October 16th in African American History – The Million Man March

The Million Man March

October 16, 1995 The Million Man March occurred in Washington, D.C.Led by the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, black men from across the country converged on Washington to “convey to the world a vastly different picture of the Black male and to unite in self-help and self-defense against the economic and social ills plaguing the African American community.”

The independent estimate of the crowd was 837,000 plus or minus 20%. The speakers included Rev. Benjamin Chavis, Martin Luther King III, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Minister Louis Farrakhan. The book “Million Man March/Day of Absence: A Commemorative Anthology” was published in 1996.