Philadelphia Will Host ‘Million Woman March’

After months of mobilizing and fund-raising, throngs of women plan to pour into Philadelphia for a “Million Woman March” and daylong rally that they hope will revitalize black families and communities.

Organizers told city officials that they expect 500,000, but the organizers hope a million-plus will join the two-mile march Oct. 25 that will begin at Independence Hall.

The event has lacked the fanfare of the “Million Man March” two years ago in Washington, but regional coordinators report growing interest as publicity has increased and the network of planners has jelled.

“We are bombarded now,” said Wessita McKinley, spokeswoman for the Washington-Virginia-Maryland organization, which has hired 55 buses to take about 2,530 participants to Philadelphia.

“This is going to be a historical event,” she said. “They’re just coming to support their sisters, to see what they can do as a collective effort to better ourselves, our race, our families and our community.”

Winnie Mandela, former wife of South African President Nelson Mandela, has agreed to be the keynote speaker, organizers said.

The participants will use the rally to promote development of independent black schools, mentoring centers for teenage black girls and programs to help black women leaving prison and others entering business or politics. Men and women of all races are welcome.

City officials expect to spend at least $250,000 on extra police, medical crews and sanitation. Organizers say they’ll spend at least $2 million on similar expenses plus production costs, to be paid partially by sales of memorabilia.