50th Anniversary on the March on Washington

It is important to reflect upon this event in our history as we recognize and honor the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington.

The Library of Congress has put together an extensive list of resources to remind us all of this significant event.

John Lewis was one the individuals that participated in the March and he shares his experiences in a personal narrative.  At the time, John Lewis was the Leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.  Below are some of his memories, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

You were one of the leaders of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Aug. 28, 1963. Tell us about some of your experiences that day.

On the morning of the march, I traveled with the other speakers to Capitol Hill and met with Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate. We met with the chairman and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Then, we traveled to the Senate and also met with the majority and minority leaders. We discussed the need for strong civil rights legislation from the Congress.

After we left Capitol Hill, our plan was to link hands and lead the marchers from Capitol Hill down Constitution Avenue to the Washington Monument. We thought there might be a few thousand people, but in the end there were over 250,000. When we came out to the street, I looked towards Union Station and saw a sea of humanity marching. I said to myself, there goes our people, let me catch up to them. We linked arms and started marching with the crowd. They literally pushed us down the street, toward the memorial and onto the stage.

That day, I spoke sixth and Martin Luther King Jr. spoke last. His speech was amazing. He turned the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial into a modern- day pulpit. We did not have a sense of the magnitude of that day, at the time, but he knew—and we knew—he had made an impact. After the speeches were over, people were still coming to the National Mall from all over America. We were invited to the White House by President Kennedy. He met us at the door of the Oval Office and he was standing there almost like a beaming father. He shook hands with each speaker and said to each one, “You did a good job.” And when he got to Dr. King he said, “And you had a dream.”

March In Washington To Continue Focus On Civil Rights
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/24/march-in-washington-dc_n_3808713.html

I saw this story on the BBC News iPhone App and thought you should see it:

King speech marked by BBC Radio 4
The BBC is marking the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech with a recital by notable global figures, including the Dalai Lama. Read more.

Here’s the actual feed, which is very active today as it’s the 50^th anniversary of the March on Washington:  https://twitter.com/todayin1963

– Jane Carlin, Library Director