Million Father March escorts children to school

Cities across the country are calling on a million fathers to take a little time out of their busy morning routine, get to work a little late if necessary, so they can walk hand in hand with their children to the schoolhouse doors on the first day. The Million Father March, a pro-family and fatherhood initiative created by the Chicago-based Black Star Project, a black family advocacy group, is entering its second year, with 100 cities participating -- up from 25 cities in 2004, said Phillip Jackson, the organization's executive director. The marches began in Atlanta on Aug. 8, the earliest first day of school in the country and will continue through Oct. 1. "This has already had national implications, and it will get stronger and stronger and stronger; everybody is looking for the magic bullet in education, and this is it,fatherhood support and involvement," Mr. Jackson said. "And there are other cities doing their own unrelated marches like one in St. Louis."