The Millions More Movement, a 10th anniversary commemoration of the Million Man March, is forthcoming on Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C.
The commemoration will address issues such as: unity amongst blacks and organizations, spiritual values, education, economic development, political power, reparations, prison industrial complex, health, artistic/cultural development and peace.
During the main event of the commemoration, Nation of Islam Minister, Louis Farrakhan, will speak at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
When Farrakhan called for millions of black men to devote their time to march for a new standard in 1995, over two million men went to the nation’s capital, and now Farrakhan is calling once again.
Some FAMU students are hearing Farrakhan’s call and hearing him loud.
Emil Muhammad, an 18-year-old sophomore biological agricultural system engineering student from New York City, N.Y. said he believes this event is important for FAMU students.
Muhammad reflected upon the Million Man March and the upcoming commemoration.
He said: “Myself, I was eight at the time, and the average college student was about eight, nine or ten. Right now as a youth I feel we need to be part of a positive movement.”
Muhammad said students should become proactive.
“Why not be proactive. It (the Million Man March) was ten years ago– things change, but not really,”
Student Government Association staff member Nicole Cain, a 20-year-old junior pharmacy student from Palm Bay, said this event is important for students to attend because it will have a great impact on their lives.
“As young black men and women, it’s imperative to go to an event with so much magnitude because of how we can change things for the better-our communities and our lives,” Cain said.
According to the 2000 census, one in 17 black men in Calif. was incarcerated, compared to one out of 114 Caucasian men.
Also, it is seven times more likely for a black male to be in a state penitentiary than in a state university. And of the 35 percent of males who make it to college, only 14 percent actually graduate.
The state of the black community is the reason why the upcoming event is important, said Yolanda Moore a junior African-American studies student from Washington, D.C.
“There is a mass of people falling through the cracks of poverty. We are not the high class, and we are not in the middle,” Moore, 21, said.
“Students don’t realize that we are at the bottom of society. Maybe not all the way financially, but we are mentally.”
Moore also said the average rate of black college students, millionaires, billionaires and politicians has grown, but blacks are still coming up short.
She believes that black youth have not joined the struggle as strongly as they should.
Muhammad said he believes that black youth need to become warriors.
“In the scripture it talks about how God will raise an army and I believe we as the youth are the ones who will go push forward,” Muhammad asserted.
Muhammad said Farrakhan has commented upon the characteristics of the young generation in a context of “scripture and faith.”
“Compared to our parents, we are a little more fearless,” Muhammad said.
“I’m from New York and there are stories of 12-year-olds killing people with no emotion, no remorse. That’s powerful- that’s a warrior spirit,” he said.
Students are encouraged to get involved with organizations and groups that encourage black growth.
Muhammad said he is forming an organization called “The Movement.”
The organization, he said, is for those students who want to be proactive and for those who are lost and don’t know what they want to do.
Interested students can find out additional information about the group via the popular website,
http://wwwfacebook.com.
Contact Ashley Gibson at AshleyleeGibson@aol.com