The Poor People's March took place on May 12, 1968 and was organized by Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. According to the American Friends Service Committee, its purpose was to encourage the federal government to pledge $30 billion to help the poor by guaranteeing "full employment," "an annual income measure" and more "low-income housing." (See the first reference link provided.)
This march is significant because it was designed to highlight the plight of all poor people, regardless of skin color or creed. As part of the campaign, Martin Luther King, Jr. organized the construction of a shanty town in Washington, D.C., later known as Resurrection City, which housed people from across the country who descended on the capital to join the march and created a strong image of the problem of poverty.
Despite an attendance in the thousands, the Poor People's March did not achieve its aims and Resurrection City was later demolished.
Please see the second reference link for more information.
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