As Inauguration Day festivities continue, civil rights activists filed into the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Northwest D.C. for a rally in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The National Action Network (NAN) is hosting the rally and its founder Rev. Al Sharpton was expected to speak about King’s teachings, legacy and what he would say about the country and future.
Sharpton and other speakers are also set to talk about the NAN’s new initiative to fight back against current and future rollbacks against DEI efforts, including Trump’s potential executive order to roll back against DEI programs inside of government agencies.
Supporters showing up to the church said Monday’s focus is on the King and his dream to create a more equitable society.
During the rally, Sharpton led the congregation in several chants including “No justice, no peace” and “We’re not going back.”
MLK Day is also known as a day on, not off for many people across the D.C. area. Many people volunteer through several organizations and reflect on his legacy.
Martin Luther King III, the late civil rights activist’s son, spoke to NBC’s Kristen Welker over the weekend about what his father would think about the state of the country, saying he’d be disappointed.
“He probably wouldn’t be surprised, but he certainly would be disappointed because he always infused energy that was positive, bringing out the best of who we as Americans are,” King III said. “Unfortunately in great tragedy, we see the best of who Americans are but when it’s over we go back to our corners and live in bubbles and separate. We need to exhibit the behavior that we exhibit in tragedy, universally all the time.”
SOURCE: nbcwashington.com