March on Washington Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research

Updated 1259 GMT (2059 HKT) August 23, 2020

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd near the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. On the 50th anniversary of this historic civil rights event, we take a look back through rarely-seen color photographs from the day.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd near the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. On the 50th anniversary of this historic civil rights event, we take a look back through rarely-seen color photographs from the day.
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Civil rights protesters clap and cheer. An estimated 250,000 people participated in the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Civil rights protesters clap and cheer. An estimated 250,000 people participated in the march.
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Leaders of the rally, including King in the center, interlock hands and arms as they march. The march was organized jointly by James Farmer, of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King, of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; John Lewis, of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; A. Philip Randolph, of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; Roy Wilkins, of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Whitney Young, Jr., of the National Urban League.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Leaders of the rally, including King in the center, interlock hands and arms as they march. The march was organized jointly by James Farmer, of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King, of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; John Lewis, of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; A. Philip Randolph, of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; Roy Wilkins, of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Whitney Young, Jr., of the National Urban League.
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Protesters sing at the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Protesters sing at the march.
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A protester sings at the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – A protester sings at the march.
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A demonstrator holds a protest sign at the rally.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – A demonstrator holds a protest sign at the rally.
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Musician Odetta Holmes plays a song during the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Musician Odetta Holmes plays a song during the march.
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King stands with Rabbi Joachim Prinz, center, by his side.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – King stands with Rabbi Joachim Prinz, center, by his side.
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The crowd cheers during the event.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – The crowd cheers during the event.
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African-American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. attends the rally.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – African-American entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. attends the rally.
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Demonstrators crowd together as they listen to civil rights speakers during the rally.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Demonstrators crowd together as they listen to civil rights speakers during the rally.
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A woman attends the rally.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – A woman attends the rally.
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Actor Burt Lancaster speaks to protesters at the Lincoln Memorial at the event.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Actor Burt Lancaster speaks to protesters at the Lincoln Memorial at the event.
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Actor Sidney Poitier, left, and Singer Harry Belafonte talk with one another during the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Actor Sidney Poitier, left, and Singer Harry Belafonte talk with one another during the march.
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Baseball player Jackie Robinson, right, attends the rally with his son David.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Baseball player Jackie Robinson, right, attends the rally with his son David.
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A. Philip Randolph, who helped organize the rally, stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – A. Philip Randolph, who helped organize the rally, stands in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
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Civil rights leaders from left, Whitney Young Jr., Martin Luther King Jr., Walter Reuther, Eugene Carson Blake, and John Lewis stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Civil rights leaders from left, Whitney Young Jr., Martin Luther King Jr., Walter Reuther, Eugene Carson Blake, and John Lewis stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the march.
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Demonstrators gather around the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial before the beginning of the march.
Photos: Color photos from 1963 march
Color photos from 1963 March on Washington – Demonstrators gather around the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial before the beginning of the march.
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(CNN)Here's some background information about the March on Washington, led by Martin Luther King Jr. and others, on August 28, 1963.

Facts

The event was officially titled the "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."
Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial.
The march was organized by the "Big Six" leaders of the civil rights movement: A. Philip Randolph, Whitney M. Young Jr., Martin Luther King Jr., James Farmer, Roy Wilkins and John Lewis. Bayard Rustin was chief organizer of the march.
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More than 200,000 people participated in the march to focus attention on civil rights and the need to create a level playing field for American workers.
The marchers were entertained by celebrities including Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Odetta, Bob Dylan, Lena Horne, and Peter, Paul and Mary. Other celebrities who were present included Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston, Harry Belafonte, Burt Lancaster, Paul Newman, Diahann Carroll, Sammy Davis Jr., James Baldwin and Jackie Robinson.
Law enforcement included some 5,000 police officers and National Guardsmen.
At the end of the day, the leaders of the march met with US President John F. Kennedy at the White House.
August 28, 2013 - On the 50th anniversary of the march, one of the 1963 organizers, John Lewis, now a congressman (D-GA), and US Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, address a crowd at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Other participants include Oprah Winfrey and the parents of Trayvon Martin.