Pictured above: At just 35 years old, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on October 14, 1964—the youngest person ever to receive the honor at the time. He dedicated the award to the “mighty army of love” within the Civil Rights Movement and pledged all $54,000 in prize money to advancing the cause. Standing in Oslo, King reminded the world that nonviolence is not passive, but a powerful force for transformation. His faith that “we shall overcome” continues to echo as a timeless call for justice and peace
Encore Viewings: Watch the Conversations That Moved Us
In case you missed them—or want to experience them again—March On! is proud to offer encore viewings of four powerful events from our 2025 March On! Festival. These conversations explore justice, wellness, and cultural legacy through storytelling, scholarship, and art.
Mark your calendar and share with your networks. Each event will stream at 7:00 PM EST on its scheduled date.
Grand Rounds on Women’s and Men’s Health
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 | 7:00 PM EST
Featuring Linda Goler Blount, Dr. Georges Benjamin, Dr. Stephen Thomas, Dr. Sharon Malone, and Dr. Tamara Wilds Lawson
From prenatal health to menopause, from prostate and testicular cancer to diabetes, and from sexual health to heart and elder care, this dynamic conversation covers the full spectrum of well-being.
Featuring trusted medical experts and community voices, the discussion explores how to break silence, challenge stigma, and build confidence in advocating for your own care—body, mind, and spirit.
Vivian Malone Awards
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 | 7:00 PM EST
Featuring Eric Holder, Joy Reid, Dr. Sharon Malone, and Lisa Arrindell
Presented biennially by Dr. Sharon Malone, OB/GYN and Chief Medical Officer of Alloy Women’s Health and sister to Vivian Malone, the Vivian Malone Courage Award honors contemporary women who demonstrate extraordinary courage in the fight for racial justice.
Earlier this year, we honored Joy Reid—commentator, author, and host of The Joy Reid Show. During the replay, she will be joined in conversation with The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr., former U.S. Attorney General, known for his groundbreaking leadership on civil rights and voting access.
Actor Lisa Arrindell will portray the groundbreaking icon, journalist and anti-lynching activist, Ida B. Wells Barnett in a special performance.
March On! Health — The Right to Be Well
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 | 7:00 PM EST
Featuring Dr. Aletha Maybank, Dr. Uché Blackstock, Dr. Joel Bervell, with poetry by Terraya Lewis
Health has always been a civil rights issue. From the struggle to desegregate hospitals to today’s fights around Black maternal mortality, chronic disease, and structural bias in medicine, the right to be well has long been shaped by race, power, and policy.
Talking Hands — An Intro to ASL Workshop
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 | 7:00 PM EST
Moderated by JaRon Gilchrist, founder of Interpret This!
A vibrant, hands-on session exploring the history, fundamentals, and cultural significance of American Sign Language (ASL).
Unsung Heroes Trivia Challenge
How well do you know the trailblazers who shaped the Civil Rights Movement and reshaped America? This month, we highlight two extraordinary changemakers—Barbara Jordan and Dr. Charles Richard Drew—whose brilliance and bravery left a lasting mark on politics, medicine, and justice.
Barbara Jordan: A Voice for the Voiceless
Barbara Jordan rose from Houston’s Fifth Ward to become a legal powerhouse and one of the most influential orators in American history. The first Black woman from the South elected to Congress, Jordan championed civil rights, voting protections, and accountability in government. Her legendary Watergate speech remains a defining moment in constitutional defense.
Trivia Question:
Barbara Jordan was the first Black woman to serve in which role in the state of Texas?
A. President of the Texas NAACP
B. Acting Governor
C. Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court
D. Mayor of Houston
Click here to find out.
Dr. Charles Richard Drew: A Blueprint for Saving Lives
Dr. Charles Drew revolutionized modern medicine by pioneering blood storage and transfusion practices. His innovations during World War II laid the foundation for today’s blood banks, and his refusal to comply with segregated blood policies made him a quiet but powerful voice against injustice in medicine.
Trivia Question:
Why did Dr. Charles Drew resign from the American Red Cross in protest?
A. Disputes over pay equity
B. Lack of recognition for Black scientists
C. The order to segregate blood by race
D. Restrictions on his medical license
Click here to find out.
A Message from Our Artistic Director: You Skurred?
In her October message, Artistic Director Isasara Bey reflects on fear, resilience, and what it means to show up in uncertain times. Amid heightened political unrest during the March On! Festival, she turned to Freedom Singer Rutha Mae Harris, a Civil Rights icon who faced real danger during the movement’s early years.
Their conversation is a reminder that while the threats we face today are real, so is our power. We are sustained by mission, by music, and most of all—by community. As Isasara writes, “Showing up is the first step.”
October 2025 Cultural Roundup
In a time when key aspects of American history are being challenged or erased, March On!: Stories That Move continues to spotlight books, films, and art that tell the untold and mistold stories of the Civil Rights Movement and the ongoing fight for justice.
For October, we’re proud to feature the 2025 March On! Festival Reading List, curated in partnership with Mahogany Books, a Black-owned, family-run bookstore that champions cultural awareness and community empowerment through reading.
In keeping with this year’s festival theme, The Right to Be Well, this 26-title collection explores health, wellness, and Black resilience. It includes powerful new works from longtime March On! speakers and supporters, offering a window into stories of rest, resistance, healing, and liberation.
A few titles you may not have discovered yet from this year’s festival book list include:
- A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power
By Abby Phillip
A revelatory look at Jesse Jackson’s historic presidential campaigns and how they redefined Black political power. - The Battle for the Black Mind
By Dr. Karida L. Brown
A sweeping account of Black educational resilience, from Reconstruction to today’s classroom battles. - The Idea of America: Reflections on Inequality, Democracy,
and the Values We Share
By Darren Walker
A compelling collection of 97 essays that challenge Americans to bridge divides and rekindle our shared commitment to equality and justice. - Yet Here I Am
By Jonathan Capehart
A moving memoir about identity, justice, and finding home in America today.
