Resurrection City 1968: Demanding an end to poverty | Stories of Resistance

The year is 1968. Summertime. Washington, DC. And covering the National Mall are endless rows of shacks built by hundreds of poor families from across the United States. It’s called Resurrection City, and they have come to Washington to demand an end to poverty and a new economic bill of rights… for the poor.

This was Martin Luther King Jr’s dream. The Poor People’s Campaign is what he’d been working for in the months before he was killed in April 1968. 

The city would last for six weeks. It would inspire thousands. Its legacy would last for decades. 

This is episode 51 of Stories of Resistance—a podcast co-produced by The Real News and Global Exchange. Independent investigative journalism, supported by Global Exchange's Human Rights in Action program. Each week, we’ll bring you stories of resistance like this. Inspiration for dark times.

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You can listen to Michael Fox’s full interview with Marc Steiner on his Patreon account: patreon.com/mfox. There you can also see exclusive pictures of many of his stories, follow his reporting and support his work and this podcast.

Written and produced by Michael Fox.

RESOURCES
The Marc Steiner Show interview with Dr. Reverend Liz Theoharis: https://therealnews.com/theres-resistance-happening-all-around-us-were-just-not-seeing-itPoor Peoples Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/ 
Camp life in Resurrection City 1968: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjsQ7IWszRE
Senate listens to people of Resurrection City 1968: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4hrSkTnXes
Resurrection City closed down, Abernathy jailed 1968: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQpBlIKJDyA
#MLK on the Poor People’s Campaign, Nonviolence and Social Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWcD4xt7Mnk
Poor Peoples Campaign June 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCcKpVFz32c

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