Veast worn at the March on Washington, 1963:
On August 28, 1963 more than 200,000 demonstrators convented in D.C. for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedo. Civil rights, labor, and religious organizations collaborated and compromised to produce an event notable for its unified messages and coordinated appearance.
Both aspects are apparent in this vest, worn by a March on Washington demonstrator. The red, white, and blue of the vest matched the official signs held by the participants to symbolize their patriotism. The buttons and tags attached to the vest point to the main themes of the protest- jobs, education, and equal rights. The clasped hands symbol decorated the most popular button. The sale of hundreds of thousands of these buttons helped raised money for the event. Collection of Jerome Gray