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March on Washington - 50th Anniversary (1963-2013): Videos

The 1963 March on Washington attracted an estimated 250,000 people for a peaceful demonstration to promote Civil Rights and economic equality for African Americans. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech highlighted the event.

Videos

A&E Classroom: The Class of the 20th Century—1963-1968

Segments 1 & 2 on the March on Washington and Dr. King's speech.

Civil Rights Movement

Segment 22 of  The Civil Rights Movement

  • March On Washington
    A. Philip Randolph first raised the idea of a mass march in 1941. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous speech at the march on August 23, 1963.

Let Freedom Ring: Moments from the Civil Rights Movement
1954–1965

  • March on Washington
    In 1963, more than 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. as part of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The March on Washington: Then and Now

The march had a clear impact, both on the passage of civil rights and on various nationwide public opinions. It proved the power of mass appeal and inspired many individuals. This is a photo slideshow from the March in 1963 and present.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: The Making of a Holiday

Coretta Scott King, musician Stevie Wonder, and others speak at a rally in Washington, D.C. encouraging lawmakers to establish a national holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The rally coincided with the 20th anniversary of King's 1963 March on Washington.

Minds that Matter: John Lewis

The March to Washington in 1963 was more than a show of support for a specific piece of legislation. It was a march for jobs and freedom.

 Segments on the March include:

  • Civil Rights Speakers
    In August 1963, ten Civil Rights leaders deliver speeches. Both John Lewis and Dr. King are among the speakers.
  • 1963 March on Washington
    The march to Washington in 1963 was more than a show of support for a specific piece of legislation. It was a march for jobs and freedom.
  • Inflammatory Rhetoric
    Dr. King and other Civil Rights leaders encourage John Lewis to tone down his rhetoric so that the message of non-violence comes through. John Lewis reflects on the August 13, 1963 speech

Portrait in Black: A. Philip Randolph

In candid reminiscences, A. Philip Randolph recalls his historic confrontations with American Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy. His courageous battle helped force open the door of equality for African American men and women workers. We see why this fearless Black leader became a legend in the American labor movement.

Soundtrack for a Revolution: Freedom Songs from the Civil Rights Era

"The music gave us the courage, the wheels, the drive to go on," Congressman John Lewis says of the Civil Rights Era. Singing was a method for expressing emotions.

Tony Brown's Essay on Martin Luther King Jr.

In an innovative program celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy, Tony Brown shares his historic experience as the coordinator of the “Walk To Freedom” civil rights march in Detroit on June 23, 1963. Brown’s essay is a story of truth, vision, courage, and transformation.  Much of this Detroit speech was in the"I Have A Dream" speech given at the March on Washington.

Year by Year: 1963

Segment 14 shows archival aerial footage shows the Washington Monument, Mall, Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, and crowds gathering throughout the day. Marchers come by train, bus and car moving toward the Lincoln Memorial. Pictured are Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Walter Reuther. Kennedy and Johnson stand in the White House.