Fifty years ago, a black boy could be arrested, beaten and killed for raising his eyes to admire the beauty of a white woman. Fifty years ago, a man could be thrown in jail, beaten or killed for attempting to exercise their God given right to vote. Fifty years ago, a type of terrorism rooted in ignorance and hate plagued the moral fabric of this great country, making it impossible for a man or woman of color to be anything but hunted, oppressed and belittled each and every day of their lives.

Luckily for us, fifty years ago, these same victims refused to be victims of this country’s terrorism any longer. They instead, chose to band together as one to peacefully fight for their rights as United States citizens. Many were arrested, spit on, kicked, punched, sprayed with water hoses, and killed in the nonviolent fight for equality. The fight was bloody, tiring, and just when they felt as though they had had enough, just when they thought all hope was lost, their leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dared to tell them of his dream at one of the largest political rallies for rights in United States history. 

The March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place on August 28, 1963. Fifty years ago to this date, hundreds of thousands gathered in front of Washington, D.C.’s, Lincoln Memorial to demand civil and economic rights for African Americans. It was on this iconic day that a southern black preacher delivered the speech that would inspire the nation.

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