D. With its dramatic turnout and powerful speeches, the march helped to increase pressure on political leaders to support federal civil rights legislation.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, held on August 28, 1963, is widely considered a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. The event drew over 250,000 participants and featured prominent leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr. delivering his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. This mobilization and visibility played a significant role in generating public support for civil rights initiatives and ultimately contributed to the passage of landmark legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.