55,000 celebrate historic civil rights march on D.C

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"We still have a dream of a nation free of the cancer of racism and discrimination where Americans of all nationalities live together as brothers and sisters. We dream of a nation free of poverty and deprivation, where everyone can find a job at a decent wage and where the streets are no longer populated by hungry and homeless families. We still have a dream of peace. Now is the time to make real the dream of peace, justice, and equality for all. We will overcome."

These were the words of Coretta Scott King as she recalled the famous "I Have a Dream" speech given by her late husband 25 years earlier. Her speech summed up the mood of 55,000 demonstrators who gathered at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 27 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 1963 mass civil rights march on Washington, D.C.

The demonstrators, the majority of whom were Black, converged on Washington, D.C., from the South, Midwest, and East Coast. They came to celebrate the gains of the past 25 years and to demand social justice to halt the current economic impoverishment of millions of Blacks and other working people.

"We march for jobs, peace, freedom, and equality," proclaimed the most popular sign carried by the protestors. Others demanded an end to South African apartheid.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) President Joseph Lowery reminded the protestors that in 1963 not only were Blacks still denied the vote in some parts of the country, but they also were prevented from using such public accommodations as hotels and restaurants.

Lowery added, "We realize we've come a long way, but the gains of income of some of us are diminished by the decreased income of one-third of us. We've all gained the right to check into the Hiltons and the Hyatts, but too few of us have the means to check out."

United Auto Workers President Owen Bieber pledged that his union would continue to march as long as necessary. After describing the growing economic inequality which sees 31 percent of Blacks, including 43 percent of all Black children, living in poverty, Bieber stated, "That's not a dream; that's a nightmare."

However, despite the presence of Owen Bieber on the speakers' platform, official trade-union participation in the march was weak. With the exception of large contingents marching behind UAW and Hospital Workers Local 1199 banners, most trade unions failed to mobilize their membership. In contrast, groups ranging from the A. Phillip Randolph Institute to the SCLC to Black fraternities and sororities adjourned national meetings to participate in the march.

Many of the marchers proudly recalled their participation in both the 1963 and 1983 marches. Large numbers of students, many of them from predominantly Black colleges like Howard, Central State, and Hampton, participated. For many, it was their first demonstration.

Building efforts hampered

Since crowds at both the '63 and '83 marches were estimated at 250,000, many participants expressed disappointment at the relatively small turnout. A frequently heard complaint from marchers was that they had only learned of the demonstration a couple of days earlier and therefore didn't have time to help publicize it.

Unfortunately, national organizers were late calling the march and delayed issuing fliers while they debated whether to go ahead with the protest. This hesitation severly hampered national organizing efforts.

For example, Cleveland, which had sent 35 buses to the '83 march, sent only one bus and one van to the '88 demonstration. The march, however, was still a respectable size because many participants came from predominantly Black Washington, D.C., and nearby Baltimore, Md., where Black churches spearheaded the organizing and publicity efforts for the event.

"Register and vote"

At the rally, many speakers pointed to the real problems the protestors had come to oppose, but their only solution was to register and vote in the November elections. Although the march was officially "non-partisan," with both Michael Dukakis and George Bush invited to speak, organizers clearly intended to build support for the Democratic Party presidential ticket. At the same time, however, they wanted to pressure Dukakis into addressing their concerns.

The only Republican politician on the speakers' platform was Sen. Lowell Weiker (R-Conn.). George Bush cited scheduling problems for his inability to attend.

When Michael Dukakis spoke, demonstration organizers probably viewed his appearance as the high • UNITED FARM WORKERS" GRAPES ARE TOXIC O HUMAN DSEING IS PES Visuals EGAL COLUMBUS URBANIE Reinhard/Impact Rick