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Leaders Who Attended the 1963 March on Washington Say Voting Was Also the 2020 March’s Focus

Published

6 years ago

September 4, 2020

Gay Plair Cobb and Gus Newport hold original 1963 March Commemorative “We Shall Overcome” poster in support of 2020 March. Photo by Auintard Henderson.

As the 2020 renewal of the 1963 March on Washington was taking place in the nation’s capital it was also observed in many communities around the country. Some of the original participants who live in Oakland are hopeful that the movement for voting rights is continuing.

Former Berkeley Mayor Gus Newport and former Oakland Private Industry Council Executive Director Gay Plair Cobb both attended the August 28, 1963, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Newport had traveled all night on a bus from his native Rochester, N.Y., where he led the largest civil rights organization and Cobb, an organizer at Queens College, had taken a bus at dawn from New York City.

While on the steps of the African American Museum and Library in Oakland earlier this week they recalled how a wave of people from all over the country had traveled to Washington, D.C. 57 years ago to voice their support for more jobs and equality.

Both felt the accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement—particularly the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965—has been profoundly undermined by the U.S. Supreme Court. They both said the U.S. Congress and the president should enact and sign legislation to restore the voting protections for minorities and vulnerable communities in some states.

They also said the overt racism expressed by Pres. Donald Trump and his administration have caused regression in race relations.

They marveled at the genius of leadership by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., John Lewis, A. Phillip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Harry Belafonte, and Dorothy Height as they were able to bring the Congress of Racial Equality, Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, Urban League, NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Council, Interdenominational Faith Leaders.

Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and many unions together to push for equality, fairness, and opportunity.

Cobb and Newport, both former elected officials, said they now are actively organizing and counseling with the next generation of activists and political leaders. “The struggle continues,” said Newport.

Now, young people across the country seek Newport’s counsel via zoom meetings. He reminds them that the tactic of marching in the 1960s was to achieve certain goals that the various organizations had determined before the marches took place. He counseled that, “Spontaneous marches also had their place, but failure to organize creates enemies because disruptors get the opportunity to cause harm to business owners who don’t deserve it.”

Nevertheless, the key, Cobb said, is voting. “We know some people have lost faith.”

She expressed the important historical context of the work done in the past would eventually lead to the election of the first Black president of the U.S. as being something worth remembering.

“The challenge is to honor that history, remember it, not dismiss it,” she said. “Learn from it.” Both hoped that the recent 57th anniversary March on Washington led by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and Martin Luther King III would inspire the communities of color to vote in larger numbers than ever before.

Sharpton announced the 2020 march with an altogether different rallying cry – police brutality – and yet voting became a common theme, just as it had been in 1963.

The now-iconic photos of that day in 1963 illustrate a time profoundly different as organizers cope with the reality of the pandemic. With African Americans and other minorities suffering disproportionately from the effects of the COVID-19 virus, both in numbers who contract disease and succumb to it, restrictions were optimally put in place to protect attendees. All who entered the designated areas of the rally were given masks and temperatures were taken.

The night before the march, the NAACP sponsored a ‘virtual’ March on Washington, which included speakers Stacey Abrams, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.

The next day on the National Mall, speakers included Wanda Cooper-Jones, the mother of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man chased and shot to death while jogging in Glynn County, Georgia and Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, who died under the knee of a Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer. That choking death captured on video by a 17-year-old Black girl, sparked a global reaction and outcry for justice.

Floyd said, “I’m marching for George, for Breonna (Taylor), for Ahmaud, for Jacob, for Pamela Turner, for Michael Brown — Trayvon and anybody else who lost their lives.”

Jacob Blake Sr., the father of Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back by police in Kenosha, WI, spoke to the crowd as well. “Every Black person in the United States is gonna stand up. We’re tired!” he said. “And we’re not taking it anymore, I ask everyone to stand up. No justice, no peace!”

Letetra Wideman, Jacob Blake Jr.’s sister, said movingly “We will not be a footstool to oppression. Black America, I hold you accountable. You must stand. You must fight, but not with violence and chaos — with self-love.”

Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King spoke as did her father, Martin Luther King III, who closed out the rally. “We’re marching to overcome what my father called the triple evils of poverty, racism, and violence,” he said, listing challenges that disproportionately affect Black and Latino communities, including the coronavirus pandemic, unemployment, police brutality and attacks on voting rights.”

CBS News sources contributed to this report.

Michelle Snider

Associate Editor for The Post News Group. Writer, Photographer, Videographer, Copy Editor, and website editor documenting local events in the Oakland-Bay Area California area.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

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September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

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Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

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The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
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AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
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Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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