the crowd. “We will fulfill my grandfather’s dream,” King said.
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DeJuana Thompson, the creator of the organization Woke Vote and a speaker at the demonstration, stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
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Those in attendance hold up a portrait of George Floyd as they gather around the National Mall.
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George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, delivered an emotional speech in which he listed the names of many of those killed by police. “I just wish George was here to see this,” Floyd said.
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In addition to socially distant seating, those attending the march also had to get their temperature checked.
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Shontina Kuykendoll, a demonstrator from Dallas, participated in the march, wearing a face mask and carrying a sign.
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The young daughter of Marqueese Alston, a man who was shot and killed by police in 2018, holds a portrait of her father.
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Demonstrators waved a Black Lives Matter flag while watching the speeches that kicked off the march.
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Those in attendance wore face masks, which made the 2020 march look quite different from the original March on Washington.
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Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a stirring speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
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