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Over 5,000 March in Detroit in “Rebuild America: Jobs Justice Peace” Campaign Kickoff

Rev. Jesse Jackson and UAW President Bob King led August 28 march and rally that also commemorated the 1963 Detroit “Walk to Freedom” Led by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Over 5,000 joined Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and Bob King, international president of the United Auto Workers, as they led the “Rebuild America: Jobs Justice Peace” march and rally in Detroit.

“We're focused on putting America back to work, rebuilding America, with jobs and justice and peace,” said Rev. Jackson. “Detroit and Michigan are ground zero of the urban crisis. It’s time to enact real change for working families and all America. It’s time to reverse the policies that have resulted in jobs and investment flowing out of the country, creating economic hardship for millions of Americans.”

August 28 was also the 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s March on Washington.

Dr. King led that march with the vital support of United Auto Workers President Walter Reuther. Current UAW President Bob King stated, “The number one focus of our national leaders should be putting Americans back to work. No group has suffered more from America’s economic meltdown than working men and women. We need industrial and trade policies that work to keep jobs and manufacturing in the U.S. George Bush came into office with a $127 billion surplus. He proceeded to give billions of dollars in tax cuts to the richest Americans and wasted trillions of dollars on useless wars while funding for schools and other basic services was gutted. Bush and the Republicans left the American public with a trillion dollar deficit, a crumbling infrastructure, and the worst economic recession since the Great Depression.”

Other dignitaries who participated in the march included Detroit Mayor Dave Bing; Congressman John Conyers, D- MI.; Congressman John Dingell, D-MI; Congresswoman Maxine Waters, D-CA.; Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-MI; SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry; and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and his running mate, Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence.

The campaign is calling on local and national leaders to rebuild America by focusing on:

Jobs--economic reconstruction driven by targeted stimulus, reindustrialization and trade policy that will create jobs, support manufacturing in America, and put workers first.

Justice--enforcement of the law regarding workers rights, civil rights, industrial regulation, and creation of strong urban policy, and fair and just education, economic, and health policy.

Peace--ending the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, saving lives and redirecting the war budget to rebuilding America.

The march also commemorated Detroit’s 1963 Walk to Freedom led by Rev. Martin Luther King,

Jr. It is estimated that around 100,000 participated in that event. At the Walk to Freedom, King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech for the first time before sharing it with the world later that summer at the March on Washington.

"Today's march commemorates one of the most important days in our history," said Detroit Mayor Dave Bing "Our greatest challenge is creating jobs, and that's something I will continue to fight to bring to Detroit."

Lansing mayor and Democratic nominee for Michigan governor Virg Bernero added "We're going to get to work chasing the well-connected insiders out of the Capital and bringing back a Main Street agenda that strengthens education, creates jobs, protects our environment, advances human rights and balances budgets.”

"Citizens of Detroit are hurting said Conyers. “But today we're celebrating. We need jobs, foreclosure moratoriums and universal health care -- cheer for that,"

Prior to Saturday’s march and rally, Rev. Jesse Jackson embarked on a five-day bus tour that made stops in several Michigan cities including Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Flint, Pontiac, Saginaw, Jackson, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Lansing, Inkster, Mt. Clemens and Grand Rapids.

While in Ann Arbor and East Lansing , Rev. Jackson made appearances at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan to drum up student support and encourage them to join the march and campaign.

"It’s important that students participate in this march,” Rev. Jackson stated. “It’s important that their voices are heard. Students are dealing with the issue of guaranteed student loan debt without a guaranteed job.”

Brittany Smith, a student reporter at U of M, wrote, “After talking with him [Rev. Jackson], I walked away with a better understanding of him; in fact, his words resonated with me. The way in which Jackson speaks of the concerns of the day, such as the War on Terror, the loss of manufacturing jobs, and the rising price tag of higher education, is fueled not by an anxiety to complain, but with the invigoration of a liberator for change.”

The bus tour made stops at local churches and UAW facilities around the state with Rev. Jackson urging audiences to join the march. He said:

“We march to redeem the soul of America. When our spirits are broken, our faith surrenders. So we must march. We can survive broken sidewalks and broken buildings. We cannot survive the collapse of spirit. In these difficult hours, you can’t fight fate, with fists and guns. You fight fate, with faith. Faith is the substance of what is hoped for, evidence of what is unseen. Even with our backs against the wall, we can see a new heaven and a new earth – the old one passes away. We have been down, but the ground is no place for a champion. Through it all, Keep Hope Alive. So we march.”

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization devoted to protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is headquartered at 930 E. 50th St. in Chicago. To learn more, please visit http://www.rainbowpush.org or call (773) 373-3366. To arrange an interview with Rev. Jackson, please call the numbers listed above.

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