American Civil Rights Movement Resources

Today marks the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, one of the largest and significant political rallies for human rights in United States history.  

The event took place on Wednesday, August 28, 1963 and involved well-over 200,000 activists, most of whom were African-American.  

Considered the defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famed “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in front of the Lincoln Memorial memorialized the occasion.  

This peaceful demonstration is greatly recognized for its impact on helping to pass the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Voting Rights Act (1965), two legislative landmarks outlawing major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women.  

To commemorate this important day in history, we’re featuring here a few online resources that highlight these past efforts to ensure the rights of freedom and equality for all.

• 1963: The Struggle for Civil Rights – John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum (http://civilrights.jfklibrary.org/) - New interactive website presents key “chapters” on one of the most important years in civil rights history.  The chapter on the March on Washington details the organization, implementation and aftermath of the event.

• Voices of the Civil Rights Movement (http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civilrights/overview.html) - Online exhibit documents a wide range of events of the American Civil Rights Movement.  The site was established through the collaboration between the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), and the Library of Congress.

• Our Documents (http://www.ourdocuments.gov/) Site offers digital access to “100 Milestone Documents” to encourage discussion on the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.  The site was developed as a cooperative effort by the following organizations:  National History Day, the National Archives and Records Administration, and USA Freedom Corps.

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