March on Washington Movement facts for kids
The March on Washington Movement (MOWM) (1941–1946) was a significant event in American history. It was organized by prominent figures like A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin to address unfair treatment of African Americans, particularly in jobs and the military. The movement aimed to pressure the U.S. government into providing fair working opportunities for African Americans and desegregating the armed forces. The movement laid the groundwork for future civil rights efforts, including the famous 1963 March on Washington.
Why did it happen?
The idea for the March on Washington Movement started in the early 1940s when the world was at war. At that time America needed a lot of workers to make weapons, build ships, and support the war effort. Many African Americans were excited to help, but they found that they were often turned away from these jobs. Even if they were hired, they were often paid less than white workers.
The goal of the march was to pressure the president to ban discrimination in defense industries and the government.
Who started it?
A. Philip Randolph was the driving force behind the movement, with allies from the NAACP and other civil rights organizations.
Randolph grew up seeing how African Americans were treated unfairly, and he knew he wanted to do something about it. He had formed and led the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters beginning in 1925. His leadership in the March on Washington Movement was based on his strong experience in grassroots and union organizing.
Randolph knew that African Americans deserved the same opportunities as everyone else. He also knew that the government needed to do something to stop discrimination. His idea was that if many people took part in a big march in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, the government would have to listen and make changes.
Big change
To avoid the march, President Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to take action. In June 1941, he signed Executive Order 8802. This order prohibited racial discrimination in defense industries—a major step forward for equality. Given this major victory, Randolph agreed to cancel the march.
He continued the March on Washington Movement as a way to maintain an organization that could track and lobby for progress, and hold the FEPC to its mission.
Although organized to bring about the 1941 march on Washington, the MOWM operated until 1947; its representatives collaborated with other groups to continue pressure on the federal government. In 1943 Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9346, which expanded coverage of the FEPC to federal agencies beyond those in defense.
Randolph continued to promote non-violent actions to advance goals for African Americans. Future civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and other younger men were strongly influenced by his methods.
Later, President Harry Truman continued this progress with Executive Order 9981 in July 1948, which desegregated the U.S. Armed Forces.
These executive orders showed that collective action could lead to real change without needing marches at that time.
Impact
Even though the march didn't actually happen, the March on Washington Movement was still very important. It showed that:
- People can make a difference: When people join together and speak up, they can change things for the better.
- Fairness is important: Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and have the same opportunities.
- Change takes time: Making things fair for everyone is a long process, but it's important to keep working towards it.
See also
In Spanish: Movimiento de la Marcha sobre Washington para niños
