Decades Later, Anne Arundel Co. Remembers March On Washington

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- 54 years later, Anne Arundel County comes together to remember the March on Washington.

Citizens came together Tuesday to remember the anniversary and look at the progress made more than five decades later.

County Executive Steve Schuh turned out in support, as everyone reflected on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech.

"That speech speaks to the human heart and reminds us that every human being is created equal," Schuh said.

The crowd - which included some of the original foot soldiers who marched in 1963 - honored pillars of the civil rights movement.

"I'll never forget it," said George Trotter, who took part of the march. "A sea of people, 250,000 people plus. And everybody was of one accord that particular time."

And 54 years later, still in the shadow of racial turmoil, this crowd understood tolerance still has a long way to go.

Phillip Chambers Jr. was 8 years old when he marched on Washington. He says celebrating black history and black accomplishments still sends a message.

"You were somebody. You are somebody, and we had a life before slavery," he said.

The emotional celebration is motivation for many.

"We believe that it's important that people turn out to say, 'We will not go back. That we need to move forward.'," Carl Snowden, with the Caucus of African American Leaders. said. "We must say no to racism and yes to peace and brotherhood."

The group also called attention to the lack of diversity on the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court bench, and called on Governor Larry Hogan to change that.

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook