Thousands of civil rights advocates will gather in Lower Manhattan Thursday, Aug. 28, for the “March on Wall Street,” a demonstration organized by the National Action Network (NAN) to mark the 62nd anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. But unlike the historic gathering in the nation’s capital, this march has its sights set on the heart of corporate America — Wall Street.
Led by the Rev. Al Sharpton, NAN’s founder and one of the nation’s most prominent civil rights leaders, the march is a response to sweeping rollbacks in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as well as broader economic and social injustices that disproportionately impact Black and brown communities.
“We’ve been marching in D.C. for more than 60 years,” said Martese Chism, secretary of NAN’s West Tennessee Chapter. “But now it’s time to go to Wall Street because that’s where the power is.”
Chism, a retired nurse who recently returned to Memphis from Chicago, helped establish the West Tennessee chapter of NAN last year. Inspired by civil rights leaders and driven by her family’s commitment to the movement (her great-grandmother, Birdia Keglar, hosted members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, such as Stokely Carmichael, during the Selma voting rights march), Chism brings both legacy and urgency to her work.
She views this moment as a continuation of that struggle and an opportunity to train the next generation of leaders.
“We’re walking in the freedom fighters’ shoes. They marched so we could have rights. Now we’re marching to get them back,” she said, referencing recent cuts to social programs like SNAP and Medicaid, and policies like Project 2025, which threatens civil liberties.
The symbolism of Wall Street is not lost on organizers.
“Wall Street has become a symbol of unchecked power where corporations thrive and we suffer,” said Chism. “We’re marching from an African burial ground to Wall Street. Most people don’t even realize New York was a slave port.”
Historically, civil rights activists focused their protests on government institutions. But for Sharpton and the NAN network, Wall Street now represents the epicenter of systemic inequality.
“Rev. Sharpton has been leading boycotts and protests for decades,” said Chism. “Before Trump and DEI rollbacks, he was out there every Thursday fighting. He has a gift and a calling to shift the movement.”
A busload of demonstrators from Memphis will make the overnight trip today to New York for the one-day march, a “turnaround trip,” as organizers call it. Patricia Lurry, president of NAN’s West Tennessee Chapter, is leading the group. Veteran photojournalist, Gary Whitlow of The Tri-State Defender, also will be documenting the trip.
The West Tennessee chapter may be young, only having been established in September 2024, but its members are deeply rooted in the civil rights tradition.
“I always knew I wanted to be part of something bigger,” said Chism. “I evaluated a lot of Black organizations. But NAN gives us autonomy. Rev. Sharpton trusts the local chapters to lead because we know what’s happening in our communities.”
Building for the future
Today, the NAN West TN chapter has more than 40 active members and 12 committees addressing issues from equitable housing to youth leadership. Meetings are held the second Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, in a room with historical significance. Dr. King met there with Jesse Jackson before delivering his final speech at Mason Temple.
A key focus for the local NAN chapter is engaging the next generation.
“Youth leadership is one of our 12 core pillars,” said Chism. “We’re bringing in our grandkids, listening to their fears. Many of them think getting involved means becoming a target. But we remind them that our ancestors didn’t fight for material things; they fought for us.”
Freedom Schools, educational programs that originated during the 1964 Freedom Summer, are being revived in the chapter to teach young people about the electoral process and systemic barriers like gerrymandering.
“We have to stop putting parties over policies,” said Chism. “After Dr. King died, the focus shifted. But we’re bringing it back.”
For organizers like Lurry and Chism, the March on Wall Street is not just a protest. It’s a statement of resilience, a demand for justice and a passing of the torch.
“We didn’t get to march with King, but we’re leading now for the next generation,” said Chism. “We might lose some things in this fight, but we’re fighting so they can gain everything.”
For more information, visit www.marchonwallstreets.com.
