The March on Washington Movement (MOWM) was a significant civil rights campaign that took place in the United States during the 1940s. Led by civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph and labor organizer Bayard Rustin, the MOWM sought to address racial segregation and discrimination in the American military, defense industries, and federal government.

The movement gained momentum during World War II when African American workers faced discrimination and unequal treatment in defense industries despite their contributions to the war effort. In 1941, Randolph proposed a mass march on Washington, D.C. to protest these injustices and demand better opportunities for African Americans.

Under pressure from the MOWM, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 in 1941, which banned racial discrimination in defense industries and established the Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) to enforce the order. This was a major victory for the civil rights movement and demonstrated the power of collective action.

Although the planned march itself did not take place due to the government's concessions, the MOWM laid the groundwork for future civil rights activism and set a precedent for using mass protest as a means of effecting change. The leaders and participants of the March on Washington Movement played a crucial role in advancing the cause of civil rights for African Americans in the United States.