Important events occurring at the site Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site

the grand review of armies of united states of america in may 1865.

several events of national importance in american history have occurred within boundaries of pennsylvania avenue national historic site. pennsylvania avenue in particular focal point great many politically important parades , protests.

a number of these historic events have been assassinations or funerals. president abraham lincoln assassinated @ ford s theatre in 1865. president james a. garfield shot in baltimore & potomac railroad passenger terminal on july 2, 1881, charles j. guiteau; died 79 days later on september 19. prior designation historic site, 6 presidential funeral processions had traversed pennsylvania avenue, last being president john f. kennedy s in 1963.

the site has been location of major military celebrations. in may 1865, army of potomac , army of tennessee marched along pennsylvania avenue in grand review before newly-sworn president andrew johnson in celebration of end of american civil war. more 200,000 soldiers passed in review. procession massive took 2 full days both armies pass. admiral george dewey, hero of battle of manila bay during spanish–american war, led parade avenue in 1899 after united states victory in conflict. general john j. pershing led american expeditionary force in review pennsylvania avenue in 1919 after conclusion of world war i.

members of national american woman suffrage association march down pennsylvania avenue on march 3, 1913.

the area has been site of several important political protests , parades. protest march of 400 unemployed workers led populist jacob coxey occurred on pennsylvania avenue on april 30, 1894. group became known coxey s army, , march both first significant popular protest march on washington , first receive national news coverage. on march 3, 1913, alice paul led national american woman suffrage association (a women s rights organization , precursor league of women voters) in parade pennsylvania avenue in demanded right vote. association largest , important organization in fight women s suffrage in united states. march critical event in successful fight right vote. women s rights march opposed government officials, when association won right march set precedent under group march on pennsylvania avenue.

ku klux klan parade on pennsylvania avenue on september 13, 1926

this precedent exercised 12 years later. on august 7, 1925, 40,000 members of ku klux klan marched on pennsylvania avenue. klan repeated march similar number of participants in 1926. marches signified height of klan s power in united states, lose of strength.

another major demonstration on avenue led tragedy. in june 1932, thousands of homeless world war veterans, families, , supporters occupied condemned assemblage of buildings @ federal triangle construction site between 6th , 9th streets nw part of bonus march on capital win better veterans benefits. when bonus army granted right march down pennsylvania avenue, transformed protestors in eyes of americans rabble-rousers patriots seeking fairness. on july 28, 1932, president herbert hoover ordered general douglas macarthur remove bonus army site. @ 4:45 p.m., macarthur led battalion of infantry, squadron of cavalry, , 6 battle tanks (commanded major george s. patton) down pennsylvania avenue remove bonus army. more 20,000 civil service workers (leaving offices day) watched u.s. army attacked own veterans. bonus marcher killed on site of apex building, , federal triangle site cleared of bonus army.

the site carries such importance on occasion mere threat of march down pennsylvania avenue has been able secure political change.

for example, in 1941 labor , civil rights leader a. philip randolph proposed march on washington, d.c., 100,000 african american men pressure united states government establishing protections against discrimination. president franklin d. roosevelt attempted persuade randolph call off march, worried harm defense mobilization, randolph refused. roosevelt subsequently issued executive order 8802, established fair employment practices committee , banned discrimination in defense contracts. march called off. historian andrew e. kersten has called randolph s march on washington significant nonevent in american history.