Motown’s ‘Great March on Washington’ LP Gets First-Ever Digital Release
Motown Records’ 1963 audio document of the March on Washington, featuring Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, has been released digitally for the first time.
Recorded on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on August 23rd, 1963, The Great March on Washington also contains speeches by civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph, UAW president Walter Reuther, NAACP’s Roy Wilkins and March organizer Whitney Young.
The Great March on Washington, which the label rush-released in October 1963, also boasts Motown artist Liz Lands’ performance of the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.”
“We are privileged and honored to be entrusted by the MLK estate to oversee the release of his historic speech,” Universal Music president Bruce Resnikoff said in a statement. “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.”
In addition to the document’s digital debut, Motown President and EVP of Capitol Music Group Ethiopia Habtemariam also spoke to Elvis Mitchell about MLK’s partnership with Motown founder Berry Gordy.
The Great March on Washington Tracklist
1. A. Philip 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)