The March on Washington, 1963

On 28 August 1963, about 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The idea came from labour leader A. Philip Randolph, who had threatened a similar march in 1941, and the event was organized by Bayard Rustin, a skilled strategist whose role was kept low-profile partly because he was gay and had past political ties that opponents could exploit. The march demanded a strong civil rights bill, an end to job discrimination, a higher minimum wage and voting rights.

Speakers included John Lewis of SNCC, whose speech was toned down at the request of other organizers, and Martin Luther King Jr. , whose 'I Have a Dream' speech drew on the Declaration of Independence and the Bible. The march was peaceful and well organized, countering fears of disorder. Historians debate its direct legislative impact, but it built momentum and public support for the Civil Rights Act.