Million Man March

The Million Man March of 1995 has not yet achieved the mythic aura of the "I Have a Dream" speech of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. But it has become a modern landmark for African-American men, symbolizing a rededication to home, family and moral values. Clips from a new documentary being made to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Oct. 16, 1995, Washington march will be shown tonight at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. An anniversary march, the Millions More Movement, will be held this weekend in Washington.

Using a classic American tactic, immigrants have been demonstrating across the country, seeking changes in law and policy. They've been coming out by the tens of thousands - last week and again Monday - in cities such as Washington, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Phoenix. And they are forcing local and national politicians as well as their constituents to sit up and take notice, while Congress struggles to come to some agreement on meaningful immigration reform. Some organizers of the recent demonstrations are comparing their efforts to the civil rights struggle and the pivotal 1963 March on Washington.

"Get on the Bus" is all vehicle: It's that hoariest of old story-forms, the platoon-level war movie, about a slice of life gathered into an artificial group for a certain mission; it chronicles how they bicker and clamor, but eventually become a cohesive unit. It's even got the scene where someone dies and his last prayer is discovered and read to the assembled men who bow their heads in weepy gratitude.The war, however, isn't the one against Hitler, but the other one -- the one African-Americans have been fighting for a number of centuries in hopes of acquiring the dignity, equality and prosperity in equal proportions to the sweat, blood and pain they have invested in this country.

When participants gather today on the Washington Mall for the sequel to the 1995 Million Man March, they intend not only to mark the historic occasion, but to emerge with a national agenda on such issues as crime, education and health care. A decade ago, the gathering of African-American men ignited a spirit of unity among participants. But when Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan convenes the Millions More Movement, bringing people together won't be the only objective. He will push for action.

On Oct. 16, 1995, hundreds of thousands of African-American men from around the nation poured into Washington, D.C., in search of spiritual renewal and fraternal strength. As they stood together on the Mall, basking in the autumn sun, the men of the Million Man March pledged to take responsibility for their actions, to serve their families and their communities, and to improve themselves and the world in which they lived. Kurt Schmoke, then mayor of Baltimore, brought his 24-year-old stepson.

LIKE THE MILLION MAN MARCH that preceded it, the greatest impact of Saturday's Promise Keepers rally in Washington will occur with individual acts of goodness. Life-changing experiences motivated hundreds of thousands of men to attend the Christian event; others found spiritual awakening while there. Families and communities will be better if these men fulfill their professed commitment to be more responsible.If there is any group action of lasting relevance, it may be political. Promise Keepers' leaders insist politics has never been a motivation for the 62 all-male rallies they have held since 1990.

Anne Arundel County residents who attended the Million Man March last month are taking their first steps to uphold the pledges they made on The Mall in Washington.The marchers have scheduled a summit at Mount Moriah A.M.E. Church in Annapolis from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow to discuss ways to help rebuild the black community. It is the first event sponsored by the Anne Arundel County African American Unity Coalition, a group of about 20 black churches, businesses and civic groups formed after the march.

Mark Hughes was a sixth-grade teacher at Lombard Middle School in 1995, watching the Million Man March on CNN with his pupils. Hughes resolved that if a similar event were to happen, he would be there in person. On Monday, he will get his chance. The Million Family March, which Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and other organizers have said will be a more inclusive successor to the Million Man March, will take place on the National Mall amid busloads of visitors (local organizers estimate 250,000 will travel from Baltimore)

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children gathered at the National Mall yesterday to celebrate family unity and racial and religious harmony in a Million Family March organized by Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Spread from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, families listened as Farrakhan delivered a rambling three-hour speech that touched on a variety of issues but mostly sounded a theme of the importance of family. "The family is the basic unit of civilization," Farrakhan told the crowd.

Using a classic American tactic, immigrants have been demonstrating across the country, seeking changes in law and policy. They've been coming out by the tens of thousands - last week and again Monday - in cities such as Washington, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Phoenix. And they are forcing local and national politicians as well as their constituents to sit up and take notice, while Congress struggles to come to some agreement on meaningful immigration reform. Some organizers of the recent demonstrations are comparing their efforts to the civil rights struggle and the pivotal 1963 March on Washington.

