Thousands attend #JusticeorElse Million Man March in Washington, DC

Thousands emerged at the National Mall in Washington in DC to Capitol Hill for Justice Or Else, the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March.

Justice or Else Million Man March

The motto the 20th Anniversary was Justice or Else convened by the Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan. The rally attracted various organization and allies all for the cause of “justice”.

Celebrities At Justice Or Else

There was a heavy celebrity presence in support of the march including P. Diddy, Russell Simmons, Atlanta Housewives, J. Cole, Snoop Dogg, Yaz from Empire, and many more.

Israel Wilson/We Free Minds

Audience heard speeches by various African American leaders, Native Americans, the Latino community, women’s rights activists, the families of Sandra Bland, Travyon Martin, and Michael Brown and many more calling for unity and reform and social justice.

Louis Farrahkan

Farrakhan, 82, spoke to the crowd for nearly two and half hours and reflected on the importance of passing the torch to the next generation.

“We who are getting older… what good are we if we don’t prepare young people to carry that torch of liberation to the next step? What good are we if we think we can last forever and not prepare others to walk in our footsteps?” he said

His overall message seemed to be directed at the black community at large.

This march was much different in regards to attendees from 1995. I was 10 years old on the first march and I didn’t attend. But the first march drew attendees that was mostly black men hearing speeches on how black men could be more responsible for improving themselves, their families and communities.

#justiceorelse #millionmanmarch

A photo posted by Chenelle (@chenellecovin) on Oct 10, 2015 at 6:42am PDT

On that day, Farrakhan spoke for more than two hours and elucidated on the role of white supremacy in the country’s suffering while calling on black men to clean up their lives and become better fathers, husbands and neighbors.

But again, 20 years later, Farrakhan blasted the white establishment. “Moses was not an integrationist and neither are we,” he said. “Let me be clear. America has no future for you or for me. She can’t make a future for herself, much less a future for us.”

A man waving the Black Liberation flag during the Million Man March. #justiceorelse #millionmanmarch #washingtondc #101015 A photo posted by Chenelle (@chenellecovin) on Oct 11, 2015 at 9:32am PDT

He spoke a lot to the younger generation, the millennials like myself to continue the torch. Farrakhan specifically mentioned Black Lives Matter, the group that arose in response to police-involved deaths of black men, as the “future leadership.”

“These are not just young people who happened to wake up one morning. Ferguson ignited it all,” he said. “So [to] all the brothers and sisters from Ferguson who laid in the streets, all the brothers and sisters from Ferguson who challenged the tanks, we are honored that you have come to represent our struggle and our demands.”

“Racism is a disease. Revolution is the cure.” #justiceorelse #millionmanmarch #washingtondc #101015

A photo posted by Chenelle (@chenellecovin) on Oct 11, 2015 at 9:41am PDT

The march brought together people for a common cause, for social justice. The question is now, what happens next?