[ONLINE] - 60 Years Since the March on Washington: A Conversation with Nelson Malden

August 28 marks 60 years since the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. A gathering of more than 250,000 -- remembered, among other reasons, for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech -- it was a landmark moment for public reckoning with the Black experience in America. In honor of this anniversary, Us@250 at New America and Us@250 Fellows The Blanchard House Institute welcome Mr. Nelson Malden, close colleague (and trusted barber) to Dr. King, for a live streamed conversation. A witness to the work and legacy of civil rights leaders and a community leader in his own right, Mr. Malden will share his reflections on that critical moment in American history and where we go from here. 

About Us@250

On July 4, 2026, the nation will mark the 250th anniversary of the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. The commemoration of our nation’s founding should celebrate its progress, spotlight the areas that hinder us from becoming a more perfect Union, and spark conversations about the future of America. New America’s Us@250 initiative seeks to accomplish this by advocating for a reimagination of the American narrative.

The Us@250 Fellowship provides funding, resources, and community for Americans who put the Us@250 vision into practice: community leaders, creative artists, grassroots organizers, and cultural educators who aspire to tell a fuller, more comprehensive American story. 

About the Blanchard House Institute

Launched in 2022, the Blanchard House Institute (“BHI”), an extension of the Blanchard House Museum, a charter member of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, is centering new approaches to economic development and shifting perceptions through the Black Wall Street Trail and Seminole Maroon Freedom Trail, to promote a greater sense of belonging and prosperity for all Americans. BHI’s work is at the nexus of civic engagement, entrepreneurship, and heritage preservation with a focus on addressing the legacies of Urban Renewal and historical neglect to cultivate an economic and cultural renaissance in 200+ communities in commemoration of the nation's semiquincentennial in 2026.

Thank you to the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) for their partnership.