Center Section
June 2023. Volume 9. Issue 7.
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WINNER OF SIX SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS D.C. AWARDS FOR 2022
Celebrating 58 Years - Vol. 58, No. 46 • August 31 - September 6, 2023
Phillip Pannell: Longtime LGBTQIA+ Activist, Leader Emphasizes Continued Advocacy for Local Communities By Milaka Saddler WI Contributing Writer
5 (L-R) Yolanda Renee King, Andrea Waters King, Martin Luther King Jr. III, Rev. Al Sharpton, an unidentified marcher, Robert Smith, and Sacha Baron Cohen on the front line during the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington at Lincoln Memorial on August 26, 2023. (Shedrick Pelt @sdotpdotmedia/The Washington Informer)
March on Washington 60th Anniversary Emphasizes Continued Civil Rights Struggle
By Stacy M. Brown and Hamil Harris WI Senior Writer and WI Contributing Writer On the anniversary of the iconic March on Washington, civil rights leaders and a diverse coalition of allies convened at the historic gathering site to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and advocate for renewed commitment to social justice. The event– convened by King’s Drum Major Institute and the National Action Network (NAN)– aimed to rekindle the spirit of the 1963 march,
which played a pivotal role in advancing civil rights and voting rights legislation. The original March on Washington, a cornerstone of the civil rights movement, drew approximately 250,000 participants in 1963. Its influence paved the way for significant legislative milestones, including the passage of federal civil and voting rights laws in the 1960s. The erosion of voting rights, recent Supreme Court rulings that impact affirmative action and abortion rights, and the rise of hate and violence against marginalized communities, however, punctuate the current commemoration.
‘WE’VE STILL GOT TO GET THIS RIGHT’
Martin Luther King III, the eldest
son of the civil rights icon, along with his sister Bernice King, visited their father’s monument in Washington on the eve of the event. Bernice King shared her reflections, stating, “I see a man still standing in authority and saying, ‘We’ve still got to get this right.’” Addressing the urgency of the occasion, King III emphasized, “This is not a traditional commemoration. This really is a rededication.” Among the featured speakers was Ambassador Andrew Young, a close adviser to Dr. King during the original march and a key figure in the civil rights movement. Leaders from the NAACP and the National Urban League also delivered impactful remarks. Arndrea Waters King, King III’s wife, also addressed the tens of thou-
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After the 60th Anniversary commemoration of the March on Washington on Saturday, Aug. 26, a group of local residents and community leaders gathered in a private room at the Busboys and Poets Anacostia to discuss critical issues affecting the District. One of the attendees was none other than Phillip Pannell, a celebrated community leader, who is continuing the legacy of 1963 March on Washington organizer Bayard Rustin, and Black queer leaders of the past, who bravely fought for freedom and liberties. Pannell is known for his work as a gay community leader. He served as former president of the Ward 8 Democrats and is a Grassroots Advocate for HIV and Aids, to name a few of Pannell’s passions. During the meeting, each attendee was asked to introduce
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5Celebrated community leader Phillip Pannell has been organizing for causes in the District since the 1970s. He famously fought for queer voices to be heard during the 20th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington in 1983, and has continued his freedom fight against various injustices in the District and beyond. (WI File Photo/Robert R. Roberts)
As Schools Reopen, Safety Dominates Conversation
Washington Teachers’ Union President Cites Workplace Conditions in Upcoming Contract Negotiations By Sam P.K. Collins WI Staff Writer After what has been a violent summer, thousands of District public school students returned to school this week.
On Monday, Aug. 28, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) made the rounds at a couple of public schools to kick off the school year and make note of school renovations and incremental
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