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Claflin University students head to the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

Students from a Midlands school head to the nations capital for a historic event

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The National Action Network has partnered with Claflin University's student government to provide transportation to and from Washington, D.C., for the anniversary of the historic March on Washington.

With a theme of "Not a Commemoration, a Continuation," this will be the 16th anniversary of thousands of Americans gathering to march through the nation's capital.

More than 60 students from the university will have the opportunity to march this time around.

Anaiya Whaley, a member of the Student Government Association, said she believes this is a rare opportunity.

"We have a lot of students who are very involved on campus and very active in our community," Whaley said. "They really want to just be a part and participate in something that is meaningful and important to them."

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These students will get the chance to hear from guest speakers like The Rev. Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III.

Claflin Student Government President Jabez Roberson said hearing from the speakers will have a considerable impact. 

"I just hope that we just really get educated on what the Black vote means as well as the exposure to these figureheads," Roberson said. "Because growing up, we didn't really get exposure to this because it isn't being taught in our high schools, and, you know, it takes a few students to come to a college campus to have the goal to shape the Black vote as well as ... educate Black voting, because this is very important."

Follyvi Dossa is the National Youth and College Director for the National Action Network. Dossa said this march should start conversations for all of the students participating. 

"We got a lot of work to do," said Dossa. "This march is going to be a great time for young people to come together to talk, to organize, to see what we can do to change some laws; get into some good trouble." 

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In October, the SGA at Claflin University will host a collaborative voter empowerment exposition with South Carolina State that they hope will help to improve voter awareness, education and empowerment.

The march will begin on Aug. 26 at 8 a.m. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

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