50 YEARS LATER....THE WORK CONTINUES TO REALIZE MLK JR'S DREAM

I decided to go to the 50 year anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, the highlight of which was Martin Luther King's "I have a dream..." speech.  It was a great experience, and I went as a solo traveler.  I planned to meet the group from All Soul's Church Unitarian, but never found them.  I found lots of warm and interesting people, including Unitarians from New York, Maryland, and Denver.

What made it especially interesting for me was that I found I could move closer and closer to the front because it was just me.  The picture above was my first spot, and one below is a little closer.  I also think I used my telephoto.

It was a very relaxed crowd, full of love and hope.  I sat with some local residents from the NAACP for awhile, using a poster to sit on that they gave me and I will keep.  The message is "NAACP: WE MARCH TO END RACIAL PROFILING."

 Eventually, I moved up to the very front.  Well, the front for the public.  There were press and dignitaries on a platform up on the steps.  This is at the west end of the reflecting pool.  I couldn't see the speakers, but could hear them, and had to watch on a jumbotron.  Lots of great inspirational speeches--I especially liked Nancy Pelosi and the Rev. Al Sharpton.   Eric Holder was also a big hit.  You can guess the theme of the day.  Gratitude for changes in the last 50 years, but we still have a lot of work to do to make this a land of "freedom and justice for all."    A lot of speakers spoke about concerns relating to voter's rights and the Supreme Court decision affecting the Voter's Rights Act.  Too much to summarize here.  This is how it looked on the jumbotron across the reflection pool.

All in all, it was a great inspiration.  I am glad I went.  Huge crowds...tens of thounsands.