On Tuesday, March 27, 2001, Federal District Court Judge Bernard Friedman made a
sweeping anti-affirmative action ruling in the University of Michigan Law
School case, Grutter v. Bollinger. Two days later in response, 3000 students
rallied on the campus to denounce this provocative, segregationist decision
and to pledge the new movement to overturning it. At that rally, Jesse
Jackson and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and the rally's organizers, the
Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action & Integration, and Fight for Equality
By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), jointly called for a national student
conference and a national march on Washington. The following are brief
excerpts from Reverend Jackson's speech:
"We read about these special moments in history. You always say, 'I wish I'd
been there to march on Washington.' In 1963, you weren't old enough...but
this is another great moment. Today, I challenge you to have a national
conference on this campus, convene students from all around the nation-from
Seattle to Texas to Florida to Maine. Young America must come alive. When
you come alive, you make America better...Young America, it's time to march
now."
New:
Click here to see video clip of Rev. Jackson's
speech
Another video clip of rally
[requires RealPlayer]
