Minister Louis Farrakhan called on Black men from around the country to gather on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on October 16, 1995 for the Million Man March, an interfaith gathering of Black men who were ready to make positive change in their communities by supporting their families and abstaining from violence.
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Stevie Wonder, Rosa Parks and Maya Angelou were among the speakers who energized the crowd of men estimated to be between 600,000 and over one million. Although some will argue whether or not the march achieved its desired results, the event led to historic voter registration and voter turnout among Black men. Without question, the Million Man March was a cultural moment that those who were there will never forget.
Thirty years after that historic gathering, we’re looking back at how the historic day brought everyone together.
A Holy Day of Atonement
The idea for the Million Man March originated with Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Billed as a “holy day of atonement and reconciliation,” Farrakhan planned for an interfaith gathering of Black men on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to promote unity and responsibility within the community.
“It was in the context of a spike in black-on-black crime among young black males. And that’s why the theme of the march was atonement, reconciliation, responsibility. The agenda was internal. And that’s why the minister called for the march–not on a Saturday but on a Monday, which meant people had to sacrifice to get there,” Rev. Benjamin Chavis, one of the key organizers of the event told NPR in an interview.
The State of the Union
The urgency for a peaceful gathering of Black men was a direct response to the political climate at the time. Although the country had a Democratic president in Bill Clinton at the time, Republicans had just seen massive victories in the 1994 midterm elections, leaving them in control of both the House and the Senate. The movement was fueled by then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America,” proposed legislation that would include welfare reform and stricter sentencing rules.
Ripped From the Headlines
Organizers of the march were inspired by their quest for an alternative to some of the headlines linked to well-known Black men, including Mike Tyson, who was convicted on rape charges in 1992 , and O.J. Simpson, who was acquitted on charges of murder on October 3, 1995, after a high-profile trial that left the country divided along racial lines.
The President’s Message
On the day of the march, President Clinton addressed a crowd at the University of Texas-Austin, praising the idea of Black men taking responsibility for their communities. Although his speech called for racial understanding, he condemned Minister Farrakhan’s message, which he believed was divisive.
“One million men are right to be standing up for personal responsibility, but one million men do not make right one man’s message of malice and division,” Clinton said in his speech.
Preparing For Peace
Organizers of the Million Man March knew that all eyes would be on the large crowd of Black men they were expecting in the nation’s capital, which is why they did every thing they could to plan for a positive outcome.
“A million black men coming to Washington, D.C. – what is their intention? And, of course, it was a peaceful day. So we had to make sure we had enough water. We had to make sure we had enough first aid medical. We didn’t have to use it but you have to prepare for it. And, you know, even things like having 20,000 Port-a-Johns. Where are you going to get 20,000 Port-a-Johns from? So my job was the logistics – making sure a million people got into D.C. safely, that a million people leave D.C. safely,” Rev. Benjamin Chavis told NPR.
Powerful Speeches
Jesse Jackson, Maya Angelou and Cornell West were among the list of speakers who addressed the crowd on the National Mall during the 12-hour program. In one powerful moment, Rosa Parks, one of the key figures of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, told the men in the audience how proud her late husband, Raymond Parks, who was also a civil rights activist, would have been of the Black men who showed up to effect change.
“Parks would have stood proud and tall to see so many of our men uniting for our common man and committing their lives to a better future for themselves, their families, and this country,” she told the crowd. “Although criticism and controversy has been focused on in the media instead of benefits for the one million men assembling peacefully for spiritual food and direction, it is a success. I pray that my multiracial and international friends will view this gathering as an opportunity for all men but primarily men of African heritage to make changes in their lives for the better.”
A Pledge of Support
During the Million Man March, Minister Farrakhan led attendees in a pledge to support their families, abstain from violence except in cases of self-defense. They also promised to contribute to the advancement of their communities by supporting Black businesses.
“I pledge that from this day forward I will strive to love my brother as I love myself. I, from this day forward, will strive to improve myself spiritually, morally, mentally, socially, politically and economically for the benefit of myself, my family and my people,” the pledge read.
Some Women Supported the March
Although women were originally asked to stay home on the day of march, many were supportive of Black men coming together for a positive cause. Phillippa Braxton, a Maryland woman who was on hand that day to support the men, told the Associated Press. “This will show America that the black man isn’t some gun-toting, drug-selling stereotype that’s portrayed in the media.”
But There Were Critics
However, some women were critical, including political activist Angela Davis, who called out the event for its failure to include women or address issues that were impacting Black women at the time, including reproductive rights.
Were There Really a Million Men There?
While the march drew one of the largest crowds to the National Mall in history, there are conflicting reports about the actual number that showed up that day. According to the Associated Press, researchers at Boston University estimate there were between 670,000 to over one million attendees.
New Voters
The Million Man March attendees left with a mission to use their vote to make themselves heard. It has been reported that nearly million Black men registered to vote after the march.
Be The Change
At the end of the day’s events, Minister Louis Farrakhan spoke to the crowd for two hours, urging the men who showed up to take what they got out of the day back home and be a positive influence in their communities.
“And as we leave this place, let us be resolved to go home to work out this atonement and make our communities a decent, whole, and safe place to live. And oh, Allah, we beg your blessings on all who participate…let us not be conformed to this world, but let us go home transformed by the renewing of our minds and let the idea of atonement ring throughout America, that America may see that the slave has come up with power,” he told the crowd.
“Get On The Bus”
In 1996, director Spike Lee brought the Million Man March to the big screen with “Get On The Bus,” a film about a group of men with diverse opinions who take a cross-country bus trip to the march. The all-star cast included Ossie Davis, Wendell Pierce, Bernie Mac and Hill Harper.
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