Poor People’s Campaign Comes to Jackson

Hundreds gathered in Jackson Saturday to renew SCLC poverty campaign

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is renewing its vow to fight for poor people. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports how they are hoping to bring the issue to the forefront.

Fewer than 1000 people from across the country braved record heat Saturday, during a mile long walk to the state capitol in Jackson. SCLC member Leon Frazier of Tuskegee, Alabama says he's marching because things are not much better today than they were 40 years ago

“When I came up as a boy, I was poor than a barnyard hen. But I had people who could take a little and do a lot. If you have a child now that’s poor and all of this technology is providing all this growth and opportunity for everybody else in the world besides, they are not just one step behind. They are a hundred steps behind.”

Organizers say they chose Jackson because Mississippi leads the nation in poverty. Matthew DeBoer, an inner city school teacher from new Orleans is marching for the thousands of Mississippi students who live below the poverty line.

“ I see kids that aren’t just in an economic poverty we’re talking emotional poverty. They’re not loved, they’re not cared for they’re neglected. And we need to give them the power to dream back just like Dr. king did 40, 50 years ago.”

For Bill Chandler, Director of the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance, The march builds on the momentum of past struggles to abolish slavery, restore civil rights or to get workers rights.

“All of these things contribute to what we’re here for today but the job is not done and we’re renewing our effort together to push this agenda forward.”

Poverty will be at the top of the agenda when the SCLS meets in Memphis this August and DC this fall. For MPB news, I'm Lawayne Childrey.