Organizers of the Million Girl March, which introduced huge crowds to Philadelphia and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 1997, noticed its twenty fifth anniversary Tuesday by saying plans for a Million Girl World March subsequent yr.
The aim of the Oct. 25, 1997, march, based by Philadelphia human-rights activist Sis. Empress Philé Chionesu, was to encourage Black ladies to work collectively to enhance circumstances for themselves, their households, and their communities.
“It was all the time about justice and self-determination,” Chionesu stated.
At a information convention Tuesday night, Chionesu introduced that the Nationwide Million Girl March will even set up a Million Girl March Common Motion to advocate for ladies taking motion to enhance their lives across the globe.
She known as it the primary “World Motion for Ladies and Ladies of African Descent” and stated the group will implement a “BlacXPrint Agenda 25 Direct Motion Program.”
“The Million Girl World March is not going to solely join ladies of African descent worldwide, however will present alternatives for uplifting ladies within the areas of schooling, well being, and politics.”
Chionesu, who as soon as owned the Stilt Walkers retailer on South Avenue, didn’t present a date for the world march in 2023.
The 1997 march was a daylong occasion of prayers, music, and inspirational speeches that began on the Liberty Bell and ended on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Artwork.
It was thought of an enormous success, particularly as a result of it was organized at a grassroots degree with out the help of nationwide Black organizations just like the NAACP or the Nation of Islam, which had backed the planning of the Million Man March in Washington two years earlier.
Among the many ladies who spoke at Philadelphia’s Million Girl March had been Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of then-South African President Nelson Mandela; U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters of California; Jada Pinkett Smith, the actor; Sista Souljah, the rapper; and Attallah and Ilyasah Shabazz, two of Malcolm X’s daughters.
Estimates of the attendance different broadly, with some inserting the attendance at half 1,000,000, and police guessing from 300,000 to 1 million. Nevertheless, Chionesu stated that there have been pictures that confirmed as many as 2.5 million ladies got here, regardless of mild rain and funky temperatures.
A few of the ladies who participated in that march gathered for a twenty fifth Reunion Zoom assembly Tuesday, the place they talked about a lot work nonetheless wanted to be executed to assist Black communities.
One girl decried that violence towards ladies appears to be worse 25 years later.
“Right here we’re 25 years later, and we’re going to be very actual now about what’s occurring with Black ladies,” stated Kimberly Masters, who was overseas in 1997 and didn’t attend the march.
“What do you suppose we are able to do, and may do now, to make issues higher for ladies and ladies?” Masters stated. “… Given the truth that violence in the neighborhood is now rampant. Rape, molestation, kidnapping, and [there are] lacking Black ladies and ladies all around the nation. The numbers are unbelievable.”
In an interview Wednesday, Chionesu stated she has grown bored with individuals coming collectively to speak about issues: “However they don’t have a plan of motion.”
Over the past 5 years, she has been working with organizers in different cities, together with Detroit, Chicago, Newark, N.J., Baltimore, Memphis, and Washington, to make plans to prepare ladies to create and develop new companies.
These cities and Philadelphia make up what she calls the “seven sister cities.” She plans so as to add New Orleans to the sister-city community subsequent yr.
There will probably be a Million Girl March Celebration that can introduce packages for self-defense and self-reliance and a Million Girl March Ministries that can present providers to ladies who’re incarcerated.
Chionesu stated she has requested a gathering with Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw as a result of her group want to obtain common reviews on the variety of assaults on ladies. Nevertheless she hasn’t but heard a response from the commissioner.
The 1997 march was notable as a result of it attracted so many contributors with none nationally identified figures selling it.
After a primary yr of planning in 1995, Chionesu requested Asia Coney, then a public housing activist, to be a nationwide cochair of that march. Coney is now a resident member of the Board of Commissioners on the Philadelphia Housing Authority.
It got here collectively shortly utilizing grassroots strategies, corresponding to word-of-mouth, Black-owned media, fliers, and women-networks to unfold the phrase.
For instance, Chionesu gave out fliers to fellow retailers, who got here to her South Avenue retailer, and so they took them to African American festivals across the nation throughout the summer season of 1996.
In October 1997, ladies got here to Philadelphia from throughout the nation by airplane, bus, practice, and automobile. The Black Past reported that “an estimated 125,000 ladies arrived from Chicago and New York.”
