On the Anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech a coalition of union and progressive groups sponsored a memorial march. Follow along with the estimated 8000 marchers as they wind their way from the staging point at the Veteran's Memorial Building, past Cobo Hall and up Washington Boulevard to Grand Circus Park.



The march also somewhat doubled as an unofficial kick-off of the fall election campaign season.


Martin Luther King HS Band

The diversity of the march was striking. Here members of ACCESS form up. Co-founder and current Director of the Michigan Department of Human Service Ishmael Ahmed stands at the right.






Streaming past the abandoned Free Press Building.



St. Aloysius.












The restored Cadillac Hotel.





The Stage at Grand Circus Park. In the background are the abandoned Broderick and Whitney buildings.


New UAW President Bob King rallies the audience with his son by his side.




Jesse Jackson asks if anyone has a friend or family member in search of a job.




Democratic Gubernatorial candidates Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence. To the left can be seen US Congressman John Dingell, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Jocelyn Benson, candidate for Michigan Secretary of State. Notable absentees were current Democrat Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Sen. Carl Levin and Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, who lost to Bernero in the primary.


Sometimes simple hand-made signs have more power than microphones and giant printed banners.


Why didn't the large event receive wide coverage? The explosion of new media and current state of upheaval of media in old media, symbolized by this sad sight that can be seen through the front windows of the abandoned Detroit Free Press Building, might offer a hint.