We Marched For More Than A Dream: 55 Year Anniversary After the March for Jobs and Freedom
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By Jason “J.G.” Gamble
August 28, 1963 just 55 years ago we had a history March on Washington. The highlight was Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. giving his famed “I Have A Dream” speech. This was a very powerful moment in American history, but what is often ignored are original reasons why people of all races, religions and creeds took time to stand together and move America in the right direction. This was before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voter’s Rights Act of 1965 that came nearly 2 years later.
This was before the 1965 March on Selma. Americans are seldom taught the truth about civil rights in America and they rarely learn the context of many crucial events. The March was not simply a march for civil rights it was called the March for Jobs and Freedom. Freedom for all people. The march was organized by A. Phillip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, who built an alliance of civil rights, labor, and religious organizations. They Marched with labor unions, religious advocacy groups, Asian, and Latino groups.
Nearly 300,000 people marched because they realized we were still on a very long walk to freedom for all. The March impacted our society in many ways. It changed the dynamic of the Second Great Migration allowing more Black Americans to move from the south to the north for better employment. It led to the immigration laws of 1965 which allowed many Latinos to become American citizens. Many of the immigrants from places like the Cuban population in Miami own the movement for changing the dynamic in America.
Many people that were not involved with social change were inspired by the movement. Ironically, Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. was not supposed to speak but Bayard Rustin who was a friend of Coretta Scott King was so moved by Dr. King that he fought many of the organizers because he knew that Dr. King’s voice would inspire a generation. For some 1963 seems to be an unimaginably long time ago. Still there are so many that are living today and most of us are only one or two generations away from the March.
We must realize that even though things are better in some respects, we still have a very long way to go. We are reminded daily that people are working and unemployment is at a low. However the march was about fair wages not just jobs. Many Americans are working 2 and 3 jobs but barely getting by. We all need a reminder of where we have come from so that we will not take steps backwards. People often remember the “I Have a Dream” catch phrase but if you read these quotes from the men that spoke at the March you will see we are still fighting the same fight.
A. Philip Randolph – Founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car porters and visionary director of the March on Washington:
“Look for the enemies of Medicare, of higher minimum wages, of Social Security, of federal aid to education and there you will find the enemy of the Negro, the coalition of Dixiecrats and reactionary Republicans that seek to dominate the Congress.”
“Those who deplore our militants, who exhort patience in the name of a false peace, are in fact supporting segregation and exploitation. They would have social peace at the expense of social and racial justice. They are more concerned with easing racial tension than enforcing racial democracy.”
Walter Reuther, President of United Auto Workers:
“And one of the problems is what I call is there is too much high-octane hypocrisy in America. There is a lot of noble talk about brotherhood and then some Americans drop the brother and keep the hood.”
“Let us understand that we cannot defend freedom in Berlin so long as we deny freedom in Birmingham.”
Whitney Young, Director of the National Urban League:
• “How serious our national leaders are will be measured not by words but by the speed and sincerity with which they pass necessary legislation, with which they admit to the tragic injustice that has been done our country and its Negro citizens by historic discrimination and rejection and until they take intensive remedial steps to correct the damage in order to give true meaning to the words ‘equal opportunity.’”
Floyd McKissick, reading a speech written by James Farmer while he was imprisoned in Louisiana for peaceful protest:
• “The tear gas and the electric cattle prods of Plaquemine, Louisiana like the fire hoses and dogs of Birmingham are giving to the world a tired and ugly message of terror and brutality and hate.”
Rep. John Lewis, then 23-year-old chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC):
• “We are tired. We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jail over and over again. And then you holler, ‘Be patient.’ How long can we be patient? We want our freedom and we want it now.”
• “We march today for jobs and freedom, but we have nothing to be proud of. For hundreds and thousands of our brothers are not here. For they are receiving starvation wages, or no wages at all.”
• “Where is our party? Where is the political party that will make it unnecessary to march on Washington?”
After reading these quotes ask yourself two questions. How much of this sounds like what we are fighting today? And if you didn’t know then why isn’t this being taught? Look at how long we have protested the conduct of police. Look at how long we have talked about America “defending freedoms” elsewhere while denying freedoms here. Things can only change if we all stay aware and we all have the courage to rise up together and demand change. Remember we are all in this together.
1Struggle, 1Community, 1LUV
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