60th Anniversary, March for Jobs and Freedom Some people try to turn Dreams into Nightmares

In August of 1963, I was a little girl of 5 years old living in West Philadelphia with my mother, father, and sister. I didn't realize it back then, but I learned in my 50s that my parents attended the March on Washington, when Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his famous "I Have A Dream" speech.

- Thera Martin

I didn't know they participated in the March because I don't recall hearing them talk about it. I clearly remember the day that Dr. King was assassinated. It was a horrible day in American history. I remember it vividly because, on the date of Dr. King's assassination, my parents were entertaining a couple of their married friends and their children at our home. I recall the women in the room hollering out as the news flashed across the back and white TV set we had in our living room. The women cried out. The men did too. I will never forget that day.

But I honestly don't remember my folks talking about the great March on Washington. It was as I was working on writing my book about my experiences working in Black Radio--that I had a sit down with my Mom before she passed in 2017, and it was she who confirmed for me that my parents were there indeed on August 28, 1963. As she told me the story, my heart swelled with pride that my parents were activists, that they did care about the Civil Rights movements, and they were there in D.C. when Dr. King did his thing.

It made me feel very proud that my parents were there. They traveled by train to get there.