The March on Washington of 1963 and Black Women

When the March on Washington was held 60 years ago, on August 28, 1963, most Americans did not know that Black women were mostly excluded to address the gathering. It is one of the most disappointing moments in the history of the Civil Rights movement. It is, in fact, embarrassing considering the moment.

When Dr. King’s holiday is celebrated each year in January, the nation hears clips of the speech and his footage of the quarter million people who had come. But rarely, if ever, do you hear about the backstory of Black women being denied the chance to speak.

In H.H. Leonards’ recent biography on Rosa Parks (Beyond the Bus), Leonards wrote that Parks was “dumbfounded” by the fierce opposition of the men to equal participation by women in the March on Washington D.C. It didn’t become a moment of retreat for Parks, but rather, it prompted her determination to fight for the rights of all people. Prior to the march, Black women tried to make the case for them to receive speaking parts. It didn’t work. The New Republic wrote about the sad moment in 2014:

“In the end, the men had their way. They not only banned women from speaking but grouped the women to be honored during the march with the wives of the male civil rights leaders, directing them to march together, separately from and behind the men.”

It is pretty sad this happened because women did some of the most important work during the movement. They were the strength of grassroots efforts. Dorothy Height (she was an official organizer of the march but did not speak), Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Diane Nash, and JoAnn Robinson are just a few of the many African-American women who did hard work in the movement. They did some of the most courageous and important work.

Robinson, in particular, made the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 occur through her own efforts. Robinson organized the specifics of the boycott. Robinson designed the communication system initially to make sure all African Americans were aware not to ride the buses in Montgomery. Robinson, by being the key player in the boycott, risked her life and eventually had to leave the Montgomery area due to threats against her life.

Yet, somehow, the voices of Black women were not worthy of the official program for the March.

Public Domain image — March on Washington August 28, 1963 — Official program

On the official program, not one Black woman is slated as a speaker. There are two women, but they are both singers. Rosa Parks and Daisy Bates both spoke for a few seconds to the crowd early in the morning, but they were not official speakers. There were also not many people at the morning session as the crowd for the march did not gather until approximately noon.

It is an insult that patriarchy contaminated the march. It is shocking that learned individuals like Dr. King and A. Phillip Randolph let this happen and were part of it. They could have stopped it.

In the meeting at the White House with President Kennedy after the march, Black women were not participants. There are only white men and black men in the meeting with Kennedy and in the photographs of the meeting.

To their credit, Black women did not let the snub get them down or stop them. Black women continued to fight racism, sexism, and patriarchy, and now they are fundamentally the leaders in the fight for equal justice for African Americans. They vote, organize voters, and are essential to the freedom struggle. Stacey Abrams helped the Democratic Party win elections in Georgia. A Black woman is currently Vice President.

The March on Washington 1963 was a great event. It could have been even better if Black men had shaken off patriarchy and set a new course for African Americans in America.

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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.

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Photo credit: iStock.com