Asean Johnson, Chicago 9-Year-Old, Youngest Speaker At March On Washington Anniversary (VIDEO)
Nine-year-old Chicago activist Asean Johnson took his Internet-winning show on the road over the weekend and captivated the massive crowd at the "Realize The Dream" rally honoring the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.
Johnson, a student at Marcus Garvey Elementary, stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday as he expressed pride at his being the youngest speaker addressing the weekend rally -- 50 years after a 23-year-old future congressman, John Lewis, was the youngest speaker at the 1963 march.
"Every child deserves a great education. Every school deserves equal funding and resources," Johnson said after noting he was participating in the march "for education, justice and freedom."
Asean first captured the attention of Chicago and the world when his impassioned speech at a rally protesting the city's then-proposed public school closings in overwhelmingly African-American and Latino neighborhoods went viral in May.
Two months later, Johnson railed against the Chicago Board of Education shortly before they signed off unanimously on massive budget cuts and teacher layoffs in the district.
"You are slashing our education. You're pulling me down. You're taking our educational opportunities away," Johnson told the board while tears streamed down his face. "You need to go tell the mayor to just quit his job."
What's next for the spirited youngster? He's already won some key endorsements for mayor of Chicago in 2025, when he will be 21 years old. Meanwhile, he has fourth grade to tend to.