The United States marks a turning point in its history today with a rally held ahead of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's March on Washington.
Some 150,000 are expected to turn out on the National Mall to re-enact the moving civil rights rally where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech from the Lincoln Memorial.
On Wednesday, the anniversary of the speech, church bells will ring out across the US while President Barack Obama will speak from the same steps.
Among those who were in the crowd to hear Dr King's speech were Kathleen Johnson and Jean McRae. Both women returned to the site of the speech on Saturday.
Speaking about Dr King's speech in 1963, Ms Johnson told Sky News that: "It was a beautiful day. It was white and black together. It was a united day."
Kathleen Johnson at the Martin Luther King March on Washington in 1963 Many other events are planned around the country over the coming days, giving Americans a chance to reflect on race relations.
The parents of Trayvon Martin, the teenager killed in Florida, are expected to be among the speakers at the event on Saturday.
Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton, a co-organiser of the event, said the US still had some way to go in achieving equality.
"I have always stated that we have made great progress in this country, but to blindly believe that our work is over is foolish and naive at best," he said.
Dr King delivered his speech on August 28, 1963 "If this year has shown us anything, it's that the work of the 1963 march is not yet finished," added Benjamin Jealous, head of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).
"Voting rights are under attack, black unemployment continues to soar and thousands of black children are living in impoverished neighbourhoods and attending segregated schools ... black youth are being gunned down each and every day in senseless acts of violence."
An estimated 250,000 people of all races descended on the Mall on August 28, 1963, chanting "Equality now!" and singing "We Shall Overcome," in what was officially billed as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Millions more watched on television, among them President John F. Kennedy, who until then had been dragging his feet on legislation to end racial segregation in conservative Southern states.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
US Marking 50 Years Since 'Dream' Speech
Dengan url
http://sumpahserapan.blogspot.com/2013/08/us-marking-50-years-since-dream-speech.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
US Marking 50 Years Since 'Dream' Speech
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
US Marking 50 Years Since 'Dream' Speech
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar