The close-up shows a boy, carried on the shoulders of an adult, clapping his hands. Clearly visible on his shirt is a round button inscribed “The March for Freedom, Aug. 28, 1963, Washington, D.C.,” which definitively dates the day of the major demonstration. In the foreground, a second hand holds up a straw hat, a common sun protection accessory worn by participants on this summer day. The photograph documents the participation of families and children in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which brought several hundred thousand people to the National Mall. It stands as an example of the peaceful character of the rally and the importance the civil rights movement placed on the participation of future generations.