Deacons for Defense (2003) - full transcript

Told you to be

unheard and unseen.

Invisible.

Noise you're making,

I'm damn sure the animal's in

Mississippi by now.

Yes, sir.

Now we in the water

so he don't hear us coming.

That's a smart animal.

He see, he smell,



hear you coming.

So you got to be smarter.

Yes, Daddy.

You understand me?

Yes, Daddy.

You got to be smarter.

Yes, sir.

There he is.

There he is.

Damn.

Come on, boy!

Stay with me. Come on!

Come on, come on, boy.

I'm with you!



Come on!

Darn!

He got away.

[ chuckles ]

What you laughing at?

You think this is

fooling around?

You got to respect this.

Some nights your brain and gun

is what put dinner on the table.

It's about survival.

It's all right.

We almost got him.

[ gunshot ]

Quiet.

What's wrong, Dad?

Quiet, Marcus!

Don't make a sound.

[ chattering, hooting ]

Come on, boy.

Dollar waiting on a dime.

Keep your nose clean.

Catch up now,

don't be laggin behnid.

I'll see you

in church on Sunday.

Stay out here.

Don't move.

Don't move.

[ creaking rope ]

I hoped you'd live

and never see that.

It's done now.

Don't ever forget it, Marcus.

Don't ever forget it.

[ panting ]

Get your elbow off the table.

Come on now. Finish up.

You gotta do better

than that, Daddy.

More bite, come on.

Nobody know I'm here.

[ sigh ]

Come on now, Daddy.

I'm doing it right now.

Marcus, I can do it myself.

Be still.

One bite.

Brooks, quit fooling around

with your food.

Go on and get your books and

get the hell on outta here.

You gonna try

to work tonight?

No.

Come on, give me a kiss.

See you when I get home,

Papa.

You think you'd know

I was here.

Lucille?

What's that on your blouse?

It's from the Civil Rights

League office.

I thought the sheriff

closed that office down.

Kids at school say

they're gonna open it up again.

I don't give a damn.

Take it off.

But, Daddy, it's just a...

Take it off before

I rip it off!

Now go.

Go on.

Gonna be late again.

[ whistle blowing ]

Hey, Mr. Weber?

How you feeling?

Feeling good since

I passed that stone.

Oh, that's pain.

Oh, boy, that is pain.

You never knew

that kind of hurt.

No, sir, Mr. Conley,

I've never known

that kind of hurt.

Five orders are on the board.

I want 'em packed and on

the road before lunch.

Yes, sir.

Forklift knocked a stack

of bales off their pallets.

Clean it up.

Yes, sir.

Y'all have a good day.

I'm sure glad

you're here, man.

This place been running like

a crapper all morning.

We need to get rolling.

All right.

Let's start this up.

52 bales, bay 2.

Help me bring this back on.

Come on.

Morning, Marcus.

How you doing, man?

Feeling pretty good.

How's your daddy?

I'm feeding him,

so he's eating more.

That's good.

Hey, hey, hey, T. J., man.

My sister-in-law's coming up

from New Orleans again

Why don't you come over

for dinner?

No.

Hey, what?

You afraid of marriage, huh?

Just sitting around

the house getting fat?

Oh, why not?

'Cause I done

seen your in-laws.

Hey, hey, hey!

Try to do something good for

you, look what you do, man.

Pull this back on.

Our shift don't start

for two minutes.

Pull it back. Come on.

Man ain't gonna pay us more,

for working two minutes,

you know.

[ chuckles ]

All right.

Put a bee in your bonnet.

[ laughter ]

Come on, man.

We've got five orders to do.

Here we are.

So this is it, huh?

This is it.

Very nice.

Is that a bullet hole?

Shot gun.

Okay. Where do we start?

Well, tomorrow we get

Louisiana driver's licenses.

That way if we get stopped,

we don't get hassled none.

We are definitely gonna have

to move these beds away

from the windows.

You know why?

Less chance of getting shot at.

Here, we'll tack these up

against the windows

so we can actually turn

the lights on at night.

Then all we gotta do is

find a safe exit outta here

in case the place gets bombed

or catches fire somehow.

You okay?

[ thunder ]

I like the white one best.

We don't have it in

a five and three-quarters,

but we can order it.

Excuse me.

Can I help you?

I'm just looking, thank you,

ma'am.

You put that hat on

your head, you buy it.

Thank you, ma'am.

[ chattering ]

Hey, how you doing?

We're here to end segregation.

Hi, how you doing?

My name's Charlie from

the civil rights office.

I'm trying to end segregation

in public places.

We're with the National Civil

Rights League.

We're gonna be at

the church on Sunday.

We'd love to have the

opportunity to talk to you.

I think you may be interested

in what we have to say.

[ overlapping dialogue ]

Hold on!

You may be interested

in what I have to say.

This plant does not give

you the opportunity

to advance past the

low menial jobs.

We're planning on protesting

and setting up...

Morning, Mr. Conley.

Some boycotts for the

white businesses

that do not hire black workers.

Hi.

Please come to the church on

Sunday where we can have

the opportunity to talk to you.

We're gonna set up boycotts...

[ singing hymn ]

♪ Do not pass me by

♪ Do not pass me by

♪ Do not pass me by

♪ Do not pass me by

♪ Oh no

♪ Do not pass me by

♪ Do not

♪ Pass me by

[ applause ]

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

You made us so happy

with that beautiful music.

Let the church say amen!

Amen.

Now this morning, we have

two young men from up north

and they're going to reopen

the National Civil

Rights League office and

they asked for a minute

of our time.

Mr. Deane, please come forward.

[ applause ]

Ladies and gentlemen of

the church, Reverend Gregory,

deacons, elders, trustees,

thank you for granting us

this opportunity

to speak to you today.

My name is Michael Deane

and this is my colleague,

Charles Hillibrand.

I've been an attorney

for eight years.

I teach at Columbia University

in New York.

I've spent a great deal of time

working in the south fighting

for a cause that I believe in

from the bottom of my heart.

I'm gonna go have a smoke.

And that's for a moment

of nonviolent integration,

integration into

the public schools,

integration into the workplace.

Now I have seen change occur

all over the south and I know,

if we work hard together,

we can make those changes

happen right here

in Bogalusa, Louisiana.

I'm here to help you.

Excuse me?

With your permission,

Reverend Gregory?

You have my permission.

Mr. Deane, are you aware

that the last man that

the National Civil

Rights League sent down here,

Brother Moon, left town

in the middle of the night?

They firebombed his house.

He didn't really understand

what was goin' on down here.

I'm aware that Brother Moon

was disrespectfully removed

from this community.

But, sir, I do understand

what is going on.

I went to Mississippi when

Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner

were missing and I was there

when their bodies were

dragged out of the water.

The Klan in

this part of the country

is extremely violent.

We protest,

they bust our heads open!

And the newspapers don't even

take pictures of it,

so how you gonna

get us national exposure?

Well, we do what

Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

Does.

We get our younger people

involved in the marches.

We get our younger people

involved in the protests.

What?

Now believe me, if anyone

should try and attack them,

the press will be here!

Permission to speak,

Reverend Gregory?

Speak, son.

Now no disrespect

to the elders,

but as a young person

of the church, I have been

following the changes

these men been talkin' about.

Now I think, if we want Bogalusa

to change, now's the time!

And why not here?

You know, Reverend King was

only 26 years old during

the Montgomery bus boycotts.

And people our age been

changing things

all over the south.

There will be violence.

Now can I guarantee that

no one is going to get hurt?

No, I can't.

But I can guarantee that,

if there are blows to be taken,

I will take the first blows.

Thank you.

[ applause ]

All right, all right,

settle down.

This man is talking about

our children, our children.

And that not only gives us

something to think about,

but something also

to pray about!

Marcus, you didn't even

hear what the man had to say.

That boy's got

some pretty good ideas.

He gonna bring some folks

in from up north.

And they could make a change

'cause I'm getting damn tired

of the way it is.

I'm telling you, Marcus,

God's with us.

How much did God help those

little girls in Birmingham?

Hi. I'm Michael Deane.

Timothy McDaniels.

Call me T. J.

Archie, Archie Scott.

Hi.

What can we do?

I wanna talk to you about

setting up some boycotts.

You're on your own

with this one, T. J.

And together we could change

the conditions of that plant.

What you have in mind?

Lucille? Let's go.

I'm gone.

Oh, come on, Marcus.

You ready?

Come on.

I wanna drive a truck

at the plant.

I worked in transport in Korea.

Or be a loading supervisor.

What do I have to do to get it?

Tell me how it

works down there.

Well, right now,

all the supervisors are white.

No black can apply for it.

Most the blacks

have menial jobs, low pay.

It's real bad.

What's that, Mr. Weber?

Sign-up sheet for

loading supervisor,

extra 50 cents an hour.

I'm in.

Come on, Kenny.

Extra 50 cents an hour

should keep you on your butt.

50 cents an hour?

Hell, I can live with that.

It's not for you boys.

Come on, T. J.,

let's go home.

Come on, T. J.

Yeah, you right.

I ain't gonna take

no more of this.

Where you going?

T. J.?

What you doing, T. J.?

Signing my name.

T. J., you need to

come down here.

Come on down.

Mr. Weber?

T. J., you can't

put your name up there.

Now you know that.

Why not?

Coloreds don't do

the supervisor positions.

You understand that?

There's a first time

for everything, Mr. Weber.

Better have a talk

with your boy, Marcus.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, Mr. Weber.

I'm gonna talk to him.

I'll talk to him.

T. J., what in the name

of holy God got into you?

You gone crazy?

You can get us all killed.

I'm tired, Marcus.

Fear the night, niggers.

Fear the night.

Hey, Dad. How you feel?

I'm okay for a man

with a stroke.

Where is everybody?

Well, hey to you too.

Sorry.

I'm just hungry or something.

Lucille! Brooks!

Supper's on, let's go!

She not home.

Where is she?

Where is she, Rose?

She's at the Civil Rights

League office with

the two white boys.

Lookie here, you're gonna

have to give her

a little room on this!

Oh, no, I don't.

Now Reverend King has used

people our age in the past.

We can march and we can protest,

but nobody's gonna change

our city except ourselves.

Now we need to get every

Negro person voting in Bogalusa.

But with all due respect,

the Negro Voters League

run by Reverend Gregory

is completely ineffective.

[ overlapping dialogue ]

Now keep in mind

what we're talking about.

Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner

were just murdered for doing

exactly what we are discussing.

So I want everyone

to talk to their parents.

I want everyone to think about

the potential dangers involved.

Don't go into this lightly,

okay?

Lucille! Come on.

Excuse me. I gotta go.

Daddy?

Shut up.

We're gonna deal with this

when we get home.

If you find you near her,

talking to her,

getting her involved

in any way, I'm gonna slap

the taste out your mouth.

Let's go.

[ banging ]

Well, well,

what do we have here?

Y'all gonna have to cease

and desist.

We're closing

this office down once again.

You are not permitted

to practice law in

the state of Louisiana.

Am I correct?

Yes, you are correct.

Yeah, well, do you wanna

close the doors

or you wanna go to jail?

Sir, while we are not members

of the Louisiana Bar,

state law does allow us

to disseminate our

legal opinions

so long as we don't attempt

to actually practice law

or have ourselves passed off

as state-sanctioned attorneys.

All right.

We'll let the court decide.

Cuff 'em.

This building is

the private property

of a nonprofit organization!

