The photograph shows a speaker at a lectern equipped with multiple microphones on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The steps are densely occupied with participants who are sitting, standing, and following the proceedings; the crowd is racially mixed and includes men and women of various ages. A U.S. flag is visible on the left side of the image, and the characteristic columns of the Lincoln Memorial are visible in the background. The photograph documents the public speaking portion of the closing rally of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. The rally at the Lincoln Memorial marked the culmination of one of the largest peaceful mass protests in U.S. history, in which demonstrators demanded equal civil rights and economic justice.