To the Point
The March on Washington: Myths and Realities
The March on Washington is remembered for Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech and what one historian calls "a sweetly patriotic glow." But it doesn't tell the whole story of what happened on that day in 1963 or what happened before and after.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readThe March on Washington is remembered for Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech and what one historian calls "a sweetly patriotic glow." But it doesn't tell the whole story of what happened on that day in 1963 or what happened before and after. The press, the Kennedy White House -- even the NAACP -- feared that a crowd of mostly black Americans might turn violent and set back the civil rights cause. If it was a "defining moment" of the Civil Rights Movement, what is its legacy today? We put the event in the context of the times, when integrated, non-violent protest became big news. As we hear Dr. King's words, how much of his vision has been accomplished? How much has yet to be done?
Warren Olney
former KCRW broadcaster
Katie Cooper
Producer, 'One year Later'
Kerry Cavanaugh
editorial writer at the Los Angeles Times
Anna Scott
Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter
Steven Pearlstein
Business Columnist, Washington Post
Cecil Williams
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church
Andre Willis
Brown University