By interfering with our

organization, you're in direct

violation of several city

and state codes!

All right!

I want this place cleared out or

else you'll follow 'em to jail!

Where y'all going?

Don't wanna see you

here anymore, all right?

Marcus, what the hell

are you doing here?

I'm just getting my daughter.

I want you to talk

to these people.

I don't wanna

see 'em here again.

I don't wanna have

to arrest 'em.

Yes, sir.

Reverend Gregory know

what you're doing?

[ police siren ]

You be careful.

You be real careful.

[ thunder ]

Time to go home, cat.

[ meows ]

Go on, go on.

Hey, T. J.!

[ laughs ]

You ain't goin' nowhere!

You're gonna take your name

off that list tomorrow.

You hear me, boy?

I got a right to have my name

on that list!

Oh, no, you don't.

Marcus!

You're gonna take your name

off that list tomorrow.

I got a right to have my name

on that list!

No, you don't.

Marcus!

Are you gonna take it off?

I got a right

to put my name on that list!

You're taking your name off

that list tomorrow, hear me?

Marcus!

[ grunting ]

Praise the Lord.

The only reason you boys

ain't hurting is 'cause you

got the same skin color as God.

But this is a one-time pass.

Remember what happened to those

northern boys in Mississippi.

Y'all know which way to go.

Let's go.

You've gotta be kidding me!

No. I'm not kidding.

They're not fooling around,

Michael!

They will kill us!

Yeah, I know.

Why are you willing

to die for this?

Do you hear me?

Why, Charlie?

Because our skin is not

the same color as God's.

It's okay.

I respect you.

You take care of yourself.

Michael?

I'm not like you!

I wanna get married and live

to see my children, Goddamn it!

Goddamn it!

[ whistle blows ]

[ phone rings ]

You okay?

It was a damn fool

thing to do, Marcus.

I should have listened to you.

I'm sorry.

Nothing to be sorry about.

I heard it.

I should have helped.

I know your heart, Marcus.

Besides, you got a family.

I should have known better.

Marcus! Marcus!

It's your daddy!

Is he all right?

I don't know,

there's something wrong.

What's goin' on?

Hey, Daddy?

Daddy?

I'm gonna get you

to the hospital.

You all right?

Scared.

Don't be scared, Daddy.

God's with you.

You don't...

be scared.

Daddy?

Daddy?

All right, Daddy.

Treat us fair,

treat us right!

Negroes' money accounts

for 37% of Bogalusa's

downtown business.

But none of those businesses

will hire Negro workers!

Now there are gonna be people

who will try and provoke us,

people who will try and

intimidate us, make us

give in, make us go home!

We not goin' home!

Get the hell off this street!

This is a decent town!

Treat us right!

Treat us fair.

Treat us right!

Treat us fair!

Treat us right!

Treat us fair!

Look out the window,

Mr. Mayor.

People coming in to do

their shopping,

do their banking.

They see what's

goin' on down there.

They're not even parking!

Now I'm not fooling around

with this.

We are losing a lot

of business, Sam!

We need you to end it now!

Clarence,

it's not that simple.

Just arrest 'em.

It's not gonna work.

They're minors.

These charges aren't gonna

mean a damn thing to them.

Well, just say the word.

We got clubs, we got tear gas.

They won't come back.

Find me a legal reason

I can do it.

Throw a dart.

They're threatening city

property.

Good enough.

Do it the old-fashioned way.

Walter, I don't want this

in Bogalusa.

[ police sirens ]

You all are in violation of

several city ordinances and are

ordered to disperse immediately!

We are within our

rights to protest peacefully!

Don't move!

Legally, they cannot

do anything to us.

Move out!

Are you hearing

what I'm saying?

I am telling you

for the last time!

Form your lines!

Move or we will move you

forcibly and arrest you!

If you do, you will be

violating our constitutional

rights to assemble and protest!

This is your last warning!

Gas 'em!

Hold steady.

Marcus, Marcus,

ain't that Lucille?

Where you goin', Marcus?

[ all shouting at once ]

Lucille!

[ shrieking, coughing ]

[ cries ]

I'll kill you,

you hit my daughter!

[ shouting ]

[ shouting, chattering ]

Marcus, come on!

Get Lucille.

Get Lucille, Marcus!

Come on!

[ choking ]

Let's go! Come on, Marcus.

Come on, baby.

You're gonna pay, nigger.

Go, let's go!

[ screaming ]

Ah!

God damn commie traitor.

Traitor!

Let's go!

Charlie, get 'em outta here!

[ screaming ]

[ choking, gasping ]

Get in the car!

Start!

Let's go, let's go, let's go!

[ groans ]

Don't want to hear

nothing else about this!

Nothing!

When they said no colored,

they don't mean no grown folks!

They mean me, Daddy!

I done told you no!

You know what no means! No!

Lucille, you were

nearly killed today!

It's over with! It's over!

Black folks have been

killed by the Klan since ever

and you won't do nothing!

Lucille, you don't

shut your mouth,

I swear to God I'm gonna knock

some sense into your head.

No! Then hit me, Daddy,

your daughter!

Get mad at the white man,

not me!

Lucille!

No! No!

There is a lot

you don't understand!

[ crying ]

He won't listen!

[ crying ]

No. You're right, baby.

They went to hit you.

I didn't think twice

about stopping 'em.

You're right, baby.

What's that make me?

Nobody move!

Get back!

Get your hands where...

[ screaming, shouting ]

Just don't hurt my family!

Jimmy, is that him?

Yes, sir.

Take him away!

Where you taking my husband?

He assaulted

a police officer.

Now we're just

gonna question him.

Daddy!

Brooks, you stay there!

Really disappointed me,

Marcus.

I was just

protecting my daughter.

Nigger, that's a privilege

you don't have.

