January, 13 2012, 02:31pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Rev. Cortly CD Witherspoon and Sharon Black 410-218-4835
Dr. King Jr. March for Jobs and Justice
Dr. King Jr. March for Jobs and Justice Planned for Saturday, January 14, 2012
Protesters Plan 41 mile Civil Rights Walk from Baltimore to Occupy Washington D.C.
A host of organizations committed to economic justice, civil rights and peace will be joining together this Saturday to hold a Jobs March from Union Baptist Church, 1917 Druid Hill Ave. to Baltimore's downtown Reads Drug store, the historic site of the 1955 sit-ins for civil rights.
BALTIMORE
Dr. King Jr. March for Jobs and Justice Planned for Saturday, January 14, 2012
Protesters Plan 41 mile Civil Rights Walk from Baltimore to Occupy Washington D.C.
A host of organizations committed to economic justice, civil rights and peace will be joining together this Saturday to hold a Jobs March from Union Baptist Church, 1917 Druid Hill Ave. to Baltimore's downtown Reads Drug store, the historic site of the 1955 sit-ins for civil rights.
The groups gather at 10 A.M. and their March steps off at 12 P.M. Following a rally at Reads Drug store, a group will then continue through Baltimore to Route 1 on a 41 mile, three day walk to Occupy Washington D.C.
Participants in the civil rights walk for jobs represent all ages, nationalities and a variety of constituencies, from community groups, civil rights organizations, unions, students, unemployed and Occupy movement members.
Marchers vary in age from as young as 12 to as old as 71 years of age. The group expects to sleep over in Elkridge area the first night, later in College Park, and finally arrive in Washington D.C. on Monday, January 16, 2012.
Reverend Cortly CD Witherspoon, President, Baltimore Southern Christian Leadership Conference, stated, "People are excited about this march! Joblessness is a critical issue for the people of Baltimore. Over 56% of our youth are unemployed."
He continued, "We are also immensely proud that the senior civil rights leaders like Dr. Helena Hicks who participated in the historic Reads Drug store sit-in will help lead a major segment of the Baltimore March and that Occupy Baltimore has joined."
Job Is A Right Campaign/Occupy 4 Jobs Network, spokesperson, Sharon Black added, "Young people are planning to have a "Jobs, not jails" contingent in the March to highlight the need for jobs and education rather than jails and incarceration."
"Our March has national significance for the unemployed everywhere. We will be representing people from every city, county and state this coming weekend when we march to demand a jobs program," she added.
Below is a partial list of sponsors: Balto. Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Job Is A Right Campaign/Occupy 4 Jobs; Dr. Helena Hicks, Sit-in participant; Walter Dean, Civil rights leader; Occupy Baltimore; National Action Network; All Peoples Congress; Liberate Baltimore; Fred Mason, Pres. MD & D.C. AFL-CIO Council; Baltimore Move On; Howard County Move On; Andre Powell, AFSCME Del. Metro-Balto AFL-CIO; B-Heard Affinity Group Occupy Baltimore; Millions More Movement; Baltimore Black Think Tank; ANSWER Coalition; Pledge of Resistance; Fund Our Communities; R.B. Jones, writer & playwright; Jamaat al-Muslimeen; Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle; Ron Kipling Williams, spoken word artist and many others
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