New York - Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) will lead a historic "Recommitment March" to the Lorraine Motel, the site where Dr. King lost his life 40 years-ago on Friday, April 4th.
Leading the march along with Reverend Sharpton will be Martin Luther King III and many other political, religious, and union leaders.
The "Recommitment March" will serve as an opportunity for people to recommit themselves to fighting for the ideals that Dr. King envisioned 40-years ago.
The march will bring thousands from across the country, young and old, to dedicate, and rededicate themselves to lead the fight for social justice for the next forty years.
According to Rev. Sharpton: "Just as the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty-years after Moses brought them across the Red Sea, Dr. King was our Moses, and forty years later, Martin Luther King, III, I, and many others will commit ourselves to making a better life and community."
The "Recommitment March" will cap a number of important events in Memphis as Reverend Sharpton and National Action Network hosts the 10th annual convention NAN at the Peabody Memphis from April 2nd to April 5th.
The historic gathering will be an impressive who's who in civil rights, business, politics, labor, entertainment and the religious community.
A complete schedule is detailed below:
National Action Network 2008 National Convention:
(April 2, 2008 - April 5, 2008)
Wednesday, April 2nd
10:00am
The State of the Economy: "An economy that works for all"
Chair: AFL-CIO
11:30am
Labor Luncheon (Tickets Required)
Keynote Speaker: John Sweeney, AFL-CIO
Dr. King was in Memphis 40-yrs ago to support a labor strike and Mr. Sweeney comes back 40-years later to assess the labor movement.
2:00pm
National Dialogue: Healthcare
Chair: Tony Wafford, National Action Network
Panel to include Danny Glover and others
3:30pm
National Dialogue: HIV/AIDS
Chair: Tony Wafford, National Action Network
3:30pm
Healthcare in America: "In American no one should go without healthcare"
Chair: AFL-CIO
6:00pm
Keepers of the Dream VIP Reception (tickets required)
7:00pm
Keepers of the Dream Awards Dinner (tickets required)
Host: Mo'Nique
Honorees:
Cicely Tyson, Academy-Award nominated Actress
Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller
Myrlie Evers Williams, Medgar Evers Institute
Earl Graves, Sr., Black Enterprise Magazine
William Lucy, Coalition of Black Trade Unionist
Wyatt Tee Walker, Civil Rights Pioneer
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Thursday, April 3rd
8:00am
Wall Street Breakfast
Special Guest: Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller
9:00am
National Dialogue: Financial Literacy
10:00am
Media Panel
Does the Media cover the issue of race fairly?
Chair: Roland Martin, CNN Correspondent & Host of the Roland S. Martin Show on WVON-AM
10:00am
Equal Justice under the Law: Forty Years Later Where Do We Go?
Chair: Attorney Michael Hardy, General Counsel, National Action Network
12pm-2pm
The Reverend Doctor William A. Jones Memorial Luncheon
Sponsored by the Social Justice Initiative (Invitation Only)
1:00pm
National Dialogue: Ancestry
2:00pm
Town Hall Meeting: Education as a 21st Century Civil Right Issue
New York City School Chancellor Joel Klein, the head of largest school system in America will lead a discussion on how education must become a civil rights campaign with the number of blacks that lag behind whites in educational equity.
2:30pm
National Dialogue: The Black Church
What is the role of the Black Church and what is the proper use of the pulpit in politics and advancing the cause of civil rights?
Chair: Rev. Boise Kimber, National Action Network Social Justice Initiative Director
3-6:00pm
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Day Program
3:30pm
Corporate Panel
Despite the fact that many people feel we are beyond race, corporate leaders will talk about the continued challenge to bringing racial equality in the private sector where Blacks are still behind on jobs in executive positions
Chair: Butch Graves, Black Enterprise
8:00pm
Gospel Concert (Tickets Required)
Special Guest: Shirley Caesar & Timothy Wright
Note: Tickets can be purchased online at www.nationalactionnetwork.net
Friday, April 4th
8am-12pm
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Day Program
9:00am
Civil Rights Leaders Panel
Major civil rights leaders will give an analysis of whether there has been real racial progress on racial equality in the last 40-yrs and what steps must be taken in the next 40-yrs to bring about true racial equality.
Chair: Marc Morial, National Urban League
Panelists to include: Charles Steele, SCLC, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow Push Coalition
Bill Lucy, Black Trade Unionists, and others
1:00pm
Pre-March rally at City Hall
Main speakers will speak between 3:15 - 4p.m.
Speakers will include: Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III, Michael Baisden, Tom Joyner,
Mayor Herenton and others. Pls note: there will be preliminary Speakers between 3:15 - 4p.m.
4:00p.m.
Recommitment March to the Lorraine Motel
5p.m.
Recommitment Ceremony at the Lorraine Motel begins
6:01 p.m.
Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King, III to speak
April 4th Memorial Program at the Lorraine Hotel/Civil Rights Museum
Saturday, April 5th
9:00am
National Action Network Rally featuring Rev. Al Sharpton
12:00pm
The Future of Black Politics
12-4pm
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Family Day Program
2:00pm
National Dialogue: Decency
Chair: Tamika Mallory, Decency Initiative Directory, National Action Network
_________________
The National Action Network was founded as a direct outgrowth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s movement. Reverend Sharpton began his civil rights career as a local youth director for Dr. King's organization and the King family has worked closely with Reverend Sharpton for many years. The late Ms. Coretta Scott King attended the national convention along with members of the King family in previous years and Martin Luther King, III will Chair the convention this year. The National Action Network is a political, social, and activist-oriented organization that was conceived with a focus on action. NAN is headquartered in New York City, with more than 40 national chapters across the country. Please visit www.nationalactionnetwork.net for more
The National Action Network Convention
The Peabody Memphis - 149 Union Avenue
o Media check-in 8 a.m. daily and press identification is required
Join Rev. Sharpton and Martin Luther King, III, Friday, April 4th: "The Recommitment March" marking the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Pls. visit www.nationalactionnetwork.net.
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