Take him away.

No!

Stay back outta the way!

Come on, boy.

What's the name of

the white boy lawyer

you been working with?

Michael Deane.

All right.

You go pack your bag and

you and Brooks go down

to Auntie Bella's house now!

Go!

I'll call you later!

Brooks, let's go!

Rose Clay and my partner,

Charlie, just got back

from the jail.

When they got there, they found

out that Marcus had not been

charged with any crime

and he had been released

just minutes earlier.

So that's another Negro

on your head!

My son can't stand because

of the pain in his back

from where he was clubbed.

How dare you bring

children out there!

[ crowd shouting ]

Leave is be!

I'm sorry.

Believe me, that was the last

thing that we wanted to happen,

but we are not

going to stop now.

Enough!

Stop!

As head of the Voters League,

I'm gonna meet with the mayor

and I'm gonna ask him

to guarantee the safety

of the Negro people.

And in exchange for that,

the Voters League

will make every effort

to stop these protests

at City Hall.

Marcus?

Marcus?

Marcus?

Oh, Marcus, my God.

Look what they did to you.

We gotta take you to

the hospital, baby.

Everybody's at

the church worrying about you.

Look at me, Rose.

You see what they did to me?

See what I look like?

I've spent all my life,

all my life,

yes, sir, no, sir.

I never looked 'em in the eye

and I been always

smiling at 'em.

You see what they did?

They beat me like a dog, Rose.

They don't want me to even

have the thought,

the thought that I'm a man.

They said they gonna

do the same.

They gonna do the same thing

to Brooks and they gonna

do the same thing

to Brooks' kids and

they gonna do

the same thing to they kids.

And this has gotta stop.

This has gotta stop, Rose.

I gotta do somethin'.

I gotta do somethin'.

That's gonna change.

Marcus, please.

Take me to church, okay?

Let's go to church.

I would like

the Voters League

to call a vote on whether

to endorse these protests

and that'll be the first vote.

And then I want to put on

the table the issue

of asking Mr. Deane

and his partner

to leave town,

bring peace to our community!

Over my dead body!

Marcus?

Marcus?

Hey, let me take you

to the hospital.

I'm okay.

Matter of fact,

I'm doing pretty good.

Just let me be.

Go on with your meeting, Rev.

I'm so sorry, Marcus.

It's okay.

It's the last time.

Let's just go on

with the meeting.

Well, I was gonna call

for a vote on asking

Mr. Deane...

No! Never again!

Marcus, we're going

to have a vote!

And if they want to,

Reverend, these young people

gonna march tomorrow and

the day after and the day after!

I understand your pain, but

that is not for you to decide!

And that

includes my daughter!

And not Neely or the Klan

or any of these white

sons of bitches are

ever gonna hurt them again!

I understand you're hurt,

but this is God's house!

Do not use that language

in here!

Now we're gonna have a vote.

I call a vote for a new

leader of the Voters League!

Pastor Gregory, we know each

other for a lot of years now

and I love you like a brother,

but it's a new time.

In the rest of the south,

you know what they calling this?

"Freedom Summer".

Why shouldn't it

be "Freedom Summer"

in Bogalusa, Louisiana?

I nominate Marcus Clay!

Marcus has always dealt

with the white management

of the plant for us.

He'd be good.

I second that nomination!

All those in favor

of Marcus Clay

becoming the new leader

of the Voters League,

raise your hands.

Raise your hands!

All those opposed?

I can't go along with that.

Well, then it's done.

Marcus?

Right.

Come on, Marcus.

Say somethin', Marcus.

Come on, Marcus.

Reverend Gregory, you served

this church for many years.

I have great respect

for Reverend Gregory.

He has always been there for me.

I don't know what to tell y'all.

I'm gonna talk

to these white boys here.

They must have some idea.

Truth is, I only know

one thing for sure.

What happened to our

children today will never

ever happen again

or they will have

to come through me.

Reverend?

[ gunshot ]

Don't ever forget it.

So what's on your mind,

Marcus?

You killed white men,

didn't you, T. J.?

Yeah.

How many? You told me.

Two, three you know of

in a war in Germany?

Yeah.

Why are we afraid now?

You're all crazy.

I was in the war.

I fought hard for my country.

I was a tanker man.

Archie?

You and T. J.

Served together in Korea.

I have fought

in the First War.

You killed white men?

I did.

You remember Double V?

What it meant to Negro soldiers?

Victory abroad, victory at home,

victory against oppression,

racism.

We with you, Marcus.

What happened

to that victory?

What you suggesting, sir?

I'm suggesting

we defend ourselves.

Most of the Negroes

live in Mapleton,

so we secure it.

Archie? T. J.?

You wanna secure...

Yes, sir.

First, we arm ourselves.

Lock the Klan outta

of our neighborhood.

Second, we take night shifts

at the plant so we can

watch over our children when

they march in the protest.

Well, when do we sleep?

You sleep when you dead.

Third, we give armed escorts

to these white boys so they can

stay and organize so we can get

that godforsaken paper plant

desegregated and get the jobs

we have coming to us!

There was a group that

he was talking about

in Alabama and, I think,

in Mississippi.

They made like little armies

protecting folks from

the Night Riders.

They did it. So can we.

Marcus, ain't this taking

things a little too far?

It's called for

and you know it, Archie!

This is an army of one,

then it's an army of one.

I gave my word.

Gentlemen, I've been waiting

for this day my whole life.

All right.

Archie?

All right, then.

Let's get started.

Hey, what you doin' up?

You know how late it is?

You know somethin', Daddy?

What, Brooks?

I'm scared.

Well, I could think of

two reasons why

you should be scared.

Only two?

Only two. That's all I got,

but they're some good ones.

Your grandma, she always used

to tell me,

God is on your shoulder,

God is on your shoulder.

