Poor People’s Campaign demands ‘Third Reconstruction,’ will march on Washington in 2022

The Poor People’s Campaign rallied Monday to prepare for a “moral march” on Washington next summer as in-person activism prepares to make its formal return. 

The liberal group wants a “Third Reconstruction,” mirroring the first two coming after the Civil War and the 20th century civil rights movement.

The Rev. William J. Barber, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, told attendees at Monday’s rally that preparations for next year’s D.C. gathering will begin June 18, with a march target of that date in 2022.

“On that day, we will launch 365 days of mobilizing and organizing toward the most massive generational, transformative gathering of poor and low-wealth advocates and religious leaders ever in the history of the country,” said Mr. Barber at the virtual rally. 

The group has some prominent backers in Congress, particularly Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Barbara Lee of California. Last week, the duo pushed forward a resolution calling for a “Third Reconstruction,” to benefit an estimated 140 million poor people in the United States.

The representatives’ resolution states that Congress would commit to establishing new social welfare programs, expanding welfare benefits, a guaranteed annual income, a higher minimum wage, and many other things. 

“We are going to bring this resolution to the attention of every member of Congress,” said Ms. Jayapal, who touted getting arrested as a protester engaged in civil disobedience before her tenure in Congress. 

Ms. Jayapal said Congress was responsible for perpetuating poverty and Mr. Barber called for the nation to embrace the group’s “omnibus vision.” He said in a video airing at the rally that “no democracy can claim to be strong when 140 million people or 43% [of] its people are poor and low-wealth.”

Next month, the Poor People’s Campaign is directing its state coordinating committees to hold “simultaneous actions” at the offices of U.S. House of Representatives members. 

The group intends to subsequently scale-up its activism culminating in the June 2022 “Moral March on Washington and Poor People’s & Low Wage Workers’ Assembly,” according to its website. 

“People from every corner of the U.S. will converge and convene in the nation’s capital in the summer of 2022 to create a national stage for the voices and leadership of people directly impacted by systemic racism, the denial of health care and ecological devastation, militarism and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism,” said the group on its website. “We will demonstrate the power and resolve of poor people to make the Third Reconstruction a reality.”