Culture Organizing History

for mass action and called for a new March on Washington for jobs and freedom.

“Negroes want the same things that white citizens possess. All of their rights. They want no reservation. They want complete equality, social, economic and political, and no force under the sun can stand or block or stop this civil rights revolution which is now underway.”

A Philip Randolph began to plan the historic March on Washington in April 1963. He worked to united the civil rights organizations, and although a controversial choice, Randolph chose Bayard Rustin as the Chief Organizer of the March. Regardless of Rustin’s past and lifestyle choices, Randolph did not waiver because he knew that Bayard Rustin had exceptional organizing skills. They brought together the leaders of the civil rights organizations and they worked tirelessly to get the word out about the March.

A live, national broadcast, in the Spring of 1963, discussed the upcoming March on Washington. Hosted by Dr. Kenneth Clark, Professor at New York City University. Five Negro leaders shared their thoughts on the impending March on Washington. The five leaders were: Roy Wilkins – NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People); Whitney Young, Jr. – Urban League; James Farmer - CORE (Congress On Racial Equality); James Foreman - SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee); and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. – SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference). During the broadcast, these five distinguished gentlemen clearly, assuredly and unapologetically described the plan of the protest and the intention of the event. Rev. King said,

“…we are not going to Washington to intimidate any congressman or any senator. It will give a large number of people an opportunity to articulate their longings and aspirations for freedom. Their desire to see meaningful forthright civil rights legislation in this session of Congress and, of course we also intend to arouse the conscience of the nation over the economic plight of the Negro, 100 years after emancipation, and I think it can have a great impact. I think it will dramatize the issue. It will have educational value in that it will allow many people to see and understand the continued indignities and injustices which Negroes confront all over the nation.”