March On Washington 2026

The righteous Nadine Dowell

I covered the 63rd anniversary of the March on Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington DC. From the March's website "We march to defend the vote, because voting rights are under attack and the protections generations fought, bled, and died for are being weakened.

We march to defend civil rights, because attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion are attempts to roll back access, opportunity, and representation.

We march for economic justice, because too many families are still fighting for fair wages, affordable housing, equal opportunity, and a fair chance to build wealth.

This is not only about one election. This is about whether our democracy will protect all of us. This is about whether the promises of 1963 will finally be made real. This is about standing together, across generations, to say we will not go backward.

... we return to Washington not to remember history, but to make history. We march for the vote. We march for justice. We march for the future."

I spent good time with the DC Activist Street Band and the Extraordinary Rendition Band (from Providence RI). Solidarity and joyful righteous noise.

Prominent speakers included Rev. Al Sharpton, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanbergand AFT president Randi Weingarten.

OUDC 30 | Selma Alabama

OUDC Class 30's fellows travelled to Selma, Alabama, site of one of  the critical turning points in the civil rights movement. They crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where the Bloody Sunday massacre occurred, and the start of the historic marches to Montgomery. They also visited the Voting Rights Museum, heard from local 'foot soldier" veterans of the movement, met at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, and participated in a workshop led by local healing activist Afriye Wekandodis of By The River Center For Humanity.

Afriye Wekandodis

Memorial for the late Jo Ann Blnd, civil rights foot soldier

Edmund Pettus Bridge