<P> The march was not universally supported among civil rights activists . Some, including Rustin (who assembled 4,000 volunteer marshals from New York), were concerned that it might turn violent, which could undermine pending legislation and damage the international image of the movement . The march was condemned by Malcolm X, spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, who termed it the "farce on Washington". </P> <P> March organizers themselves disagreed over the purpose of the march . The NAACP and Urban League saw it as a gesture of support for a civil rights bill that had been introduced by the Kennedy Administration . Randolph, King, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) saw it as a way of raising both civil rights and economic issues to national attention beyond the Kennedy bill . Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) saw it as a way of challenging and condemning the Kennedy administration's inaction and lack of support for civil rights for African Americans . </P> <P> Despite their disagreements, the group came together on a set of goals: </P> <Ul> <Li> Passage of meaningful civil rights legislation; </Li> <Li> Immediate elimination of school segregation; </Li> <Li> A program of public works, including job training, for the unemployed; </Li> <Li> A Federal law prohibiting discrimination in public or private hiring; </Li> <Li> A $2 - an - hour minimum wage nationwide (equivalent to $16 in 2017); </Li> <Li> Withholding Federal funds from programs that tolerate discrimination; </Li> <Li> Enforcement of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution by reducing congressional representation from States that disenfranchise citizens; </Li> <Li> A broadened Fair Labor Standards Act to currently excluded employment areas; </Li> <Li> Authority for the Attorney General to institute injunctive suits when constitutional rights are violated . </Li> </Ul>

What was the purpose of march on washington