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July 16, 2026
Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, and other civil rights leaders and labor groups plan to protest what they describe as an attack on the Black vote.
More than six decades after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial, civil rights leaders are once again preparing to gather in Washington, D.C., to advocate for voting rights.
Led by Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights groups announced the “March on Washington 2026: Defend the Vote,” which will take place on Aug. 28 to mark the 63rd anniversary of the historic 1963 march. Sharpton’s National Action Network is organizing the effort in partnership with Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, the Drum Major Institute, and a coalition of civil rights, labor, faith, and community organizations, reports Reuters.
The announcement comes months after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed key protections under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a decision organizers say threatens Black political representation and weakens longstanding safeguards against racial discrimination in voting.
“Defending the vote means defending the foundation of our democracy,” Martin Luther King III said in a statement, according to NBC News. “Sixty-three years after my father stood at the Lincoln Memorial, we are called to march again, not only in remembrance, but in action.”
Sharpton described the Supreme Court’s decision as “a bullet in the heart of the voting rights movement,” emphasizing what organizers view as an urgent need for renewed civic engagement and federal action.
The coalition includes prominent organizations such as the NAACP, National Urban League, National Council of Negro Women, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the American Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the Working Families Party. Members of Congress, including Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), are also expected to participate.
Organizers say the march is intended to honor the legacy of the original March on Washington while drawing attention to ongoing debates over voting access and representation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom drew approximately 250,000 people and helped galvanize support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Organizers of this year’s march say they hope the gathering will similarly inspire public engagement around protecting voting access and democratic participation.
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