The black community will no longer look like criminals, clowns, buffoons or dregs of society after a march on Washington Monday, the minister of the local chapter of the Nation of Islam said in a press conference Thursday.

Enoch X, along with more than 70 other SIUC students and community members, will travel to the Million Man March on Washington, D.C., on Oct. 16.

The march, organized by Louis Farrakhan, is being called the holy day of atonement, in which, according to media sources, an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people will gather to redefine family and community.

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Enoch and other black leaders on campus and in the community, have formed the local organization committee for the march, which has organized the trip for those going.

The groups involved include the Nation of Islam, the local chapter of the NAACP and black fraternities on campus.

Enoch X said the gathering will enable all able-bodied Black men to declare to the government of America and the world that they are ready to take their place as the head of their families and communities.

As Black men, we are ready to shoulder the responsibility of being maintainers of our women and children and the builders of our communities, he said.

Many black leaders across the country, such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton, have shown support for the rally. But many other black leaders and the national chapter of the NAACP, have condemned the march.

Andre Lewis, a senior in history, who is attending the march, said it is a shame for the black community that there are some that do not support the march.

What they have to realize is that this ( the march) is bigger than any person or personality, and it is intended to uplift the black community, he said. We can’t just sit around and be stagnant because they don’t support the march.

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Lewis said the march is one of the most important historical events for the black community.

This is the opportunity for my generation to improve the situation for black people in this country, he said. This usually only happens once a generation. This is my generation’s chance.

Enoch X said despite the few criticisms the march has received from those who oppose Farrakhan, it still will attract people from all denominations including Christians, Muslims, Hebrews and Agnostics.

The gathering in Washington will be filled with the spirit of love for self, love for each other, love for our families, he said. On that day, we will see the value of never allowing artificial barriers to impede the advancement of our people.

Enoch X said after the march, people of all races will take Farrakhan more seriously.

People will finally see that he (Farrakhan) is willing to work with people of all denominations and other groups that he has formerly been in conflict with, he said.

Richard Dyer, a junior in education from Evanston, said even though this may be a national event, he believes he can bring back experiences that can benefit the black community locally.

I can come back and tell my brothers we need to be more responsible for ourselves and those in our community, he said. I believe it will also create unity. I feel that on a whole we need unity not just on religious levels, but on political, economic and social levels also.

Enoch X said the advantages of the gathering will be the pooling of resources to buy farmland, to set up factories.

It would also enable the black community to enter into international trade and commerce, to petition the government that they should not cede manufacturing to the Third World countries, but to the Black community or the inner cities which are in Third-world condition.

If the black community becomes better, the United States as a whole will become better also.