The March on Washington: A Demand for Equality of Citizenship

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Geesey:
This is George Geesey in Washington, DC The Educational Radio Network for the next fifteen hours will be bringing you live coverage of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Leaders of the ten national organizations sponsoring the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom today have issued a public statement on today’s activities.
It says, in part, that the Washington March today is more than just a demonstration. It was conceived as an outpouring of deep feeling of millions of white and colored American citizens that the time has come for the government of the United States of America and particularly the Congress of that government to grant and guarantee complete equality in citizenship to the Negro minority of our populations.
As such, the Washington March is a living petition in the flesh of the scores of thousands of citizens of both races who will be present from all parts of our country. They go on to say that it will be orderly but not subservient. It will be proud but not arrogant. It will be non-violent but not timid. It will be unified in purpose and behavior, not splintered into groups and individual competitors.
We the undersigned receive the Washington March as wrapping up the dreams, hopes, ambitions, tears and prayers of millions who have lived for this day, call upon the members, followers and well wishers of our several organizations to make this march a disciplined and purposeful demonstration.
We call upon them all black and white to resist provocations to disorder and to violence. We ask them to remember that evil persons are determined to smear this march and to discredit this cause of equality by deliberate efforts to stir disorder. This is a statement made by the leaders of the ten national organizations sponsoring the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The Educational Radio Network has gathered its reporters from all of its stations in the Eastern part of the United States to man sites along the parade route and the assembly areas and the Lincoln Memorial grounds where ceremonies will be heard this afternoon.
To give you perspective on where these locations are, we would like to now call in our reporters on the scene in Downtown Washington. Let’s first go to the Washington Monument grounds and reporter Malcolm Davis.

The Scene at the Washington Mall

Davis:
This is Malcolm Davis and I’m speaking from Site 3 down here at the Washington Monument. Right now, we seem to be gathering a crowd of people beginning this March for Freedom and March for Jobs. Right in front of me here I have the NAACP and CORE. NAACP and CORE from Cincinnati. They are on the left side of me here.
And just slightly down on my left is the National Association of Social Workers. They are also from Cincinnati. Military policemen and civilian policemen are now surrounding the stage holding the people back so that the stage area can’t be overcrowded.
A few minutes ago we did have a report that Rockwell was in this area, but we have not had that confirmed. Looking way ahead up the field from where I’m standing right now through my field glasses I can see that under the Washington Monument there is quite a large crowd gathered at this point. And I think there is approximately 50 stars and stripes flying in the breeze here on this rather bright morning.
And, a rather clear view of the Washington Monument from Constitution Avenue where I’m standing. Everything is comparatively quiet at this point. As Al Hulsen said a few minutes ago, most of the people around here seem to be comparatively tired after what has probably been a very long night’s journey from one place or another. But I hope to talk to some of these people a little later on in the program.
The main area here is comparatively empty. It is slowly filling up but nothing too much. Surrounding the area there are all sorts of lunch counters, and comfort stations and many trucks that are I presume here to service all of these people that are attending the march. Radio and television cameras are still checking out here, and we seem to be at this point from all the radio and television people, the only people on the air at the time.
Two Red Cross camps here are comparatively empty. And, what appears to be the busiest area down here is the March headquarters tent. That does have a very large crowd over there, but I can’t at this point see exactly what’s going on or report from that. This is Malcolm Davis. Now back to George Geesey at AMU.
Geesey:
Another important spot on the grounds in the general area where these people will be marching today is the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. From there we have a report from David Eckelston.
Eckelston:
On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial I’m facing east, and I can see the Washington Monument and the crowd that Malcolm spoke of at the base of it. Further in the distance toward the east, you can see the United States Capitol Building, the light shining through the Rotunda through the columns and pillars.
To the right, you can see the National Library of Congress and a little closer the Smithsonian Institution. To the south you can see nothing but trees that surround the Lincoln Memorial. To the north is Bacon Street and the Department of State. There have been quite a few people coming out on the top floor balcony of the Department of State and looking around.
In back of me is the Lincoln Memorial, and in back of that is Memorial Bridge across the Potomac to Virginia. And, on a straight line with the Capitol Building, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial is the Memorial to the Marines, a newer attraction here in Washington.
Some of the things that have happened so far this morning: At 7 o’clock, the first ten people were here. They brought their own folding chairs, and are to my left down near the Reflecting Pool. The Reflecting Pool, by the way, early this morning and now is very calm and so it gives a nice reflection of the Washington Monument. There are apparently fish or some sort of fly in the Reflecting Pool because every now and then you see little wavelets up in the middle of the Reflecting Pool.
At 7:15 this morning, a troop carrying Army helicopters buzzed the place. They were at tree level. At 7:15 they started on the south of me and went along the parade routes and continued clear up and went around the Capitol Building, and then came back down on the other side at treetop. After that they buzzed at different levels and at one time I thought one might run into the Lincoln Memorial. A squad of twenty-five policemen arrived at 7:40 and assembled at the foot of Bacon Avenue.
A short time later, five Army buses with about twenty-five National Guardsmen arrived and unloaded and went on their separate ways. The Good Humor truck arrived at about 7:42. And that’s about it at this time from the Lincoln Memorial.
Geesey:
And, of course, the Lincoln Memorial will be a much busier place this afternoon and we’ll have more reports from Dave Eckelston at that time. Another one of our situation sites along the Reflecting Pool is situated just below the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and yet in a good view of where the crowd will be this afternoon.
Let’s call in Cal Nossiter. Well, we’ll be standing by to go back to her. Let’s jump back to the Monument grounds. However, on the south side of the Washington Monument an area where a lot of the people are assembling today and let’s call in David Edwards.
David Edwards below the Washington Monument on the south part of the ground where there is an outdoor stage for Shakespearean plays known as the Sylvan Theater. Is Dave Edwards available for us at this time?
Edwards:
Lincoln Rockwell and about 40 followers of his American Nazi Party failed to report to the Sylvan Theater as they had been scheduled to do, and instead wandered around to the northeast of the Monument briefly.
Without the expected Rockwell activity, the Sylvan Theater hasn’t been quieter since the free Shakespeare production of “Much Ado About Nothing” closed here two weeks ago. Small numbers of marchers have gathered at the Monument to the north of us here, and about 8:30 or so four ten-man police squads and about 100 National Guard DC Special Police fanned out down the hill to the theater.
They ring the Washington Monument now alternating blue and gray police; one blue and gray policeman and one cocky soldier. These officers and the occasional marshals with gold arm bands supplied by the sponsoring organizations probably outnumber the marchers visible from here.
So there are very few gathered ringing the Monument. In fact, there will be little to see from here but the occasional helicopters, which circle overhead surveying the situation until the march moves down Independence Avenue behind me later on in the day. This is David Edwards for the Educational Radio Network returning you now to George Geesey.
Geesey:
Thank you, Dave. We missed the very first portion of your broadcast. I think you were mentioning the fact that Lincoln Rockwell, who is the leader of the Communist Nazi Party here in the Washington area. He did make an appearance as he promised to do and was marching around the east side of the Washington Monument.
Police are on guard and are watching the demonstration. He has been told that he cannot have permission to do any demonstrating at all and, therefore, police are watching very closely. And we’ll be reporting from that site south of the Monument where they have a very good view of all the areas of the Washington Monument grounds where people are assembling this morning, people from out of town. The Washington people who are expected to join in this march today, particularly people who are expressing a desire for home rule are meeting on the Ellipse. Let’s go to Al Hulsen.
Hulsen:
...the Washington Monument and the White House. A great deal of activity is already very evident. Buses have continued to pour in here, and have now encircled the drive, which is already closed to regular traffic. Groups have been arriving from all over the United States. In the past few moments, for example, I’ve seen buses from Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio; Brooklyn and Buffalo, New York and the Massachusetts Chapter of the ADA, the Americans for Democratic Action.
As you might expect, after a night of traveling these people look tired and seem especially quiet looking in all directions, obviously trying to find out what’s exactly going on. No doubt for many of the marchers this is their first trip to the nation’s capitol, to Washington, DC. Just below the Washington Monument across Constitution Avenue from here I can see the headquarters tent where marchers are being greeted and given final instructions before the formal activities begin.
That will be at about 10:00 with Malcolm Davis reporting. To the rear of that tent are thousands of placards and posters, which will be passed out when the march begins at approximately 11:30 onto the Lincoln Memorial. The weather now is showing signs of definitely turning hot.
Already, the refreshment stands, Good Humor men, and so forth are doing a booming business. This goes for the other public facilities provided and water fountains attached to fire hydrants and to the regular Department of Sanitation water trucks. Pennant and button salesmen incidentally are also finding sales swift.
Here at the Ellipse at least the Portable Comfort Station, as it’s called, is already tremendously overloaded with long cues of approximately one hundred men on one side, and a hundred women on the other. The public telephones and the first aid stations are going pretty much unused at this time. An Army convoy of approximately 20 trucks passed through here at about 7:30 this morning apparently going somewhere to be on call in case they’re needed.
I would estimate that there are some 200 policemen and military police in this general area now. The early morning crowd seems to be predominantly Negro here. All sorts of dress is evident from the Ivy League suit to overalls and straw hats and even some Texas ten-gallon hats. Quite a few people are carrying knapsacks, blankets and so on apparently anticipating a not too comfortable return trip tonight. In the event people are stranded, however, a group is already volunteering to assist.
They are located just to the rear of the headquarters tent. The final word here about the press, technicians are still extremely busy installing telephones, radio lines and television cameras. Many have been working here through the night and certainly will be here throughout the day. That’s about it from here at the Ellipse. Now back to George Geesey.
Geesey:
Those are reports from some of the sites in the March area today. We will be bringing you this live coverage from now until midnight. The one site that we missed is by the Reflecting Pool, and there we’ll call in Cal Nossiter.
Nossiter:
From our truck here by the Reflecting Pool just immediately outside the NASA Building L, the atmosphere is one of extreme quiet. Traffic is moving slowly by and well, very few people scattered around on the banks of the Reflecting Pool walking slowly. Only the Washington Monument and the play of the Silent Partners are visible in the Reflecting Pool.
Most in evidence are the communications people and their equipment; cameras, monitors, tape machines, loud speakers, scaffolding, miles and miles of cable. The Lincoln Memorial is still serene in this early morning light, as it has been quietly shining in the distance since we arrived. As we approached our position here, we saw numbers of buses parked along side the mall. But at this early hour, no large groups of marchers on the site. Passers by seem relaxed and confident.
We did observe a squadron of police and National Guardsmen assembled opposite news headquarters at the Lincoln Memorial circle. The police are Negro and white, but the National Guardsmen are mostly Negro.
People are still passing by now at 9:15 in the Lincoln Memorial area by the Reflecting Pool, and all is extremely calm almost leisurely. Many are dressed in sports clothes and these are in sharp contrast with the clergymen and police scattered among the still thin crowd. So far, the edict for an orderly demonstration is certainly being held here. Now back to George Geesey at Central.
Geesey:
One more site that we have just north of the report that we had from David Eckelston. Awhile ago, just north of the Lincoln Memorial a press tent has been set up by leaders for this March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and the ERN has a reporter on duty in that tent as the March Committee makes announcements. Let’s go for a report to Arnold Shaw.
Shaw:
From the news headquarters at the Lincoln Memorial, this is Arnold Shaw. The dew is still on the sloping lawn surrounding the Lincoln Memorial here in Washington, DC The sun is out and the weather gives promise for a comfortable day, possibly hot. Long before the sun rose, people started to drive and to arrive here at more comfortable locations under the trees near the Reflecting Pool.
Two of these people stated that they were from [inaudible] and arrived at 11:30 so that they would be assured of a good place to sit. The entertainment and speeches planned by the sponsoring organizations of the event, which has been titled “The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” These are the people that reporter David Eckelston spotted from his vantage point in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Six people, which seemed to be the earliest to arrivers of all, were from nearby Alexandria, Virginia, but they wanted to get here early to assure themselves of a place to sit.
At this point, the assurance iis not only theirs but is for anyone planning to arrive in the next couple of hours. There are very, very few people here at the Lincoln Memorial, but the program of events doesn’t begin until early afternoon. And at this point, the press and the police are waiting. Near the press tent, there are 150 military policemen and 75 District of Columbia Police standing in ranks, just what they have been doing for the last two hours.
Everyone is waiting. People at this point are not marching but getting good seats on the benches and folding chairs near the Lincoln Memorial. They mainly drove here in small groups and some of the places that they’ve come from, the people we’ve talked to so far from Oberlin and other places in Ohio, from Chicago and New York, and one woman from San Diego, California showed us her plane ticket.
She said her grandfather sold slaves and she was here quote, “To help wipe out evil,” end quote. However, she will not march. She is a spectator. And right now, everyone here at the Lincoln Memorial is a spectator and waiting. This is Arnold Shaw for the ERN, returning you to George Geesey.

Report from Police Headquarters

Geesey:
And with those reports from the ground areas of the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool, the Lincoln Memorial and other sites that we’ve mentioned the Ellipse, for instance between the White House and the Monument where people from Washington are meeting, we hope we have given you an idea of where our reporters are located so that we can bring you this live coverage of just what is transpiring in the Capitol of the nation today.
There are at least 8,000 law enforcement agents on hand today in Washington to keep the peace. What they’re chiefly concerned with is the possibility of outsiders sparking a riot or a disturbance by heckling or name-calling or even physical violence. The District Commissioners are making themselves available every minute of the day in the District building. A special communications network has been set up to keep them in contact by radio and by telephone to their leaders and to leaders of the demonstrations. The ERN has a reporter located on the third floor of the police department where all of these efforts are being coordinated.
Let’s go now to Bill Price. I’m sorry, it’s Mike Price. There are a lot of law enforcement officers there. Metropolitan Police for instance has 1,900 uniformed men and 300 plain-clothes men on duty today. All leaves have been cancelled for all policemen. Five hundred police reserved men are on duty manning precinct stations and riding in squad cars near the Memorial and the Monument grounds. The District of Columbia Canine Corps, 75 man and dog teams are there standing by. In case of any trouble, they’re subject to quick call, and there are well-trained people in crowd controlling.
National Park police whose jurisdiction controls many of the areas that we’ve been reporting from so far, have 241 officers on duty helping to direct traffic on the federally policed highways and grounds. Their biggest problem is the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, of course, where people from the north and Philadelphia, New York, and all points north are trying to get into the city to participate in this March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Now, let’s go again to police headquarters.
Rice:
It is realized that every member of the department will work many long and arduous hours of extra duty during the day of the rally without proper rest or relief. With this view in mind, the factors of patience, courtesy, tolerance, and consideration are brought to your attention. Members of the force in handling the many unusual circumstances that shall arise shall be patient, discrete and solicitous of the citizens of our own city as well as the multitude of visitors here during this rally.
Courtesy and consideration of the public as well as between ourselves and members of other departments assisting us is of the utmost importance. Innumerable questions will be asked and information sought from members of the department. Every reasonable effort shall be made to furnish the information requested and if found necessary, the inquirer shall be directed to the proper source where the information may be obtained. Many minor infractions of our regulations will be committed, particularly on the part of visitors and should be explained to the violators.
Arrests for minor infractions shall be held to an absolute minimum. We should bear in mind the fact that visitors and others coming in contact with the police frequently judge the entire department by the actions of one officer. The visitors will be from all sections of our country and the courtesy and assistance rendered by members of this department will cause them to take back home a lasting and favorable impression of their visit to the nation’s capitol.
Furthermore, it is just as important that we carry out our responsibility to the District of Columbia in such a manner that they will continue to hold in the highest esteem the Metropolitan Police Department, the District of Columbia National Guard, the District of Columbia Fire Department and the Reserve Police Corp. Next, a paragraph from Section 20, General Instructions. This is the most important occasion that the Metropolitan Police Department has ever faced in its long and distinguished history.
It is imperative that every man and every official do his utmost to see that these orders are carried to the end that when the rally is over and the participants have disbursed to their various homes in the cities and states, they may look back on this day with pleasure. And that there will linger in their hearts a genuine esteem for our department. This Michael Rice for the ERN at Washington Police Headquarters returning you to George Geesey.
Geesey:
Mike Price was reporting from police headquarters with some quotations from a 21-page report, Special Order Number 26 of Deputy Chief of Police Howard Covell to the Metropolitan Police Force. Mike has also phoned in some statistics so far this morning on the number of people arriving in this capitol city. Of course, expected are some 32 special trains, which will have the capacity to carry 26,000 people and some 880 buses, which will be able to carry 33,000 people into this Washington city. So far, eleven of these special trains have arrived carrying about 7,000 people.
Traffic is light downtown. The total now expected by the police department is 82,917 by bus and by train. The problem, of course, is the people who are driving by private automobile. Most of these buses are being parked on the Ellipse or nearby or down Independence Avenue and in a special zone some ten blocks square set aside with restricted parking for buses only. We’ll be bringing you reports on how the number of people getting into Washington progresses as we progress this morning with this live coverage from Washington on the March of Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Your best situation in trying to follow the action as it takes place here in Washington today would be to have a map of Washington in front of you especially the zone between the Washington Monument, the Reflecting Pool, and the Lincoln Memorial.
The Washington Monument, of course, is an ideal assembly area, and that’s why it was chosen this morning for these people to meet, to meet by state, by buses and to go together to get their placards and then be entertained as we’ll be bringing you this live entertainment by Hollywood stars from a stage, which is erected near 15th Street and Constitution Avenue. The stage, which faces a large vast grassland leading up to the Washington Monument, which is on sort of a hill.
Down the other side of the hill on the south portion, we’ve already had reports from David Edwards where there is the Sylvan Theater. As these people assemble by 11:30 this morning, they’ll be moving out onto Constitution Avenue right by the press tent that we’ve had a report from and by the stage. They’ll be formed up by about 11:30 if everything goes on time, and then proceed about a mile down Constitution Avenue turning onto Henry Bacon Drive and approaching the Lincoln Memorial.
Not everyone is expected to join in this march. Some people are going a southern route down Independence Avenue, and this will be led by prominent Negro women. We’ll be reporting on that, of course, from our vantage point down at the corner of Independence Avenue and 17th Street a report that we’ve already had from David Edwards. The people will then convene and meet in front of the Lincoln Memorial where the official speeches and some entertainment will be held this afternoon.
We’ll be covering all of this for you and we hope that we’re able to pinpoint exactly where we are speaking from and where action is taking place. We’re leading now until 10 o’clock when the stage ceremonies of all of the Hollywood stars will take place. Washingtonians this morning have looked into their city with a little bit of ease this morning. Traffic was very light as one commuter has reported to us. Very few people are going to work. Government buildings are for the most part empty, and government parking lots are not nearly as full as they would be on a normal government working day.
DC buses are about half full, this reports, and they’re all running ahead of schedule. One bus driver said he wished that they’d have a march here every day. It makes things a lot easier for him. Well, the reason for this is that so many government workers are not going to work today at all. There’s a policeman or a National Guardsman at every corner of the downtown area to report back to the police headquarters that we just had a report from.
There’s a gray Red Cross bus flying a Red Cross flag, of course, dropping nurses off at their post along the parade route in specially set up Red Cross tents. We understand that Union Station is not as crowded as it might be expected to be on a normal day, although more trains, of course, are expected to arrive in a few hours. People who get off of these special trains then will board commuter buses set up by DC Transit and will be carried to the corner of 15th Street and Constitution Avenue right near the assembly area on the Monument grounds.
And, we’ll have a lot of reports with these people from our location there at the stage area at the corner of 15th Street and Constitution. The Ellipse is between the White House and the Washington Monument. It also is a large grass area and as we have had one report already from Al Hulsen, people form Washington who want to parade for some reason or other are meeting there. And Al has another report for us right now. Let’s go to the Ellipse.

Fear of Communism at the March

Hulsen:
At the moment I’m speaking with Mr. Simon Klennan on the Ellipse here in Washington. Mr. Klennan how do you feel about this march today?
Klennan:
Well, the way I feel about it, I think it’s absolutely justified. I think that they should get their freedom and their liberties and public accommodations and jobs and things like that. But at the same time, I think there’s a lot of Communism mixed up in this. Some of these white people are not truly at heart for the colored people. They are here for a purpose.
Hulsen:
And what do you believe is that purpose?
Klennan:
I think that purpose is absolutely Communism. I can see it around here, the looks of them, their actions, and things like that. Now, some of these white people are down here truly trying to help them, but others are not. I think they’re just after their own purpose to mix Communism in with this thing, and I think that’s bad.
I think what they should have done when they come down here and white people offered to go, they should have selected the people that they wanted to come with them, people that are really Americans and for an American cause. I think this is all an American cause but I don’t like to see this Communism mixed up in it.
Hulsen:
Do you have any definite evidence that there are Communists here?
Klennan:
I don’t have any definite evidence, but you can generally pick them out.
Hulsen:
How can you do that, sir?
Klennan:
Well, by their looks, but their actions and things like that. Take some of these girls that fall all over these colored fellows. I don’t believe they’re down here just because they want to help them. I think they’re actually mixed up in this Communist movement that’s growing in the country and I’m afraid of it.
Hulsen:
Do you think this is a very serious or very large march?
Klennan:
Of Communists?
Hulsen:
Yes.
Klennan:
Well, so far I wouldn’t say that I’ve seen too many, but I think there is a pretty good element in it, because there are always people that are agitating just like this Rockwell gang is agitating for the Nazis. So I think the same damn thing happens for the Communists, but I think taking it as a whole, I think they are full heartedly for their movement. I think they should get their rights.
Hulsen:
Mr. Klennan, what do you believe this march will achieve?
Klennan:
Well, it all depends. If it’s peaceful and quiet, I think they’ll get most of what they’re after. I don’t think they’ll get public accommodations through the South. But I think it will help them a lot if they’re peaceful and quiet, if there’s nothing happening, if there’s no fights. My wife was afraid for me to come down today. She thought I’d get into an argument but I’m not going to argue with anybody. I have been [incomprehensible] I believe that every man is put on this earth for a purpose. I don’t think that we’re any better than the next fellow whether he’s colored or whether he’s a Japanese or a Chinaman or what the devil he is.
He’s a human being. We could have all been colored. We could have all been snakes as far as that goes. God is the only one that has created all of this. So I don’t think that they should be held back. I think they should get jobs providing they’re qualified. I don’t think a fellow that’s a laborer should go to work and demand a job as an engineer. I think he should be qualified. I think they should start a program where they train a lot of these people, where they take fellows in as apprenticeships.
The union should recognized the fact that this is a growing population. They’re going to get larger. We have 54 percent here in Washington of colored. And you can’t hold a gang like that down. They’re either going to do that or they’re going to get in the rackets. They’re going to get into robbery, which they have already done and things like that. So they should start a program where they train them, provide them with jobs. There should be jobs for all, white or colored or anybody. Don’t you think so?
Hulsen:
Mr. Klennan, where do you come from?
Klennan:
I come from, well I was born in New York City. I’ve lived around this Washington area for over twenty-five years.
Hulsen:
And you’re here today just to do what?
Klennan:
Just to look around.
Hulsen:
Well, thank you very much, sir.
Klennan:
I thought I’d watch it better this way than watching it on television.
Hulsen:
Thank you.
Klennan:
You’re welcome.

Report from Site 3 and the Lincoln Memorial

Geesey:
That was Al Hulsen with an interview on one of the persons here today to either watch or participate in this March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. To help gather the flavor of what’s happening today, we hope to bring you many of these interviews, get the people that are here to participate to tell you why they are.
And we hope to be able to bring you many of these speeches today. We understand there are some speeches being made now on the Washington Monument Grounds on the stage, which has been erected to entertain the people as they assemble there. Let’s go to that point and ERN Reporter Malcolm Davis.
Davis:
Right here at Site 3 the stage which has to this point been empty is now beginning to fill up with people. The people at this point are not famous people. Inasmuch, they are not recognizable as Hollywood celebrities. It appears that they are officials of some of the organizations that are down here in this particular area. Out in the field the crowd has now gathered.
There must be many thousands of people right now. I should estimate at this point there must be a minimum of five to ten thousand now closing in on the stage. One of the officials as far as I can see from where I am it looks as though he’s an NAACP official and he is now addressing the crowd outlining exactly why they’re here. Let’s go now to pickup this speech.
NAACP Official:
You will be led by dignitaries and famous ... Our leaders, the ten leaders of the Civil Rights Movement would be in one section, and the five heroines, our brave women in this struggle will lead the other, and we will march toward Lincoln Memorial. Thank you.
Davis:
The applause was for the person who was just addressing the assembly gathered here. It is anticipated at this point that other people will walk forward. I do believe at this point they are able to walk forward to the main podium and address the vast audience here at will. As of yet, we have not been able to determine who is here, but I do believe that I can see James Farmer of CORE, but at this point, I cannot verify that.
There are many other groups assembling here now, the Methodist Student Movement I can see, the Western Pennsylvania Marches for Jobs and Freedom are here. There is a UWA representative here. The NAACP signs and CORE signs are at this present all over the field. In addition, there is a very large representation from the YWCA and right beneath the Washington Monument way up the field is the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
They have quite a vast crowd. Many parades and columns of people are coming in now from all directions and they are taking their places right here in the crowds. The crowd has now swelled to a point where half of this area, which I can only estimate as being just under a quarter of a mile in length and width is now I would say one-third filled.
The atmosphere as I reported a little while ago is still comparatively quiet. Everybody does to a point seem rather tired and I think they will probably be remaining this way until the entertainment starts. Malcolm Davis on the stage beneath the Washington Monument returning you to George Geesey.
Geesey:
The glittering capitals of show business must be virtually empty today judging from the early reports of the numbers of their inhabitants who have joined this march coming from as far away as Paris. The group is loosely organized and is arriving at varying times today, all to report to the stage area where Malcolm Davis just reported from for a bit of entertainment today as these people assemble prior to the march time at 11:30.
And, of course, right now on Capitol Hill march leaders are meeting with Congressional leadership at the US capitol. We’ll try to have reports from there, too, to find out what is being said and how the Congressional feeling is going toward this March on Washington. Reporter Arnold Shaw for the ERN is at a press tent on the north side of the Lincoln Memorial where he’s having contact with officials of the leaders. Let’s go to him right now for another report.
Shaw:
Slowly assembly here at the Lincoln Memorial we are located in a press tent, which looks like a circus tent actually at this point. Many typewriters tickling in the background, which you will hear all day long. Newsmen are starting to increase in numbers. I would like to report that Malcolm Davis report at the Washington Monument must be erroneous because we have a press release just given out by CORE, the Congress of Racial Equality.
And it’s a message from James Farmer of Congress of Racial Equality National Director for the Donaldsonville Jail in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. It’s a message to the marchers. And Mr. Farmer says, “From a South Louisiana parish jail, I salute the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. By marching on Washington, your tramping feet have spoken the message. You have said to the world by your presence here as our successful direct action in numberless cities have said that in an age of thermal nuclear bombs violence is outmoded as a solution to the problems of men.
It is a truth that needs to be shouted loudly and no one also anywhere in the world is saying it as well as our American Negroes through their non-violent direct action demonstrations.” Mr. Farmer continues, “Some of us may die, but our war is for life not for death. And we will not stop our demand for freedom now. We will not slow down. We will not stop our militant peaceful demonstrations. We will not stop until the dogs stop biting us in the South and the rats stop biting us in the North.”
A message from James Farmer, National Director of CORE from his South Louisiana parish jail. Another press release just released here in news headquarters at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Remarks by Roy Wilkins the Executive Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Mr. Wilkins says, “We came to petition our lawmakers to be as brave as our sit ins and marchers.” He continues, “It is incomprehensible to us here today and to millions of others far from here that the United States Government, which can regulate the contents of a pill, apparently is powerless to prevent the physical abuse of citizens within its own borders. The President’s proposals represents so moderate an approach that if anyone is weakened or eliminated the remainder will be little more than sugar water. Indeed the package needs strengthening.
The President should join us in fighting for something more than pap. We expect the passage of an effective bill.” This in a message by Roy Wilkins the Executive Secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. That is the latest in the news from news headquarters at the Lincoln Memorial. This is Arnold Shaw for the ERN returning you to George Geesey.

