Let’s compare and contrast the 1963 March on Washington with the 1995 Million Man March, examining their differences and the perceptions of the latter’s success.

1. Comparison and Contrast:

• March on Washington (1963):
  • Purpose: Primarily focused on civil rights legislation, ending racial segregation, and securing economic justice.  
  • Leadership: Organized by a coalition of civil rights organizations, including Martin Luther King Jr., A. Philip Randolph, and others.
  • Composition: Integrated, with participation from diverse racial and religious groups, though predominantly African American.  
  • Message: Emphasized unity, nonviolent protest, and the pursuit of equality under the law.
  • Tone: Hopeful, aspirational, and focused on integration.
  • Key moment: Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.  
• Million Man March (1995):
  • Purpose: Focused on promoting African American male responsibility, spiritual renewal, and community empowerment.  
  • Leadership: Primarily organized by Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, with support from other African American leaders.  
  • Composition: Exclusively African American men, with a strong emphasis on male unity and responsibility.
  • Message: Emphasized self-reliance, atonement, and a call for men to take responsibility for their families and communities.
  • Tone: Penitential, introspective, and focused on personal and community transformation.
  • Key moment: Louis Farrakhan’s speech, which focused on self-reliance, and spiritual renewal.
• Key Differences:
  • Inclusivity: The 1963 march was intentionally inclusive, while the 1995 march was exclusively for African American men.  
  • Goals: The 1963 march aimed for legislative change, while the 1995 march focused on personal and community transformation.
  • Leadership: The 1963 march was led by a broad coalition, while the 1995 march was primarily led by Louis Farrakhan.  
  • Tone: The 1963 march was hopeful and integrationist, while the 1995 march was penitential and separatist.

2. Perceptions of the Million Man March’s Success:

The Million Man March’s perceived lack of success is complex and multifaceted, and goes beyond the obvious.

• Controversial Leadership:
  • Louis Farrakhan’s controversial rhetoric and past statements created significant division and criticism, even among some African Americans. This overshadowed the march’s message for many.  
  • His history of anti-semitic speech, and other controversial statements, caused many people to not be able to look past the messenger, to see the message.  
• Lack of Tangible Outcomes:
  • Unlike the 1963 march, which contributed to the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, the 1995 march did not result in immediate or concrete policy changes.
  • The goals of the march were more focused on spiritual and personal transformation, which are difficult to measure.
• Media Portrayal:
  • Media coverage often focused on Farrakhan’s controversial figure and statements, rather than the march’s broader message.
  • The media also often focused on the all male composition of the march.  
• Differing Goals:
  • The March on Washington had very clear legislative goals. The Million Man March had goals that were harder to quantify.
  • The goals of the Million Man March were more about personal responsibility, and community improvement, that are harder to measure, then the goals of the March on Washington.
• Lack of unified follow up:
  • After the March on Washington, there was a unified civil rights movement to push for legislative change. After the million man march, there was not a unified organization to follow up on the goals of the march.  

It’s important to recognize that the Million Man March did have a significant impact on many African American men, inspiring a renewed sense of responsibility and community involvement. However, its perceived lack of success in the broader public sphere was largely due to the factors mentioned above.