Major march planned in Philly for MLK day
Listen
Philadelphia gave birth to the idea of Martin Luther King’s birthday as a day of service. But this year, in the wake of Ferguson and other incidents, an area grass-roots coalition is looking to revive Dr. King’s legacy of street protest.
The group POWER — Philadelphians Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild — anticipate about 10,000 people to march down Broad Street on Jan. 19, the day set aside to honor King.
The goal is to send a message to those in power, as King himself did, said the Rev. Mark Tyler of Philadelphia.
“Persons have been very frustrated over the last few months as it relates to events in Ferguson and Staten Island,” Tyler said. “We’re coming out to march to show this is more than a moment, this is really a movement.”
Tyler, the pastor at Mother Bethel AME Church, said marchers will be seeking to fulfill King’s dream of equality for all.
“Remembering, for many in this country, those promises have not completely been fulfilled,” he said.
The march will begin at the school district headquarters on North Broad and end with a rally at Independence Hall.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
‘We have not forgotten’: Philly’s Mexican, Latino communities celebrate Las Posadas
In Mexico, Guatemala and other parts of Latin America, Las Posadas are nightly celebrations in the nine days leading up to Christmas Day.
11 hours ago
U.S. civil rights probe faults Philadelphia School District over handling of antisemitism reports
Federal investigators cited complaints about allegedly antisemitic social media posts by a school board member, an assistant superintendent and four teachers.
1 day ago
Last year, one neighbor resorted to making signs that read, "Only a real jabroni would honk at the Miracle" and "Honking makes the baby Jesus cry."
2 days ago