Richard Cohen and the American Jewish Congress at the March

Geesey:
Washington, DC is the arm or beat for about 1,200 news reporters for radio and television and the wire services and newspapers and other periodicals. And today, this 1,200 has been joined by more than a thousand reporters from as far away as Japan. All the major television networks are, of course, covering the march at some time or other today. Photographers are here from Germany and France and Japan to film today’s events for their TV audiences.
March leaders said Monday that Telstar would relay the action to Europe, and early this week the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company said that it had already installed 68 radio circuits.
Last night we heard there were 214 lines being rented from the telephone company for purposes of carrying broadcasts from the march site to respective radio stations. One of the ERN stations bringing this coverage to the New York area is WNYC. We’d like to call in now reporter Bill Price who is in New York City for some comment from that city.
Price:
Good morning. This is Bill Price from WNYC New York. We recorded an interview yesterday with one of the officials of the American Jewish Congress. We’d like to play that tape recording for you. Then, we have a story direct from New York concerning the Civil Rights March.
This is Bill Price WNYC News and I’m speaking with Richard Cohen, Publicity Relations Director of the American Jewish Congress who are sending approximately 1,500 people from around the country down to the Civil Rights March on Washington come Wednesday, August 28th. At the time you’re hearing this particular tape recording Mr. Cohen and all of his associates will be in Washington joining in the demonstration down there. How are you doing, Mr. Cohen?
Cohen:
Hi, Bill.
Price:
We'd like to have a statement from you concerning why the American Jewish Congress is participating in the demonstration.
Cohen:
Well, we in the American Jewish Congress consider the demonstration to be an historic moment in our country’s development. And we have called on the American Jewish Community to support the March and we are supporting it as a mitzvah or a commandment, which is in keeping with the highest ethical principles of Judaism.
Price:
Mitzvah? What is the definition of that again?
Cohen:
Mitzvah is a commandment. We are commanded to do good deeds in our faith, and we consider participation in the March and in the struggle for equality to be in keeping with the highest ethical principles of Judaism. We are urging our members and our fellow Jews to stand side by side with their Negro fellow Americans and march together for full equality in a free society.
Price:
How are you preparing your associates to go down? You’re going down by bus, is that right?
Cohen:
Yes, we are chartering the special buses from New York, from Baltimore, from Philadelphia, from New York, from Boston and members and officers of our organization are participating. As you know, Rabbi Joachim Prinz our National President is one of the ten founding chairmen of the March.
He will be speaking from the platform at Lincoln Memorial. He will be with the group that goes into see President Kennedy and Vice President Johnson after the demonstration is over. And, we’re very pleased and honored that the head of the American Jewish Congress should have been chosen in effect to represent the Jewish’s community’s participation in this great march for freedom.
Price:
Of course, the largest Jewish community in the United States is here in New York, isn’t that right?
Cohen:
Yes, of course.
Price:
And how many members do you have here in New York who are attending?
Cohen:
Oh, gosh, it’s hard to say. Several hundred certainly are coming.
Price:
Well, I mean, is that private folks going down there?
Cohen:
Many, many people are going by train, some with other groups, others are making arrangements to spend the weekend down there and going in their private vehicles and so on.
Price:
In other words, people from Brooklyn, Queens and those.
Cohen:
Oh, yeah, all the burrows.
Price:
Jersey and Connecticut are going on their own personal funds?
Cohen:
Oh, yes, everybody is going on personal funds. Our buses are convenient to our members, but all of our members are paying the fare to go on the bus. And many people, in fact, have called us and said I can’t come myself. I’m busy or I can’t get away but here’s $10 or here’s $20. Please send a couple people down with these funds. That’s been happening to us and it’s very gratifying to see the response of the Jewish community here in the New York City to the March because it’s an indication to us that they understand how important it is.
Price:
Throughout the year what does the American Jewish Congress do aside from the demonstration on Wednesday?
Cohen:
Well, our programs are really divided into two main areas. They’re described by our goal, which is to strengthen Jewish life and to advance the frontiers of freedom for every American. We believe that the two goals are coincident and congruous with one another, that by strengthening our understanding and identification with our Jewish identity and our Jewish heritage and our Jewish background we can also be better Americans.
So we work to fight discrimination and to fight bigotry and to fight bias against Jews but against also against Negroes or Puerto Ricans or members of whatever ethnic or national group. We have learned a long time ago that no man’s freedom is safe unless every man’s freedom is secured. It's philosophy that has animated American Jewish Congress programs in the area of anti-discrimination work favoring civil rights, civil liberties, and separation of church and state.
We believe in freedom and in equality, and we stand up for what we stand for. That’s one of the things that we like to think of at any rate about the American Jewish Congress that makes us a little different from other organizations.
Price:
Well, as I told you at the beginning of the interview this is on more or less a beeper phone and tape recorded. I’m talking to you now here from WNYC Studios in New York at 10 Columbus Circle. That’s where I’ll be broadcasting from on Wednesday at 10 Columbus Circle, the 20th Floor. We’ll be thinking about you marching in Washington. Well, right now, although, we’re recording this two days hence before.
Cohen:
Right.
Price:
Thank you very much, Mr. Cohen.
Cohen:
A great pleasure talking to you.
Price:
Bye-bye now.
Cohen:
Goodbye.
Price:
Another note from New York. About 350 civil rights demonstrators finally got on their buses in New York today for the big march in the nation’s capitol. But some of them had to be coaxed. This is a United Press International story. It says the five chartered buses scheduled to leave for Washington at 1 o’clock in the morning didn’t show up until 4 o’clock in the morning.
The impatient passengers found that only two of the buses were equipped with reclining seats, rather reclining seats, and air conditioning. The others were of the less luxurious types designed for short city runs. Now some of the riders balked at the prospect of traveling on these buses until William Booth...He is the President of the NAACP branch in Jamaica in New York, which had chartered the buses and he said this is a march on Washington, not a comfort march on a scenic tour, and if you folks are sincere, you’ll stand a little discomfort today.
Geesey:
Bill, this is George Geesey in Washington. We’ve had a report form Mike Price down at the DC Police headquarters. It says there was a disorder one of the trains coming to Washington from New York, and it seems that a woman from New York had not paid the fare and got into an argument with the conductor. The fare was finally paid and the argument settled and the disorder can now be reported as being over.
Price:
Okay, thank you very much, but to finish the story, Mr. Booth himself remained behind in Jamaica to lead pickets in a demonstration at a city housing development. The demand, as the Negroes and Puerto Ricans have been doing for the past couple of weeks here in New York City, that more Negroes and Puerto Ricans be hired for work on publicly financed projects.
Now throughout the day from WNYC here in New York, we’ll have interviews with important persons in the psychiatric field. We hope to have a good interview on that and also the theater. We have people coming up like Godfrey Cambridge who’s appearing with The Premise in Greenwich Village. It was a fine Negro act here in New York. Now this Bill Price WNYC New York for the Educational Radio Network returning you to George Geesey in Washington.

