Jackson advocate., 1963-09-07
March On
Continued From Page One)

AA6 VA SOAAosA uCtAOH pTOJeCtS,
organizing support in Southern
counties (and facing intimida-
ton for it) and seeking to
speed school desegregation.
The march on Washington
q sea of determined faces, a
parade swelling down historic
avenues from Washington's
spire to Lincoln's memorial
rolled across the nations
capital under a blue summer
sky.
Americans watching on tele-
vision and other lands via
Telstar and Eurovision - were
given a glimpse of the coordi-
mated new Negro leadership in
the United States and what it
can accomplish.
When the first buses and
trains full of Negroes and
whites began discharging their
cargoes, from Mississippi and
Florida, Chicago and New
York, Philadelphia and the
West Coast, it was uncertain
whether the total eventually
would swell as predicted to
100000. But one hour before
the march it reached 100000.
The intense resolve of the
Negro leadership and of the
police forces along the route
that this would be a totally
nonviolent, completely orderly
demonstration was evident.
AS its originator, A. Philip
Randolph, had said in his deep
oratorical voice, the march is
intended as a Solemn declara-
ton of conscience" and stimuli
tuncuus1y as ar effort to reach
the conscience of the American
people.
The marchers were both
white and Negro, but heavily
Negro. The parade began un-
expectedly early and swept
along Constitution Avenue from
the Washington Monument to
the Lincoln Memorial.
Leaders of the parade barely
managed to catch up and get
themselves in front of the pa
rade.
Signs had been prepared in
advance with such slogans as
I'VE March for Freedom" But
some placards were introduced
at the last moment by indi-
viduals. One read "The Justice
Department Is A White Man"
1t is estimated that about
half of the government workers
in Washington did not report
for work. Commuters buses
were relatively empty and car
traffic lanes were not crowded
as usual. WaShingtonians had
been warned of possible traffic
jams.
Negroes went to the Capitol
and met with Senate and House
leaders of both parties.
Senate Majority Leader
Mike Mansfield (D) of Mon
tana told news1ncn later that it
was a cordial and courteous
meeting at which no commit
ments were asked and none
given.
The Rev. DR.. Martin Luther
King Jr., president of the
Southern Christian Leader
ship Conference, said, eve had
a very good discussion, and I
think it will lead to fruitful
results"
A few of the top 10 leaders.
IN statements prepared for de-
livery to the vast assemblage
from the podium of the Lin
coin Memorial with the statue
OF the Great Emancipator look
ing On, were more militant.
John Lewis of the Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Com-
mlttee called the administra-
toms civil-rights bill "too little
and too late" and inveiphed
against both Republicans and
Democrats for Immoral COM
promises"
Another leader, James
Farmer of the Congress of Ra-
cial Equality sent his message
from the Jail in Louisiana
where he is behind bars for
carrying on demonstration.
He declared:
Our direct-action method,
bringing down barriers all over
America - in jobs, in housing,
in schools, in public places-is
giving hope to the world"
In more moderate tone Roy
Wilkins. executive secretary of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored Peo-
pie, declared:
eve have come asking the
enactment of legislation that
will affirm the right to life,
liberty. and the pursuit of hap
piness, legislation that will
place the resources and the
honor of the government Of
all the people behind the pledge
of equality in the Declaration
of Independence"
eve want employment and
the pride and responsibility
and self-respect that goes with
equal access to jobs. We want
a ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
bill as a part of the legislative
package"
How does the Negro rank
and file appraise this march?
A marshal in the crowd says:
81 see the whole impact here as
sacrifice. These people piling
into the monument grounds
have ridden all night, will
stand all day, and will ride
back home all night tonight.
They must have had purpose.
to do all this"
A minister from a New York
Negro church in Harlem says,
"The way ! figure it. we are
helping to make civil rights