Justice demonstration traveling from Crystal City to the Memorial Bridge @wtop pic.twitter.com/R3X6LQW7g7
— Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) September 15, 2015#JourneyForJustice ready to proceed into DC @wtop pic.twitter.com/WX9xpEtoAz
— Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) September 15, 2015#JourneyForJustice reaches Memorial Circle @wtop pic.twitter.com/vf71QJtB2U
— Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) September 15, 2015#JourneyForJustice now crossing the Memorial Bridge into DC @wtop pic.twitter.com/bZVgM31iQC
— Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) September 15, 2015Marchers of all races and orientation crossing into DC as part of #JourneyForJustice pic.twitter.com/BkiKcF0RkQ
— Rob Woodfork (@RobWoodfork) September 15, 2015The America's Journey For Justice March that began last month in Selma, AL has arrived at the Lincoln Memorial @WTOP pic.twitter.com/L8hW3gUyqg
— Michelle Basch (@mbaschWTOP) September 15, 2015Opening prayer underway on the steps @WTOP pic.twitter.com/Q5s2wy2OEQ
— Michelle Basch (@mbaschWTOP) September 15, 2015Some of the America's Journey for Justice marchers standing behind the podium @WTOP pic.twitter.com/ICHBb8bq7D
— Michelle Basch (@mbaschWTOP) September 15, 2015.@NAACP National President Cornell William Brooks speaking now @WTOP pic.twitter.com/jt6ty7kKYX
— Michelle Basch (@mbaschWTOP) September 15, 2015
WASHINGTON — A march that began more than a month ago in Selma, Alabama, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, finally arrived Tuesday at the Lincoln Memorial.
The nearly 1,000-mile march, called “America’s Journey for Justice,” began Aug. 1 and traveled through five states and D.C.
Tuesday afternoon, a crowd of what appeared to be 150 to 200 chanting marchers crossed Arlington Memorial Bridge and circled the Lincoln Memorial before gathering on its famous steps.
The march was led by National NAACP President Cornell Williams Brooks, who has a message for congressional and presidential candidates:
“If you’re asking for our votes, commit to protect the right to vote,” he said to loud applause.
“Until we have a democracy where every single person has the right unfettered and unencumbered to vote, the journey will not be done,” added Common Cause President Miles Rappaport.
Wednesday, marchers will meet with members of Congress to press this issue and others such as criminal justice and education reform.
Toure Alexander, 21, took part in one leg of the march.
“The racial profiling, and stuff like that. My grandparents went through that, and my parents sort of. So it’s like, I don’t want to have that keep going in the future,” Alexander said.
Another 21-year-old participant, Keith Franklin, said everyone should take advantage of their right to vote.
“Political involvement should be a requirement for citizenship. As an American, I feel like your political involvement is your voice.”
