Front Cover
2020
MARCH on WASHINGTON
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MARCH ON WASHINGTON 2020 On August 28, 2020, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hosted the second March on Washington. This march was held in response to the recent killings by police brutality, oppression against Black communities, and the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blayke, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. The event was located at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. where people of all races, genders, and backgrounds gathered to listen to significant speakers and march from the Lincoln Memorial to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Approximately 50,000 people were expected to attend despite the pandemic and when the event occurred, the entire memorial was filled with attendees covering the entire memorial including the Reflective Pool memorial as well.
The first March on Washington in 1963 was so impactful for Black lives in America because it clearly set the tone of what people of color demanded from this country; equality. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech also inspired the nation to unite. The march in 2020 not only reflected the first one and emphasized equality but it did so much more. The March on Washington inspired Black youth to get involved, it gave Black families hope, encouraged Black students to remain focused, motivated Black people to use their voice, and reminded non-Black people to hold those accountable. Speakers at the march emphasized the power of unity and love. They also spoke against rioting and looting but to protest for change and growth.
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THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT The Black Lives Matter movement began in response to the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2013. He was shot by a man, George Zimmerman while walking to a friend’s house from the corner store. The movement has started Black support programs, raised awareness on police brutality, and held events to protest for Black rights. In 2020, BLM responded to the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more Black Americans who died because of social injustice and racism in America. Hundreds of cities all over the world protested for ‘Black Lives Matter’ and social equality especially in regard to police brutality.
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THE HISTORY OF BLACK RIGHTS MOVEMENTS
In response to social injustices toward Black communities in the 1950s and 1960s, Black Americans protested for their civil rights. The civil rights movement was a social movement following Black communities protesting for equal rights and for the end of discrimination. Although slavery in America ended in 1865, racism and oppression toward Black Americans continued to remain in society.
In Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not moving out of her seat for a white woman. During these times, segregation laws were established to separate white and black spaces. In response, Black Americans boycotted the Montgomery bus system for 381 days.
President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that was put in place by John F. Kennedy. It enforced public places to remove segregated spaces, equal employment, and ending literacy tests. The first march on Washington happened in 1963. Lead by A. Phillips Randolph and Martin Luther King Jr., this march was one of the most wellknown events in American history. 200,000 Americans gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to protest for equality between blacks and whites. It is most famous for King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech which symbolizes equality and freedom.
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The Monument “We will fulfill my grandfather’s dream” - Yolanda Renee King This monument is a statue depicting Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter Yolanda Renee King’s right first emerging from the ground. It symbolizes Black excellence power to the people, power to youth, unity, and equality. It’s made out of metal to create a mirror reflection so that those who see the statue can reflect on themselves. They can remember that they have a voice and the choice to use it for equality and Black lives.
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George Mason University Campus Location
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Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial D.C.
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Back Cover
“We will fulfill my grandfather’s dream” - Yolanda Renee King