The photograph shows a dense group of participants in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the foreground are several women wearing hats, sunglasses, and pearl necklaces; a younger woman in the background holds a sign aloft. On the surrounding banners are visible, among other things, the slogans “EMPLOYMENT EQUALS FREEDOM” as well as demands for voting rights. The image illustrates the central concerns of the march: civil rights, equal access to employment, and the end of racial segregation in the United States. It also stands as testament to the broad participation of African American women in one of the largest peaceful mass rallies of the civil rights movement.