A SEA OF BODIES
"It is an extraordinary sight," TIME's Ann Blackman reports from the Mall. "There
is a tremendous sense of spirit and joy among the men who have made it here.
There is not any overt anger or militancy directed at whites so far. The men I've
spoken to speak of this gathering as giving them a new sense of pride and
strength, which they expect to bring back to their communities. People seem to
have separated Louis Farrakhan from the purpose of the march. Still, he has a lot
of supporters in the crowd. The crowd is enormous. It seems bigger than the
Vietnam march in 1969, which had over 600,000 people. The most serious concern is
the crush of people near the front of the Mall. But, overall, it has been a
remarkably peaceful gathering."
D.C. TAKES THE DAY OFF: "The streets are virtually deserted," Wendy King reports
from where the action wasn't. "One primarily black high school gave students
passes so they could attend the march. Some people here are asking, 'Where did
all the white people go in Washington?' There seems to be two white responses to
the march. One is, 'What's the purpose?' And the other is, 'We support it because
its message is in the right vein.' The Metro has very few people riding it today.
Many firms have given people liberal leave, letting them take the day off without
notice. Although many blacks from D.C. are at the march, some said they will be
damned if Louis Farrakhan is going to tell them when to take a day off work."
Million Man March
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