The March on Washington was held in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, August 28, 1963. The event is one of the main driving points behind The Civil Rights Act, which was passed by Congress with a 73 – 27 vote. The Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination based on gender, race, religion or national origin. The Act also outlawed racial segregation in all public areas and administrations such as schools and businesses.
The March on Washington had an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 participants, including Martin Luther King Jr., who gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech at the event in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Protestors at the march did not use violence to get their message across. The march took around two years to plan, with A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin beginning the planning in December of 1961.
What do you think an important moment of Black history is?
