Which civil rights leader threatened to march on Washington to demand jobs and freedom for African Americans?

• A. Rosa Parks
• B. Cesar Chavez
• C. James Farmer
• D. Philip Randolph

Answer: (D)

A. Philip Randolph is the civil rights leader who threatened a march on Washington to demand jobs and freedom for African Americans. Randolph, a prominent labor leader, organized the idea of a national march in 1941 to pressure the government to desegregate defense industries and employ Black workers in federal projects. His threat helped push President Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 8802, which banned discrimination in defense-related employment. The other figures are known for different actions: Rosa Parks for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Cesar Chavez for organizing farm workers, and James Farmer for founding CORE and advocating civil rights through various campaigns. Randolph’s plan directly matches the scenario of using a planned march on Washington to push for jobs and civil rights.