Mr. Farrakhan asked people to donate one dollar a week to a disaster-relief fund and on several occasions gave the movement's Web site address.

He also called for a series of "ministries" -- including ones for health and human services, defense and agriculture -- to fix problems in the black community that he said the federal government has overlooked.

"Farming is the engine of every nation," he said at yesterday's event, which commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March. "As long as we keep our mouths in the kitchen of our enemy, we will never have" economic freedom.

Johnny Blackmon, 55, of Pensacola, Fla., said he came to the march in 1995 and was so inspired that he and some friends started a Million Man organization.

The group eventually died out, whether from lack of direction or inspiration. However, yesterday's event could have been the start of a new beginning, he said.

"I think [Mr. Farrakhan] told us the things we need to do to uplift our people," Mr. Blackmon said. "I think he gave us the road map. If we can just follow the map, then I feel like the job is done."

Mr. Farrakhan was the last of dozens of speakers to take the stage on the steps of the Capitol. His speech closed the day and came as the setting sun turned the building into a glimmering backdrop.

Listeners sitting, standing and lounging on blankets formed a thick crowd that started at the foot of the Capitol's steps and stretched onto the Mall for several hundred yards.

Authorities would not give crowd estimates. But by 6 p.m., Metro reported 331,000 passengers had used the subway system, compared to a typical Saturday ridership of 220,000. On the day of the march 10 years ago, ridership was more than 804,000.

Some of Mr. Farrakhan's views over the years have alienated segments of the population, including the Jewish community and some black leadership.

However, such civil rights groups as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Urban League supported this year's event.

"If the house is on fire, you cannot just save your room, you must save the house," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said. "Our vision is inclusive. We are all people of God."

Mr. Jackson, president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, shared Mr. Farrakhan's criticism of the government's handling of Hurricane Katrina and urged listeners to channel their anger into bettering their communities.

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