Honor 1966 march with Dr. Martin Luther King in Chicago

On August 5, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a diverse group of 700 civil rights activists, religious leaders and courageous community members from across the city marched to Chicago's Marquette Park where they confronted thousands of violent protesters who hurled rocks, bottles and carried denigrating signs and messages. King would describe the crowds that day as some of the most "hostile and hate-filled" he had ever seen. Dr. King and the freedom marchers that August day were challenging Chicago residents and the country to confront the systemic racism and violent practices that sought to keep black families out of urban neighborhoods like Marquette Park. Over the past year, The Chicago Community Trust has worked as part of the Planning Committee for this project, and thought you might be interested in an upcoming event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the march. On the morning of Saturday, August 6, more than 700 area residents will kick off a day-long festival by retracing a seven-block portion of Dr. King's 1966 march, celebrating the tremendous efforts of community members, organizations and institutions to create a more just city, while recognizing that we still have many more miles to travel. The march is open to the public - learn more and register at http://www.mlkmemorialchicago.org/the-project/the-1000-mile-march. Contact info@mlkmemorialchicago.org with questions.