By Andrew Hall
AFRO Intern
ahall@afro.com
Organizers are calling on supporters nationwide to participate in the March on Washington 2026: “Defend the Vote” on Aug 28, marking the 63rd anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
The march, organized by the National Action Network (NAN) and the Drum Major Institute, will focus on protecting voting rights, advancing economic justice and encouraging civic engagement ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of NAN, urged people to attend the event.
“I am asking you to be a part of history. Not a witness to it. A part of it. Bring your family. Bring your church. Bring your block, your union, your chapter, your city. Fill a bus and fill the streets. On August 28, let Washington hear one voice that cannot be ignored,” said Sharpton, in a letter to the community.
About 250,000 people gathered in Washington, on Aug. 28, 1963 to protest racial discrimination, high unemployment, and segregation faced by Black Americans. Known as the March on Washington, the event is widely regarded as one of the defining moments of the Civil Rights Movement.
In 2000, at the Redeem the Dream March, Coretta Scott King challenged the next generation of leaders to continue the fight pioneered by her late husband, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Twenty-six years later, Sharpton said “We’re fulfilling the assignment Mrs. King gave us.”
This year’s theme, “Defend the Vote,” reflects concerns about voting rights and other civil rights protections. Sharpton said the march is part of ongoing efforts to protect access to the ballot.
“We stand on the same ground because the work is not finished. The right to vote, the very foundation of our power, is being chipped away in statehouse after statehouse,” Sharpton said. When the vote is weakened, every other right grows fragile with it. That is why we march. That is what we mean when we say ‘Defend the Vote.’”
Several organizations are coordinating transportation to the march, including charter buses, local chapter transportation and independent reservation services.
The NAN Greater Baltimore Chapter is offering free bus transportation to Washington for the first 250 people who register by July 31. Reservations can be made by calling 667-910-1027.
Former Maryland Sen. Larry Young, president of the Greater Baltimore Chapter, said demand has been strong.
“I’ve been getting calls all month from people saying they want to go, but they can’t get over to Washington,” said Young. “The Baltimore Chapter is allocating five buses for the first 250 people who register before or on July 31.”
Young, who attended the 1963 March on Washington, said he remembers the event as peaceful and believes this year’s march is equally important.
“I was just barely close enough to see the faces of the people speaking. There were many thousands, and much like the Million Man March, no incidents. Just loving brothers and sisters connecting to make a powerful statement–250,000 people gathered together. I’ve always taken pride that I was able to be among that number,” Young said. “We have to send a message to Trump and his folk that we’re not going backwards. We’re going to go forward and we’re going to beat them at the polls come November.”
More information can be found on the March on Washington 2026 website.
