Thousands gather on National Mall to celebrate 60th anniversary of March on Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNN, KYMA/KECY) - Thousands gathered at the National Mall in Washington D.C. to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.

Organizers said Saturday's event was not a commemoration of the historic march. Instead, they said it is a continuation of the dream Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. outlined at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

Among those who spoke at Saturday's event was civil rights activist Andrew Young. He spoke about the importance of voting and that while progress has been made, the work continues.

"That the vote is the passport to freedom and opportunity. That is hard work, but it is good work. Don't get mad. Get smart. Don't look at all of the things that are wrong, look back where we were 60 years ago, when we had the first march on Washington. And Martin Luther King said then give us the ballot. And then he moved up and said 'I have a dream'. But he gave his life for that dream.

Andrew Young, civil rights activist

Martin Luther King III and the Reverend Al Sharpton also spoke at the event. Later that day, there was a march through the streets of Washington, D.C.

Monday marks the actual anniversary of the March on Washington.