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The Great March On Washington – one of the most significant recordings made during the civil rights movement of the 1960s – is now available as a digital release for the first time. Released by Motown Records/Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), The Great March can be purchased or streamed HERE.
This
historic release was recorded on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington, D.C., on August 23, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs
& Freedom, a.k.a. “The Great March on Washington.” Rush-released by Motown Records as a
complete album in October 1963, the recording culminates with Martin
Luther King, Jr.’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech.
Ethiopia Habtemariam, President of Motown Records and Executive Vice President of Capitol Records, recently spoke with Elvis Mitchell – host of KCRW’s “The Treatment” – about what Dr. King’s speeches mean to her.
Coinciding
with the digital release of the album, TIME and executive producer Viola
Davis invite the public to step back into history with THE MARCH – a groundbreaking VR museum exhibit that
recreates the March on Washington and allows visitors to witness firsthand the
“I Have a Dream” speech. The immersive experience utilizes original audio from
Motown. TIME said, “King’s
clarion voice carries without the distracting echo picked up by inferior
attempts to capture it. Spectators on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial chime
in audibly as King proceeds…making listeners feel as if they’re 10 ft. from the
podium.” The exhibit at the Dusable Museum of African American History in
Chicago will run through November 2020. Additional exhibit locations will be
announced. For details and tickets, visit https://time.com/the-march/.
Taking
inspiration from Dr. King and other civil rights activists who have been agents
of change, BJ The Chicago Kid has created a soulful new call to action, “The People.”
The 6x GRAMMY® nominee wrote the song
with frequent collaborator Jairus Mozee (Anderson .Paak, Boney James), who also
produced. Released today by Motown Records, “The People”
is available for download / streaming HERE.
In
addition to Dr. King’s historical “I Have A Dream” speech, The Great March
On Washington features the iconic speech made that day by civil rights activist
and labor union rights leader A. Phillip Randolph, one of the leaders and
organizers of the Great March. Following his seven-minute-plus speech that
opens the album, Randolph’s erudite speaking voice continues throughout as the
de facto “emcee.” Randolph introduces the day’s other orators, including Walter
Reuther, the president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) who was a longstanding
ally of the civil rights movement; Roy Wilkins,
the executive secretary of the NAACP who was named its executive director the
following year; and Whitney M. Young, Jr., the
executive director of the National Urban League and one of the organizers of
the March.
The
album also includes a stirring performance of “We Shall Overcome,” the
traditional gospel song that became an anthem of the civil rights movement,
recorded at Motown by its artist Liz Lands, who is accompanied by The
Voices of Salvation.
Ethiopia
Habtemariam said, “I’m beyond thrilled that we can
honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy by reissuing this important audio
document. We at Motown want to thank the MLK estate for giving us the
opportunity to build on the relationship that Dr. King and our founder, Mr.
Berry Gordy, forged over 50 years ago. It was incredibly important to them that
the speeches from the Great March on Washington reach the widest possible
audience – and that is our objective also.”
Bruce Resnikoff, President/CEO of Universal Music Enterprises
(UMe), said, “We are privileged and honored to be entrusted by the MLK estate
to oversee the release of his historic speech. As the long-time custodians of
the Motown catalog and its legacy, we will ensure that the recordings of Dr.
King will be available in the highest quality. We have gone back to the
original source tapes to digitally remaster this release, and the clarity of Dr.
King’s voice brings his message to today’s audience in a remarkable way.”
THE GREAT
MARCH ON WASHINGTON [digital release]
1. A. Phillip
Randolph (7:17)
2. Walter
Reuther (6:50)
3. Roy
Wilkins (10:29)
4. Liz Lands
– We Shall Overcome (3:31)
5. Whitney
M. Young, Jr. (6:59)
6. Rev.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (18:19)
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