I . 645,
The March ( The Marc h on Washington , August 28 , 1963 )
Transcript of the Documentary
At the beginning of the 1960s, the situation in the Afro-American community was growing ever more tense owing to high unemployment and racist discrimi nation- In response, a coalition of civil rights groups organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, one of the key events in the history of the black civil rights movement ·in the United States, on August 28, 1963. The main organizers included A- Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Martin Luther King Jr. of the Southern Chris· tian Leadership Conference
[... ] from Jackson,Mississippi, from Birmingham,Alabama, or about the LoudspeakerTruck: FreedomNow movement,hear me.We're distancefrom Johannesburgto Dar-es-Salaam. requestingall citizensto move into Washington,to go by plane,by car, By the end of August, 1963,in some placesof the United States,a bus,any way that you can get there. Walk if necessary.We are pushing Negro could not go to school where he chose,eat where he wished, for jobs, housing,desegregated schools. This is an urgent request. build his home where it pleasedhim or find jobs for which he was Pleasejoin, go to Washington. qualified. . A. Philip Randolph: Negroeswant the samethings that white citi He had beeninsulted, beaten, jailed, drenchedwith water, chasedby zenspossess, all of their rights. Theywant no reservations,they want dogs but he was coming to Washington,he said, to swallow up hatred completeequality, social, economic and political, and no force under in love,to overcomeviolence by peacefulprotest. the sun can stem and block and stop this civil rights revolution which Marshall testing walkie-talkie: Thisis EqualityOne calling Freedom is now under way. Two,over[ ...) Singing: Hold on, hold on, keepyour eyeson that prize,hold on[ ...) Narration: Many peoplepredicted violence. Negro groups trained If the F.B.I.would investigate, themselvesto overwhelmit. Armedwith portabletwo-way radios, probably,then, we would integrate. volunteersscattered throughout the areawould keepwatch. Should Keepyour eyeson the prize, violencecome then, that day,they would call for help. Eachman Hold on, hold on![ ...] would havea code name: Freedom- Equality- Justice- Jobs. We are all here blackand white, Walkie-talkie: Thisis FreedomTwo to EqualityOne[ ...) Boundto fight for equal rights [... ] Narration: TheConstitution of the United Statesguarantees every Hold on, hold on! Americanthe right to pr.otestpeaceably. Two hundredthousand Narration: On August 28, 1963, two hundred thousandAmericans Americans,then , were going to usethis right. cameto Washingtonto demandcomplete freedom for everyone.This Threehundred and fifty yearsago, the white man came to America, is the story of that day. and three hundredand fifty yearsago the Negrocame to America.The Theycame from LosAngeles and San Francisco,or about the distance one cameas master,the other as slave. from Moscowto Bombay.They came from Cleveland,-fromChicago, Onehundred years ago, Abraham Lincoln declared as Presidentof the or about the distancefrom BuenosAires to Rio de Janeiro.They came United Statesthat all slaveswould henceforwardbe set free. Now,
< James Blue, The March (The March on Washington), USA, 1963-1964, 35mm film, b/w, sound, 32 min, still from a digital copy
D -I. 646,
Diagram of the route at the March on Washington, August 28, J963, published the same day in The WashingtonPost.
both blackand white Americanswere preparingto marchto saythat a fied stories,nor are we gonna fight them with hatred, but we're gonna century later,the black manstill wasnot completelyfree. fight them with love. When they hate us,we gonnaabsorb their 'If I am not free,you are not free. If one man on earth is partly en hatred in love; when they speakagainst us,we gonna speakth ings of slaved,the world is not completelyfree." love toward them; we're not gonna let their hatredturn us around, It wasevery man'sduty, then, to helpevery other man. but we gonna love them on everyside. Bullhorn: We needfour peopleat table eight [ ...] Singing: [ ...) oh, I do believe,that we shall overcomeone day. Narration: In New York,volunteers worked for two daysand two l eader: Shakehands with the personbes ide you. nights to makelu nchesfor the march;they madeeighty thousand Preacher: Do you want to be free? cheesesandwiches. Group: YEAH! Singing: We shall overcomesome day[ ...] Preacher: Do you want to be free? Voice of a young woman: Get your button here.O .k. Get your button Group: YEAH! herefor the Marchon Washington.Do you have it? Preacher: Let me hear you say it! Narration: Thepins said: 'I MARCHFOR JOBS AND FREEDOM.'Every Group: FREEDOM![...) one who marchedwore one.The two hundredthousand people who Singing [at train station] : We shall not be moved( ... ] were to marchthat day were held together by the strength of that pin. Young woman [on bus]: We'realmost there. Prayer in church: Thismorning, Father, we ask if thou would hear Leader:Just hold those two and I'll passthem down from here.All the prayersof thy childreneverywhere. Those who are burdeneddown right, just passthem back.All right, I'll start on this side [ ...] If you becauseof conditionshere in Americaand those who are confused haveany questionsor anything that's botheringyou. Besure you con about how they should treat their fellow men.Oh, God, we askfor tact your captain for anything,and they will takeit from there. Do not thosewho have hatred in their heartsto touch their heartsright now, try to do anything on your own, becausethe minute you do, you will oh Father,and somehow,fill their heartswith loveand, oh God,make be upsettingthe purposeof this march.The whole thing is an orderly of this land in which we live a land of cleanlinessand a land of righ conductedmarch. teousness,oh God,and maywe recognizeth is land, a land of Freedom Woman:That's it, that's Washington. for everyrace. Oh, Father. Man: Hi! Hi, everybody!We're here ! Singing: We shall overcome[ ...] [Yells] Yell outside of bus: Let me hear you say it! FREEDOM! Group: FREEDOM!FREEDOM! FREEDOM! [... preparations,night falls ...) Song by Joan Baez: We are not afraid (. ..) Narration: In the night few peoplehad arrived.Negro leaders feared Oh,deep in my heart I do believe that their work had failed. Thosewho did come,waited singing. · Thatwe shall overcome,some day[ ...) Singing: We shall overcome(... ) Song by Odetta: I'm on my way (... ] Preacher: Weare encouraged.We're not going to fight our white I'm on my way and I won't turn back, brethrenwith malice,nor are we going to fight them with any falsi- I'm on my way,Great God, I'm on my way [ ...] 648,
• ,. ',< ,/ ; •~·••' ~ 1 4<..-v , \( c) l- °" Freedom March - Au~ust 28, 1~63
TIME EX)UIP!1Sl'!T ;:;S.;.T,;:;;OR;.;.Y=------PROCEEDTO: 4:30 AM 35 00 Cutmap 35 U.Y. 3us fran Brooklyn-Bus Meet .Jim Int. °tloth Arri & arrives at Ellypse - Blue at tent Shaw Nagra crowds-closeups-Gen'l Cons. & 15th Kemper views at sta-.;e Hash. :r-;on. (USIA • Jim Blue) r;rounds 6:00 AM 35 00 Westan DC wall, Arrives Union Station Crew & Blue Int. "Pippitt eyemo & crowds- Gen'l color to Capitol Melekoglu DC recorder Prob. wild SOF Hill Hower (USIA - Jim Blue) 6: 00 AM 3 5 ~ickman 3 5 Arri & Sunrise from tvash. Stationary SOF Metax~ zoom Mon. -city shots - Ext. Gerlach recorder early AM risers on (USIA - Tony Calsava ge) rrounds-Cen'l color - \.fui te '-~ouse 8:00 AM 35 Yoder eyemo Copter shots A.M. then to Ind. SIL Sands ~utler Aviation, A\·e. by Ext. National Airport 11:00 (USIA - Jim Krell) 8:00 AM 35 Alpert Arri & Gen'l color early AM To photo SIL =tiueiio eyemo alonr: Const. Ave & truck by (USIA - Bob Silberling) vicinity '.las h . Mon. 10:30 p.ro unds & reflect i n~ pool 9:30 AM 35 DS WestgtL.... DC wall, 10 cele rrat es visit Crew to w.n, Int. li:!'