Thousands of people have grouped in Washington today to reflect on Martin Luther King’s historic “I Had a Dream” speech in 1963.
The protesters took part in a short march through the American capital and – like the murdered civil rights activist at the time – spoke out against racism.
The march went from the Lincoln Memorial to the nearby Martin Luther King Memorial. Participants carried signs with texts such as “black lives matter” and “I am a man”. The latter is a well-known slogan of the 1960s civil rights movement in America.
Also featured were the names of black Americans who were killed by police violence. “Get your knee off our necks,” was one of the slogans heard, referring to the death of George Floyd, who was killed at the hands of an agent in May.
Before the march, several people spoke on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Among them was Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ nominee vice president. King’s son was also given the floor.
“In many ways, we stand together today in the symbolic shadow of history, but we are currently making history together,” said Martin Luther King III, calling on his audience to vote in November.
