"March On: RUSTIN" Audio Walking Tour Premieres on the National Mall
MARCH ON: RUSTIN AUDIO WALKING TOUR PREMIERES ON NATIONAL MALL
Presented in Partnership with Netflix, Timed to Debut with Release of Netflix Biopic RUSTIN,
Contacts
Trust for the National Mall:
Julie Moore, jmoore@nationalmall.org
Netflix:
Sue Ward, swarde@netflix.com
WASHINGTON, DC (NOVEMBER 10, 2023) — The Trust for the National Mall announces that its March On: RUSTIN Audio Walking Tour is now LIVE and accessible virtually and in-person for all who visit the National Mall. Presented in partnership with Netflix, March On: RUSTIN tells the story behind the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, inviting visitors to walk in the footsteps of history. The audio tour, narrated by Grammy Award winner Branford Marsalis, will debut on the National Mall timed with the release of Netflix’s RUSTIN, the new biopic now in theaters and streaming beginning November 17.
March On: RUSTIN is part of the Trust for the National Mall’s work as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service to restore, preserve and elevate the National Mall’s history and its purpose. This new audio walking tour and podcast episode will bring to life the stories behind the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s momentous “I Have a Dream” speech. March On: RUSTIN is designed to help visitors — both virtually and in person — connect more deeply to the history behind America’s Civic Stage and to create a more vibrant and engaging National Mall for all.
“The Trust for the National Mall and the National Park Service partner to inspire visitors to connect more deeply with the history and the stories of the National Mall," said Catherine Townsend President and CEO of the Trust for the National Mall. “This walking tour is a dynamic new way for visitors to walk in the footsteps of the March on Washington, learn about its enduring legacy as the largest peaceful demonstration of its time and celebrate the National Mall as America’s Civic Stage for all,” Townsend remarked.
“It is finally time for Bayard Rustin to claim his place in history. The inevitable storytelling that underlies our knowledge of history can catapult you into a monument, reduce you to a margin, or erase you completely. The historic March on Washington would not have been possible without Bayard Rustin, and yet, many have never heard his name. I’m very proud to play a role – however small – in resurrecting the powerful story of a man who helped propel the civil rights movement and the ongoing fight for equal rights for all,” adds Branford Marsalis, Grammy™ Award Winning Composer of RUSTIN.
The March On: RUSTIN Audio Walking Tour includes historical facts, original audio footage from 1963, music and audio from Netflix’s RUSTIN and exclusive interviews with participants who were on the National Mall in 1963 – looking back at the March, its history, its legacy and looking ahead to the future.
Netflix RUSTIN chronicles the life and legacy of Bayard Rustin, one of the principal architects of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
This three-part audio walking tour provides visitors on the National Mall, and virtually anywhere in the world, with an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Bayard Rustin and Martin Luther King, Jr. and the leaders and participants in the historic March on Washington – a watershed moment in the civil rights movement that helped cement the National Mall as America’s Civic Stage where all voices can be heard.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a proclamation that officially recognizes Friday, November 10, 2023 as “Bayard Rustin Day” in Washington, D.C. Washingtonians are encouraged to join in celebrating the life, work and legacy of Bayard Rustin.
The audio walking tour includes three stops on the National Mall where signs, maps and QR codes will help listeners access the audio on site.
1) PART ONE: A Monument to Organizing – Location: The Lockkeeper’s House — one of the original starting points for the March in 1963 (at the corner of 17th and Constitution Ave., NW).
2) PART TWO: Out of a Mountain of Despair, a Stone of Hope – Location: The Lincoln Memorial – the site of the March on Washington’s podium and programming, including Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
3) PART THREE: Darkness Cannot Drive out Dark, Only Light Can Do That – Location: The approach to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial along what is known as “a path of hope” that helps link the MLK Memorial along a formal path to the Lincoln Memorial (at West Basin Dr. and Independence Ave. NW).
Listeners can visit the stops in any order. But to walk the path taken by those who marched in 1963, listeners should start at stop #1.
Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress
ABOUT THE TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL: As the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan philanthropic partner of the National Park Service dedicated to restoring, preserving, and enriching the National Mall, the Trust brings expertise, private funding, and in-kind support to time-sensitive restoration and sustainability projects. The Trust also mobilizes a volunteer operation to provide educational opportunities to ensure that the National Mall endures and evolves as a vibrant civic stage for all. With over 36 million annual visits, the National Mall’s aging infrastructure and outdated visitor amenities are in urgent need of repair and improvement as we prepare for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The Trust is also the philanthropic partner of President’s Park, adjacent to the National Mall. To learn more and to support our mission visit www.nationalmall.org | information@nationalmall.org | @thenationalmall
Special thanks to the National Park Service, especially the National Mall and Memorial Parks Rangers and Interpretive Team. Learn more about the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom here.
Special thanks to Storycorps for capturing audio and interviews during the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, included in this audio tour. StoryCorps
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