D.C. Peace Walk celebrates struggle legacy of MLK

Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation mobilized for and participated in this year’s Martin Luther King Jr.

PSL’s vice-presidential candidate, Eugene Puryear. Photo: Bill Hackwell

Peace Walk in Washington, D.C. The Peace Walk, held in January in the historically Black community of Anacostia, was organized by a coalition many African American organizations and others, such as the Alliance for Concerned Men, Washington Informer Charities, Realizing the Dream, Sistas United, Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, Johnson Memorial Baptist Church, Covenant Baptist Church and the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).

The event follows last year’s Peace Walk, which reestablished the tradition from the 1970s for walks honoring MLK on down MLK Jr. Ave. in Anacostia. Well known D.C. radio host Petey Greene, Founder and Publisher of the Washington Informer; Dr. Calvin Rolark; and Councilwoman Wilhelmina Rolark for years hosted what was, at that time, one of the only major celebrations around MLK day.

The two recent Peace Walks have brought together community groups in the same spirit, promoting an end to violence both in our communities and abroad and generally having a spirit of struggle. Honoring MLK’s birthday, issues from the war in Iraq, to the lack of health care for working-class people in the United States were mentioned by speakers.

Over 150 people marched and chanted, “We’re fired up; we won’t take it no more. We want money for jobs, not for war,” “Quality education now,” and “No justice, no peace!”

The Peace Walk continues to grow in the D.C. area with more organizations and individuals joining each year. It is becoming an increasingly visible and important event among Black activists and progressives to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.