Right now, I can feel Him

here and here.

What's the other?

I'm a big strong man, right?

And I would never let

anybody hurt you, hear?

Get back in bed.

Go, go.

Love you, boy.

Love you too, Daddy.

To help protect

both the black and the white

popu... oh, no, no, no.

I don't want any guns,

any baseball bats.

You want us to go?

That's not what he's saying.

That is exactly

what I'm saying.

Mr. Clay, this movement is

nonviolent and we will

not resort to this!

You ain't resortin'

to a damn thing! We are!

As long as you stand down here

and run these protests and

my daughter's marching in 'em,

we gonna keep you alive.

Well, then we won't march.

We'll call it off.

I'll pack up.

No, you won't.

Maybe we should compromise,

Michael, need some kind of

protection...

Walt, Billy, John,

you keep 'em company.

In four hours, you get relieved.

You know what, Marcus?

You can go to hell!

Nonviolence is the essence

of everything

this movement stands for.

It is the essence

of everything I stand for!

We are supposed

to be better than them.

If we stay alive,

we will be better than them.

That's how I measure it.

Alive is better than dead!

And, by the way,

I'm already in hell.

So don't you tell me about

the essence of

your summer vacation.

The colored man been wading

in this shit for 400 years.

You come down here to my town,

try to tell me how

to fight my fight?

My fight?

We'll be around

every 10 minutes.

You got your whistle?

What's that under your leg?

Good for you.

So this how we gonna live?

For now, unless you

know something else.

You're telling me I got

to choose between my children

growing up with dignity

or a life of my husband?

I don't know an answer for that.

Rose, I gotta go.

Go on then.

Go! Go! Go!

Go on now.

Here we go!

Get back in the damn car!

Don't even turn around.

You're outta

your mind, Marcus.

Shut your mouth!

That sheet ain't gonna hide

what a fat piece of shit

you are, Kenner.

Give it here!

You tell your Grand Wizard,

Poobah Dragon, whatever

the fuck he calls hisself,

come down this area again,

he gonna get a whuppin'.

Now you boys should

get the hell outta here.

Shut up or I'll beat

your ass right now!

We ain't like y'all.

Get the hell on outta here.

Just drive yourself

on outta here!

[ chuckles ]

Boy, do you know what

we just done?

And I lived to see that day.

Phew, thank you, Lord.

Like deacons

defending they church.

That was righteous.

What y'all think

about the name

the Deacons for Defense

and Justice?

Deacons for Defense.

Makes sense to me.

It's a righteous name

for a righteous cause.

I like it.

The Deacons for Defense.

Now why won't you let

Chief Neely arrest 'em?

We know the names

of most of them.

Not only did

they assault white men,

but those Negroes have guns.

William, you're a teacher,

an intelligent man.

You know what was going on

out there tonight.

Now do we have

to say it out loud?

We need to control them.

Now if you can't do it

with the hand of government,

it is our obligation,

our divine right,

to lord it over the beasts.

Let's get those white boys,

Deane and Hillibrand,

out at least.

Those boys are communists.

Just say the word

and we'll bring 'em in.

They have cars down there

from Baton Rouge in New Orleans.

There are white reporters,

Negro reporters.

There's Life magazine.

If we arrest Deane or

Hillibrand, those reporters

will be all over it

and we don't even have anything

to charge 'em with.

So what if

they're just missing?

Well, after what happened

in Mississippi, you want

the FBI down here?

Sam, I'm just about 13 days

away from bankruptcy.

Why can't we just fire 'em,

take away their income?

Who?

All the Negroes at the plant?

You mean shut down

the cornerstone of the economy

of this town?

So not the plant.

There are other jobs.

Every person who cleans

a toilet or takes care of your

children or cooks your food

or fixes the brakes on your car,

one-third of

this town is Negroes.

They're everywhere.

So you tell me who

to fire first.

You make it sound

like we should be scared.

You know who made

that sandwich?

Poured that water?

The Klan can deliver

a lot of votes and we can

take a lot of votes away.

Well, then don't vote for me,

William, all right?

Now, look, give a list

of names to Neely.

He'll go out and check

that they have permits

for their weapons.

He'll check their cars

for violations.

But other than that,

I can't help you.

Well, gentlemen,

I will weed this field myself.

I'm bringing in Klansmen

from all over the state.

Now this is a crisis.

Those Negroes have

formed an army.

If they succeed here, think

they won't do this in Alabama?

Seems like it's growing.

Best guess, there's more

than 30 of 'em now.

Their leader's definitely

Marcus Clay.

He's like a rabid animal

that's completely uncontrollable

and needs to be put down.

Now who would like

that privilege?

[ chants ]

We started with five men.

Now look at us.

Larger, stronger!

Let me hear it!

Yes, sir!

Each squad stays within

100-yards of the other squad.

Use your whistles.

Don't start talking or

bunching up with other squads.

Use your eyes.

See them before they see you.

All right, let's go.

Never again!

Never again!

'Til peace comes at last!

'Til peace comes at last!

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

[ chanting continues ]

Go to!

[ cheering ]

When we met, we was always

laughing and joking.

We was closer.

What happened?

Our kids got big.

I look at 'em and I get scared.

I don't think I could live

if they got hurt.

I'd rather die than

let anything happen to them.

Let the white man

do whatever he wants,

just don't hurt my babies.

Walk all over me.

Just don't hurt them.

I been telling myself

that for years,

but it's over.

You gotta keep yourself safe,

Marcus Clay,

'cause I need you.

They might kill me, Rose.

Until that happens,

I'm gonna love you.

I love our kids.

I'm gonna love God

and I'm gonna live

like a man, like a man does.

For all that time I didn't,

I'm so sorry.

I've missed you so much.

You are something else.

You know that?

I love you.

