March Washington DC In 1963

On 28 August 1963, more than 200,000 demonstrators took part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in the nation's capital. The march was successful in pressuring the administration of John F. Kennedy to initiate a strong federal civil rights bill in Congress. During this event, Martin Luther King delivered his memorable "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial.

The 1963 March on Washington had several decision precedents. In the summer of 1941 A. Philip Randolph. founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, called for a march on Washington D.C., to draw attention to the exclusion of African Americans from positions in the national defense industry. This job market had proven to be closed to blacks, despite the fact that it was growing to supply materials to the Allies in World War II. The threat of 100,00 marchers in Washington, D.C., pushed President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 8802, which mandated the formation of the Fair Employment Practices Commission to investigate racial Discrimination charges against defense firms. In response, Randolph cancelled plans for the march. The number of people that attended exceeded the initial estimates made by the organizers. Rustin had indicated that they expected over 100,000 people to attend the final estimate was 250,000, 190,000 blacks and 60,000 whites.

In 1963, after the violent attacks on civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama, the frustration for another mass protest was building. Randolph was planning a march for jobs, he decided to combine marches with King as he was putting together a march for freedom. After this the march became officially named the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom".

Citation:

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. (2020, August 04). Retrieved from https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/march-washington-jobs-and-freedom#:~:text=On 28 August 1963, more,civil rights bill in Congress.

“March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/articles/march-on-washington.htm.

History.com Editors. (2009, October 29). March on Washington. Retrieved September 13, 2020, from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/march-on-washington