Organized by
Martin Luther King, Jr. and the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the
Poor People's Campaign addressed the issues of economic justice and housing for the poor in the
United States [1] King said, “We believe the highest patriotism demands the ending of the war and the opening of a bloodless war to final victory over racism and poverty”
[2].
Jobs, income and housing were the main goals of the Poor PeopleÂ’s Campaign. The campaign would help the poor by dramatizing their needs, uniting all races under the commonality of hardship and presenting a plan to start to a solution
[3]. Under the "economic bill of rights," the Poor People's Campaign asked for the federal government to prioritize helping the poor with a $30 billion anti-poverty package that included a commitment to full employment, a guaranteed annual income measure and more low-income housing
[4]. The Poor PeopleÂ’s Campaign was part of the second phase of the civil rights movement. While the first phase had exposed the problems of segregation, King hoped to address the "limitations to our achievements" with a second, broader phase
[2]