BOSTON—On April 26, 2025, thousands gathered at Boston Common to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Rally, a pivotal event in the civil rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The original rally drew over 20,000 participants protesting racial disparities in housing and education. This year’s event, organized by Embrace Boston in collaboration with the City of Boston and other partners, featured speakers including Martin Luther King III, Mayor Michelle Wu, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and Reverend Willie Bodrick. The commemoration honored past struggles while highlighting contemporary concerns over recent federal actions.
The current administration’s recent policies have raised alarms among civil rights advocates. Executive Order 14173, signed in January 2025, prohibits private organizations from conducting DEI employment programs for jobs created by federal contracts, effectively revoking previous mandates that required federal contractors to refrain from discrimination based on various factors, including race and gender identity.
In response to these federal actions, a coalition of 19 states, led by attorneys general from California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York, filed a lawsuit against the current government. The lawsuit challenges a policy that threatens to withhold over $18.7 billion in federal education funding unless states end certain initiatives in K-12 schools, arguing that the directive is unconstitutional and misuses anti-discrimination laws to coerce states into abandoning lawful inclusion programs.
Martin Luther King III, speaking at the anniversary event, emphasized the importance of remembering the past to inform present actions. He stated, “We must honor the legacy of those who marched before us by continuing to fight for justice and equality in our time.” His remarks resonated with attendees who see the rollback of policies as a step backward in the ongoing struggle for civil rights.
Not just for Black Americans, Boston’s 60th Freedom Ramly commemoration is a tribute to historical progress and a rallying point for contemporary advocacy. As the nation reflects on the strides made since 1965, the event underscored the necessity of vigilance and continued effort to uphold the principles of equity and inclusion in the face of evolving challenges.