.pp1.ff eyemo, Con~ress, lip sync balance of l-leleko::-:lu Cap. delegates arrivals day Hower recorder (USIA - Jim Blue) 10: 00 AM 35 DS Ll.iclanan Arri & -on Stand - stars ~ickman to Ext. Hetaxas recorder enterta1.n, Gen'l color stand west Storey Stand Position-upper side DC Hon, (USIA - Tony Cal sava ge) north corner by 11 : 15 10: 00 AM 35 Koza• 35 Arri rroof L:f.ncoln Hem. Stationary SIL Marcus & zoom arrivals both sides Ext • P-fY'v....{\... o <;S wide ar.~les- crowd (USIA - ~ reactio~-entire Plerlge -departures 10:00 AM 35 Ward Wall eyemo Center stand- Gen'l Stationary SOF Butera zoom-DC prc,r,rarn-wide anr-le of E=:t. \'an Sand ampex arrivals & departures (YSIA - Joe O'Donnell) Lincoln Memorial , 10 :00 AM 3 5 Mamas n .Y. wall Side stand - Gen 'l Stationary SOP PortnoW eyemo- DC program-arrivals & Ext. Sto=-e!• ampex departures (lf>IA - Joe O'D01.nell) 10: 30 AN 35 ~e.rt DC arri Photo truck covera ~e Proceed to SIL eiio & eyemo with crowd assembled Linc. Mem. ('!SI.\ - Bo:, Silber ling)
Diagram of the positions of the cameramen at various locations, assigned by James Blue on behalf of USlA to film .the March on Washing ton , August 28, 1963. Courtesy James Blue Memorial Collection James Blue - The March 649,
Master of Ceremonies:We call this section of our programto a WashingtonMemorial. You havealready told the world what we're halt, and ask you to assemblein your respectivegroups and begin the here for, and shown them by your courage,determination, and your March for Freedom,now. Let us beginquietly and orderly to move order that we meanbusiness. out, rememberingthat by your great numbersyou haveforced a slow, Voice of A. Philip Randolph: We will now be favored by a solo. dignified and stately march.We'll seeyou at the Lincoln Memorial. Miss MarianAnderson. Singing: We shall not be moved [... ] Marian Anderson: We would like to do for you a Negrospiritual [verseborrowed from title of a sit-in song) which has beena favorite of manyaudiences throughout the United Voice: We'regonna wake up Lincoln, tell him to get up and stop dragg States.At the piano is Mr. Faggs.We would like to do for you, He'sGot in' his feet! the WholeWorld in HisHonds. [song) Singing: We are soldiers in the army[ ...] Voice of A. Philip Randolph: I havethe pleasureto present to you Yells and Singing: FREEDOM!NOW! What do we want? FREEDOM! Dr.Martin LutherKing, Jr. ' Whendo we want it? NOW! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: I am happyto join with you today in Singing: [PuertoRican song in Spanish.] what will go down in history as the greatestdemonstration for free Singing: Everybodywants freedom[... ) dom in the history of our nation. I'm gonnawalk, walk[ ...) Fivescore years ago a great Americanin whosesymbolic shadow we Hey-oh freedomJ ... ) stand today,signed the EmancipationProclamat ion. This mom·entous Loudspeaker:I would first like to congratulateall of you on the decreecame as a great beaconlight of hope to millions of Negro orderly,dignified mannerin which you executedthe march from the slaveswho had beenseared in the flamesof withering injustice. It