Morton Godine and the B'nai B'rith A.D.L. at the March

Geesey:
Another station carrying this live coverage from Washington in the Boston area is WGBH FM where reporter Rick Lee has report.
Lee:
From WGBH FM in Boston this is Rick Lee. We begin by a telephone interview made yesterday afternoon with Morton R. Godine, Chairman of the New England Regional Board of the Anti Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith.
Isber:
Mr. Godine is Chairman of the New England Regional Board of the Anti Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith. Could you tell me what your group’s position is on the March on Washington this coming Wednesday?
Godine:
Yes, officially both the New England Regional Board of the Anti Defamation League and the National Commission of the organization have urged board members throughout the country and we here in the five New England States to support the August 28th March on Washington.
Isber:
When you say “support them” what are you doing to support them?
Godine:
Well, firstly in New England in a concrete way. A number of our members have contributed financially to the support of the March and two of our staff have been designated as official representatives from New England and will be in Washington on the 28th.
Isber:
What will they be doing in Washington?
Godine:
I can’t say exactly. There are people participating in the March and I suppose be there as both observers and participants. They both feel very keenly an affiliation with the Anti Defamation League. I hope that this will be a peaceful assembly for a very worthwhile cause and we hope that it will be some step and dramatic one if not too meaningful toward the solution of the most pressing social and moral problem, which we feel the country is presently confronted with.
Isber:
In your opinion what are the goals of the March?
Godine:
Well, I don’t know what the goals of the March are. Of my own opinion is what I would hope that it would be one focal event, one step. It’s certainly no panacea. I think its essential purpose is to call into a very dramatic fashion attention to the need for a vigorous and very forthright, very definite action on the part of Congress and public authorities elsewhere to eliminate the injustices from which our Negro fellow citizens have suffered too long.
Isber:
Has any of your group been helpful in organizing the march, and what have they been doing?
Godine:
Yes, I now that we have been in various parts of country. This becomes a grassroots kind of thing and we have helped organize and assist buses of persons colored and white who will be going to Washington. This much we’ve done and we’ve public supported it in terms of national and local statements, and we have worked closely with varying and different localities with Negro groups of which there are many as you know. But all seem to be at least together on this particular issue with very few exceptions.
Isber:
Thank you very much.

