When the African-Americans were freed from the institution of slavery in 1863 the idea that they would be given the same opportunities as White-Americans was a theory and not reality, and the journey to equal rights would face huge opposition. Between 1877-1981 many great achievements for the Civil Rights Movement were made. One of the most noted events, considered by many as a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement, was the 1963 March on Washington for jobs and freedom. The March on Washington helped African-American’s fight for civil rights by bringing the struggles they faced in a prejudiced, segregated America to the attention of Kennedy, and inspired key events like the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act 1965. There were
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The organiser of the original 1941 march, Phillip Randolph, suggested the idea of another march to celebrate the centenary of the Emancipation Proclamation in the summer of 1963.The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom focused on the economic situation many African-Americans faced, as well as gaining support for desegregation. Many Civil Rights Organisations were involved, such as the SCLC, Student Nonviolent Co-ordinating Committee (SNCC) and the NAACP, who’s more radical policies would be toned down to show a theme of unity. The march was supported by many Religious organisations, as well as famous musicians like Bob Dylan and Mahalia Jackson. “It would include white people as well as black people, who would march together in a thoroughly desegregated show of unity. About a third of the marchers where white” [6]. The March ended with Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his ‘I have a dream’ speech to a crowd of over a quarter of a million people. The impact of the March was outstanding; it was regarded as a peaceful day of unity between races, and the media attention that was brought from the singers and speakers convinced Kennedy to give more support to the Civil Rights Movement, calling it ‘a moral issue’. Kennedy also met over 1500 religious, labour and business group leaders to discuss the Civil Rights Issue, demonstrating it was working towards its aims for employment. The South still resisted desegregation, often with violence. This was demonstrated when four children were killed in an explosion a few weeks after the march. “This terrorist act was a brutal reminder that the success of the march and the changes it represented would not go unchallenged.” [7]. The march also led to the creation of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, and inspired the Voting Rights Campaigns in Selma. The ‘I have a dream’ speech is one of the most famous speeches in history and played a vital role in changing
The organiser of the original 1941 march, Phillip Randolph, suggested the idea of another march to celebrate the centenary of the Emancipation Proclamation in the summer of 1963.The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom focused on the economic situation many African-Americans faced, as well as gaining support for desegregation. Many Civil Rights Organisations were involved, such as the SCLC, Student Nonviolent Co-ordinating Committee (SNCC) and the NAACP, who’s more radical policies would be toned down to show a theme of unity. The march was supported by many Religious organisations, as well as famous musicians like Bob Dylan and Mahalia Jackson. “It would include white people as well as black people, who would march together in a thoroughly desegregated show of unity. About a third of the marchers where white” [6]. The March ended with Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his ‘I have a dream’ speech to a crowd of over a quarter of a million people. The impact of the March was outstanding; it was regarded as a peaceful day of unity between races, and the media attention that was brought from the singers and speakers convinced Kennedy to give more support to the Civil Rights Movement, calling it ‘a moral issue’. Kennedy also met over 1500 religious, labour and business group leaders to discuss the Civil Rights Issue, demonstrating it was working towards its aims for employment. The South still resisted desegregation, often with violence. This was demonstrated when four children were killed in an explosion a few weeks after the march. “This terrorist act was a brutal reminder that the success of the march and the changes it represented would not go unchallenged.” [7]. The march also led to the creation of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964, and inspired the Voting Rights Campaigns in Selma. The ‘I have a dream’ speech is one of the most famous speeches in history and played a vital role in changing