PEOPLE’S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS PROTESTED IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON ON CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH ANNIVERSARY

The People’s Organization For Progress (POP) participated in demonstrations in New York and Washington DC to protest against racial, economic, and political injustice and to mark an important anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement.

August 28th marked the 62nd anniversary of the 1963 March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom. It was also the 70th  anniversary of the murder of Emmett Till whose death gave impetus to the struggle for racial equality.

In New York City POP members attended the March On Wall Street sponsored by the National Action Network (NAN) and led by the Rev Al Sharpton. Many came to the protest with others on a bus sponsored by the Newark chapter of NAN. Others traveled by car and public transportation.

The march began at the African Burial Ground on Broadway, proceeded to Wall Street and ended with a rally. POP members carried banners and signs calling for an end to the Trump administration, economic justice, and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.  

“We felt it was important for our organization to participate in this demonstration because Wall Street is the epicenter of capitalism in the U.S. Wall Street and the Stock Exchange are the symbols of plutocracy, oligarchy, and the exploitation of the working class in this country,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.

“Wall Street business, financial, industrial, and commercial practices and policies have caused poverty, inequality, and the greatest upward redistribution of wealth in the history of the nation and perhaps the world,” Hamm said.

“Wall Street has a historical relationship to African Americans. At the beginning of the colonial era it was a place where enslaved Africans were bought, sold, and held in bondage. Later it became the financial center of the slave trade,” he said.

“We also joined the march to protest against support Wall Street firms have given the Trump administration and to demand that they continue to support, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs,” he said.  

Other POP members traveled to the nation’s capital to participate in two events there. The first was the “Day of Prayer for Washington DC” which was held at Metropolitan AME Church in Washington DC.

The church began in 1821 and has been a center for African-American religious, cultural, and civic life. The funerals of Frederick Douglass and Rosa Parks were held there.

Several years ago the church was vandalized by the Proud Boys,  who were ordered by a court to pay the church 2.8 million dollars and hand over control of trademarks they owned.

Rev William H. Lamar, Pastor of Metropolitan AME Church presided over the prayer service. Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, leader of the Second Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church gave remarks.

The guest speaker was Rev Jamal Bryant, Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, Georgia. During his fiery sermon he discussed several racial justice issues including the successful boycott of Target which he led.

A number of other religious and community leaders were invited to make remarks including POP chairman Lawrence Hamm.

He said that he and another POP member Nello Ramsey “drove 225 miles to stand in solidarity with you to demand an end to the military occupation of Washington, the total restoration of home rule, and statehood for the District of Columbia.”

After the conclusion of the prayer service POP members also attended the “Solidarity Season: Labor Day 2025 Rally & March.” The event was sponsored by more than 30 labor unions and advocacy groups such as FREE DC.

It began with a rally at DuPont Circle in the capital. It was led by Samuel Epps, President, Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO. Many labor leaders representing different unions addressed the crowd.

By the time the march started several thousand people had gathered. The march filled the streets of Washington bringing traffic to a standstill along a three mile route.

Marchers carried signs and banners, yelled chants, blew horns, beat drums, and chanted over bullhorns. Two POP members carried a banner they brought with them from New Jersey that said “End Military Occupation, D.C. Statehood Now.” The march ended at Logan Circle.

For more information call the People's Organization For Progress (POP) at (973)801-0001.