A coalition of national partners, including the National Action Network Founder and President Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, announced “March on Washington 2026: Defend the Vote” on Friday, August 28, 2026.
The event will also commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Other March on Washington 2026 partners include the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), the National Urban League (NUL), the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), UnidosUS, the Working Families Party, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyer’s Committee), and Veterans Equity Project, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Common Cause, People Power United, United For Democracy, Vote.org, Family Equality, In the Public Square, Bet Mishpachah, Faith in Action Fund, Faith in Action National Network, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC), and the Interfaith Alliance.
U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D- New York), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, will be joined by a delegation of members at the march.
Martin Luther King III said 63 years have passed since his father and iconic Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and declared his dream for America, the fundamental right at the heart of that dream, the right to vote, is once again under “direct assault.”
He said the 2026 March on Washington comes at a moment of profound urgency, following the United States Supreme Court’s decision to gut Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a ruling Sharpton has called “a bullet in the heart of the voting rights movement.”
“Defending the vote means defending the foundation of our democracy,” said Martin Luther King III. “Sixty-three years after my father stood at the Lincoln Memorial, we are called to march again, not only in remembrance, but in action.”
Social justice leader Arndrea Waters King, the wife of Martin Luther King III, said The March on Washington 2026 is a moral call to protect democracy for every generation.
“We march to defend the vote, honor those who sacrificed for it, and ensure that every voice is protected,” she said.
Under the banner “Defend the Vote,” this year’s march will bring together civil rights leaders, faith communities, organizers, and Americans from every corner of the country to demand the protection and restoration of voting rights for all citizens.
It is both a commemoration of the legacy of those who marched in 1963 and a call to action to protect the gains they fought, bled, and died to secure.
Registration for March on Washington 2026: Defend the Vote is now open.
Supporters from across the country are encouraged to register today at the National Action Network website. Additional details, including program information, speakers, and participating partners, will be announced in the weeks ahead.
Based on reporting by South Florida Times.
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