List of rallies and protest marches in Washington, D.C.


The following is a list of rallies and protest marches in Washington, D.C., which shows the variety of expression of notable political views. Events at the National Mall are located somewhere between the United States Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. The Mall is regulated by the National Park Service which is required to respect the free speech rights of Americans.
Following a controversy over the Million Man March in 1995, the National Park Service stopped releasing crowd size estimates for rallies on the National Mall. Crowd estimates after that point have come from protest organizers, researchers or news outlets. Owing to different methodologies, estimates can vary greatly.
Most marches and rallies in Washington are one-time events. Two exceptions are the March for Life and Rolling Thunder, both held annually. The March for Life is a protest against abortion held on or near January 22 marking the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case legalizing abortion. The march has been held annually since 1974, typically drawing several hundred thousand demonstrators. Rolling Thunder is a motorcycle demonstration held since 1987 on Memorial Day to raise awareness of issues related to American Prisoner of War/Missing in action. May 27, 2019 was the last ride by Rolling Thunder in Washington, DC.

Before 1900

DateNameDescription
1957 May 17Prayer Pilgrimage for FreedomFirst large demonstration of the Civil Rights Movement in Washington, on 3rd anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Martin Luther King Jr. demands "Give us the ballot!"
1958 October 25Youth March for Integrated Schools An estimated 10,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to show support for the ongoing efforts to end racially segregated schools in the U.S.
1959 April 18Youth March for Integrated Schools An estimated 26,000 people gathered at the National Sylvan Theater on the grounds of the Washington Monument to show support for ongoing efforts to end racially segregated schools in the U.S. This was the second such march with speeches delivered by Martin Luther King Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, and Charles S. Zimmerman.
1963 August 28March on Washington for Jobs and FreedomMajor civil rights march at which Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 250,000 gathered for the event.
1965 November 27March on Washington for Peace in VietnamOrganized by the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. An estimated 250,000 attended. SANE's political director Sanford Gottlieb was the march chairman. The National Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam, the SDS, and Women Strike for Peace were also involved.
1966 May 16Another march against the Vietnam War
1967 October 21March on the PentagonThe National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam sponsored the march to protest the Vietnam War. Around 50,000 railed at the Lincoln Memorial in the morning for speeches and songs, although not all continued across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to the Pentagon. Organizers claimed 100,000 or more marchers, but two intelligence agencies and an analysis of aerial reconnaissance photographs from a Navy Skywarrior plane estimated 35,000. A march described in Norman Mailer's Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Armies of the Night. Among the groups supporting were the Peace Torch Marathon, starting in San Francisco August 27, walking across country through Ann Arbor Michigan and arriving 10/21 in Washington to the steps of the Capitol during the march.
1968 January 15Jeannette Rankin BrigadeA group of women's pro-peace organizations, including the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and Women Strike for Peace, joined together as to confront Congress on its opening day, January 15, 1968, with a strong show of female opposition to the Vietnam War." At age 87, Jeannette Rankin led the march of some 5,000 women.
1968 – May 12 – June 19Solidarity Day June 19, part of the Poor People's CampaignSCLC campaign to push for a Federal $30 billion anti-poverty package. Several thousand demonstrators built and camped in Resurrection City, while they lobbied Congress for the program until heavy rain and mud ended the encampment. 50,000–100,000 estimated in attendance. Juneteenth Rally for economic justice, during which tens of thousands joined the Resurrection City shantytown established on the Mall in May.
1969 – October 15Moratorium to End the War in VietnamVietnam Moratorium. 200,000 demonstrate against the Vietnam War in D.C. and many more across the country.
1969 – November 15National Mobilization Committee to End the War in VietnamVietnam Moratorium, 600,000 gather and demonstrate against the war in Vietnam. Widely considered the largest march in the history of the United States at that point. The march and all-day rally on the Mall culminated a week of protests throughout the city, including a "March Against Death" from Arlington National Cemetery past the White House to the U.S. Capitol led by pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock and the Rev. William Sloane Coffin of Yale.
1970 – April 4Victory MarchA rally, organized by the Reverend Carl McIntire, the fundamentalist preacher and anticommunist radio commentator, calling for victory in the Vietnam War. Drew 50,000.
1970 – May 9Kent State/Cambodian Incursion ProtestA week after the Kent State shootings, 100,000 demonstrators converged on Washington to protest the shootings and President Richard Nixon's incursion into Cambodia
1970 – July 4Honor America DayA rally put together by supporters of President Nixon hosted by Bob Hope
1970 – August 26Women's Strike for EqualityHeld nationwide, it brought out around 20,000 female protestors in D.C., New York City elsewhere to demand equal rights for women. The march helped expand the women's movement
1971 – April 19–23Operation Dewey Canyon IIISponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and named after Operation Dewey Canyon—two secret US military incursions into Cambodia and Laos—this anti-Vietnam War march included over 1,000 veterans camping on the National Mall and protests all over the city, including in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. John Kerry testifies in front of Senate.
1971 – April 24Vietnam War Out Now rally, 1971 May Day Protests200,000 call for end to Vietnam War.
1971 – May 31971 May Day ProtestsMass action by Vietnam anti-war militants to shut down the federal government. The slogan was "If the government doesn't stop the war, we'll stop the government." The official protest button featured Gandhi with a raised fist. A non-violent mass civil disobedience campaign of blocking traffic led to the single largest mass arrest in the history of the United States: some 10,000 people, many of them temporarily held behind fences at the Washington Redskins practice field, surrounded by National Guard troops.
