Today, April 4, American Baptists from across the country are joining our faith partners on the Mall in Washington, D.C., for the Unite to End Racism Rally. April 4 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In his book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Dr. King writes, “Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” Racism stands against love. God’s love for all humanity, Jesus’ love for his Church and our love for each other. God’s people must heed this call to action to once again say no to racism. The Rally will launch the Truth and Racial Justice Initiative – an ecumenical effort to address racism and promote the healing of communities and our nation.
American Baptists have pledged to stand with and those who experience discrimination and prejudice, as we did in the 1960’s, to bring institutional changes in our country. ABCUSA will have a Tent on the Mall and we encourage all American Baptist participants and friends to visit us. Tents will be positioned on Madison Drive on the Mall between 12th and 14th Streets. Look for the ABCUSA banner. We also encourage you to let us know if you will be at the rally by going to our Facebook page and registering on the ACT NOW event page.
The rally begins at 8:00 am with an Interfaith Service. Throughout the day you will hear from speakers such as Dr. Jim Wallis, Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Dr. Frederick Haynes and Dr. Jennifer Harvey. Entertainers like Yolanda Adams, Danny Glover and Marvin Sapp will also lend their talent and support to this historical event. American Baptist Churches General Secretary Dr. Lee B. Spitzer will also be participating in the program.
Logistics:
For those using public transportation – the closest Metro Station is the Smithsonian Metro Station. For more information on travel, please click here www.rally2endracism.org/transport. There will be limited seating for Seniors and those with special needs. We are also advising people to bring lawn chairs if they prefer to sit throughout the day. Food is permitted on the Mall.
Participants will be gathering for A Silent Prayer Walk across the street from the MLK Memorial at the Polo Field at 7:00am. There will be a few remarks followed by a silent march to the Mall.
For more information about the Rally or to register please visit the website, www.rally2endracism.org. For more information following the event, please contact Associate General Secretary, Rev. Marsha Scipio at marsha.scipio@abc-usa.org.
Churches offering Bus Parking:
1. Georgia Avenue Baptist Church
12525 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20906
301-946-1331
2. Silver Spring Assembly Church
12805 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20906
301-933-2612
3. Glenmont United Methodist Church
12901 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20906
301-946-5578
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.