Today is the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which is remembered by many as the place where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
The late singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte (1927-2023) was there that day, and, as a close friend and confidant of Dr. King, Belafonte helped to fund, organize, and publicize many important events of the Black freedom movement, including the March.
To mobilize the cultural force behind the cause—Dr. King saw that as hugely strategic.
Not long before Dr. King rose to give his iconic speech, Belafonte took to the podium to read a statement on behalf of the “cultural contingent” of 1,500 artists, writers, and entertainment industry leaders who supported the cause of civil rights:
In a 2013 oral history interview, Belafonte explained his role, “To mobilize the cultural force behind the cause—Dr. King saw that as hugely strategic. We use celebrity to the advantage of everything. Why not to the advantage of those who need to be liberated? My job was to convince the icons in the arts that they needed to have a presence in Washington on that day.”
JustLeadershipUSA is deeply grateful for the legacy of Harry Belafonte, and we look forward to honoring him at our 10th Anniversary Benefit Gala in New York City on Monday, October 21. Carmen Perez-Jordan, the President and CEO of Belafonte’s organization The Gathering for Justice, will be there to receive that honor and recognition on behalf of Mr. Belafonte. We hope you will join us!
In our 10th anniversary year, JustLeadershipUSA’s work of educating, elevating, and empowering justice-impacted leaders continues and is growing even stronger!
We are preparing for our very special 10th anniversary gala in New York City on October 21st, and we would love for you to be there with us.
This is going to be a very special time to look back on the past decade of JLUSA’s important work, the 1,600+ leaders we have helped get to the next level in their work, and even more importantly, we will look ahead to the next 10 years and beyond!
We can’t do this without you. We need your support to help us continue to do this work now and into the future. By purchasing a $50 streaming ticket, you are saying to the amazing leaders in our network who represent the 70+ million Americans who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system, “I see you, and I support you!”
Please plan now to join us in person or give a one-time $100 gift or set up a recurring $10 monthly donation to celebrate JLUSA’s 10th anniversary year, and together we will build a fair and just U.S. Thank you!
Mail that includes checks only:
JUSTLEADERSHIPUSA, INC
P.O. Box 23681
New York, NY 10087-3681
All other mail:
P.O. Box 1730, New York, NY 10037
347.454.2195
© 2024 JustLeadershipUSA. All Rights Reserved.
JustLeadershipUSA is a non-partisan organization. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the individual author or speaker, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the organization.