Honoring Dr. King, getting ready for May Day

April 4 actions across the U.S. cele­brated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to end the “three evils of society” — racism, militarism and capitalism — while building for May Day 2017. Here are reports about two such actions contributed by WWP activists.

In Boston there was a spirited rally by Fast Food Workers in Mass Fight For 15, Restaurant Opportunities Center Boston-ROC Boston Organization, Raise Up Massachusetts, Jobs with Justice, housing rights groups, members of Boston’s Chinese community, Veterans For Peace, Service Employees 32BJ, 1199SEIU, SEIU 888, Food and Commercial Workers, the Jewish Labor Committee, representatives of other unions and religious leaders.

The rally at the Parkman Bandstand in the freezing cold and pouring rain commemorated civil rights and social justice leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on April 4, 1968, while in Memphis to support striking Black sanitation workers. The rally took place at the site where in 1965 Dr. King addressed people on the Boston Common.

In Detroit hundreds of low-wage workers and supporters marched April 4 into the Michigan State Office Building in Cadillac Place in the New Center area. This location was chosen to pressure Republican Gov. Rick Snyder to raise the minimum wage. The demonstration was called by D15, the Detroit Fight for Fifteen group, to demand $15 an hour and a union.

After being confronted by the state police, the crowd of mostly youthful workers moved outside for a rally in front of the structure, which included a picket line and speak-out.

Contributors are Abayomi Azikiwe and Howie Rotman.