The 1920 blind march was a protest march from across the United Kingdom to London of 250 blind people. It was organised by the National League of the Blind (NLB) to protest poor working conditions and poverty experienced by blind people. In particular the NLB raised concerns over the conditions in workshops run to provide employment to the visually impaired by various charities. The marchers assembled at Newport, Manchester and Leeds on 5 April and marched to London, assembling at Trafalgar Square on 25 April. They were greeted by a crowd of 10,000 who listened to speeches from Herbert Morrison and trade union leaders. The march leaders met with prime minister David Lloyd George on 30 April, who made few promises apart from to pay for the marchers' rail tickets home. A subsequent Blind Persons Act 1920, the first disability-specific legislation in the world, compelled local authorities to ensure the welfare of blind persons and reduced the pension age for blind men. The march served as inspiration for the more famous 1936 Jarrow March against unemployment, in which the NLB also participated.
A march by blind people from across the United Kingdom to protest poor working conditions ended at Trafalgar Square, Lon
A march by blind people from across the United Kingdom to protest poor working conditions ended at Trafalgar Square, London.
On April 25, in the year 1920, A march by blind people from across the United Kingdom to protest poor working conditions ended at Trafalgar Square, London. This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of April 25, one of 419 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on April 25, 1920 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 2 Wikipedia articles.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 20 April 2026.
On This Date in History 419
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More on April 25
Nepal was struck by a magnitude-7
Nepal was struck by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake, killing more than 8,000 people.
A water crisis began when officials in Flint, Michigan, switched the city's water supply to the Flint River, leading to
A water crisis began when officials in Flint, Michigan, switched the city's water supply to the Flint River, leading to contamination.
Daniel Chong is discovered in a holding room in San Diego, having been incarcerated for five days without food or water
Daniel Chong is discovered in a holding room in San Diego, having been incarcerated for five days without food or water.
Violeta Chamorro took office as President of Nicaragua, becoming the first female head of state in the Americas to have
Violeta Chamorro took office as President of Nicaragua, becoming the first female head of state in the Americas to have been elected in her own right.
Mswati III (pictured) was crowned King of Swaziland, succeeding his father Sobhuza II
Mswati III (pictured) was crowned King of Swaziland, succeeding his father Sobhuza II.
The first issue of The Jakarta Post was published in Indonesia
The first issue of The Jakarta Post was published in Indonesia.
Comments 0
Sign in to join the discussion.