Wiki History: Marches 3 How Effective is Marching?

In this month (March, that is), we have been examining famous marches in history like the Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Of course, we know that the marches did not make it all the way to Montgomery on that fateful day. But they did make the march to Montgomery a few days later—and that was also an historic moment in the civil rights movement. 

Another famous march was the iconic March on Washington—also known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In the second wiki history podcast on marches, we examined less famous marches and we focused on marches in only one city: Oakland, California. Remember we chose Oakland, California because it has been called—and rightly so—a hotbed of radical activism.  We discussed marches in that city like the 12-man march (remember,  it was about racial profiling) and the marches in support of Oscar Grant, Alan Blueford and other young Black men killed by law enforcement.  And we briefly mentioned Oakland’s African American mayors: Lionel Wilson and Elihu Harris as well as Oakland congressional representatives namely, Ron Dellums and Barbara Lee. I didn’t have time in that podcast to mention some of the even more radical activists in Oakland at that time like the Black Panthers (who had a strong grassroots  presence in the community by providing school lunches, teaching self-defense courses and monitoring police activity in Oakland’s black neighborhoods). And I really wish that we had time to discuss the incredible and brave Angela Davis who was involved in grassroots activism but also studied and worked on at the international level. But she was based in Oakland and has maintained strong ties there.  Angela Davis is a powerful and incredible activist and scholar who was and continues to have a strong presence in the legal, educational and activist communities. 

These marches were important and remembered for many different reasons.  But today’s wiki history podcast will move away from discussing individual marches and instead look at the larger picture of why we marched and whether marching is still a useful tool in the struggle for civil rights—yes, the struggle for equality and justice, the struggle for civil rights continues today.  So we will consider whether marches are effective and useful today.

Before we begin, let me just mention again two books and DVDs about famous marches.  This is the Day: The March on Washington and March from Selma to Montgomery—both are great books that will give you a great introduction to these marches.  Two great DVDs are Selma, Lord Selma and March on Washington.  I just mention these sources if you want more information about marching but you can find and purchase these and other books and DVDs on the website at robinlofton.com or rememberinghistory.com. You can also find more information and commentary on Black history and current events and leave your own comments there. I love to hear from the listeners and get your opinions on whatever moves you that day.  Hope to see you there.

Okay, let’s discuss why we march and what marches are about.

Marching is one tool of non-violent civil disobedience or non-cooperation created by Mahatma Gandhi during the movement to free India from British rule, which was secured in August of 1947.  In fact, one of the biggest acts of non-cooperation was the Salt March which attacked Britain’s monopoly on salt. In response, the British government actually invited Gandhi to London for a roundtable conference at which the British conceded large amounts of power to the Indian people. And, yes, this eventually led to their independence. Dr. Martin Luther King, who studied the philosophy of Gandhi during his doctoral program, was a great admirer of the spiritual and political leader. And he also strongly believed in his philosophy of non-violence and non-cooperation. As we know, Dr. King brought this philosophy to his work in the civil rights movement.

The march is one form of non-violent disobedience that Dr. King learned from Mahatma Gandhi and that was used during the civil rights movement. It continues to be used today. In many ways, it is used even more than in the past. Social media, like Facebook and Twitter, have made it possible to organize marches within minutes.

 Mass media starting with television and, more recently, the Internet have made it possible for people to watch and participate in marches, hear the messages of the marchers, and to experience remotely the emotion of the march and the marchers.

But what does marching really accomplish? Great question. Let’s look at some answers. 

1.    Attention. Marching brings attention to an issue. As I just said, a march does draw publicity.  The media appear. People post pictures to Instagram, Twitter or other social media on their phones. Marching can easily go viral. People around the world can quickly hear about a march and hear the message of the protesters.  This can encourage people to sympathize with the marchers’ message and even join the marchers. The larger numbers draw even more attention and support. 

2.    Solidarity. Marching can bring solidarity to an issue.  As people hear the message, more people who are affected by the issue will be drawn to the march.  The increased solidarity gives additional power to the message.  Politicians are often forced to listen to the demands of the marchers.  (Remember the March on Washington helped Dr. King and the SCLC to get a meeting with President Kennedy. The Selma march helped the SCLC to get a meeting with President Johnson. Strong marches open doors to the right people, the decision makers.

3.    Platform.  A march creates a forum where people can publicly state their demands. Often there are speeches that discuss the issue and state the demands.  Sometimes, there will be written material like pamphlets or brochures or bumper stickers that will be distributed so people can state their position on a particular issue. I recently watched a march by students at UC Santa Cruz who were upset about tuition increases. Students carried signs and banners, wore shirts that stated their position, and gave speeches.  I watched the march on the news from another part of the state and was moved by the passion of the students. Very effective march.

4.    Not violent.  Okay, sometimes marches can turn violent. Whenever there is a large group of people who are angered or saddened or feeling any other strong emotion, there is the possibility that violence can erupt.  Sometimes, it is violence by the protesters but we have also seen cases when violence was started by law enforcement that overreact with deadly force. Other times, people or groups who oppose the marchers cause violence to erupt. . Violence is how marches can go wrong.

