The March on Washington and Its Legacy

The March on Washington and Its Legacy — page 3 — CHAPTER ONE

The March on Washington and Its Legacy — page 4 — HE HAD A DREAM On August 28 1963 approximately Washington DC They had arrived 250,000 people streamed into in buses planes and cars Some had walked or hitchhiked hundreds of miles to get there They gathered near the Washington Monument Then the crowd marched 1 mile 1 6 km to the Lincoln Memorial Marchers carried signs that demanded equal rights for African Americans African Americans wanted to have the same freedoms and rights as white people Although most marchers were African American the crowd included people of People traveled from all over the country to attend the March on Washington in Washington DC

The March on Washington and Its Legacy — page 5 — different races and religions They made a powerful statement Americans from all backgrounds wanted their country to embrace its values Civil rights leaders gave speeches Among them was Martin Luther King Jr When it came time for him to speak the marchers hung on his every word Millions more people watched his speech on television A HISTORY OF HATE Positive changes had come painfully and slowly in the United PERSPECTIVES EDITH LEE(cid:31)PAYNE Edith Lee-Payne attended the March on Washington with her mother The march occurred on Edith’s twelfth birthday A photo of Edith taken at the march later became an iconic image Edith stood near the front of the crowd when King gave his I Have a Dream speech She later recalled her experience in an interview She said That day in Washington was a very hot day but it was a day where a lot of people from all over the country came together for a common goal and that was to make the quality of life better for everyone

The March on Washington and Its Legacy — page 6 — Jim Crow laws separated black people in public spaces such as waiting rooms States In the 1960s Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation in the South These laws separated black and white people in public places Black people had to attend separate schools They had to use separate facilities such as bathrooms They had to sit in separate sections on public transportation These laws were meant to keep black people from interacting with white people The services and facilities provided for black people were often much worse than those

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