March on Washington
Chloe Rickman
Who?
The March on Washington represented several civil rights organizations. The "Big Six" organizers were:
- James Farmer (Congress of Racial Equality)
- Martin Luther King Junior (Southern Christian Leadership Conference)
- John Lewis (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)
- A. Philip Randolph (Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters)
- Roy Wilkins (NAACP)
- Whitney Young (National Urban League).
When?
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place in Washington D.C., on August 28, 1963.
Where?
Washington D.C.
Why?
Blacks continued to be discriminated against in the postwar years. The civil rights movement of the 1960s transformed the political climate. In 1963, black leaders, such as the ones listed above, began to plan a March on Washington to advocate to Civil Rights Act.
What?
The March on Washington was a turning point in the Civil Rights movement. More than 200,000 demonstrators took part in the march in the nation's capital. The march was successful in the pressuring the administration of John F. Kennedy to initiate a strong federal civil rights bill in Congress. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech was given during this time as well. There had been a march a few years before. A. Phillip Randolph called for a march on Washington D.C. in the summer of 1941. This march was initiated to draw attention to the exclusion of African Americans from positions in the national defense industry.
Legacy & Significance
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was the most influential protest for civil rights throughout history. Almost one quarter million people marched together in support of one cause. It helped to get rid of segregation in public institutions and get rid of voting laws against black people.
History Specials: King Leads the March on Washington