August, 28, 2013 will mark the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. In addition, 2013 is also the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.
There will be a number of events from August 22 – 28th to commemorate this incredibly historic moment in time. Most importantly, there will be a March on Washington Saturday, August 24. This will be a reenactment of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington culminating in his historic ‘I Have A Dream’ speech.
Ten people spoke that day with Martin Luther King. Fierce civil rights activist and nine time elected GA Congressman, John Lewis, is the sole surviving speaker and will march again 50 years later, never giving up his urgent call ‘We want our freedom, and we want it now!’. As a boy, his parents and grandparents told him not to ask questions. They would say ‘Johnny, don’t get into trouble’. Lewis has spent his whole life calling for Americans to ask those very same questions his parents told him not to, the tough questions. Lewis says emphatically as it relates to injustice that it is time to get into trouble…good trouble…necessary trouble. Please listen to him as he recently shares his thoughts on the 1963 march below -
In addition to the March, there will be a series of events focusing on freedom, entrepreneurship and MLK’s economic vision. You can view the schedule here. I am honored to have been invited to speak at the Lincoln Memorial on the 28th (the actual day of the speech) for the 50th Anniversary Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action Ceremony. This will include the ‘Let Freedom Ring’ Bell-Ringing Commemoration. If you can not attend this in person, please consider organizing in your local community to ring these symbolic bells.
For more information on the 50th Anniversary of I Have A Dream please visit -
http://mlk50mow.com/
http://officialmlkdream50.com/
http://nationalactionnetwork.net/mow/