Loading Events

« All Events

  • This event has passed.

On this day in 1963, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech took place during the March on Washington

August 28, 2023

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 28 of August, repeating indefinitely

On this day in 1963, the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech took place on the National Mall in Washington D.C. The gathering served as a response to racial discrimination and recent violent attacks on civil rights leaders.

The March came about as a combination of two planned protests – A. Philip Randolph’s planned march for jobs and Martin Luther King Jr.’s march for freedom. The march’s official title was “The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” Roughly 250,000 people assembled at the march’s final stop – the Lincoln Memorial. 🏛 🏛 🏛

Did you know? Martin Luther King Jr. agreed to give his “I Have a Dream” speech lastly because other speakers wanted earlier slots for the best press coverage. Ironically, his words from that day are the ones that have endured and are remembered and studied throughout the world today. 🗣 🎤 👏

King’s speech, originally slated for 4 minutes, stretched to sixteen as he departed from his notes, improvising much of his famous oration. Talk about a skilled speaker!

Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mathew Ahmann in a crowd), Rowland Scherman, 1963

Details

Date:
August 28, 2023
Event Category: