Monday marks the 54th anniversary of a key moment in the civil rights movement, the March on Washington, an event that takes on even more significance in the context of this racial violence in Charlottesville, Va.

On Aug. 28, 1963, More than 200,000 Americans marched in Washington, D.C., to shed light on the unequal political and social status of African Americans. The March on Washington culminated in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., is a living link to the planners of that day.

To mark this occasion, here are few photos from that momentous time and the 50th anniversary in 2013.

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