Carroll County Residents Reflect on Civil Rights, March on Washington

On this day 50 years ago an estimated 250,000 people marched on Washington as part of the civil rights movement. It was at this event that Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. 

As part of its Carroll County History Project, the Carroll Media Center interviewed Carroll County residents who participated in the March on Washington. Watch the full video interviews here. Following are excerpts from several of the interviews. 

Alfred Whittaker, 29 and living in Baltimore at the time of the March, said the event was festive and had the spirit of a family reunion. 

"The things King was saying were things that needed to be said. It was new stuff to me. I had not heard a person with such forcefulness and eloquence say the things he was saying. I was enthused about being a part of something that he was leading. At that time black people couldn't vote, couldn't go into stores and try on clothes, and other insults to one's dignity, I wanted to be a part of that group to do whatever I could to call attention to such injustice. The thing that was beautiful is that it wasn't just black people, there were lots of whites who had signs supporting the movement, the catholic church and its bishops were there, the jewish community present -- there was this beautiful group of humanity all having their own issues but they were there to say we support you -- there was a kind of a picnic or family reunion feel." 

Dorothy Whitson said she was in her early 40s at the time of the March. She said there were two reasons she wanted to be at the March. 

"My husband and I had been stationed in the deep south during WWII and we were quite disturbed by the amount of segregation and discrimination and we were anxious to do what we could about it. I grew up til age 11 in India and ... Mahatma Ghandi was a person of great respect there and we understood that Dr. King had gotten quite a few of his ideas from Ghandi and so we wanted to see Dr. King. I think the spirit that emanated from him [Dr. King] was contagious and it just seemed like it caught us all. As I looked out over the crowd it gave me a feeling of what the people had been going through and yet there was a quiet dignity about the people that really impressed me. They were quiet, they were dignified and the speech just moved me in a way that I'll never forget. I felt like I understood a little more the feelings of my sisters and brothers of another race. I know there's aways to go yet but I did feel that it was the beginning of a deep change."

Rev. Douglas Sands, 29 years old at the time of the March, said he was fortunate to have gotten involved in the civil rights movement as a young man. "It was a time of great hope and when young people could get involved, it was a wonderful time to grow up. I was fortunate to get into it while I was young. The March on Washington was accomplished before it got to D.C., it was really made up of people who had been at this for a good while and as those news reels already show, people came as they were -- different cultures, races, dress, mannerisms, but had already been involved in civil rights in their own communities. It was amazing and the excitement of it all removed what fears and doubts people may have had about coming."
Check this Washington Post article to learn more about the events taking place in Washington on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. Events are planned from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. 

To see more interviews and learn more about the Carroll County History Project visit www.carrollhistory.org.