How to Watch the 2020 March on Washington Online

demonstrators walk to the lincoln memorial for the commitment march get your knee off our necks protest against racism and police brutality, on august 28, 2020, in washington dc anti racism protesters marched on the streets of the us capital on friday, after a white officers shooting of african american jacob blake the protester also marked the 57th anniversary of civil rights leader martin luther kings historic i have a dream speech delivered at the lincoln memorial photo by eric baradat afp photo by eric baradatafp via getty images

(Image credit: ERIC BARADAT)

published 28 August 2020

Today, on the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, the Virtual March on Washington (The Commitment March) is taking place. The historic event comes at a time when the Black Lives Matter movement continues to bring attention to horrific, systemic racism against Black people and BIPOC communities. The anniversary is both poignant and more relevant than ever before. Amidst this global reckoning, and responses to continued police violence, the March is recommitting to King's words. The Commitment March "is about asking everyone—from protesters in the streets to elected officials at all levels of government—to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes equity, justice, and equal opportunity for all," according to Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of NAACP. "As we approach the November elections, we must mobilize to vote like we’ve never done before.” If you're not able to travel right now or attend in person—which is understandable given the continued coronavirus pandemic—there are more ways than ever to participate virtually. The march is going on as we speak, so action starts right now.

You can watch the march live.

The website for the march, 2020march.com, has a schedule of events (technically the events kicked off last night). The march started today at 11 a.m. EST and will feature speeches by Reverend Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, who is leading the march along with families of Black people who have been victims of police brutality. Yesterday we heard from Senator Cory Booker, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Stacey Abrams. Tonight will be a night of virtual programming, including Bebe Winans and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.

You can get text updates about what's going on:

A post shared by NAACP (@naacp)
A photo posted by on

And you can watch a livestream here:

The march is also being covered by news outlets.

According to the announcement, "The NAACP will also execute a robust civic engagement effort with multiple levers of change, including registering participants to vote and encouraging them to participate in the Census." Be sure to check out the NAACP website to take part in that. And, it might go without saying, but another way to participate indirectly is by registering to vote and voting.

You can follow the hashtag #MOW2020.

You can also follow other organizations that will be participating, including the the NAACP, Sharpton's civil rights group National Action Network (NAN), the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), the National Urban League, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Some will also have their own hashtags, like #NANMOW2020, so you can follow those, too, along with their social accounts. On Twitter, some are using #MarchonWashington and #MarchonWashington2020.

Just to give you an idea of how long the lines are for #MarchOnWashington2020...I didn’t even get close to the end in this video. Everyone here will have their temperature checked and they must be wearing a mask to get in. @ABC7News @ABC7GMW pic.twitter.com/14YmFdMAyJAugust 28, 2020

According to a spokesperson, NAN will also host a YouTube livestream of the march and will upload new content including:

Within YouTube Music, there's a shelf presenting their newly rebranded program playlist, "Freedom Songs:" anthems of joy, protest, and hope featuring artists such as Beyoncé, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.
A collection of critical moments from the Great March on Washington 57 years ago, in the playlist The History of the March on Washington.
Starting Tuesday, Creator interviews will begin posting on the homepage and on social using #MarchOn.

There might be an event closer to you.

Some events are going on as we speak (slash read), but there may still be events happening this evening, depending on where you live. NAN said that they were planning on working with local chapters to host commemorations of the march, including in Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas. Spokeswoman Rachel Noerdlinger said that sister marches will take place in Columbia, SC, Birmingham, AL, Miami, FL, and Milwaukee, WI.

It's still important to know about in-person march protocols.

In case you are thinking about attending in person, there are some important tips that you can read about here, including coronavirus protocol, counterprotesters, and how to interact with law enforcement. This will also be relevant if you have friends and family attending in person so that you can stay in touch with them.

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.