Hundreds marched through Seattle on Tuesday marking the 55th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Community leaders came together to remember the importance of the civil rights movement.
The historic gathering drew 250,000 people to Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to push for equality and civil rights.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Committee organized a march from Union Street and 19th Avenue to Mount Zion Baptist Church in Seattle’s Central District neighborhood.
“It’s the 55th anniversary of the March on Washington. This is Martin Luther King county if you don’t recognize it here, you got to recognize it here,” said Charlie James, a community member. “You got to remember the struggle that we went through to get where we are and this march is a culmination of a long struggle of civil rights, okay and we’ve got to keep that in mind because we’re not done yet.”
“One of the things I think is so important is that we show that we are all in this together that we are all still striving for equality fairness and justice,” said Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best.
Heather Kelly, a member of the League of Women Voters brought her son Liam.
“I feel like he needs to understand why freedom is worth fighting for and why if you’re white and going to be a white man someday you need to support other groups and amplify their message,” said Kelly.
The group marched to “funeralize” Initiative 200, which prohibited preferential treatment in Washington state based on race, color, sex, or national origin. Critics say it killed affirmative action.
The march, which began Tuesday at 5 p.m., was followed by a bell ringing to commemorate challenges felt by people of color.
“I thought it was important for me to be here not just as an ally but as an Asian Pacific Islander because far too often we’re not in the mix when it comes to supporting black lives matter or the African American community as a whole,” said Frank Irigon.
An anniversary program had speakers, poetry, and music. It also honored former Seattle Port Commission President John Creighton for his work promoting social and economic equality. Program speakers included Reps. Adam Smith and Pramila Jayapal, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best, and Seattle Council President Bruce Harrell.
