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For Voting Rights March And Rally
ATLANTA - (Aug. 8, 2005)
More than 20,000 marchers, lead by civil rights leaders, politicians, labor, peace, human rights leaders and celebrities, marched in Atlanta on Saturday, August 6, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 and seeking reauthorization of the act, which expires in 2007.
Everyday people from across the nation, following a front line of dignitaries and celebrities, which included Rev. Jesse Jackson, Congressmen John Lewis, Nancy Pelosi, and Maxine Waters, labor leaders John Sweeney and Andy Stern, and entertainers Willie Nelson and Harry Belafonte, marched from the Russell Federal Building in downtown Atlanta to Herndon Stadium on the campus of Morris Brown College. There, they sent a strong and collective message to Washington, urging the Bush Administration to reauthorize the act with language that protects against race and language discrimination.
"40 years after President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965, we are under attack. We are taking our cause to the street, building a "third rail" movement that will ensure that the anti-discrimination provisions of the Voting Rights Act are extended by Congress. Like Selma in 1965, our marching feet are here in Atlanta to carry on the fight for voting rights, jobs, peace and justice," said Rev. Jackson, president and founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition which initiated the coalition to organize the Pro-Democracy march and rally.
In the sweltering sun shining on Herndon Stadium, the people gathered from 10 a.m. until about 6 p.m. From the bleachers and the gridiron in front of the huge stage, they heard spirited music, fiery poetry and heated short speeches from Grammy Award-winning artists Stevie Wonder and Roberta Flack; rising stars such as the NâDigo Girls and John Legend; civil rights leaders Andrew Young, Joseph Lowery and Bruce Gordan; lawmakers Dick Durbin, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Lee, Stephanie Tubbs-Jones, John Conyers, Charles Rangel and Cynthia McKinley. Television Judge Greg Mathis and Comedian/Activist Dick Gregory voiced their support. Leaders from the Latino community were present, including Juan Andrade of the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, Ann Marie Tallman from MALDEF, and Hector Lopez of LULAC, demonstrating the strong coalition united around the voting rights/pro-Democracy campaign.
They called for the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act as well as protection for America's workers, health insurance for the uninsured, ending the war in Iraq and the ending the jail industrial complex phenomenon.
"We have come to pay the debt to those who came before us 40 years ago," said Congressman Lewis (D- GA), who marched for the right to vote in Selma 40 years ago. "Clearly, the choice is to do something to make it better or do nothing. Your presence here is proof of your choice to make it better."
Congresswoman Pelosi (D-CA), who is the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, exclaimed that she was "100 percent behind strengthening the Voting Rights Act," while U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said "we still need the Voting Rights Act, because we still have a journey to complete."
Wonder, who performed the hit "What's the Fuss," challenged political leaders to take the position that all Americans have the right to vote.
"We have the right to pay taxes; we have the right to go to war; we must have the right to vote," Wonder said. "I urge our president to sign a bill so there will never be a need for anybody to march again, because the right to vote will be there forever."
Television Judge Greg Mathis described the voter fraud and suppression issues that surfaced during the past elections as "criminal" and said the "thugs and criminals should be locked up in jail." He issued a warning to those who violated the Voting Rights Act.
"We are coming back in 2008 to take over the presidency and the United States," Mathis said.
Shortly before the march, a broad, multi-racial coalition of civil rights, political, labor and religious leaders, gathered at the legendary Paschalâs Restaurant for a breakfast meeting to discuss a plan of action for securing the reauthorization.
Some highlights of the meeting included the presence of Andy Stern, president of SEIU, and John Sweeney, the president of the AFL-CIO, who put the issues they are addressing inside the labor movement to the side to support the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. Another highlight was the presence of Bishop T.D. Jakes, who said he attended the breakfast to dispel any misconceptions about his support of the march and initiative. "While there is a conflict in our schedule, there is definitely no conflict in our purpose," he told the dignitaries. "I will fight ardently and vehemently to make sure our right to vote is protected by any means necessary. I want to be clear...I am totally and completely supportive of this agenda. I cannot stress this enough. When the marching stops, this does not mean the struggle doesn't continue. I believe we are coming ito a turning point of how we go about the King's business."
In response to Jakes, Rev. Jackson said, "We could not have planned to be together this week, but God's plan is not our plan. His purpose is better than our purpose."
Lewis commended Rev. Jackson for his "vision for pulling us together," and "for never giving up", and for putting Atlanta and the Voting Rights Act in the spotlight.
"You are keeping the faith; you are keeping your eyes on the prize," Lewis said.
