Students and teachers from Dalton E Tucker Primary School yesterday reenacted the August 1963 human-rights march on Washington.

About 250,000 people took part in the pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, which culminated in Martin Luther King Jr’s famous “I have a dream” speech, in which he described an America where his children would not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.

He also famously said “let freedom ring” across the US.

The children in yesterday’s march carried placards on which were written inspiring slogans such as “refuse hate” and “silence is betrayal”.

The march was held to celebrate what would have been King’s 86th birthday. The official observance is on Monday.