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The Legacy of The March on Washington: 50 Years Later

 

On Aug. 28, 1963, President John F. Kennedy in the White House with leaders of the civil rights "March on Washington." From left: Whitney Young; Dr. Martin Luther King; Rabbi Joachim Prinz; A. Philip Randolph; President Kennedy; Walter Reuther; and Roy Wilkins. Behind Reuther is Vice-President Lyndon Johnson. (Photo by Three Lions/Getty Images)

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Wednesday marks the 50 year anniversary when more than 200,000 demonstrators took part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in the nation’s capital. The event featured the sweet folksy sounds of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary,  along with a galaxy of prominent speakers in front of the Lincoln Memorial, including: Bayard Rustin, Roy Wilkins, and John Lewis before Martin Luther King, Jr., stole the show with his gripping "I Have a Dream Speech."

The reason for the March was painfully obvious: In 1963, on the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, most of the goals of earlier protests voiced by members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Urban League, the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in America, the United Auto Workers (UAW), and many others, still had not been realized with high levels of discrimination in employment, disenfranchisement of blacks from voting (most prominently in the South) and widespread discrimination in housing practices from coast-to-coast.

After the March, King and a host of Civil Rights leaders met with President Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson at the White House to discuss the need for swift legislative action in order to put their dream into action. Many attribute the March and Dr. King’s speech as being the seminal moment in propelling many of the Civil Rights acts that were passed later in the decade.

Not to steal Dr. King’s thunder, but not everyone agrees with that assessment.

Gary Orfield, professor of education, law, political science and urban planning at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and co-founder of The Civil Rights Project, (now called The Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles) , believes President Kennedy’s Civil Rights speech (delivered on June 11, 1963  ) and the shocking violence (in front of a national television audience) ruthlesslymeted out by police during the Birmingham Demonstrations earlier that year were decidedly more significant than the March on Washington in terms of Civil Rights legislation. Orfield also believes the grass roots campaigns howled in churches along the highways and byways held more sway than the March on Washington.

Professor Orfield reminds me that the real breakthrough in Civil Rights wouldn’t be realized until the Lyndon Johnson Administration and his explosive influence in pushing through Congress, The Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In fact, Orfield argues, LBJ was the last U.S. president to champion an aggressive urban policy to address many of the tenets Dr. King and his followers risked their lives for 50 years ago.  

Even President Barack Obama’s cautious agenda in addressing the plight of Urban America has disappointed many who considered themselves among the neglected, marginalized and left out.  All he [Obama] seems to talk about’’, Orfield says, is the middle class.’’

Professor Orfield, who was a student intern for the State Department (based in Washington D.C.) at the time of the March, didn’t think the stirring speeches and call for action on that momentous day were all that inspirational in person. In fact, he left before King’s speech to watch it on television. ``The speech’’, Orfield recalls, `` was much more impressive on television than was in person, especially since at the packed Memorial, it was hard to see anything, it was hot, unpleasant, and the sound system was not that perfect.’’

In other words, Orfield believes, King’s ``I Had a Dream’’ speech packed more of a punch with those who watched it in their own living rooms than those who actually made the long trek to Washington. Another overlooked aspect was that King was the last speaker of the day; it was late in the day and most reporters were already writing their stories for their fast approaching deadlines. Small wonder, then, that the``I Had a Dream’’ refrain or even a reference to Dr. King himself was not splashed across the front pages of many U.S. dailies, including The Washington Post.

Unlike other observers, the most powerful memory Orfield takes away from August 28, 1963, was that ``most people in Washington had tremendous fear that mobs of violence was sure to break out. Most of the streets were deserted (except for the Lincoln Memorial), the National Guard was everywhere.  People were ready for something awful, but it just became a joyful celebration.’’

One factor that can’t be disputed: though many of the protests and pleas of many African-Americans remain unfilled 50 years after the March on Washington, the legacy and profound impact of Dr. King on American political culture is stronger than ever.  According to Derek H. Alderman, Professor  & Head of the Department of Geography at the University of Tennessee, as of 2010, there were 893 places in the United States with a street named for Dr. King, while the number of roads is believed to be well above 900.

The progress that blacks have made since Dr. King delivered his rousing speech on a blistering summer day under the Lincoln Memorial remains momentous. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of black elected officials in 1970 stood at 1,469; by 2011 it had leaped to 10,500. Additionally, the number of blacks with a bachelor's degree in 1964 was 365,000; in 2012, 5.1 million blacks held a college degree, while the poverty rate for blacks in 1966 was 41.8 percent, compared with 14.7 percent nationally; in 2011, the poverty rate for blacks stood at 27.6 percent compared with 15 percent, the national poverty rate for all races.

But clearly the most significant legacy of Dr. King and the March on Washington was the succession of Civil Rights legislation that would be passed in the halls of Congress, beginning in 1964.

What follows, then, is a summary of some of the most significant legislation.

• The Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1964, enacted on July 2, 1964 outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women. Specifically, Title VII of the CRA prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, while Title VI of the CRA prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs or activities on the basis of race, color, or national origin.; Title II of the CRA prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin in public accommodations.

• The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, was designed to prevent the disenfranchisement of black voters in the South by prohibiting voting practices that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. Section 2 of the Act, applied a nationwide prohibition against the denial or abridgment of the right to vote on the literacy tests on a nationwide basis.

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, specifically enacted to promote the hiring of older workers based on their ability rather than their age, protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The protection extends to both employees and job applicants. It is additionally unlawful to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on age or for filing an age discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or litigation under the ADEA.

• The Fair Housing Act (FHA), which was passed by Congress in April, 1968 (after some prodding by LBJ) prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or familial status. The statute applies to both public and private housing and may be enforced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), DOJ, and individuals who file suit in federal court.

• The Education Amendments of 1972 was passed by Congress on June 8, 1972. President Nixon subsequently signed it into law on June 23rd. Among the Amendments most prominent provisions, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities, including a wide range of educational programs or activities, student admissions, scholarships, access to courses, along with the prohibition of sex discrimination in intercollegiate athletics.

• The Rehabilitation Act, enacted September 26, 1973, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federally conducted and federally funded programs or activities, as well as in employment by the federal government and by federal contractors.

• The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), which was enacted in 1974, prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, because an applicant receives income from a public assistance program, or because an applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

• The Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974 prohibits discrimination in educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin. Specifically, the statute prohibits school segregation, as well as the failure of a school to take appropriate action to overcome students’ language barriers. The statute is enforced by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

• The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in federally funded programs or activities, such as financial assistance to schools and colleges, provided by U.S. Department of Education.

• The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) applies to labor organizations which represents employees in most agencies of the executive branch of the Federal Government. It prohibits discrimination in federal employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, or political affiliation. Specifically, the statute prohibits discrimination in certain personnel practices, including, but not limited to, hiring, promotion, transfers, and pay and benefits. In addition, the statute prohibits discrimination on the basis of conduct that does not adversely affect the performance of an employee or job applicant. This provision has been interpreted to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

• The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1986 prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of national origin or citizenship status. The Act, which prohibits discrimination against U.S. citizens and legal immigrants but not unauthorized aliens, also protects individuals from unfair documentary practices relating to the employment eligibility verification process. The statute is enforced by DOJ.

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability in employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications.

• The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) protects service members' reemployment rights when returning from a period of service in the uniformed services, including those called up from the reserves or National Guard, and prohibits employer discrimination based on military service or obligation. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) administers USERRA.
 
• The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), enacted May 21, 2008, prohibits discrimination in group health plan coverage based on genetic information. The Act prohibits group health plans and health insurers from denying coverage to a healthy individual or charging that person higher premiums based solely on a genetic predisposition to developing a disease in the future. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) enforces the provisions relating to health insurers, while the remedies and enforcement mechanisms for the employment provisions are generally patterned on Title VII of the CRA.

Source: Congressional Research Service, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Justice.

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

August 26, 2013

  

Some ``Inside Baseball'' with The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes

Plain Dealer reporter Paul Hoynes walking his beat at Progressive Field.

Photo Credit: Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer

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After a highly disturbing round of editorial layoffs recently, sinking morale to new lows-including home delivery having been slashed to three days a week-there’s finally some good news to report from the newsroom of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio.

It was announced this week that Cleveland Indians’ beat reporter Paul Hoynes, who has covered the Tribe for 30 years (28 with the PD) has been selected by the Press Club of Cleveland for induction into its Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. The induction will be held Nov. 14 at Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center.

Hoynes, who most just affectionately refer to as ``Hoynsie’’ has been chronicling the ups and downs (until 1994, mostly downs) of Tribe baseball since 1982, which includes two World Series appearances (1995 and 1997) and the infamous ``Bat Gate’’ incident of July 15, 1994, when a corked bat used by Albert Belle (and confiscated by umpire Dave Phillips and placed in the umpires room) was later reclaimed by Cleveland relief pitcher Jason Grimsley after surreptitiously crawling across the ceiling with a flashlight in his mouth at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Perhaps Stats Inc. can crunch some numbers to determine exactly how many reporter notebooks and scorecards Hoynes has ripped through over the last three decades. Since he’s easily covered more than 5,000 games, I bet it’s a bunch.

So now that it has clearly been determined by the selection committee that ``Hoynsie’’ didn’t have any ``performance enhancing’’ reporting tools in his background, which might have blemished his induction, the path is now clear to the Hall without an asterisk next to his name.

The integrity of the game, thank goodness, remains intact.

After hearing the great news of Hoynes selection to the Journalism Hall of Fame, I immediately fired off some questions (not all softball questions) in hopes he might reflect on different slices of his distinguished journalism career. To my surprise, the Indians’ beat writer was more than game by returning some revealing ``inside baseball’’ responses.

What follows, then, is my Q & A with the person everyone likes to call``Hoynsie.’’

Q. How successful were you as a baseball player in your youth: little leagues, high school, college?

 A. "I was a terrible baseball player. I played in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade, but got cut from my high school team. Played in a 30-and-over Sunday morning softball league for a couple of years and it was a blast. But I was still terrible."   

Q.  I hope it’s not anytime soon, but when close your reporters’ notebook for good and hang up your spikes, do you plan to chronicle your years covering the Cleveland Indians in a book?

 A. "I write so much every day during the season that when I think about sitting down and writing a book, it terrifies me. When the season stops, I just want to shut it down and not think or write about anything. When I retire, maybe that will change. I'm not sure."  

 Q.   Do you find yourself longing for the good old days in print reporting before the Internet, smartphones and Twitter; or have you welcomed these innovations, having made your job a little easier?

 A. "I've tried to embrace all the technological changes that I can. It hasn't always been pretty, but to stay competitive and relevant, you have to do it. I don't think the changes have made the job easier; they have made it more immediate. The news cycle never stops. You can write a story at anytime and have it posted within minutes. The biggest difference is that there are no more scoops. You used to own a story for at least a day. You'd write it and go to bed hoping no one else had it. Today you own a story for about two seconds before you post it or Tweet it.’

 Q.  I believe many years ago you were involved in a locker room scuffle with Mel Hall, the former Indians’ outfielder (1984-1988). What were the circumstances for the altercation; and have you faced similar confrontations with any other players?

 A. That's when I was young and dumb. I had written a story about Mel being sued for child support by I believe a former girlfriend. Another part of the story had him suing a club employee with whom he'd been involved in a car wreck during a road trip. It was a double whammy and Mel was not happy.

 Walked into the clubhouse on Sunday morning and manager Pat Corrales told me, "You better get out of here because there's a bounty out for you." I turned around to leave and there was Mel. One thing led to another and I ended up at the bottom of Carmen Castillo's locker with Mel on top of me. Otis Nixon was one of the guys that pulled him off me. Saved my life.

 After that Mel and me were great friends. . .strange.

 "I've had other arguments with players, but nothing physical. John Rocker invited me into the weight room once and shut the door. He was not happy with something I wrote. Rocker scared me a lot more than Mel.’’

 Q. How challenging it is to maintain a personal life and successful marriage by traveling six months every year? Does your wife often travel with you? During the season, do you still watch the Tribe on TV/Radio on your off days, as rare as they are?

 A. I have a great wife, who is strong and independent. She earned her master’s, PHD and raised two kids while I was chasing the ballclub around the country. When our boys were young, they used to come to spring training for several days with my wife or father-in-law. That's when the Indians trained in Tucson.

 My wife is in education and is very busy. She also earns a lot more money than me. But she knows I love this job and that it makes he happy. She does come on a couple of trips a year with me. She likes the beach so Florida is a good trip for her.

 The boys are gown now and I think I missed a lot because it seemed like they grew up and were gone in flash. They both still live near us and they are big Tribe fans. They've also given us four grandchildren, which is a blast.

