March On Washington Dbq

The March on Washington, 1963, was imperative for focusing and inspiring the people during a period when there was a lot of unease occurring between the White Americans and African Americans. 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation [DEFINITION: The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."], African Americans were yet to be free from the chains of limitation and experience equality in society. The March on Washington was to highlight the economic inequality and to demand for the end of racial segregation in public schools, to pass a law to prohibit racial discrimination and a $2 an house minimum wage.

The March was organised by a group of several civil

rights organisations and collectively they were known as the “Big Six,” in the hopes that it would pressure for the passage of a Civil Rights Act in Congress. Leaders from the Congress of Racial Equality, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and the National Urban League. Within this committee, was Bayard Rustin, who was voted to primarily organise the march.

On August 28, 1963, there was more than 250,000 people who turned up for the march in Washington, a quarter of whom were white. Unlike other demonstrations, despite the heavy police presence, the march on washington was very peaceful, with people coming together to fight for a common cause. Several speeches were presented, the most iconic one being Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.
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The March on Washington resulted achieved its intended purpose, raising awareness and incentive about the racism racial inequality which pervaded the U.S.A.

However, the aftermath of the march was not as successful. Two weeks after the march, white supremacists placed a bomb underneath the steps of the 16th Street Baptist Church, a black dominated meeting area for civil rights. Four young girls from the ages of 14 to 11 were murdered and many others injured. This further incited activists to retaliate and protest, which finally led to the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
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The March on Washington is generally considered to be a success. The speech to declare freedom was spoken to both black and white, young and old citizens, showing the wide audience of more than 200,000 people that the speech reached. It was broadcasted around the world, inspiring many people who had doubts about their self and goals because of their discriminated background, to improve and grow to become someone who believed, that despite their background, they were able to achieve their goals.

A few people, such as Malcolm X (a challenger of Martin Luther King) considered the event as a “farce”, meaning that it was a over-dramatic

show.
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The march was integral in changing the community attitudes towards racism. Racism and discrimination was no longer acceptable with african americans and white americans coming together and fighting for a single cause. Racism was longer longer considered to be the norm and socially, it was looked down upon and we can see this in today’s society where acts of discrimination cause outcry among the community.
Though, the March on Washington of 1963 was followed by many years of racial conflict this event represented an affirmation of hope, of belief in the democratic process, and of faith in the capacity of blacks and whites to work together for racial equality.