Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Washington, Houston, Atlanta and other US cities to protest against laws in several Republican-led states that critics say will make it harder for minorities to vote. 

The date selected for the rallies was not picked at random as it coincides with August 28, 1963 when quarter-million people had taken to the Washington streets for a massive civil rights rally, led by the Reverend Martin Luther King Junoir, who had made famous "I have a dream" speech.

Addressing crowd, his son Martin Luther King III spoke of the need to safeguard American democracy and to guarantee voting rights for everyone.