Photograph of Rolls Down Like Water: American Civil Rights Movement Exhibit

Rolls Down Like Water: American Civil Rights Movement Exhibit at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The March on Washington Gallery.

One of the most iconic and joyful moments of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, the March on Washington gallery is a multimedia experience that highlights the events of the day. View footage of King giving his seminal “I Have A Dream” speech, hear the exciting sounds of protests and songs, and learn more about key players in the event’s successful planning and execution.

On August 28, 1963, hundreds of thousands of people from diverse backgrounds gathered on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in what is still considered one of the largest human rights events in American history. The March was designed to put pressure on the federal government to enact civil rights legislation, protect civil rights, and improve working conditions for African Americans.

The March on Washington immediately became associated with Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Yet there was a great deal more to the story that day. The event included a wide variety of speeches and performances, becoming a template that would be copied countless times by political activists and social protesters around the world. Many of the participants would proudly remember the March as the most important and meaningful event of their lives.

About the Curator:
George Costello Wolfe (born September 23, 1954) is an American playwright and director of theater and film. He won a Tony Award in 1993 for directing Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and another Tony Award in 1996 for his direction of the musical Bring in 'da Noise/Bring in 'da Funk.