The heavy rains that shuttered the third morning of Lollapalooza failed to dampen the crowds that marched toward Marquette Park on Saturday, retracing the very route the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. walked 60 years ago.
While the violent mobs who hurled stones at marchers in 1966 are long gone, civil rights advocates say their demands remained strikingly familiar and that the threat to democracy has not disappeared.
“We’re living in a time when human dignity is being dismissed,” said Rev. Bernice King, the civil rights leader’s youngest child. “And in the midst of this trembling, we stand on the ground where my father once stood.”
King joined faith leaders and civil rights advocates from across the country to honor those who challenged housing segregation, racial injustice and systemic inequality decades ago. Together, they argued the anniversary was not only a remembrance of past victories but a reminder that the work remains unfinished.
Crowds began gathering at the intersection of 63rd Street and South Kedzie Avenue around 9 a.m., two hours before stepping into the streets. Huddled beneath colorful umbrellas, they cheered community leaders and sang songs of liberation.
Vintage baiduhai: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic march through Marquette Park
Many attended in protest of the immigration enforcement operations that have intensified as the Trump administration expanded its deportation campaign. Alejandra Villa-Moges, a McKinley Park resident, said repeated immigration raids in her neighborhood have left families living in fear.
“It’s hard not to think about all that’s going wrong,” said Villa-Moges, 36. “But I want to be hopeful, so I’m going to keep coming to things and getting inspired by the energy that other people bring.”
Beth Wallace shared the same concerns, saying she has grown increasingly frustrated with the nation’s leaders. The 72-year-old said she’ll continue attending demonstrations for as long as that anger remains.
“Racism is alive and well in Chicago,” said Wallace, who lives in Western Springs. “God bless Dr. Martin Luther King, but I’m so sorry that we have to be marching in his footsteps still.”
As hundreds made their way through the streets, business owners stepped onto the sidewalk to cheer them on. Heads poked from windows along Kedzie Avenue, where residents applauded from their apartments.
Flags sagged in the rain and translucent ponchos billowed in the wind, but the sound of bagpipes and a booming sousaphone kept the crowd moving. Showing up despite the weather was part of honoring King’s legacy, said political commentator and television host Joy Reid, who traveled from Washington, D.C., to march with Chicagoans.
“He didn’t have the privilege of feeling as comfortable as you will feel today, even in the rain,” said Reid, the first Black woman to anchor a primetime cable news program. “What we are trying to regrow in this country is a movement, so we are thankful to have a little water.”
Other speakers directly condemned President Donald Trump and his administration for what they described as an ongoing assault on democracy. Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago would not yield to authoritarianism and pledged to continue investing in communities that have long been overlooked.
Musicians took turns entertaining the crowd as the rain slowed. Among them was Chicago native and award-winning artist Common, who brought attendees to their feet.
For Titus Bryant, the celebration was a reminder of the power of collective action. Bobbing his head to the music, the 29-year-old said standing where King once marched made his legacy feel tangible.
“It feels like his presence is still here,” said Bryant, who lives in Washington Heights. “I’m literally stepping in his footsteps, and because of that, I’m standing tall.”
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