Aug. 28 marks the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, also known as The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The march, held to advocate for Black civil and economic rights was a landmark event in the Civil Rights Movement. A year later, the United States would pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Learn more about the march and its legacy by exploring oral histories from residents who participated in the march, check out books about the march for all ages, stream documentaries, listen to songs performed that day from the Lincoln Memorial and much more.
March on Washington Oral Histories
A. Peter Bailey | March Attendee
Oral history interview with A. Peter Bailey. An African-American man, Bailey was self-described 'Malcolmite' (a follower of Malcolm X) who only attended the march out of historical curiosity, but left impressed by the size of the crowd and the substance of Dr. Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech, particularly the parts that dealt with economic justice. A. Peter Bailey is a journalist, self-described Malcolmite (follower of Malcolm X), and author. He was born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama and previously worked as an editor for Ebony magazine.
Chris Hager | March Attendee
A white man, Hager describes his journey hitchhiking to the march from Ohio. His most memorable moment during the event was a sing along of the song 'Freedom.' After the song had been repeated another white man yelled out, 'Can we sing another song?' and a black man replied, 'Brother if we have freedom, we don't need nothing else!' Hager also describes his experience hitchhiking to the South after the March. During that trip, he was picked up by a car full of whites who were not happy about the march and used racial epithets. Later he rode in a car full of black women who were very excited to hear he had been to the March. Born in Washington, D.C., but raised in North Carolina and Ohio, Chris Hager continues to protest against such issues as racial violence, U.S. military actions, and the oppression of women and minorities.
Warren Hall | Member of the National Guard
An African-American man, Hall was a member of the National Guard on duty at the March. Hall discusses his experience of segregation in Washington, D.C. and in the military. Hall also talks about marching in the Funeral procession of John F. Kennedy. Native Washingtonian Warren Hall was a military police officer during the March on Washington. He went on to work for the Department of Human Services.
Sondra B. Hassan | Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Member
An African-American woman and D.C. native, Hassan was a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and escorted Malcolm X to the March. Native Washingtonian Sondra B. Hassan was an active member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. She is a celebrated quilt artist and is married to Jazz historian Rusty Hassan.
Ella Kelly | Red Cross Volunteer
An African-American woman, Kelly was a teacher in the DC public schools at the time of the March. She worked as a Red Cross volunteer at the event--and may have been the only black volunteer with that group at the March. Kelly describes the heat of the day which created a great need for medical attention. Born in New York, Dr. Ella Kelly is a retired academic who speaks several languages including German and Mandarin and has traveled the world.
Paul Kuntzler | March Attendee
Oral history interview with Paul Kuntzler. A white man, Kuntzler was a pioneering gay rights activist who moved to Washington, D.C. from Detroit and attended the march alone. Michigan native Paul Kuntzler was an organizer of the Gay Rights movement in Washington, D.C. and co-founded the Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance.
Books for Children and Families
Books for Teens
Books for Adults
Learn About the History of Social Movements in D.C.
Explore Up from the People: Protest and Change in D.C., the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library’s permanent exhibit. It is located outside The People’s Archive on the Fourth Floor of the MLK Library, and is open during the library’s regular public hours.
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of the DC Public Library Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Read on to learn more and view highlights from Up from the People on Google Arts & Culture.