Million Man March anniversary inspires memories
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Million Man March is remembered as a watershed event by many participants, although its impact on the way America regards African-American men remains an open question 20 years later.
Thousands upon thousands of men, most of them black, congregated peacefully on the National Mall on October 16, 1995. They clapped, cheered, testified and promised they would work for a better future for themselves and their families.
The event's anniversary was celebrated Saturday with a "Justice or Else" march led by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who led the original gathering. Saturday's march also focused on the relationship between African-American men and the police.
The deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police have inspired protests under the "Black Lives Matter" moniker.