I'm back.

[ whistle blows ]

Patterson Paper employs 40%

of the people of Bogalusa.

The way Patterson Paper goes,

so goes this city.

We do not control this city.

Yes, you do.

Two of the five members

of City Council

are Patterson Paper employees.

70% of the income of Bogalusa

comes from Patterson Paper.

What's your point?

One, you've never hired

any female Negroes to work

in this factory.

Two, all the work spaces

are segregated.

Three, Negro workers have

passed aptitude and skill tests

and still can't progress

past the lowest paying jobs.

Marcus, let me stop you

for one second here.

I've known you for a long time

and I respect your position

as head of the Voters League.

But it's gonna take some time.

We're just one little

factory here.

Don't fool with us,

Mr. Gower.

You are part of the 88th

largest corporation

in the United States.

You have net sales of

$616 million with assets

of over $645 million.

Really?

I didn't even know that.

Shall we bring the unfair

promotional practices and the

illegal segregated workplaces

to the attention

of the national media?

Is that what it's gonna take?

No Negro workers have ever

moved up to the position of

truck driver or supervisor.

T. J. McDaniels

was beaten simply for

putting his name on the list.

We don't know anything

about that!

What?

Look, it's a very nice idea

to have a colored man

as a supervisor.

But it would mean at some

point that he would have

to supervise white men.

You see, Patterson Paper

corporate headquarters...

Is in Seattle.

I've already written

to two vice presidents

in charge of hiring there.

Well, then you know that

company policy dictates that

Patterson will not go against

any local customs, no matter

how offensive or

repugnant we personally

may feel them to be.

I see. You're right.

Because where I come from

up north in Philadelphia,

we like to drown

redneck racists like cats.

So that would be okay, right?

No matter how offensive

or repugnant it happens to be?

Because that's just

the way it is around here!

You can leave.

Yes, sir.

I promise you, Mr. Gower,

we will shut this place down!

You better talk to him,

Marcus.

This is out of hand.

I think you better...

I think you better

listen to him.

I seen him drown

three rednecks already.

Bubbles coming up out

the water and whatnot.

It was awful.

It was downright ugly.

Jim, I'm standing here

at the north entrance

to the Patterson Paper Company.

Now, as you can see, we have

a large group massing right here

in front of the main gate.

As I understand it, there's

already been...

Just blocks from where

I'm standing, a large protest

has completely shut down

Patterson Paper.

This is a massive factory and

there are trucks backed up

for several blocks that

the protestors aren't allowing

into the factory.

[ intercom buzzes ]

Yeah?

Sir, the national press

is here and we've got pickets

in front of our building.

Pickets?

And we're on goddamned

national television.

Get me the plant at Bogalusa.

The order's come down

from national headquarters

in Seattle.

We are going to be making

some changes around the plant.

From now on, all segregation

in the plant

is to be discontinued.

We're gonna share

the bathrooms with the coloreds?

Yes. The bathrooms

will be desegregated.

This is the letter from Seattle.

"Effective immediately,

all areas will be permanently

desegregated, not limited to,

but including the cafeteria,

workplaces, water fountains,

locker rooms and restrooms."

[ complaining ]

This is by order of

the company president

and approved by

the Board of Directors.

[ cheering, shouting ]

I'm sending you this letter

with the greatest urgency...

Luke, you're replaced.

Frankie, take his place.

Listen, I really appreciate

everything you've done for us,

but...

Just watching out

for my daughter.

Well, with all due respect,

Mr. Clay, you might wanna

try talking to her.

She'd like it if you

communicated with her

a little bit.

She would?

Very much so.

She understands a lot more about

you than you think she does.

If I were you, I wouldn't get

involved in my family business.

Dangerous and violent

situations brewing.

Armed factions, we request

that federal troops be brought

to Bogalusa to help both

the black and white population.

You scared?

As scared as I've ever been.

The letter's right.

Somebody gonna need protectin'.

Let's go.

Tremendous urgency.

This is not simply a request.

It is a plea.

[ phone rings ]

[ knocking on door ]

You got a minute?

Yeah.

Did you get my memo

on Bogalusa?

Yes, I did.

You have confirmation?

We sent in

some state police undercover

and they confirmed it for us.

There is a war heating up

down there.

There are Negroes

taking up arms.

Now the KKK is already

well-armed and well-financed

by the White Citizens Council

and they're organizing.

We believe there are hundreds

of KKK members coming

into the area.

You know where Bogalusa is?

No.

I had to look it up on a map.

You heard national press

about this before

you started your investigation?

No, I didn't.

But, listen now,

this is different.

There is a militant

Negro group that is armed

and ready to fight.

That's only happened

a few times before.

There are two armies

gathering down there.

Johnson just got

the National Civil Rights Bill

through Congress.

He's done enough damage

to the south.

He's a southerner,

for God's sake.

He needs those states.

He's not gonna let us send

troops down there

unless it's called for.

Well, what about

the people of the city?

The white people and

the colored people?

When that war breaks out,

what happens then?

God help 'em.

[ shouting, hooting ]

Brothers, please.

Please!

Now we have a white company

like Patterson Paper

telling us how

to run our lives!

Taking our jobs.

Spreading communism and

niggerism to our community.

They're taking our way of life!

Klan, I ask you to stand tall,

stand proud,

exalt in your whiteness,

in your intelligence,

in your superiority.

It's our turn now.

White power reign down

on this great country of ours.

White power!

White power!

White power!

White power!

[ chanting continues ]

[ screams ]

[ shouting ]

Three homes burned, Marcus.

45 wounded, 35 hospitalized,

six of them children.

One woman was stripped down

in front of her daughter.

She didn't say what

all they did to her.

By the grace of God,

nobody died.

This only works, Marcus,

if we carrying

a bigger stick as they do.

