H. Res. 352 

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

September 16, 2003. 

Whereas the first call for a march on Washington was initiated in 1941 by A. Philip Randolph, President of the 

Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in response to the 

blatant discrimination that had become a constant hardship in the lives of African-American workers; 

Whereas in the spring and summer of 1963, more than 

20,000 United States citizens were arrested and detained 

while nonviolently protesting the racial injustice that was 

widespread throughout the southern United States at 

that time; 

Whereas Randolph told President Kennedy that the AfricanAmerican population was going to march peacefully on 

Washington to demand their full and equal constitutional 

rights in the face of severe civil rights violations and 

harsh economic inequality; 

Whereas in June of 1963 the ‘‘Big Six’’ civil rights leaders— 

Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, John Lewis, 

Whitney Young, Roy Wilkins, and A. Philip Randolph— 

convened to plan a mass protest that would begin at the 

Washington Monument and end in front of the Lincoln 

Memorial; 
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•HRES 352 EH 

Whereas the march was initially termed the ‘‘March on 

Washington for Jobs and Freedom’’, and aimed to advance support for a new Federal jobs program and a 

higher minimum wage; 

Whereas the Big Six expanded the focus of the march to include civil rights injustices due to the disturbing events 

that had occurred in the months prior to the march, such 

as police dogs attacking peaceful demonstrators in Birmingham, the assassination of Medgar Evers in Jackson, 

and the lack of congressional support for President Kennedy’s civil rights bill; 

Whereas Government officials were concerned about the outbreak of violence, but many civil rights organizations held 

orientation meetings before the march that taught and 

stressed the intrinsic non-violent principles of the movement; 

Whereas on August 28, 1963, people from throughout the 

country arrived in Washington by plane, bus, train, and 

foot to express the urgent need for forceful and immediate action on the issue of civil rights; 

Whereas demonstrators pledged their commitment and continued participation in the struggle for civil rights; 

Whereas March leaders met with President Kennedy and 

Members of Congress to discuss the importance and consequential impact of the pending civil rights bill that 

aimed to end discrimination of African-Americans in the 

work place, voting booth, educational facilities, and all 

other public domains; 

Whereas the demonstrators peacefully marched through the 

streets of the capital and, at the Lincoln Memorial, heard 

empowering and inspiring words from the Big Six lead-
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•HRES 352 EH 

ers, as well as Walter Reuther, Rev. Eugene Blake Carson, Rabbi Joachim Prinz, Matthem Ahmann, and Floyd 

McKissick; 

Whereas police officers had their days of leave cancelled, suburban forces were given special control training, and 

15,000 paratroopers were put on alert, but no Marchers 

were arrested or jailed and the march dispersed without 

incident; 

Whereas the March was one of the first events to be televised 

worldwide, and thus brought international attention to 

the social and economic plight of African-Americans; 

Whereas 15 Senators and 60 Representatives attended the 

rally at the Lincoln Memorial and witnessed the commitment of the demonstrators to the struggle for domestic 

and universal human rights; 

Whereas the March sparked the passage of the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965; 

Whereas the public display of humanity exhibited by the 

March educated the public and helped to correct some of 

their misconceptions, and demonstrated the possibility 

that an entire country could be changed through non-violent protest; and 

Whereas the 1963 March on Washington was the largest political demonstration in United States history and proved 

to the nation that prejudice and discrimination against 

African-Americans and other minorities could be successfully fought by a collective force committed to the principles of non-violence: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 352 EH 

(1) honors the 1963 March on Washington as one 

of the largest political demonstrations in United States 

history; 

(2) recognizes the monumental importance of the 

1963 March on Washington in the on-going struggle for 

civil rights and equal rights for all Americans; and 

(3) extends its gratitude to the organizers and participants of the 1963 March on Washington for their 

dedication and commitment to equality and justice. 

Attest: 

Clerk.