More than 200 young people, overwhelmingly Black, from campuses in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee marched through city streets from the University of Cincinnati campus to the rally site. A contingent of students from three Detroit high schools waved placards and chanted as they walked the two-mile route.

Just a few blocks from the demonstration, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing on the University of Michigan's affirmative action admissions policies was in session. The nine judges' ruling on whether or not to uphold Michigan's affirmative action procedures will affect universities in four states.

The appellate court hearing is the result of the university's appeal of a U.S. District judge's March decision in the case of Barbara Grutter vs. the University of Michigan Law School. The judge in that dispute declared unconstitutional the use of race as a factor in admissions to the law school. That ruling contradicted an earlier decision by another U.S. District Judge in a nearly identical suit, giving the okay to a similar admissions policy used in the undergraduate school. These contradictory decisions increase the likelihood the Michigan cases will go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Fred Shuttlesworth, a veteran leader of the civil rights movement and a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, encouraged the crowd to "keep your eyes on the prize. Young people, it's up to you to determine what kind of country we live in. Let's fight like hell until we win."

It is important "that this rally is being held in Cincinnati," said NAACP national youth coordinator Jeffrey Johnson. "For the last five years we've seen young people die at hands of the police," Johnson said to cheers and chants denouncing police brutality. "Affirmative action will not die on the streets of Cincinnati. The cops can't turn us back. The rain didn't turn us back. And no court can turn us back."

Pamela Vossenas, a supporter of the Miami Committee to Defend Freedom of Speech and the Bill of Rights, addressed the gathering. Vossenas explained the case of Michael Italie, a garment worker and Socialist Workers mayoral candidate fired from his job after he opposed the war in Afghanistan, defended the Cuban revolution, supported union organizing efforts, and took other pro-working-class positions in a televised candidates' debate.

"This case is not about the right to freedom of speech for one person, but the right of all people to freedom of speech," Vossenas said, "so that everyone can do what you all are doing here today."

Student organizations at several regional schools, including NAACP campus chapters, Black student groups, minority law student associations, and chapters of the group Equality By Any Means Necessary organized the demonstration.

Osborne Hart is a meat packer and member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 876 in Detroit.  
 
 
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