Marching Forward

Today is the 47th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. On August 28, 1963, an estimated 250,000 people, nearly 25 percent of whom were white, rallied in Washington, D.C., seeking civil and economic rights for African Americans.

The March began at the Washington Monument and ended at the Lincoln Memorial where musicians, including Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, performed. Speakers also addressed the crowd (and the nation, as much of the event was televised). Among the speakers was the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

The event has gone down in history as one of the most significant demonstrations in United States history. It is credited for helping to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which, among other things, makes it illegal for an employer to "fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."

The March on Washington in 1963 ultimately changed the workplace forever, creating access to opportunity that at the time was only a dream for so many Americans.

Today, in 2010, young workers take diversity for granted, recognizing that education, experience, skills, and ability are the primary drivers of career success. They can't imagine a world where it is otherwise. And this, after all, was the point of the March and subsequent legislative efforts.

The country is not perfect, but on August 28, 2010, citizens of the United States of America have reason to be proud.