Dana Greeley and the Unitarian Universalist Association of America at the March

Lee:
Interviewer Carolyn Isber speaking with Morton Godine of B’nai B’rith. In the three major Boston newspapers this morning in the Record American no comment on the March. In the Globe a special article about how one may dial the governor as one gets the weather, but no word on the March. And from the Boston Herald this article, “The Power of the Multitude” an editorial. Many feet speak in a loud voice today in Washington.
It is a voice raised we believe in a just cause, a voice of America’s conscience, a voice to be heard around the world in mighty litigation of our dubious record in race relations. And yet, the very power of this multitude raises shivers in any thoughtful person for what can be done with effectiveness for a good cause can be done for an evil one, too. There is no inherent rectitude and numbers to match the power therein. When many people join for a cause many more people are caught by the infection.
The passion of it builds by its own human momentum. To be in becomes so much more exciting and satisfying than to be out looking on. And, a purpose that may have been a doubtful validity at the start gains the endorsement of conformity. Today, a great foregathering of people affirms the foundation of civilization, the dignity of man. But this affirmation is driven home by this march. Whatever march in some tomorrow for a less intelligent cause, a march say for the abandonment of nuclear weapons. There is a cause that could incite tens of thousands as it has in England already.
This simple straightforward way to survival, this sensible declination of disaster. How could it help bring together another multitude with as much power? Yet, the march would be a march toward a fatal over simplification. The patriotic cause of German redemption from the Treaty of Versailles set off a march into Nazism. Six immolations, and pyres of gasoline are hitting Vietnam in a march to Communism. The Arab refugees from Israel still hold their march of hate to fan the flames of the Middle East conflict.
The sound of many feet has all through history more often a terrifying sound than a comforting one. Sometimes there is the rattle of tumbrils, too. That from the Boston Herald this morning. And now for our second interview. Again to Carolyn Isber speaking with Dr. Dana MacLean Greeley, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association of North America who will head a delegation of more than one thousand Unitarians and Universalists participating in the Civil Rights Demonstration today. Carolyn.
Isber:
Dr. Greeley, I understand you’re going to Washington. Could you tell me why you’re going and what you expect to be doing down there?
Greeley:
I’m happy to participate in the Civil Rights march and to lead my own denominational participants because I do believe that this is a significant demonstration or an important witness in behalf of legislation that is long overdue. And, I’d like to have every bit of public sentiment placed behind this legislation at the present time that we can amass.
Isber:
How many are going with you, Dr. Greeley?
Greeley:
Well, I expect somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 Unitarians and Universalists from our churches in various parts of the country. These will be some small delegations, some larger delegations from the major metropolitan communities.
Isber:
Do you have any organization down there for meeting and gathering together?
Greeley:
We do. We should be briefing our people on Tuesday evening, and then again on Wednesday morning as they come in from different parts of the country. And I expect that we’ll have a fairly large rally ourselves at All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington before the march.
Isber:
And then you will march with the groups?
Greeley:
We will march with the regular group from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial entirely under the management of the Joint Committee for the march itself.
Isber:
Will you be speaking to any senators or representatives?
Greeley:
We will be speaking to some of the senators and representatives in the first instance in their own offices and in the second instance as a result of invitations that we have extended to them to join us on Tuesday evening.
Isber:
Is your group supporting the bill as it stands now or are you proposing any changes?
Greeley:
We are not proposing any specific changes. We are committed not to the details of the present legislation but generally to the President’s proposals and to Civil Rights legislation as an urgency at this moment.
Isber:
Has the Unitarian Universalist Church been helpful in organizing the march?
Greeley:
I would say that it has. In specific communities across the country our people have tried to participate 100 percent in the community effort in every instance. But, from Boston to Cincinnati to Los Angeles, there are individual communities where they’ve taken the strong initiative.
Isber:
What do you see as the goals of the march specifically?
Greeley:
I would think that the goals of the march might be to strengthen the hands of those who are insistent that real progress must be made in the next few weeks and months legislatively speaking. But, equally significantly we will progress in the next year or so on behalf of the total program of equal rights.
Isber:
Thank you very much.
Greeley:
You’re very welcome.
Isber:
I appreciate it.
Greeley:
All right.
Isber:
Good bye.
Greeley:
Bye-bye.
Price:
That was Carolyn Isber for the Educational Radio Network from Boston. This is Rick Lee for the ERN returning you to George Geesey at ERN Master Control.
Geesey:
Downtown at Washington Police Department headquarters who are controlling all of the police movement today whether they’re needed or not, we have reporter Mike Price and he’s just phoned in police are now estimating the crowd assembled between the Washington Monument and the stage area set up for their entertainment now totals about 25,000 people. This is still far from the mass of people expected to be in town by the time we move through the march area down to the Lincoln Memorial.
Lincoln Rockwell one of the so-called agitators expected to show up today ahs shown up as we reported, and he now has approximately 50 people are on the exact east side of the Washington Monument area about 50 of the storm troopers they’re called. They’re being kept aside by the Police Department. Watch very carefully because this American Nazi Party has been refused a parade permit but Rockwell said he would show up and he has so far.
So police are very carefully watching them, but there is no action. They aren’t disturbing the peace and so far they’re on their own and in their own confined area. The leaders now that we reported were down seeing Congressional leadership at the US Capitol, have left Mr. Mansfield’s office, and are now headed for the Minority Floor Leader of the Senate, Senator Everett Dirksen.
And we’ll have more reports from what they have asked for and what promises perhaps they’ve been given by the Congressman. The Educational Radio Network is bringing you this live coverage from the nation’s capitol this March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. All in all today we’ll be bringing you fifteen hours devoted exclusively to live coverage from Washington on what is happening here today on what is really the most important march we’ve ever had here in the nation’s capitol. We’ll be back with more live reports in just a moment after we allow these educational stations bringing you this coverage to identify themselves. This is the Educational Radio Network.
WGBH Station ID:
Stay tuned to WGBH throughout the day for full coverage of the March on Washington broadcast live from Washington. This is WGBH FM 89.7 megacycles in Boston.
Geesey:
This is George Geesey again back in Washington reporting live to you from Washington what is happening.
END AUDIO