Rev. Al Sharpton leads thousands in march on Wall Street to demand economic reforms and equity
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Crowds of demonstrators gathered in Lower Manhattan on Thursday for the March on Wall Street, pushing back on the American companies that have retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
Many chanted down Broadway in what was an emotional march for many, including National Action Network President Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King Jr.'s family. They walked side by side on the same day Dr. King gave his historic "I Have A Dream" speech in 1963.
It was billed as the largest march of its kind since the start of the second Trump administration. The movement is a call to action, to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration's anti-DEI push.
"It means we continue the movement 62 years later marching on Wall Street, raising the issues of income inequity, DEI and the take over of cities with Black mayors. The dream is alive," Sharpton said.
King's son also weighed in on the importance of this year's march.
"It's extraordinarily significant, but in the back of mind, I am thinking about how sad this is, that 62 years after dad delivered that dream for our nation and world that we are in the position we are in," Martin Luther King III said. "And the goal is to find ways to move this nation forward around economic inequality."
Protesters flooded into Foley Square and then put one foot in front of the other, arms linked together with one goal in mind: calling for equal opportunity.
Those taking part were from various sectors including education, job unions, faith communities, fraternities and sororities. Some teens also were there to take part, saying that it was important to show up, mobilize for a day of action and for their voice to be heard.
Marchers said they feel DEI is under attack. Many are still outraged by actions taken by President Trump's first day in office uprooting DEI and programs planted in the 1960's legislative movement requiring companies to comply with anti-discrimination laws.
Some critics argue some education, government and business programs are discriminatory and threaten meritocracy.
People at the march say it was important for them to stand up for what those before them fought for, and to guard protections for the next generation.
Among those who marched included New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and Attorney Ben Crump.
"We ask ourselves, how is it that we have still yet to answer the question that Dr. King posed all those decades ago? Because what he said then and what we must answer now is, 'What good is it to have the right to sit at a lunch counter if you can't afford to buy a hamburger?'" Mamdani said.
Marchers say it was important for them to stand up for what those before them fought for, and to guard protections for the next generation.
"We want to make sure that we are being the voice of the voiceless at this time, and making sure that we can improve the situation through our influence, and making sure that the politicians who require our vote to get in office know that if they want to be there, they have to work with our people," one marcher told Eyewitness News.
"It's also important to continue to fight this world of injustice, you know, for our diverse brothers and sisters because we're not in this alone, we're actually in this together," another marcher said.
From Foley Square, a stop was made at the African Burial Ground National Monument, before heading south along Broadway, to the endpoint on Whitehall Street.
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