Soviet Union leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev waded into a rush-hour crowd on a downtown Washington sidew

(31 May 1990) Soviet Union leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev waded into a rush-hour crowd on a downtown Washington sidewalk and shook hands with pedestrians. The bystanders cheered and applauded, a few in the crowd waved small American flags. Gorbachev had just concluded his second round of talks with President George H.W. Bush when he stopped his motorcade en route from the White House to the Soviet Embassy. He walked calmly up to the crowd of 500 or more people who had been waiting in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. After a few seconds on the sidewalk, he walked the street, trailed by a phalanx of security officials. Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: