Scott Zipperle

MARCH FOR LIFE Board Names Jeanne F. Monahan Full-Time President

Washington, DC – November 16, 2012 – The Board of Directors of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, which organizes and runs the annual March for Life in Washington, DC, unanimously voted to make Jeanne F. Monahan full time President of the March for Life. Ms. Monahan was previously a Board Member and was serving as Interim President following the passing of Founder and President Nellie J. Gray. Prior to being named the full-time President of the March for Life, Ms. Monahan was the Director of the Center for Human Dignity at the Family Research Council in Washington, DC. In this capacity, she served as an expert on life issues and a regular media contributor on issues related to the dignity of human life. Prior to her service at FRC, Ms. Monahan served in various capacities at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A life-long advocate for life, Ms. Monahan holds a Bachelor’s Degree from James Madison University and a Master of Theological Studies from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family at the Catholic University of America.

“Jeanne is a strong pro-life advocate who will continue the strong leadership of Nellie Gray and bring us closer to a culture of life,” said Patrick E. Kelly, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “The Board and I are very much looking forward to working with Jeanne in this new, full-time capacity and are looking forward to our largest March in history this January.”

The 40th MARCH FOR LIFE will be held on the National Mall on January 25, 2013.

Media Inquiries may be directed to:

Jeanne F. Monahan

President, MARCH FOR LIFE Education and Defense Fund
Phone: 202-635-5472
Email: jeannemonahan@marchforlife.org
Twitter: @jeannemfl

Student Contest Award Presentations

Professor Robert George assisted March for Life President Nellie Gray in presenting the Life Award achievement certificates to the student contest winners at the 2010 Rose Dinner .  Professor George was the keynote speaker at the annual event.

In addition to being honored at the 28^th Annual Rose Dinner, the winning students received a $100 award, plus the opportunity to designate a prolife charity in their home communities to receive a $100 grant.

The winning entries were those adjudged to best reflect the 2010 March for Life theme:  “Stand Up Now!  Unite for the Life Principles. No Exception! No Compromise!”

Each essay, poem and poster was judged anonymously by a panel of volunteers.  More than a thousand entries were received from across the country.

We would like to thank all students who participated in the 2010 contests, as well as the teachers and parents who supported their efforts.

Late in October 1973, grassroots prolife leaders became concerned that January 22, 1974, might come and go without properly memorializing the Supreme Court’s infamous abortion decisions and without petitioning Congress for redress.

No established right-to-life organization was prepared to undertake the planning, financial and operational responsibilities for a high impact prolife March on the U.S. Capitol. But, grassroots prolifers wanted to march! About thirty prolife veterans resolved themselves into a committee and began making plans for the first MARCH FOR LIFE.

On January 22, 1974, the first MARCH FOR LIFE was held on the West Steps of the Capitol. An estimated 20,000 committed prolife Americans rallied that day on behalf of our preborn brothers and sisters.

In 1974, the MARCH FOR LIFE was incorporated as a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization.

Our numbers have gradually risen through the years despite reduced numbers from the snow in 2000 and the terrible 9/11 attacks just months before the March 2002. These growing numbers give testimony to the increasing ranks of prolife Americans and to the importance of the March’s work.

The Marchers Keep Marching

The First March 1974 (20,000)

March 1975 (50,000)

March 1976 (65,000)

Marches 1977-1998 (Up to 100,000)

The 25th March 1998 (225,000)

March 1999 (125,000)

March 2000 (100,000)

March 2001 (225,000)

March 2002 (100,000)

Marches 2003 – 2007 (200,000)

We are pleased and excited to announce that Professor Robert George, co-author of the Manhattan Declaration, will be the keynote speaker at the 28th Rose Dinner. The annual event, which is the culmination of the MARCH FOR LIFE activities, will be held on the evening of January 22, 2010 in the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001. The topic of his talk will be “Our Struggle for the Soul of the Nation.