The Million Men March happened in October 1995, and the context was essentially a negative political, cultural, and economic agenda. The victory of the Republicans in the congressional elections in 1994 made the African American community of activists think that American society is gradually forgetting the problems that were recently discussed loudly by Martin Luther King and his followers. The cultural agenda meant criticizing the portrayal of an African American man as an aggressor and a strong male incapable of dialogue and balanced actions. The media has done a lot to shape this aggressive image, leaving white men free to be more sophisticated. The economic background comprised massive inflation, income inequality between black and white families, and high unemployment among African Americans. To these facts was added a high mortality rate among African American men of different ages and a high tolerance for their death in society.
Louis Farrakhan was a leader of the Muslim movement among African Americans and became one of the key figures of the Million Men March. He called the march under his responsibility and enlisted the support of Benjamin Chavis Jr., who acted as event director. They were able to organize the crowd in such a way as to prevent disengagement and violent riots. The Nation of Islam, whose director and chief spokesman was Louis Farrakhan, took a significant part in the event. The Nation of Islam acted as a link between human rights groups and organizations.
Louis Farrakhan acted as a direct motivating figure for the protesters since it was he who, under his responsibility, called the disgruntled marchers. However, among the inspirers of the protest, it is essential to name Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, who gave a speech to the protesters. Notable roles include black celebrities such as Mike Tyson and O. J. Simpson. These athletes, with their success, contributed to developing the image of a black man as aggressive and full of energy. Their figures became inspiring, but at the same time, their prominent role was in criticism.
The historical context of the Million Man March evoked fear and anxiety among African Americans and a strong sense of injustice. Fighting injustice at work and in the economy of the country, they, on the other hand, were overwhelmed by animal fear for their lives. The context forced many people to rally and loudly declare their rights since, due to the division, American society could not take their anger seriously. Human rights groups have helped people get organized, not lose each other, and have set clear goals. In retrospect, it can be assumed that people felt the approach of the millennium and were afraid that it would no longer have the problems actively discussed in the 20th century. The feeling of falling out of this problem from social and political discourse frightened people since the discussion allowed them to feel relatively safe.
The Million Men March epitomizes how important it is for African Americans to stay on the agenda. These activists show self-sacrifice and are ready to fight to the last for justice. Now, these activists are reacting vividly to cases of cruel treatment of African Americans, which is proved by the Black Lives Matter marches, which have become firmly established in the modern history of the United States. The existence of such movements speaks no more about similar initiatives but about the American society itself, which cannot eradicate the problems of racial discrimination and tolerance for the deaths of African Americans.