Civil-rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton plans to lead a march through New York’s Financial District on Thursday, urging corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s effort to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The demonstration, organised by Sharpton’s National Action Network, will begin at 10 a.m. in Foley Square and proceed past Wall Street’s Charging Bull statue before concluding with a rally. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation” and said the protest aims to pressure companies that have scaled back workforce-diversity commitments. He has encouraged consumer boycotts of firms that have dropped such programs and “buy-cotts” of businesses, such as Costco, that continue them. Clergy, labour officials, community activists and a number of New York political figures, including Mayor Eric Adams, are expected to join the march. The event coincides with the 62nd anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” address to more than 250,000 people. Lawmakers and civil-rights advocates marked the anniversary on social media, saying the Wall Street protest underscores that the struggle for equal opportunity and fair treatment in the workplace remains unfinished.
The 1963 March on Washington brought together thousands who were inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of equality and justice. Today, Trump is attacking the gains made under the Civil Rights Act, and we must confront these challenges through unity and collective action. https://t.co/JiPgLJMT7x
62 years after the #MarchOnWashington, we continue the fight for economic justice and racial equity. The #FightingFifth carries on the legacy of Dr. King and Congressman John Lewis in the march for fair pay, jobs, and opportunity. https://t.co/sbdlP6jOVL
Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the March on Washington. We honor the legacies of the civil rights leaders and the thousands who marched for jobs, education and equality. Their bravery changed history, and it urges us to keep striving for a more just and equal America. https://t.co/3nChYQMjKl