March for Life



March for Life is an annual pro-life rally protesting abortion, held in Washington D.C. on the anniversary of the decision in the United States Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. The 34th occurrence of the March for Life took place on January 22, 2007.

The march normally follows a route which starts at the Ellipse of the National Mall and continues down Constitution Avenue. The march formally ends at the Supreme Court building. Many marchers also protest the use of euthanasia. Preceding the March for Life there are also several Masses; two of which are celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception as well as the Verizon Center. Notable former speakers at the March for Life include U.S. President George W. Bush, Molly Kelly, Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr. and the parents of Terri Schiavo.

The first March for Life was held on the West Steps of the Capitol, with an estimated 20,000 supporters in attendance. In recent years the number of marchers has been estimated at around 100,000 to 300,000 each year, considered the most attended annual march in Washington D.C.

In 2002, Ms. Nellie Gray, the President and permit holder for the annual March for Life, denied a permit to Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians and ordered its members to be arrested rather than participate in the nineteenth annual parade. PLAGAL has been allowed to participate in marches since 2003.

Various pro-life organizations will often hold events before and after the March. The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington hosts a Youth Rally and Mass every year at the Verizon Center, attended by approximately 20,000 young people. In 2006 Civil Rights Leader Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Rev. Martin Luther King, spoke at the Democrats for Life of America pre-March breakfast. She praised their Pregnant Women Support Act saying abortion "might be decriminalized, but it can also be unthinkable."