Today's News, Tomorrow's Lesson - 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington

In Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. made a speech, during which he uttered four words that were to become forever symbolically linked with the civil rights movement: “I have a dream.”

This year marks 50 years since that speech, which was made as part of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The original event attracted an estimated 250,000 people, who descended on the nation’s capital to protest joblessness, discrimination and economic inequalities faced by African Americans.

Organized in 1963 by A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, Norman Hill and Rachelle Horowitz among others, the march took place along the National Mall and concluded at the Lincoln Memorial. It was there that Dr. King delivered his iconic speech.

The original March on Washington is credited with being one of the largest peaceful political rallies for human rights in history. It is also considered to be the event that encouraged the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the march, people from all over the country will again gather in Washington, DC to take part in a variety of events and activities.

It is hoped that the commemoration of the anniversary will not only reflect on the achievements of the March on Washington, but also highlight the civil rights work that still needs to be accomplished.

“This will not be just a nostalgia visit,” Al Sharpton, founder of the civil rights organization National Action Network, said. “It's a continuation of a call to action in a climate that is threatening to the achievements of the past 50 years.”

The highlights of the anniversary events are expected to be two commemorative marches. On Saturday August 24, 100,000 people are expected to gather and march along the same route that was taken by the original protesters in 1963. The event will culminate in the opening of the Global Freedom Festival on the National Mall. Prominent civil rights activists, including Reverend Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, are expected to attend.

On Wednesday August 28, the anniversary of the march itself, the “Let Freedom Ring” event will take place at the Lincoln Memorial. It is due to start at the exact time that Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered. President Barack Obama and former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter will be in attendance.