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21' / H ,rHE~TR£ Rf.f,.L,:p\ It l v .:EE.LS (HAkO) /1 LIVE i 12. A c.r;,v.n_l{ B II -rv I /0 i ,To~1"SO/V 1 Pu6~. s ,_N I C6S SP£AKff ' ! RE.PCl1:r$ 8 (~UL) 28' AP 7 UPI ' 5TM s LIFE 4 S' 8LA<:K l G10' 1' H s' t)[M01UAL BACK STANO /'1£1"101(/AL' PRIVE ANO \ SOVTH fU.f~f:CT!NG FOO!.; SID£ STAND Diagram of the camera positions assigned to various news organizations for the filming of the Man:h on Washington, at the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963. The USIA position is in C 9. Courtesy James Blue Memorial Collection 650, cameas a joyous daybreakto end the long night of their captivity.But to go to jail together,to stand up for freedomtogether knowing that one hundredyears later, the Negrostill is not free. we will be free one day. Thereare those who are askingthe devoteesof civil rights, "Whenwill Thiswill be the day,this will bethe daywhen all of God'schildren will be you be satisfied?"We can neverbe satisfiedas long as the Negrois the ableto singwith newmeaning: "My country' tis of thee,sweet land of lib victim of the unspeakablehorrors of police brutality. erty,of theeI sing.Land where my fathersdied, land of the pilgrim'spride, We can never be satisfiedas long as our children are stripped of from everymountainside let freedomring,· and if America'sto be a great their selfhood and robbedof their dignity by signs stating "for nationthis must becometrue. So let freedomring. From the prodigious whites only." hilltopsof New Hampshire,let freedomring. From the mighty mountains No. No,we are not satisfiedand we will not be satisfieduntil justice of NewYork, let freedomring. From the heighteningAlleghenies of Penn rolls down like water and righteousnesslike a mighty stream. sylvania,let freedomring. From the snow-cappedRockies of Colorado,let I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgiathe sons of freedomring. From the curvaceousslopes of California,but not only that; former slavesand the sonsof former slaveowners will then be able let freedomring from StoneMountain of Georgia.Let freedom ring from to sit down togetherat the table of brotherhood. I havea dream,that LookoutMountain of Tennessee.Let freedom ring from everyhill and one day eventhe state of Mississippi,a state swelteringwith the heat molehillof Mississippi, from everymountainside. of injustice,sweltering with the heat of oppressionwill be trans Letfreedom ring . formed into an oasisof freedomand justice. I havea dream that my And when this happens,when we allow freedomto ring, when we four little childrenwill one day live in a nation wherethey will not be let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. every city, we will be able to speedup that day when all of God's I havea dream today. children: black men and white men,Jews and Gentiles, Protestants I havea dream that one day down in Alabamawith its vicious racists, and Catholics,will be able to join handsand sing in the words of the with its governorhaving his lips dripping with the words of interposi old Negro spiritual: "Freeat last! Freeat last! ThankGod Almighty, tion and nullification, one day right down in Alabamalittle blackboys we are free at last!" and black girls will be able to join handswith little white boysand Singing: We shall overcome[... ] white girls as sistersand brothers.I havea dreamtoday. A. Philip Randolph [to the press camerasand microphones]: I have a dream that one day everyvalley shall be exalted,every hill I think history was written today, which will have its effect on com and mountain shall be made low and the rough placeswill be made ing generationswith respectto our democracy,w ith respectto our plain and the crookedplaces will be made straight and the glory of ideals,with respectto the great struggle of man toward freedom the Lord shall be revealedand all flesh shall seeit together.This is and human dignity. our hope. Narration: Therewere many who praisedthis day and said that there This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we had beena new awakeningin the conscienceof the nation. Others will be ableto hew out of the mountain of despaira stone of hope. called it a national disgrace.In the wake of this day,more violencewas With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discordsof to come, more hatred;but in the long history of man'scruelty to man, our nation into a beautiful symphonyof brotherhood.With this faith this was a day of hope. we will be able to work together,to pray together,to struggletogether, [Singingin bus at night.] '