March For Justice, Voting Rights On MLK Birthday In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark group is planning to hold a march on Saturday, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., in support of voting rights and several social justice issues.

The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) is spearheading a rally at noon. It will begin at the Lincoln Statue, 12 Springfield Avenue in Newark. Those who plan to attend the march are asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.

King was born on Jan. 15, but his birthday is celebrated by the nation on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which falls on Monday, Jan. 17 for 2022.

The march has been endorsed by the Newark Branch NAACP, the NJ Industrial Union Council, the New Brunswick Area Branch NAACP, Newark Communities for Accountable Policing, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, the Newark Branch NAACP, Showing Up For Racial Justice New Jersey, Women Voters of New Jersey, Our Revolution Essex, and the Ironbound Community Corporation.

“The right to vote in the United States is under attack,” POP Chair Lawrence Hamm said. “We are calling this march to demand passage of legislation that will protect and strengthen voting rights.”

“Since the November 2020 presidential election nearly 400 bills have been introduced in 48 states to restrict voting rights, and 34 of these have become law in 19 states,” Hamm continued. “The POP is calling for passage of the Freedom To Vote Act (S 2747), For The People Act (H.R. 1), and The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4). These bills will protect and strengthen voting rights.”

According to Hamm, other reasons that people will be hitting the streets on Saturday include:

• “We will call for the abolition of the Senate filibuster rule which has been used to block voting rights legislation. Unless this happens it unlikely that any voting rights bills will pass in the Senate.”
• “During the march we will call on Congress to pass a voting rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will guarantee every citizen the right to vote.”
• “At the march the NJ State Legislature will be called upon to pass a ‘same-day registration’ law to make it possible for people to register to vote on Election Day and vote in the election being held on that day.”
• “Other voting rights related demands of the march include return of civics education to public schools, abolition of the electoral college, and a massive voter registration and mobilization effort to begin immediately.”
• “The march is also calling police reform legislation including the passage of a state bill (A4656/S2963) to establish police review boards with subpoena power, and passage by congress of the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act (HR 1280) and the Breathe Act.”
• “Additional demands include reparations to African Americans for slavery and the passage of a state bill (A711/S322) and a federal bill (HR40/S40) both of which would establish reparations study commissions, and establishment of a $15 federal minimum wage and the passage of the PRO Act to facilitate worker unionization.”

“Dr. Martin Luther King was on the frontlines of the struggle to protect voting rights,” Hamm said. “We call upon everyone to follow his example by marching with us on Saturday and getting involved in the ongoing struggle for voting rights.”

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