March on Washington: 60 Years

ADL leaders were at the original March on Washington in 1963 with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders to witness the historic “I Have a Dream” speech. We were honored to co-chair the 2023 momentous event which was not a commemoration, but a continuation of that landmark moment in the fight against hate and to secure justice and fair treatment for all.

March on Washington Brings Inspiration and Hope

The Jewish community came together in solidarity with our Black community partners and other allies to continue the pursuit of equal rights, so we can once and for all achieve Dr. King’s dream.

As ADL’s CEO said on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, “We stand together because we know that, in the same breath, those who spew ugly anti-Black racism on our airwaves, in our newsfeeds and within our communities, they also so often spew vicious, vile antisemitism. And vice versa. You see, the fates of the Black and Jewish peoples—and those who share both identities—are intertwined. While many of us have different histories, we all have shared experiences.”

Martin Luther King III encouraged us with these words: “It is we the people who can make changes…represent history in the right way…ensure hatred and hostility is not espoused all over our nation. But we need us all to be engaged.”

His wife, Arndrea Waters King, galvanized the crowd with the reminder that “Today, hate is being shaken to its core. Walls are crashing down. Walls of racism, bigotry, intolerance, antisemitism, xenophobia. That’s what happens when we stand together.”

Want to go further in learning about the legacy of Dr. King?

Here are some resources to guide you.