Million Family March
Encyclopedia
The Million Family March was a rally in Washington D.C to celebrate family
unity and racial and religious
harmony; as well as to address other issues, including abortion, capital punishment, health care, education, welfare and Social Security
reform, substance abuse prevention, and overhaul of the World Bank
and International Monetary Fund
. The march’s organizers also planned a voter registration drive
and hoped that participants would be encouraged to vote in the upcoming presidential and congressional elections. Louis Farrakhan
was the main speaker and the event was sponsored by his organization, The Nation of Islam, and by Sun Myung Moon
's Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (usually known as the Unification Church). It was held on October 16, 2000; the fifth anniversary of the Million Man March
, which was also organized by Farrakhan.
Benjamin Chavis Muhammad
, the national director for the march, when asked by USA Today
if he thought it would be as successful as the Million Man March answered: "Yes, we believe that the Million Family March will be as successful as the Million Man March. But the Million Man March and the Million Family March have different objectives. One builds on the other. The Million Family March is an expansion of the Million Man March."
Farrakhan told Nation of Islam members: "I don't want us to get bent out of shape because folk of another race desire to help. I say to the Muslims that are present that I am grateful for the help of the Family Federation for World Peace under Rev. and Mrs. Moon ... The Honorable Elijah Muhammad
told us that people would come from the East, that they would teach us everything we need to know in order to be the people that God meant for us to be."
Dan Fefferman
, a leader in the Unification Church of the United States
, wrote a memo to fellow church members saying that Moon knew that many of them had "problems with Farrakhan", including the Nation of Islam's push for "a ban on interracial marriage
and their support for a separate nation for American blacks
... There are certainly policies in the march's agenda ... which most of us do not support ... our support for the march is limited to central themes such as the God-centered family, interracial harmony, interreligous unity and moral revival."
In his speech Farrakhan called for racial harmony.
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
unity and racial and religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
harmony; as well as to address other issues, including abortion, capital punishment, health care, education, welfare and Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
reform, substance abuse prevention, and overhaul of the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
. The march’s organizers also planned a voter registration drive
Voter registration drive
A voter registration drive is an effort, often undertaken by a political campaign, political party, or other outside groups , that seeks to register to vote those who are eligible but not registered...
and hoped that participants would be encouraged to vote in the upcoming presidential and congressional elections. Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan
Louis Farrakhan Muhammad, Sr. is the leader of the African-American religious movement the Nation of Islam . He served as the minister of major mosques in Boston and Harlem, and was appointed by the longtime NOI leader, Elijah Muhammad, before his death in 1975, as the National Representative of...
was the main speaker and the event was sponsored by his organization, The Nation of Islam, and by Sun Myung Moon
Sun Myung Moon
Sun Myung Moon is the Korean founder and leader of the worldwide Unification Church. He is also the founder of many other organizations and projects...
's Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (usually known as the Unification Church). It was held on October 16, 2000; the fifth anniversary of the Million Man March
Million Man March
The Million Man March was a gathering of social activists, en masse, held on and around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on October 16, 1995...
, which was also organized by Farrakhan.
Benjamin Chavis Muhammad
Benjamin Chavis Muhammad
Benjamin Chavis is an African American civil rights leader. Dr. Chavis was born Benjamin Franklin Chavis, Jr. on January 22, 1948 in Oxford, North Carolina. In his youth, Dr. Chavis was an assistant to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who inspired him to work in the civil rights movement. Dr...
, the national director for the march, when asked by USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
if he thought it would be as successful as the Million Man March answered: "Yes, we believe that the Million Family March will be as successful as the Million Man March. But the Million Man March and the Million Family March have different objectives. One builds on the other. The Million Family March is an expansion of the Million Man March."
Farrakhan told Nation of Islam members: "I don't want us to get bent out of shape because folk of another race desire to help. I say to the Muslims that are present that I am grateful for the help of the Family Federation for World Peace under Rev. and Mrs. Moon ... The Honorable Elijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad was an African American religious leader, and led the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death in 1975...
told us that people would come from the East, that they would teach us everything we need to know in order to be the people that God meant for us to be."
Dan Fefferman
Dan Fefferman
Daniel G. Fefferman is a prominent member of the Unification Church of the United States, a branch of the international Unification Church, founded by Sun Myung Moon in South Korea in 1954....
, a leader in the Unification Church of the United States
Unification Church of the United States
The Unification Church of the United States is a new religious movement in the United States of America. It began in the 1950s and 1960s when missionaries from Japan and South Korea were sent to the United States by the international Unification Church's founder and leader Sun Myung Moon...
, wrote a memo to fellow church members saying that Moon knew that many of them had "problems with Farrakhan", including the Nation of Islam's push for "a ban on interracial marriage
Interracial marriage
Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...
and their support for a separate nation for American blacks
Black separatism
Black separatism is a movement to create separate institutions for people of African descent in societies historically dominated by whites, particularly in the United States. Black separatists also often seek a separate homeland...
... There are certainly policies in the march's agenda ... which most of us do not support ... our support for the march is limited to central themes such as the God-centered family, interracial harmony, interreligous unity and moral revival."
In his speech Farrakhan called for racial harmony.