Reparations Activists to Host National Reparations Rally in Washington, D.C. on May 17, 2025 Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Malcolm X: FirstRepair’s Robin Rue Simmons to Deliver Keynote Remarks
Evanston, IL – On Saturday, May 17, 2025, the Reparation Education Project will host the National Reparations Rally in Lansburgh Park, Washington, DC, from 11 am – 5 pm.
The National Reparations Rally will celebrate key advancements in the movement, including the nationwide growth of state and local reparations task forces, and the reintroduction of H.R.40 by lead sponsor Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and S.40 by lead sponsor Senator Cory Booker. The National Reparations Network and the rally were endorsed by over 200 organizations, including FirstRepair. Robin Rue Simmons, reparations leader and founder of FirstRepair will provide keynote remarks.
The rally will also commemorate the 100th birthday of Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz), celebrating his enduring influence on liberation while featuring music, cultural performances, spoken word, and calls to action. May 19, 2025 is the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth. The rally will also feature an African Marketplace with vendors offering cultural products, gifts, and memorabilia.
Attendees will hear from activists, scholars, community leaders, and elected officials speaking on the historical context of slavery, the ongoing impact of systemic racism, and the need for reparatory justice through reparations.
Featured speakers include (virtual) Erika Alexander, Actress and Co-founder of Color Farm Media; Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at California State University-Long Beach; Executive Director of the African American Cultural Center (Us); and Dr. Ben Chavis, president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association and co-author of the new book The TransAtlantic Slave Trade: Overcoming the 500-Year Legacy.
In-person: Adjoa Aiyetoro, Founding Member & Chief Legal Consultant, N’COBRA & Director of the National Conference of Black Lawyers Reparations Research Project, Omali Yeshitela, Chairman of African People’s Socialist Party, Anthony Browder, Cultural Historian, Director of IKG Cultural Resources, Rev. Mark Thompson, political commentator and host of Make It Plain, Miranda Alexandria Queen AF USA, Co-Chair N’COBRA Chicago Chapter, and Salim Adofo, ANC Commissioner.
Ras Kass – producer of the Reparations Anthem and Agitate, Educate, Organize – will perform at the rally. Other featured musical performance include: Afi Soul, Ayanna Gregory, Free Benjamin, Randi Payton, Laini Mataka, Luci Murphy, the Black Workers Center Chorus, and African dancers and drummers. Zayid Muhammad, founder of the Malcolm X Commemoration Committee, and Ayo Handy-Kendi, founder of the African American Holiday Association, will speak to the importance of the Malcolm X Centennial and the need to acknowledge and celebrate events significant to the Black Experience. Libation will be led by Nana Malaya.
To learn more about the National Reparations Rally or arrange interviews with the organizers, contact the National Black Cultural Information Trust, Inc., at info@nbcit.org.
