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A march is planned on Washington.
World War II defense jobs and new deal programs excluded African Americans. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, A.Philip Randolph, planned a mass march on Washington to protest the exclusion of black soldiers. -
Randolph meets with President Roosevelt.
The day before Randolphs protest was set to happen, he met with President Roosevelt who agreed to issue an executive order. According to the order, discrimination against workers in the defense industries and the government would be forbidden. The Fair employment Practice Committee was also established to investigate racial discrimination charges. After this meeting Randolph agreed to call of the march. (History.com Editors,2009) -
Demonstrators Gather at the Lincoln Memorial
On the third anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, demonstrators wanted to come together to urge the federal government to carry on with the courts ruling. (History.com Editors, 2009) -
Randolph Proposes Another March
Randolph suggested another March on Washington. He wanted to take advantage of Martin Luther King Jr.'s attraction. Randolph also hoped to make use of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) organizing power. -
Efforts are Merged
Randolph and Martin Luther King Jr. and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference, came together to plan a march for jobs and freedom. (History.com Editiors,2009) "That spring, Randolph and his chief aide, Bayard Rustin, planned a march that would call for fair treatment and equal opportunity for Black Americans, as well as advocate for passage of the Civil Rights Act (then stalled in Congress) (History.com Editors,2009)." -
Things become Violent in Alabama
Civil Rights demonstrators were violently attacked in Birmingham, Alabama which prompted others wanting to march on the nation once again. (History.com Editors,2009) -
John F. Kennedy meets with civil rights leaders.
Civil rights leaders met with president John F. Kennedy before the march. President Kennedy was worried that the march would end in brutality. He expressed his feelings that it was not the right time for the march. He went on to say “We want success in the Congress, not just a big show at the Capitol. ”King told the president “Frankly, I have never engaged in any direct-action movement which did not seem ill-timed.” (History.com Editors,2009 -
Kennedy Validates the March on Washington
After meeting with the civil rights leaders, Kennedy validated the march on Washington. He put his brother Robert F. Kennedy in charge of working with organizers and ensuring security provisions were in place. The civil rights leaders agreed to end the march at Lincoln memorial instead of the capitol so congress would not feel attacked.(History.com Editors,2009) -
March on Washington
People marched to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.. The goal of the march was to draw attention to the unfair treatment and challenged that African Americans were still facing almost a century after the Emancipation Proclamation had been put into order. As people gathered Martin Luther King Jr. made his famous I have "Dream speech". (History.com Editors,2009)