Dean Baker speaks with historian Dr. William P. Jones about his book “The March on Washington: Jobs, Freedom, and the Forgotten History of the Civil Rights Movement.” They explore how the famous march began as a protest for jobs and economic justice, the crucial role of labor unions in organizing the event, and why the economic demands—including full employment and a living minimum wage—have been largely erased from popular memory. The conversation also examines how these economic justice goals remain unfulfilled today, from the decline of union power to recent spikes in Black unemployment.

About Dr. William P. Jones

William P. Jones, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of History in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota. Jones is a historian of the 20th century United States, with particular interests in the relationships between race and class. Author of: Jobs, Freedom and the Forgotten History of Civil Rights.