It was only 60 years ago when Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., convened hundreds of thousands of people in the nation’s capital to raise awareness on key civil rights issues, and awaken the nation’s consciousness to the inequality still permeating society.

That historic March on Washington helped put pressure on the White House and elected officials to usher in the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. It was, in essence, the culmination of a grassroots movement mobilizing into tangible change and progressing our country forward. Six decades later, when some of the same civil rights are under renewed attack, and we face an onslaught of challenges from a rise in hate crimes to threats to democracy itself, we will once again meet in Washington, D.C., for a continuation march – a continuation of Dr. King’s vision and fight for justice.

On Saturday, Aug. 26, civil rights leaders, clergy, activists, elected officials, youth leaders, labor groups and people representing every single background will join us in D.C. as we march for equality across the board. My organization, National Action Network, has been diligently working with Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King and the Drum Major Institute to not only mark the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s historic march, but prepare us for the challenges that lay ahead.

We’ve partnered with 60 organizations for the 60th anniversary march and ensured that it is an inclusive gathering as all of our rights are under assault. The interracial, intergenerational March on Washington is our unified response to the hatred, vitriol and division emanating from certain politicians (and those seeking office), as well as the dangerous rise in hate groups and hate attacks.

According to the FBI’s own stats, hate crime incidents increased nearly 12 percent in 2021 from the previous year, with around 65 percent of victims reportedly targeted because of their race or ethnicity. This is precisely why groups like Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the NAACP, UNIDOS, the Anti-Defamation League, GLAAD and others have all partnered with us for the march, and we will be including many of their voices on stage on Saturday.

It is about everyone: college students, mothers, fathers, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, those without a voice and those who advocate daily. Whether it’s rising hate crimes, or threats to democracy and our electoral system, anyone who cares about the future of this nation can and should join us on Saturday. It is past time to put aside our differences and unite under the banner of fairness and progress.

Even though it’s been 60 years since Dr. King passionately called for better jobs, wages and basic human rights, we are once again facing many of the same obstacles as 1963. Black Americans (and our supporters) fought - and some literally shed blood and died - in order to secure true voting rights and inclusion. It is an abomination that those same rights are being chipped away, as some would like to turn back the clock.

It has been 10 years since the Supreme Court’s detrimental ruling which essentially gutted the Voting Rights Act itself. What followed almost immediately were draconian laws and legislation in states around the country. Things like new voter ID rules, an end to early voting days/absentee ballots, drop box and mail-in limitations, gerrymandering, excessively long lines, the closure of polling locations and even bans on providing water to those waiting in line to vote have all greatly limited our ability to participate in elections.

Back in the day, they made people guess the amount of jellybeans in a jar; today, they use carefully crafted laws to suppress the vote.

The Supreme Court has also chipped away at reproductive rights by effectively ending Roe v. Wade, and this time opening the floodgates for states to enact severe restrictions on a woman’s right to choose. In many areas of the country, a woman now has less autonomy over her own body than the previous generation. This is simply unacceptable.

Earlier this year, we also saw the Supreme Court side with a business owner who wanted the ability to discriminate against a same sex couple in case the need ever arose. Again, unacceptable. We cannot revert to a time when people had fewer rights after so many sacrificed for decades and decades in order to achieve those rights. It’s one group today, and another group tomorrow. All of our collective rights are under attack and it is imperative for us to push back with a united front on Saturday, and in the weeks, months and years ahead.

As we gear up for this weekend, I’m reminded of the work that remains in the struggle for civil rights. In addition to protecting voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights and bodily autonomy, we are still advocating for police and criminal justice reform. While there has been some progress with the prosecution and conviction of Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd, as well as the Justice Department investigating police departments like the Memphis P.D., following the death of Tyre Nichols, we must do more.

The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act has been stalled, and our prison system still incarcerates far too many and disproportionately targets Black, Brown and poor individuals. We have to continue to push elected officials, and we must demand federal change.

Throughout my life, I’ve studied the teachings of Dr. King and incorporated many of his philosophies into my own work. When I started National Action Network in 1991, it was with the blessings of the King family, and throughout the decades, I have tried to emulate his formula of nonviolent advocacy. It is a great honor to work with his son, Martin Luther King III, and Arndrea Waters King as we not only recognize this 60th anniversary, but vow to continue the fight for the betterment of all.

In 1963, there were no cell phones, internet or social media to organize and march. Today, we have all this technology at our fingertips so there is no excuse to not make it down to DC, or support the march in some way. If you ever looked upon history and wondered what you would have done if you were alive, this is your moment; history is happening right before you.

The question we must all ask ourselves is, do we want to be a footnote in the story of our time, or remembered as picking up the mantle and answering the call for justice and equality when it came?

For more information on the 60th anniversary March on Washington, please visit www.nationalactionnetwork.net

Rev. Al Sharpton is Founder and President of National Action Network.

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BET is observing the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington with live coverage through the day via Facebook on Aug. 26, and with a special edition of America In Black on Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. EDT. Follow on social media at # AmericaInBlackBET.