On Saturday, January 21, just one day after President Donald Trump was sworn in, millions gathered together to demonstrate that they would stand up for their rights as women and members of minority groups. The March on Washington took place on this day, and millions marched in solidarity in numerous other locales throughout the United States.

The most recent March on Washington and the numerous demonstrations that took place yesterday filled our news feeds and were prominent on news broadcasts throughout the nation; however, yesterday’s march was not the first time Americans have utilized this method to demonstrate their civil rights as members of minority groups. The first march took place on August 28, 1963, when African Americans were facing segregation. They demonstrated their desire for a stronger civil rights bill to be passed to allow them to have jobs in the nation’s capital. This was where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. The march was successful and one year later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, and The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed one year later.

As more and more minority groups began to come about, more demonstrates for civil rights have taken place. On April 30, 2000, the Millennium March On Washington took place. This was viewed as controversial because it concerned the rights of members of the LGBTQ community, something that many people still view as controversial today. In addition to many other marches concerning the rights for individuals, a march protesting the inauguration of President Clinton. While the latest demonstrations of women’s and other minority group’s rights gained significant media attention. Protests have been a historic method of garner the attention of political leaders to ensure that those in question will gain and keep their rights as citizens of the United States