In the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights guarantees individual freedoms. Specifically, the 1st Amendment guarantees the freedom of assembly. Freedom of assembly means that Americans have the right to peacefully gather together to express their opinions, protest, or pursue collective interests. During the Civil Rights Movement, for example, individuals were invited to March on Washington in order to pressure government and business leaders to treat African Americans fairly in employment. The event drew crowds upwards of 200,000 people who marched and picketed for equal treatment. This strategy is often used by political activists to demonstrate the number of people who support a particular cause.
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LOC Title
A Day Like No Other: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington
LOC Short Description
This exhibit commemorates the March on Washington, one of the most famous examples of Americans enacting their freedom of assembly.
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Voices of Civil Rights
LOC Short Description
Uses oral history and photographs to tell the stories of people involved in various Civil Rights protests.