The Poor People’s Campaign was the brainchild of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and SCLC, which was then led by Ralph Abernathy after King was slain in April 1968. On June 19, 1968, campaign leadership declared the day “Solidarity Day” as a final rallying cry for protesters who gathered in “Resurrection City” on the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The campaign and the city began establishing itself in May that year, which had the ultimate goal of calling attention to economic imbalance present in the nation. With the Civil Rights Movement shifting in tone and many landmark rulings achieved, King felt the next necessary step was economic justice.
On the morning of June 19, 1968, between 50,000 to 100,000 people, including Whites, rallied and marched together to hear speeches from King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, and Abernathy along with White politicians who heard the demands of the people. However, getting elected officials on board with the movement proved difficult as it was an election year and many did not wish to risk their chances to win votes. (READ MORE)
