“Today we mark sixty years since the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic 'I Have A Dream' speech, a March that would change the course of our nation’s history. Hundreds of thousands of Americans came together to demand civil rights, equality, and an end to segregation – ultimately leading to necessary change and meaningful federal legislation.
“Like most social movements that have transformed America, the March on Washington had its roots in New York. Throughout much of the summer of 1963, a townhouse at 170 West 130th Street in Harlem served as headquarters for the planning of the March. New Yorkers like Bayard Rustin, Harry Belafonte and A. Philip Randolph played critical roles in coordinating the work that led to this significant day. Thanks to the careful planning that took place in that Harlem townhouse and across the country, a national movement inspired Congress to move forward with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“Yet as we mark this anniversary, it’s clear there is more work to do. The legislative victories of the 1960s have been diminished by an extremist Supreme Court. The demands for economic equality have not yet been fully realized. And as we saw this past weekend in Jacksonville – and last May in my hometown of Buffalo – racist violence continues.
“From signing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act to establishing the New York State Commission on African American History, my administration has made it a priority to make New York a more equitable and just state. Guided by the memories of those iconic New Yorkers, and by the sage wisdom of living legends like Dr. Hazel Dukes, I am committed to keeping up that fight.”