On Aug. 28, 1963, Fordham students and faculty traveled to Washington, D.C. to take part in the famed March on Washington, which marks its 50th anniversary today. More than 250,000 people gathered on the National Mall to call for nationwide racial and social justice. The afternoon of songs and speeches featured Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s renowned “I Have a Dream” speech, given from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Father Paul S. Hurley, of Fordham, a chaplain for the Catholic Interracial Council of New York, led the diverse group of faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates.
Students reported that the infamous legacy of “Uncle Tom” was “trampled beneath 200,000 marching feet” on Aug. 28, 1963.
WFUV student broadcaster John Franchetti interviewed marchers and politicians, including New York Rep. John Lindsay and Minnesota Sen. Hubert Humphrey.
Images courtesy of Fordham University Archives and Special Collections.
Below are images from The Fordham Ram coverage of the march.
