Congresswoman Waters Marks 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) released the following statement in honor of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom:

"Today marks the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, when more than 250,000 people came to our nation's capital to demand equality for all Americans and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his historic ‘I Have a Dream' Speech that inspired a nation. On this important anniversary, I am reminded of the civil rights leaders and heroes, and the sacrifices that were made. Let us honor the legacy of those leaders like Dr. King, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., Bayard Rustin and my colleague Congressman John Lewis, who fought for us to be equal as citizens and called for an end to discriminatory laws and practices.

"The March on Washington was a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement. It pushed President Johnson and leaders in Congress to pass the most comprehensive civil rights protections in our Nation's history: The 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that put in place sweeping new protections for African-Americans.

"I was honored to speak at the Urban League and The Memorial Foundation's Redeem the Dream Summit last weekend in Washington. In my remarks, I encouraged attendees that we must use our time and energy not only to appreciate the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, but to understand the context in which we must place our actions.

"While we celebrate all that has been achieved since 1963, we recognize that the "dream" has not been completely fulfilled and the battle for justice is ongoing. Five decades later, we are still fighting for equal access to quality education, good jobs, fair housing, protecting the right to vote, and equal justice under the law. What drove more than a quarter million Americans to the Lincoln Memorial 50 years ago was because they wanted to see change. We must rededicate ourselves to that fight for freedom and continue the call for universal equality and justice for all. We must continue to strive until Dr. King's vision is finally realized and America fully lives up to its true promise and ideals."

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