The Million Man March of 1995 has not yet achieved the mythic aura of the "I Have a Dream" speech of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. But it has become a modern landmark for African-American men, symbolizing a rededication to home, family and moral values. Clips from a new documentary being made to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Oct. 16, 1995, Washington march will be shown tonight at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. An anniversary march, the Millions More Movement, will be held this weekend in Washington.

On Oct. 16, 1995, hundreds of thousands of African-American men from around the nation poured into Washington, D.C., in search of spiritual renewal and fraternal strength. As they stood together on the Mall, basking in the autumn sun, the men of the Million Man March pledged to take responsibility for their actions, to serve their families and their communities, and to improve themselves and the world in which they lived. Kurt Schmoke, then mayor of Baltimore, brought his 24-year-old stepson.

Ayinde Jean-Baptiste, who gained notice at age 12 for his speech at the Million Man March in Washington, spoke last night on the continuing legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Anne Arundel County NAACP's 15th annual awards dinner in Linthicum. "Truth isn't always easy or beautiful to hear," Jean-Baptiste told a crowd of about 1,200 before elaborating on continuing problems across the United States and the world. He said King advocated more than just tolerance. In keeping with King's legacy, he encouraged people to think globally, including speaking out for the rights of Palestinians and urging caution in dealing with Iraq.

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children gathered at the National Mall yesterday to celebrate family unity and racial and religious harmony in a Million Family March organized by Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Spread from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, families listened as Farrakhan delivered a rambling three-hour speech that touched on a variety of issues but mostly sounded a theme of the importance of family. "The family is the basic unit of civilization," Farrakhan told the crowd.

Mark Hughes was a sixth-grade teacher at Lombard Middle School in 1995, watching the Million Man March on CNN with his pupils. Hughes resolved that if a similar event were to happen, he would be there in person. On Monday, he will get his chance. The Million Family March, which Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and other organizers have said will be a more inclusive successor to the Million Man March, will take place on the National Mall amid busloads of visitors (local organizers estimate 250,000 will travel from Baltimore)

David Miller, a young man committed to improving livesaround him, used to teach basic life skills to prison inmates. Then he attended Louis Farrakhan's Million Man March -- which celebrates its third anniversary today -- and returned to Baltimore determined to reach black youngsters before they reach the criminal justice system."

When participants gather today on the Washington Mall for the sequel to the 1995 Million Man March, they intend not only to mark the historic occasion, but to emerge with a national agenda on such issues as crime, education and health care. A decade ago, the gathering of African-American men ignited a spirit of unity among participants. But when Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan convenes the Millions More Movement, bringing people together won't be the only objective. He will push for action.

WASHINGTON -- Quibbling over the size of the crowd at the Million Man March misses the point. As Red Barber used to say of big crowds at baseball games, ''There's more people here than I'd like to be frying catfish for.'' Whatever the number, it was impressive.The operative question, instead, is whether and how black men may be able to convert their impressive demonstration of unity and purpose into some practical change in their place in American society.Some of the realities that face black Americans are harsh indeed.

LIKE THE MILLION MAN MARCH that preceded it, the greatest impact of Saturday's Promise Keepers rally in Washington will occur with individual acts of goodness. Life-changing experiences motivated hundreds of thousands of men to attend the Christian event; others found spiritual awakening while there. Families and communities will be better if these men fulfill their professed commitment to be more responsible.If there is any group action of lasting relevance, it may be political. Promise Keepers' leaders insist politics has never been a motivation for the 62 all-male rallies they have held since 1990.

WASHINGTON -- When Promise Keepers fills the National Mall with people and prayers today, it hopes to make history. Certainly, it's got the setup to do so.Just look at what the Christian men's group has assembled for its first national rally: 44 guest speakers, 11 JumboTrons (the group wanted a few extras, but the Rolling Stones had first dibs), 100-plus sound speakers, 24 generators (with hushed motors to preserve a prayerful ambience on the Mall), 210 phone lines, 130 stage lights, 1 million free Bibles, 1,500 portable toilets and much more.