The photograph shows a woman carrying a small child in her arms and holding a little girl by the hand; both children gaze toward the crowd. In the background, a dense, visibly multiracial assembly is visible, with participants both sitting and standing. The image was apparently taken during the rally phase of the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, when an estimated hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall. The composition illustrates the broad societal participation in the demonstration, which demanded civil rights and equal access to employment. The presence of families with small children underscores the intergenerational character of the peaceful mass protest.