In June 1963, leaders from several different organizations formed the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership, an umbrella group which would coordinate funds and messaging.^[27][28] This coalition of leaders, who became known as the “Big Six“, included: A. Philip Randolph, President of The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, who was chosen as the titular head of the march, James Farmer (president of the Congress of Racial Equality), John Lewis (chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Martin Luther King, Jr. (president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference),^[6] Roy Wilkins (president of the NAACP),^[6] and Whitney Young (president of the National Urban League). Bayard Rustin was also a member of the original planning committee.

 Below you will find a program outlining the schedule of events on that day. Get more information from:

www.ourdocuments.gov August 22, 2013

Transcript of Official Program for the March on Washington (1963) MARCH ON WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM AUGUST 28, 1963 LINCOLN MEMORIAL PROGRAM 1. The National Anthem Led by Marian Anderson. 2. Invocation   The Very Rev. Patrick O’Boyle, Archbishop of Washington. 3. Opening Remarks   A. Philip Randolph, Director March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. 4. Remarks   Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, Stated Clerk, United Presbyterian Church of the   U.S.A.; Vice Chairman, Commission on Race Relations of the National Council   of Churches of Christ in America. 5. Tribute to Negro Women Fighters for Freedom   Daisy Bates   Diane Nash Bevel   Mrs. Medgar Evers   Mrs. Herbert Lee   Rosa Parks   Gloria Richardson Mrs. Medgar Evers 6. Remarks   John Lewis, National Chairman, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. 7. Remarks   Walter Reuther, President, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural   Implement Workers of America, AFL-CIO; Chairman, Industrial Union Department,   AFL-CIO. 8. Remarks   James Farmer, National Director, Congress of Racial Equality. 9. Selection   Eva Jessye Choir 10. Prayer   Rabbi Uri Miller, President Synagogue Council of America. 11. Remarks   Whitney M. Young, Jr., Executive Director, National Urban League. 12. Remarks   Matthew Ahmann, Executive Director, National Catholic Conference for Interracial   Justice. 13. Remarks   Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary, National Association for the Advancement   of Colored People. 14. Selection   Miss Mahalia Jackson 15. Remarks   Rabbi Joachim Prinz, President American Jewish Congress. 16. Remarks   The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President, Southern Christian Leadership   Conference. 17. The Pledge   A. Philip Randolph 18. Benediction   Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, President, Morehouse College. “WE SHALL OVERCOME”

Page URL:  http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=96&page=transcript

U.S. National Archives & Records Administration             700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408 • 1-86-NARA-NARA • 1-866-272-6272

We are one week away from our trip to D.C. for the March on Washington 50th Anniversary. I am very excited, and so is the rest of our group. This week we had the honor of meeting Drew Hansen, author of The Dream. He spoke about why he chose to write a book about Martin Luther King, Jr’s speech,and what the process was like. It was amazing that he actually began with a lot of cold calls to important leaders in the civil rights movement, and that they were quite willing to share their stories. He did not come against major obstacles writing the book. He met and interviewed John Lewis, who to my knowledge is the only speaker at the 1963 March on Washington who is still living. John Lewis says of the book ˝Dr. King would be very, very proud”.

We also went over our itinerary which includes: Worship at Metropolitan Baptist Church (where Richard Smallwood is the minister of music..yay!), Gospel brunch at the Hamilton Hotel, the National American History Museum, and the MLK and FDR Memorials, and that is just DAY ONE!

˝People get ready, there’s a train a’ coming, you don’t need no baggage, you just get on board…all you need is faith to hear the diesels hummin’, you don’t need no ticket, you just thank the Lord.” Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, 1965

The group I am attending the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington with read the book, “The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., And The Speech That Inspired a Nation” by author Drew D. Hansen, a Seattle attorney. In his book, Mr. Hansen “explores the fascinating and little-known history of King’s legendary address.” I was particularly captivated by how Martin Luther King endured such a grueling process to write the speech. There were certain advisers he consulted, previous speeches, sermons, and of course scriptures he drew from. Who knew that the I Have a Dream speech Martin Luther King ultimately delivered was different from the one he prepared? Hansen’s book explains all this and takes the reader on a journey through the composition,language, sources, and delivery of his great speech. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. You can purchase The Dream by Drew D. Hansen through Amazon.com. I am excited to meet the man who wrote this powerful and informative book.

Martin Luther King had a dream. To see all people treated equally and fairly. His dream has not yet been realized by many people. My aunt Hellyne Summerrise had a dream too. She marched with Dr. King in the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign. Her spirit lives on in me and I will take that spirit with me when I attend the March on Washington 2013. Here is an article about her published in 2002 by the Seattle Times:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=hellyne%20summerrise&source=web&cd=11&cad=rja&ved=0CCkQFjAAOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seattlepi.com%2Flocal%2Farticle%2FReflecting-on-legacy-left-by-King-1077968.php&ei=xCb0Ub2KD8PSiwLciYDgCQ&usg=AFQjCNEXbQ07tjktdOjrEm04FfJ7l_JnRA&bvm=bv.49784469,d.cGE