1972 – May 21Emergency March on WashingtonOrganized by the National Peace Action Coalition and the People's Coalition for Peace and Justice to protest the U.S.'s increased bombing of North Vietnam and the mining of N.V. harbors. Demonstration draws between 8,000 and 15,000 protesters.
1972 – May 27March to protest apartheid in South Africa8,000–10,000 attendees.
1973 – January 20Anti-war protest demonstrationIncludes the Yippies-Zippie RAT float & SDS, "March Against Racism & the War" contingent.
1974 – January 22March for LifePro-life demonstration held on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
1974 – April 4Honor Dr. King - March for Jobs NowWashington DC rally sponsored by National Coalition Against Inflation and Unemployment and other groups.
1974 – April 27Impeachment process against Richard NixonTen thousand participants.
1975 – April 26Solidarity DayAccording to two participants, sponsored by the IUD - Industrial Unions Dept of the AFL-CIO, and many other groups that supported the April 4, 1974 March for Jobs Now! rally sponsored by the National Coalition to Fight Inflation and Unemployment. George Meany spoke and notably said, "All are welcome." More information is needed on this event; efforts are being made to obtain it as of January 2017 edit.
1976 – September 18"America and God's Will" speech by Sun Myung MoonUnification Church rally on Washington Monument grounds reportedly draws 300,000 participants.
1977 – August 26March for the Equal Rights Amendment.Drew thousands of feminists, including original suffragettes.
1978 – July 9March for the Equal Rights AmendmentDrew 100,000 feminist women and men.
1978 – July 11Longest WalkThousands of Native Americans finish their 3200 miles long walk from San Francisco, rallying at the National Mall for religious freedom for traditional American Indians and against eleven drafts discussed at the Congress, and considered anti-Indian by the native community.
1979 – February 5Tractorcade6000 family farmers drove their tractors to Washington D.C. to protest American farm policy.
1979 – May 6Anti-Nuclear MarchDrew 125,000 people opposed to nuclear power and weapons following the Three-Mile Island accident.
1979 – October 14National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay RightsFirst such march on Washington drew 75,000–125,000 gay men and lesbians to demand equal civil rights.
1979 – November 9Iran Hostage CrisisA sign said "Deport all Iranians" and "Get the hell out of my country".
1980 – March 23Mobilization Against the Draft and Draft RegistrationAbout 30,000 rally against the renewal of Draft Registration, proposed by President Jimmy Carter.
1981 – May 3People's Anti-War Mobilization / May 3 CoalitionMarch to protest Reagan Administration Central American and domestic policies; 100,000 march. Themes were stop the U.S. war buildup; U.S. hands off El Salvador; divest from Southern Africa; money for jobs and human needs, not for the Pentagon; stop racist violence; end lesbian and gay oppression.
1981 – September 19Solidarity Day marchAFL-CIO organized march to protest Reagan Administration labor and domestic policies; 260,000 march.
1982 – November 27Washington Anti-Klan Protest.
1983 – AugustMarch on Washington commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" speech.-
1986 – March 1 – November 15The Great Peace March for Global Nuclear DisarmamentFrom Los Angeles, California to Washington D.C. to raise awareness of the growing danger of nuclear proliferation and to advocate for complete, verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons from the earth.
1986 – March 9March For Women's Lives – Reproductive Rights RallyNational Organization for Women organized the 1986 'March For Women's Lives,' a massive pro-choice rally held in Washington D.C. on 9 March 1986.
1987 – April 25Mobilization for Justice & Peace in Central America & Southern AfricaThe march began at noon, going north up 17th Street NW from Constitution Avenue, winding past the White House and ending with a rally on the west steps of the Capitol about 2 p.m. Speakers included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Eleanor Smeal and Ed Asner, with music performances by Peter, Paul and Mary, and Jackson Browne.
1987 – May 25Rolling Thunder Run to the WallRolling Thunder is an annual motorcycle demonstration to bring awareness to issues related to American POW/MIA. It has evolved to be a more generic demonstration in support of soldiers and veterans.
1987 – October 11Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay RightsThe second such march on Washington drew 500,000 gay men and women to protest for equal civil rights and to demand government action in the fight against AIDS.
1987 – December 6Freedom Sunday for Soviet JewsOn December 6, 1987, the American Jewish Committee organized the Freedom Sunday for Soviet Jews. 250,000 people attended the D.C. rally, which demanded that the Soviet government allow Jewish emigration from the USSR. The rally was held before a meeting between Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan. Participants in the rally included Union of Councils for Soviet Jews president Pamela Cohen, New York City mayor Ed Koch, vice president George H. W. Bush, Natan Scharansky, ambassador Moshe Arad, and congressman Jim Wright.
1989 – AprilMarch for Women's LivesSponsored by the National Organization for Women. Attendance estimated at 500,000.
1990 JanuaryRally for Life 1990Took place at the Washington Monument Grounds. According to National Park Service estimates, over 700,000 people attend the rally.
1991 – January 19 and 26Dual Marches against the Gulf WarThe National Campaign for Peace in the Middle East estimated 250,000 attended the march on the 26th, but the National Park Service estimated attendance at 75,000. The march on January 19 was estimated at 25,000.
1992 – April 5March for Women's LivesPro-choice march organized by the National Organization for Women. The name would be reused for a similar 2004 event.
1992 – May 16Save our Cities! Save our Children!Estimates put the crowd at 150,000.
1993 – April 25March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and LiberationOrganizers estimated 1,000,000 attended and the D.C. Police Department put the number between 800,000 and more than 1 million, but the National Park Service estimated attendance at 300,000.
1995 – October 16Million Man MarchA gathering and atonement of men from across the U.S. The United States Park Police officially estimated the crowd size at 400,000 while a Boston University study put the number at 837,000.
1996 – October 12Immigrant Rights MarchFirst national march in D.C. for equal rights for immigrants.
1997 – October 4Promise KeepersEvent titled Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men, an open-air gathering at the National Mall.

2000–2009