Flanked by respected leaders in the African-American community, the leader of the Nation of Islam, Minister Louis Farrakhan, yesterday announced plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March by bringing millions of black men and women to the nation’s capital in October.

Minister Farrakhan, who has a history of making anti-Semitic comments in his speeches and sermons, charged that a call for black leaders to drop out of the event because of his involvement was part of an effort to sow division among African-Americans.

“There are those who would be joyous that at last the nigras – I said nigras – have come together,” Minister Farrakhan said. “There are others who are threatened that we are all here together. And so, one by one, they will come to pick us off. ‘How could you be in a room with bigots?’ We live with you!” the minister said, prompting cheering from his backers.

“‘How could you be in a room with racists?’ We’ve been in a room with you for 400 years,” Minister Farrakhan continued. “‘How could you be in a room with those who are divisive?’ When you brought us here, we weren’t integrated. We were in the holds of ships. … Don’t accuse us of being divisive.”

In advance of yesterday’s kickoff event, the Anti-Defamation League said it sent letters to more than 30 black leaders asking them to “reconsider their support” for the march and for two of its organizers, Minister Farrakhan and the leader of the New Black Panther Party, Malik Shabazz. Mr. Shabazz, a Washington attorney, also laces his speeches with anti-Semitic comments.

While yesterday’s gathering took place at the National Press Club and was billed by organizers as a “press announcement,” they took no questions from the journalists in attendance, and speakers were frequently interrupted by raucous applause and standing ovations.

Among the political leaders who endorsed the “Millions More Movement” yesterday were two former candidates for the Democratic nomination for president, the Reverend Alford Sharpton and the Reverend Jesse Jackson, as well as Mayor Anthony Williams of the District of Columbia.

Rev. Sharpton suggested that some prominent African-Americans, whom he did not name, were shying away from supporting this year’s gathering, set for October 14 to 16.

“This march has been called by Minister Farrakhan, but it is a march of black leaders,” Rev. Sharpton said. “If you don’t want to come, don’t come … if you’re scared, say you’re scared.”

Rev. Sharpton said the urgency of the problems facing the black community should take priority over any examination of the past history of those organizing the march. “We didn’t come today to argue about who said what and who did what or who bleeds what. Our family is in crisis and we need to come together,” Rev. Sharpton said.

Rev. Jackson praised Minister Farrakhan for his “vision” but quickly moved to attack the Bush administration for inflicting harm on black America. “We march because it’s time to fight back. We march to save the soul of America,” Rev. Jackson said. “There’s been a profound shift in government policy, anti-civil rights, anti-labor.”

An economist and commentator, Julianne Malveaux, saluted Minister Farrakhan for deciding to incorporate women in this year’s march. “This time, Minister Farrakhan has brought us the language that is unifying,” she said. “There is a war on black people and you cannot fight a war if you dismantle half of the army. So the army is here, united.”

Ms. Malveaux faulted Minister Farrakhan’s critics for dredging up ancient history. “There are those who would take this man and put him in a box on something he said 15 or 20 years ago and ask us about something that was said 15 or 20 years ago,” she said. “But he has evolved. Our movement has evolved. And our people have evolved.”

Asked about Ms. Malveaux’s comment, the national director of the ADL, Abraham Foxman, replied, “It’s not 20 years ago. Why don’t they listen to what he said in February?” Mr. Foxman said Minister Farrakhan has refused to apologize for his anti-Semitic statements and has instead repeated them. “Nobody’s putting him in a box. He can get out of that box. He put himself in that box and he can step right out.”

Mr. Foxman said he had not yet received any response to his letters to black community figures involved in the event. “It’s so sad that the only leader they can find is an unrepentant bigot anti-Semite,” he said.

Minister Farrakhan, who has referred to Jewish landlords as “bloodsuckers,” said that the main goal of this year’s gathering is to lift up the poor. “‘Millions More’ means that we’re reaching for the millions who carry the rich on their back. ‘Millions More’ means we intend to create a tsunami, because the tsunami started at the bottom of the ocean,” he said.

Among the civil-rights activists at yesterday’s event was the chair of the National Council of Negro Women, Dorothy Height. “We’re building on the years that we put in the civil-rights movement,” she said.

March supporters were also told that the event has the endorsement of the widow of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King. “She sees this movement as a continuation of the civil rights, non-violent movement for justice, for peace, for democracy,” said Barbara Williams-Skinner, an activist who said she had spoken with Mrs. King.

Mrs. King’s office did not return a message yesterday afternoon seeking confirmation of the endorsement.

The highest-wattage star at yesterday’s announcement was a soul and hip-hop performer, Erykah Badu. “This is the beginning of the new world,” she said as she pledged her backing for the anniversary march. “This is the beginning of the freedom of the slaves and the slave masters.”

Mr. Shabazz of the New Black Panthers was present at yesterday’s event and was recognized from the podium, but he did not speak. His organization has been described as a “violently anti-Semitic” hate group by a legal watchdog project, the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Some of those organizers listed as conveners of the march did not attend yesterday’s announcement. They include the District of Columbia’s delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and the chairman of the NAACP, Julian Bond.

Ms. Norton’s office issued a statement yesterday downplaying her role in the October rally. “Congresswoman Norton is well-known for her outspoken views on the evils of anti-Semitism and for the seamlessness of her commitment to universal human rights,” the statement said.

Mr. Bond did not return a series of calls and messages seeking comment for this story.