We lost tonight,

but I know we...

We reassign the men,

fill up for the wounded,

even up the scores.

That's what we do.

We can't fight the Klan.

Two of my guys were

throwing rocks at 'em.

Rocks, Marcus, against guns!

We put more men

on the perimeter.

Put more men on patrol

at the same time.

Marcus, we can't do this!

Not like this!

You got a better idea?

Three of our neighbors

lost their homes, man.

This is one night.

This is what it's about!

There's gonna be losses!

Gentlemen, gentlemen, please!

We can't go back,

so let's all take a deep breath.

I have us a plan.

There's a gentleman

I can speak to,

an old Army buddy

in New Orleans.

Who is he?

He runs the Negro

Longshoremen's Union.

What we talking about, Otis?

I'm talking about

building up.

I'm talking about real weapons.

I'm talking about

arming every one of us.

Who gonna give guns

to a mob of angry niggers?

The white man put us

to work out in the fields,

in the factories

and down on the docks.

Everything for a 1,000 miles

moves in and out of the docks

in New Orleans

and colored men lift half of it.

Bananas, cars, guns.

My boy!

Oh, how you been?

Good, good, yeah.

Let's get these cars loaded

and get the hell

on outta here, huh?

I can't take this.

You give it to the church.

You sure?

Give it to the church.

We thank you.

Come on, let's go.

Marcus, you better

get over here.

That's an M-60.

Shoots 600 rounds per minute.

Look at these.

Otis, what is this?

A weapon.

What's wrong?

I been to war already.

I didn't like it then.

Marcus, this ain't war.

We can't use this.

Comes to it, I'll use it.

If it comes to it,

it'll be the end of the world.

End of our world, at least.

No, man.

You hand those out,

I'm walking away from here.

I'm not handing them out.

Not yet.

Otis, put 'em back.

Put 'em down, Otis.

You come with me.

Gentlemen, we are

not playing games, hmm?

I'm with you on this, Otis.

Have a seat, Marcus.

You want something?

You been missing days.

There's talk about

letting you go.

I covered all my shifts.

I'm not supposed to say this.

I'm just telling you

what's being discussed.

You're gonna have real trouble.

All right then.

I'm just trying to help you.

Yeah, yeah.

This letter says they

sent down two busloads of clergy

from New York and Detroit.

I don't see any buses.

We are here on our own.

Hold on a second. Hold on!

There's supposed to be

a deacon posted here.

Yeah. Where is he?

Make me smile.

Give me a reason

to pull this trigger.

Now drop the gun, boy.

[ groans ]

Run, you nigger lovers!

Run!

Go!

Oh, my God, Michael!

It's gonna be all right!

It's gonna be all right.

Now you boys were given

a good Christian warning

and you just didn't listen.

Gentlemen, beat 'em with

the strength of the Lord

and the rage of the devil.

[ grunting ]

Where's Marcus?

Inside.

Marcus!

Marcus!

They got Carl!

They got John

and the white boys!

[ cocks rifle ]

They look real bad.

I'll take 'em to

the hospital in New Orleans.

Marcus?

Two things.

No more violence,

I'm begging you!

And the other?

I'm coming back.

Move, Archie!

Take 'em to the hospital.

Go on.

Go ahead!

Mr. Governor,

these northern groups,

the Student Nonviolent

Coordinating Committee and

the Congress on Racial Equality,

they're bussing people in from

all over the country,

New York, Washington, Detroit.

On the other hand, I got

the Klan readying for war.

They're bringing people

in from all over the state.

Judge Christenberry

has ordered you and

the Bogalusa police

to protect the protestors.

You're goin' against

a federal decree, Mr. Mayor!

I understand that, sir.

I've got coloreds here

with automatic rifles, pistols.

We even have some reports

they have hand grenades.

[ shouting ]

[ dogs barking ]

Riots broke out in downtown

Bogalusa in reactions

to the shooting of two

Negro law enforcement officers.

One officer was killed

and the other

was critically injured.

Negro protestors

were repelled by...

President Johnson's

pissed off.

He wants this to end.

Didn't you tell me that God

is gonna help the people

of Bogalusa?

Just get your ass

down there and end it now.

Who are you?

I'm Alan Garrison.

I'm a lawyer for

the Department of Justice.

Come on.

Our position is we need

to end the violence now

before somebody's killed.

That ain't gonna happen.

We got children marching.

You want me to just

leave 'em to be shot or clubbed?

No. I've already put together

a case against the police,

Chief Neely and

his deputies, that I'm bringing

to the Federal Court.

Thank you.

I'm gonna force them to protect

the protestors so you

and your men don't have to.

[ laughs ]

Marcus, please.

Listen.

I know Mayor Martinson has

already set up a meeting for you

and him to sit down

with the governor.

Are you gonna go to that?

Start working this out?

I'm thinking about it.

You want me to stop the protest?

I wouldn't, if I were you.

The name of the game

is to make as much noise

as you can for as long

as you can.

Eventually, the cavalry

will come in.

Oh, so you're

the cavalry now?

I thought the cavalry

was supposed to show up

before they lynched the people.

We got cemeteries filled

with people waiting for y'all!

Marcus...

I ain't waiting

for the cavalry.

[ sighs ]

Set up the meeting,

Mr. Garrison.

You don't want no pie?

Yeah.

All right, boys.

Y'all made your point.

So let me tell you

what we're proposing.

You tell me, Mr. Governor,

if I'm misspeaking.

The prudent cause would be

to hear your demands,

talk about them

if there was a truce.

Let everybody cool down,

stop protesting, stop boycotting

white businesses

and then we start to talk.

Excuse me.

You brought us down here to say

stop and we can have a talk?

We're already talking right now!

Let's discuss it right now.

Thank you.

I brought you down here,

you and the mayor,

so we could end the violence.

