Planned Bus Trips to Washington Rally Face Unexpected Cancellations
A significant gathering was expected at the National Mall on August 28, marking the 63rd anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1963 March on Washington. However, over 50 individuals from Michigan found themselves stranded in a church parking lot in Adrian, awaiting a bus that did not arrive.
This incident was part of a series of bus cancellations across the Midwest for trips organized by the National Action Network, a civil-rights group established by the Rev. Al Sharpton. The event in Washington, cohosted by Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, aimed to address voting rights amidst recent changes to election laws and a Supreme Court decision that challenged a crucial part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Denise Benjamin, who co-leads Lenawee Indivisible, was responsible for organizing the group and arranging the bus trip with the National Action Network. She recounted her conversation with a division leader at the network, which took place around 8 p.m. on Thursday, just an hour before the anticipated departure.
“And they just said, we’re sorry, but all the buses in Michigan, all the buses from Chicago and the buses from Indiana have been canceled,” Benjamin said. “That’s all they would tell me.”
Similar bus trip cancellations were reported by media in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Cleveland, all involving buses managed by the Action Network.
Despite efforts to reach out, the National Action Network has not clarified the reasons behind these cancellations or provided information about the bus companies involved. They have not responded to requests for comments.
In a video posted on Facebook, Bishop Clyde Posley Jr. from the Indiana chapter of the network suggested that while the organization had arranged and paid for the buses, “the bus companies in those areas somehow were somehow gotten to, and for whatever reasons … they backed out.”
For Benjamin and her group, the cancellation was “disheartening and very disappointing.” The group had been eager to participate in the rally and express their concerns about voter suppression ahead of upcoming elections.
“But we’re going to continue the work,” Benjamin affirmed. “We’re going to continue to protect the vote as best we can, in any way we can.”
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