THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON MOVEMENT

Asa Philip Randolph, January 1941, “The Call to March”

from The Black Worker May 1941

“We believe in national unity which recognizes equal opportunity of black and white citizens to jobs in national defense and the armed forces and in all other institutions and endeavors in America. We condemn all dictatorships, Fascist, Nazi and Communist. We are loyal, patriotic Americans, all.

“But if American democracy will not defend its defenders; if American democracy will not protect its protectors; if American democracy will not insure equality of opportunity, freedom and justice to its citizens, black and white, it is a hollow mockery and belies the principles for which it is supposed to stand.”

“Only power can effect the enforcement and adoption of a given policy. Power is the active principle of only the organized masses, the masses united for a definite purpose.

“We loyal Negro-American citizens demand the right to work and fight for our country.”

See also A. Philip Randolph, “The Call to March” (http://www.bsos.umd.edu/aasp/chateauvert/mowmcall.htm)

A. Philip Randolph, On an “All Negro” Movement

“The essential value of an all-Negro movement such as the March on Washington is that it helps to create faith by Negroes in Negroes. It develops a sense of self-reliance with Negroes depending on Negroes in vital matters. It helps to break down the slave psychology and inferiority complex in Negroes which comes and is nourished with Negroes relying on white people for direction and support. This inevitably happens in mixed organizations that are supposed to be in the interest of the Negro.”

E. Pauline Meyers on non-violent civil disobedience as a political tactic

Based on the Hindu word, satyagraha, "the firmness engendered by love," from Mahatmas Gandhi.

“The idea of the March on Washington is in itself one of the techniques of non-violent direct action in as much as it is a demonstration of the numerical strength of Negro people," Myers explained. She defined non-violence as:

“Matching one's ability to suffer against an opponent's ability to inflict the suffering. It is not resignation; it is not submission; it is bold, aggressive, and revolutionary. It invites attack, meeting it with a stubborn and non-violent resistance that seeks to recondition the mind and weaken the will of the oppressor.

“The old method of round-table discussions, pink teas, luncheons and Black Cabinets has been exploded... The need is for mass organization with an action program aggressive, bold and challenging in spirit, but non-violent in character. Such a program is the March on Washington Movement."