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Traci Savage

Dean Leonard

English 1201 Online

2 February 2017

Fiftieth Anniversary of the March on Washington: Barack Obama

Summary of Fiftieth Anniversary of the March on Washington by Barack Obama. You

could also call the article the Full Transcript: President Obamas speech on the Fiftieth

Anniversary of the March on Washington by the Washington Post Staff. In Obama's speech he

talks about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How we are able to succeed in life to get to

the pursuit of happiness. Also that we have the right to pursue our own happiness. Those who

marched were marching to earn their freedom. Obama said Frederick Douglas once taught: that

freedom is not given; it must be won through struggle and discipline, persistence and faith

(Obama). Obama also talked about all the different things that we have achieved over the years

since the first march with Martin Luther King Jr.. Obama also talked about what we still need to

do for this country and for ourselves. He talked about the unemployment rate of African

Americans. As well as talking about the wage gap.

The marching that occurred over fifty years ago was not just for Civil Rights. It was for

the right to vote and it actual matter. Marching for bigger opportunities to obtain higher

education. These marches changed the government in many different aspects in the city council

to the state legislatures and congress as well. In the long run it changed in the White House.

When Obama said that in the long run it changed the White House he hints at his presidency

because he is or was the first African-American president. The marches changed the United

States for more than blacks, it changed for all different race that were not white. No matter the
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race the goals of the African-Americans and those who participated in the march were the same

as any working people at the time. The people who marched wanted decent pay for the jobs they

were doing. As, well as a nice place to work. Another thing they wanted was to have a place to

live that was up to par with other housing of the white race. They also wanted to be respected in

their towns and neighborhoods. The opportunity for their children to obtain a better education or

have continuing education.

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Works Cited

Obama, Barack. "The Fiftieth Anniversary of the March on Washington." Lincoln Memorial. 28

August 2013. Speech.