But let’s slow down here. Most marches are not violent. Most marches are peaceful and organized. Most marches are almost like picnics where people (adults and children alike) carry signs, listen to speeches, walk slowly down the street or even chant.  Remember the march where people actually laid down and chanted “I can’t breathe” to  oppose the killing of Eric Garner. Or remember the Oakland march in which African American men walked together, dressed in suits to oppose racial profiling. There was no violence but the marches made a strong visual impact.

5.    Positive outcome. A march that has gone well can have a very positive impact by bringing people together, voicing the message, spreading the message and getting lots of attention from the right people.  As Dr. King stated, the “aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community.” I remember watching the movie, Selma, and noticed people’s faces changing as they watched the marchers on television. People who were opposed or indifferent to the march, felt compelled to travel to Alabama to join the marchers crossing the bridge.  Five months after the bloody Sunday march in Selma, President Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act.

I must admit, though, that there has not been such dramatic action or change following the marches about the killing of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown or Eric Garner.  The tuition fee hike remains in effect at UC Santa Clara. Racial profiling is still being used against African Americans. However, the issues have been brought communities together, defined the issues, brought attention and created some positive feelings of reconciliation. No, marches have not solved all of society’s problems. But I do believe that they have brought communities together and helped people to feel empowered to make change.

I just want to end with a look at Dr. King’s views on marching as a form of non-violent resistance. He admits that it has challenges and it also requires a larger outlook than many people have—and a longer term view than many people want.

In a speech at UC Berkeley in 1957, Dr. King noted stated that nonviolence “is not a method for cowards.” But he further noted that it does resist. It does resist. He said, “this method is passive physically but strongly active spiritually; it is nonaggressive physically but dynamically aggressive spiritually.” Wow, he’s saying that marching is not easy and it requires a person to look deep within themselves.

In the same speech, he made another very interesting point that I think that we MUST remember.  Nonviolent resistance does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent but to win his friendship and understanding. I know that sounds hard and contradictory to what we’re feeling. Who wants to be friends with law enforcement when they fail to protect but instead shoot 12-year kids? I don’t think that going-to-a-ballgame-together friendship is what he’s visioning but instead that the wrongdoer would develop a connection with the protester. Empathy and compassion would be the outcome on both sides.  Change would be inevitable.

Another point that Dr. King stated was that the attack is directed against the forces of evil rather than against the persons who are caught up in those forces. See the separation?  The person is not evil but caught up in an unjust and unfair situation.  He states, “The tension is at bottom between justice and injustice.” It is not between us or them. It is between right and wrong.  It’s important to remember that distinction.  And in his usual deep way, he stated in a sermon in Montgomery about the oppressor, to “let him know that you are merely seeking justice for him as well as yourself.”  Again, wow! I don’t know how many people remember that while marching but it is so important to remember this position—to keep the focus clear and steady.

So, let’s wrap up this  wiki history podcast about whether marching is effective. Of course, there are many different views. Mine is that, yes, marching is effective. Very effective.  Sometimes, it has immediate results that get a person released from unjust imprisonment (remember Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam marched to get medical attention and the immediate release of a fellow brother).  Or to get laws passed like the Voting Rights Act or the Matthew Sheppard and James Byrd prohibiting hate crimes. 

Other times, it gets the attention and solidarity of people around the country or even the world. Marching defines and clarifies issues. Marching gets the issues stated and proclaimed. Marching gives a voice to the community.  It gives power to the individual. It gives us an outlet to release emotion and shout our dissension. I believe in marching. I have participated in marches and have felt their energy and seen their effects. I go back to my student days when we marched against apartheid in South Africa. We demanded that the UC Regents divest our money from the country.  And, eventually, they did. Marching worked.  And we as students were empowered, we were unified, and we were focused by marching. It works.

Well, those are my thoughts and experiences in marching. I would love to hear yours at robinlofton.com or rememberinghistory.com. This is a place for freedom of speech and thought. This is a place for the healthy and active exchange of ideas. 

This was the final podcast in the wiki history lecture series on marches. I hope that you enjoyed it. I really did. I hope to see you next month when this wiki history podcast series continue with its April podcasts. 

The April podcasts will focus on individual stories of people who made a difference in civil rights or human rights.  Some of these people were briefly mentioned or shown in Selma. I was so happy to see or hear their names—it made me want to discuss them further. Their courage and contributions should not just be mentioned but proclaimed and remembered for the entire world to recognize. One important thing about history is that it is full of individual stories. We should never lose sight of the individual. Ever.

I hope to see you next month. Actually, I hope to see you every day at rememberinghistory.com to voice your opinions, read the bodacious blog or so that you can examine the resources that I have mentioned in these podcasts.

Hope to see you soon at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making history.

Bye for now!