C136

October 16, 1995 Million Man March Poster/ Flyer & Button

The Million Man March took place on October 16, 1965. The goal of the march was to promote African American unity. Estimates report that anywhere from 600,000 to 1,000,000 black men arrived in Washington D.C that Monday morning to show that black issues needed to be on the nation's political agenda. The march was organized by Islamic leader Louis Farrakhan and included speeches by Jesse Jackson, Rosa Parks, Cornel West, Maya Angelou and others. The event represented black men as peaceful, unified, and ready to do whatever it takes to create a better life for the African American community, a distinct contrast to what was often shown in the media. Despite the large crowd, there was no violence or arrests  during the event. After the march 1.7 million African American men registered to vote.  For the individuals who did not attend the march there was a Day of Absence in which black people were encouraged to stay home from work, school, athletic, and entertainment activities. Instead they gathered at places of worship and homes to meditate on what needed to be done in the Black community.
Sources: https://www.noi.org/about-million-man-march/ and https://www.britannica.com/event/Million-Man-March and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Man_March
​