 When I don't cover a game, I'll almost always watch it on TV. I drive my wife crazy. She thinks I'm nuts. If I'm driving on an off-day, I listen to the game on the radio. I guess I'm addicted.

 Q. Is there a particular city you love to visit every year on the Tribe’s schedule-or at this point in your career-do all the city landscapes and hotel rooms begin to look alike?

 A.`` I love walking around Seattle. I love taking the subway from Grand Central Station to Yankee Stadium. I love coming out of that tunnel on the subway into the sunlight and seeing Yankee Stadium right there on the 161st street stop. I like walking to the ballpark in Boston and Toronto. You can walk along the water in Toronto and that's cool.

 Chicago is a great city to visit. When I go to Detroit, I like to stay downtown near Greektown. There's always a lot of action in Detroit. I like Greek food and they have a great bakery there.’’

 Q.  As a beat reporter, what was your most memorable game covering the Indians; also, were there any particular players (not necessarily Indians) who had profound impact on you or earned your respect and admiration?

 A. "The thing I remember most in regard to games was the whole 1995 season. So many come back. So many late home runs.

 I think the game where Paul Sorrento hit a homer late to beat Toronto was in June, 1995. The Blue Jays had David Cone pitching and were up 8-0 and the Tribe came back and won the game on Sorrento's two-out, two-run home run to cap a three run ninth in a thrilling 9-8 win.  To me that was a signal that something special was happening. ‘’

 "I've like almost all the guys I've covered. A few stick out to me: Brook Jacoby, Kenny Lofton, Julio Franco, Mike Hargrove, Omar Vizquel, Sandy Alomar Jr. Jacoby was a grinder who never complained and just played the game. Kenny Lofton was prickly as a player, but I loved his talent and I loved the way he played at a high level for so long. Wherever he went, he helped his team win. I think he's a Hall of Famer. Liked Julio just because he was so much fun to cover. One of the best pure hitters I've ever seen. Covered Grover as a player, coach and manager. Always the same, always dead honest. He'd get mad at you one day, but the next day it was forgotten. Never held a grudge. Vizquel was just a joy to cover and watch. Stand-up guy. Never ducked a tough question. Alomar is a solid guy. Really like him.

 Q. Are you a strong supporter of MLB introducing instant replay? Does such a change run the risk of extending games to as long as four and a half hours? Are there any other changes you’d like to see in the game?

 A. ``For me, the more replay the better. It drives me crazy when people talk about the "human element' being a part of the game they want to retain. So that means you want to continue having a game where mistakes are made that cost team's games when the means are available to make the right call? Amazing.’’

 Q. What is the most difficult part of covering a baseball game, which most readers might not fully appreciate: deadline pressures, getting players to talk with you, writing a lead that grabs readers’ attention, concern for accuracy, beating your competitors to the punch, etc?

 A. Two big hurdles for me: deadlines and access. The clock is always ticking. With the Internet, we're sending game stories as soon as the game ends. Last out, you hit the send button, even in spring training games. Then you have to rewrite.

 The volume of work has increased as well. You write an early post, a notebook, a running gamer and then a rewrite of the gamer. On the Internet every story can get a headline, so there are times when you can write four to six stories a day. Not to mention Tweeting.

 Access has been a reporter's problem for ages. But now, with how fast the news moves, if you don't have access to general managers, agents or players, you're sunk as far as covering a breaking story. So it's critical that you have sources who will help you.’’

 Q. With so many newspapers, including the Plain Dealer, having slashed editorial positions, including the shrinking of news space at an alarming rate, how concerned are you for younger reporters trying to get into sports reporting; and how concerned are you for the future of print journalism in general?

 A. ``Somebody is always going to have to tell the story whether it's about a fire, public corruption, car crash or a game-winning home run. What vehicle they use to tell it and to send it to their readers is evolving every day.’’

 ``We just went to three days home delivery at the PD. They are still publishing a printed paper seven days a week, but for four days it's available only on the street.’’

 ``I just took a job with the Northeast Ohio Media Group, the digital arm of The Plain Dealer, and will continue to cover the Indians, but everything I deal with now is online. Things are changing so fast. But the job is still the same. At least for now.''

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 -Bill Lucey

[email protected]

August 15, 2013