I Have a Dream: King Speaks to 250,000 in Washington
An estimated 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Martin Luther King Jr., scheduled as the last speaker on a long program, departed from his prepared text when gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouted "Tell them about the dream, Martin!" His improvised "I Have a Dream" peroration, with its vision of a nation where children "will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," became the most famous speech of the 20th century. President Kennedy watched on television and said, "He's damn good." The march directly pressured Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
August 28, 1963
63 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on August 28
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The Black Death reached Mainz in 1349, and the Jewish community was accused of causing it by poisoning wells. This was the standard accusation across Europe tha…
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