Martin Luther King Jr. addresses crowd of 250,000 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. King has arms outstretched and is wearing a black robe with an American flag to his right. Photo is taken from behind with reflecting pool and Washington monument visible in the distance.
Racial Justice, Social Justice

The Sixtieth Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom: Keeping the Dream Alive

On August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was a turning point in the moral struggle and journey toward greater racial and economic justice in the United States. Civil rights, religious, and labor leaders helped organize the march, calling for an end to segregation and racial discrimination, as well as advocating for fair wages and economic justice, voting rights, education, and long-overdue civil rights protections. At the end of the march, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. challenged America, saying “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” Sixty years later we continue to face fundamental moral challenges in overcoming racism and honoring “a promise that all …would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This in-person and online dialogue will examine what more needs to be done to advance freedom, equality, and justice for all. How are we keeping Dr. King’s dream alive? And where are we falling short? What are the responsibilities of Catholics and other people of faith to make this dream a reality? 

An outstanding group of leaders will bring a vital perspectives, experience and commitment to this conversation:

  • Sr. Anita Baird, DHM, is the founding director of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office for Racial Justice and a past president of the National Black Sisters’ Conference. She has served as United States Provincial for the Religious Congregation of the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary
  • Marc Morial (L’83) is the president and CEO of the National Urban League, one of the original sponsors of the March on Washington 60 years ago. He also served as mayor of New Orleans and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Morial is a graduate of Jesuit High School in New Orleans, the University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown Law.
  • Andrew Prevot  is the new Amaturo Chair in Catholic Studies and professor of theology at Georgetown University. He is a former professor in the Theology Department at Boston College and is co-editor of Anti-Blackness and Christian Ethics (Orbis Books, 2017).
  • Lauren Reliford is the political director at Sojourners, a Christian organization committed to advocacy for social justice, where she works on developing and implementing Sojourners’ policy strategy, positioning, framing, messaging, and advocacy for Congress and the Administration. Lauren is a graduate of Boston College and has an MSW from Catholic University of America. 

John Carr, founder of the Initiative, will moderate the conversation. John served as the director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for over 20 years. 

  The participants will explore questions such as: 

  • What have we learned and where have we made progress in the 60 years since the March on Washington? Where have we not? 
  • What are key moral imperatives and policy priorities that advance racial and economic justice now?
  • What is the connection between the civil rights and economic justice agendas from 60 years ago and those agendas now? 
  • Faith communities were a major part of the March on Washington. What are the continuing responsibilities of leaders and people of faith to advance freedom, equality, and justice for all? 
  • How do we engage and mobilize the broader U.S. community to address racism, economic justice, access to education, mass incarceration, and housing disparities?  

Recording and Accessibility​

For those who cannot join us in person, the gathering will be livestreamed and posted online for later viewing.

All accommodation requests should be sent to cathsocialthought@georgetown.edu by August 24. A good-faith effort will be made to fulfill requests.