“Freedom is never given;
it is won.”
A. Philip Randolph, October 15, 1937
There are moments in our nation’s history when individuals unite and take courageous steps to fulfill the promise of democracy. One hundred years separate the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington. Yet, these two events are profoundly linked together in a larger story of liberty and the American experience. Both were the result of people demanding justice. Both grew out of decades of bold actions, resistance, organization, and vision. In both, we take inspiration from those who marched toward freedom.
United States population 31,443,321
African American population 4,441,830 (enslaved 3,953,760)
All states restricted the rights of African Americans and slavery was legal in 15 states
United States population 179,323,175
African American population 18,871,831
Racial segregation was legal in all states