Warren K. Leffler, Civil rights leaders meet with President John F. Kennedy in the oval office of the White House after the March on Washington, D.C., 1963, 35mm film, Library of Congress Collection
On August 28, 1963, an estimated 250,000 people gathered on the National Mall for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. One of the largest civil rights rallies in U.S. history, the march was organized by an alliance of civil rights, labor, and religious organizations to advocate for the full equality and citizenship of African Americans under state and federal law.
Immediately after the momentous march, President John F. Kennedy met in the oval office with March leaders, including the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to discuss civil rights legislation.