THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON THROUGH MY EYES

By: Sade Adeola Oresegun

"Mom!" shouted Joey as Sade entered her small house to greet her five year old son and husband about 10:30pm, "You're back! I thought you were dead!"

    Sade smiled, "Do you want to hear about it?" she asked as her husband, Ryan, entered the room.

    "You bet," said Ryan,"Daddy had to work but I'd like to hear how it went. The radio doesn't talk about no African American news around here... or anywhere for that matter. And the television is broken again."

    They entered the living room and took a seat after turning off the raido. Sade launched into her story about the March on Washington.

    "It was pretty early when I got there. I was afraid I was going to miss it 'cause I was stoped a few time by whites trying to harass and threaten me out of going. The place is beautiful, with the biggest reflection pool you've ever seen. And about 250,000 people showed up, and a good deal of them were white! I was going to save this part for the end but I really want to tell you about this speach. It wasn't long after we stoped marching that a man named Martin Luther King Jr. showed up on a podium right in front of the Lincoln Memorial. I know I've heard about him a couple of times. He is a successful preacher over in Georgia. He is handsome and tall and had a lot to say. The speach he made was just beautiful...not too long but not too short, and it delivered the message we African Americans have been trying to make clear for years. My favorite words were 'I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.' With him were the other organizers. Some of their names were John Lewis, Whitney Young Jr., Philip Randolph, James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins. They spoke too. But Martin's was my favorite. That speach was one of hope and racial equality."

    "Mom that's crazy. Everybody can't win the race. Only one person can,"Joey beamed with this knowledge.

    "No, honey. In this case, race means the color of your skin and your background," she lowered her voice and looked left and then right as if she was scared somebody was hiding in he plant pots in either corner of the room,"Do you remember that little boy you used to play with every Saturday at the ball park?"

    Joey nodded,"Mikey."

    "His skin was lighter that yours. Wasn't it?"

    Joey nodded.

    "And do you remember that time when his dad came and dragged him away yelling at him? That was because you are of a different race. And frankly, some people think their's is better. That was the case for that boy's dad. The little boy didn't care, but he did."

    Joey cocked his head to the side,"Why?"

    "I don't know, baby," Sade shrugged sympathetically,"Anyway, I enjoyed it. I held a sign that said 'We Demand Voting Rights Now!' on one side. On the other it said 'Color Blind!' We had musical preformances by many people, but my favorite was Marian Anderson. Beautiful voice."

    "Pretty face," Ryan remarked.

    "I mached near the front of the throng of people and actually met a young white woman named Layne. Layne is one of the people who don't care about race, Joey. She was scolded by family members for deciding to perticipate, but she showed up anyway. We chanted things and danced and ran and put on the biggest show ever. And ever single person I saw that wasn't African American... I just wanted to run up and hug them. They are proof that America isn't as terrible as I thought... There are people of higher power willing to fight with us and for us and our rights when they could be off making a million dollars somewhere. Do you know what I mean?"

    Joey and Ryan smiled and nodded.

    Sade continued,"We marched all the way from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial," she symbolically swiped at her forehead,"It was kind of tiring but I had friends to keep me company. Some people are saying they don't know if this march did anything to help. But seriously. 250,000 people? No way it didn't do anything. I know it did," she sighed and yawned before she stood, "I'm going to get some rest, okay?" she began to turn and head towards the bedroom after giving Joey and Ryan each a hug. But before she disapeared into the bedroom door she turned and asked Ryan,"What day is it?"

    "August 28th. August 28th, 1963."

    "Remember that," Sade said.

THE END