The Million Women March (25 October 1997)

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Million Woman March Converges on Philadelphia
By David Morgan, Reuters, 19 October 1997. The organizers, Phile Chionesu and Asia Coney, largely bypassed the circuits of black influence in America, including the NAACP and relied instead on the organizing skills of local community leaders like themselves.
Million Women March: Black women seek unity
By Monica Moorehead, Workers World, 6 November 1997. Chionesu and Coney wanted to give Black women the opportunity to come together to feel empowered to change conditions within their various communities. As with the Million Man March two years ago, there was a conspicuous absence of demands targeting the U.S. government or the capitalist class it represents to correct the multitude of social problems faced by the Black community.
Open letter to the Mayor of Philadelphia, Ed Rendell, from Julia Wright
Read from the platform of the Million Woman March by Richard Wright's daughter, on October 25th 1997. She accuses the Mayor of malfeasance in the Mumia Abu Jamal case.
Million Woman March Shows Desire To Fight For Rights Of Blacks, Women
By Hattie McCutcheon and Betsy Farley, The Militant, 10 November 1997. The massive turnout reflected the depth of the crisis facing Black workers and women in particular. The 12 issues included questions of homelessness, prison reform, the creation of Black independent schools, drugs, and encouraging Black women to start their own businesses.
Strength in numbers
By Lisa Macdonald, Green Left Weekly, 5 November 1997. The majority of speakers were grassroots activists from all walks of life, united by a strongly felt need to overcome differences and stand up together as black women. Even if the political demands and methods for achieving them were not absolutely clear, the strength in women and in numbers sends the message to the rulers in the US that they have a big problem.
New, independent voices arise from the Million Woman March
By S. Reid, The People's Tribune, December 1997. Although the march addressed many issues such as the CIA spreading crack cocaine, conditions of female inmates and health care, the theme of ‘repentence’ has been criticized by some women participants.
Letter from Million Women Movement International, Inc.
9 December 1997. MWMII first call to action will be to stop Senate Bill S-10. We will inform our community and act on issues surrounding homelessness, poverty, police brutality, emerging infectious diseases and most importantly, the preservation of the African Child, at home and abroad.