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March on Washington flyer, 1963.
Randolph was effective as a national leader largely due to his capacity to form interracial coalitions of blacks and white liberals. Originally scheduled for July 13 and 14, Randolph changed the March on Washington to August to maximize participation by sponsors: the Negro American Labor Council, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Congress of Racial Equality -- the five original sponsors -- plus the National Council of Churches of Christ in America, American Jewish Congress, and National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice. The AFL-CIO did not join in the sponsorship, but Randolph and Walter Reuther represented labor. Photograph courtesy: A. Philip Randolph Institute. |