14 august 1968 & black youth union prepares to march to district building
#OTD 14 August 1968 Rufus "Catfish" Mayfield, an organizer and co-founder of Pride Inc, was preparing to march to the District Building with members of the recently formed Black Youth Union to demand meetings with the Mayor-Commissioner Walter Washington and the City Council.
Their demands included:
*an end to police brutality
*excellent public housing
*youth access to political power
*youth-run community center
Your comments are welcome below. Do you recognize anyone in the photograph? Were you a member of the Black Youth Union? Do you have photographs or ephemera from the group? What do you remember about Mayfield? Were you one of the six that went to the District Building? You may comment privately here.
Photo source: Retrieved from WTOP Radio. 15 August 2018
Jack Moore, "DC Uprising: After the riots, an activist on trial," WTOP Radio. 4 April 2018.
"Wants Hearing," Washington Post 10 August 1968.
"Complaints Aired," Washington Post 16 August 1968. Mayfield and 6 members of the Black Youth Union met with Corporate Counsel Charles T. Duncan, Police Chief John B. Layton (white), and Director of Public Safety Patrick V. Murphy (white). Mayfield planned to return the following week with a much large number of youth to meet with Washington.