Let's get down to brass tacks.

What do you boys

personally want?

And how can we help you?

How can you help us?

Okay, Mr. Governor,

let me make this real

simple for you.

Desegregate the public spaces.

Desegregate the city jobs.

That's our starting point.

Anything less is

unacceptable, period.

And as head of

the Voters League,

I can guarantee you

that the boycotts

and the protests

will continue if our demands

are not met.

We will listen

to your demands.

Now I can't promise anything.

Those are sweeping changes.

That happen

to be federal law.

Our city is coming into line

with federal civil rights laws,

but right now, I'm asking you

to take the first step.

Stop protesting,

stop boycotting.

When I urinate, it comes out

bloody 'cause of the damage

done to my kidneys

from a beating I took

from your police department.

So don't you dare ask me

to take the first step!

Well, I am sorry

about that, Marcus.

But I am demanding you

end protests, end boycotts.

You can't demand

a damn thing.

All you guarantee me

is more talking.

That's what I'm asking you

to take back to your people

'cause I hear you may not

even be the president of

the Voters League by Saturday.

Go to hell.

Let's go.

What is most important

is we need the so-called

Deacons for Defense

to disarm and no longer

maintain patrols!

Excuse me?

What are you talking about?

Deacons for Defense?

What is that?

A church group?

You heard of it, T. J.?

Don't know nothing about it.

You, Archie?

Not me.

We ain't heard of 'em.

I'll tell you if I find 'em.

You take care of yourself.

Tea?

Go on, do it!

[ spits ]

[ laughs ]

Brooks, what you doin'

in the dark? Come over here.

Come on.

How'd you get so beautiful?

Aw, Daddy.

No, I mean it.

How did you get to be

so beautiful?

From you.

You still scared?

One day, I promise you,

you're not gonna feel

that way no more.

It's gonna be all right.

[ sighs ]

It's gonna be all right.

Y'all wanna see me?

Yes.

Come, Marcus.

Come on in.

Come sit with us.

Now the congregation put

together some boxes of food

for you and your family

and we also raised

a collection here.

No, I can't.

You gotta provide

for your family.

Marcus, please?

Thank you.

You look tired, Marcus.

I am tired.

Maybe you should

stay home tonight.

Stay in tonight, Marcus.

We got it covered.

Marcus, maybe you should step

down from the Voters League.

What are you talking about?

What are you talking about?

Nothing personal.

We ain't even

gonna discuss that.

Nothin' was achieved

with the governor.

After the blood

that has been spilled,

after the tears from

marching every day,

we are no further along.

Marcus has given his life

to this!

This can't go on forever!

Of course, it can!

What are you talking about?

Please!

Listen.

I been in touch with

Dr. King's folks.

I asked them to send

somebody down here to help us.

What'd they say?

Well, because of their stance

on nonviolence, they said they

cannot afford to be associated

with us because of the Deacons.

We're on our own down here.

It's because of Marcus that

we can't get whatever we need.

You shut up!

Please, please, please!

I have been living in fear

of the Klan all my life.

It was bred in me as a child

and it made me less than a man.

But all of that has changed

because of you.

You freed me, son.

You woke up something in me,

so don't you stop.

Don't you dare stop.

And tomorrow, I'm gonna be

marching with you

and I'm gonna march every day

to change what's happening

down here.

And there ain't gonna be

no change in leadership.

Ain't gonna be no stepping down.

Marcus is still in charge.

That's right.

Amen.

Now, you men, let's get

these groceries over

to Marcus's house.

Be careful out there.

Marcus, God bless you, my son.

Keep the faith, Marcus,

keep the faith.

Never again.

I hear you're

winning everybody over.

Where's your buddy?

He's down at the office.

We're both back.

You gonna go back

and join the protest?

Well, how you doing, Michael?

Oh, not too bad, Marcus.

Thanks for asking.

They knocked out five teeth

in the back of my mouth,

fractured a couple of bones.

Good news is, the doctor

says that the bleeding

in my liver has stopped.

Oh, that's real good, Michael.

Glad to see you back up

on your feet.

You wanna be my friend now.

Why don't you get on the floor?

I'll go outside and see if I can

find me some good old boys to

kick you around a little bit.

I'll tell 'em you don't

like to defend yourself.

They'll be lined up

all around the corner.

[ laughs ]

You ready for a real good

ass-whipping?

[ laughs ]

Yeah.

I am ready for a real good

ass-whipping.

But, no, I do not wanna

be your friend.

I just thought maybe you might

look at me differently once

I had my face cracked open.

But, fuck it, you wanna

hate me 'cause I'm white?

Or you wanna not trust me

'cause I'm...

Whatever, Marcus? I don't care.

But I'm gonna be here and

I am gonna be here fighting.

All right, then.

You wanna come over to my house,

get something to eat?

No. I really don't.

Okay.

Just a little respect

for my effort.

That's all I really want.

Federal officer.

Go ahead.

Just the two men

I wanted to speak to.

I didn't know you two

were friends.

[ chuckles ]

What's going on?

I brought a suit

in Federal Court against

the Bogalusa police

and the Washington Parish

police.

We go Monday.

I'd like you both to be there.

Definitely.

Good.

Marcus?

If my friend goes, I go.

Okay.

What are y'all fixing to eat?

Lester?

Yes, Mr. Mayor?

Cease and desist.

But...

In reference to Marcus Clay,

any orders you've been given,

cease and desist.

The governor does not want

any more tension put here.

You understand?

I said do you understand me?

Yes, sir.

Good.

[ siren blaring ]

This is a list of

Ku Klux Klan members?

That's the list that I

and other federal agents

collected from our observations

of the Ku Klux Klan activities.

And this is a list of

the local Bogalusa police.

You'll see that several members

of the police department are

members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Captain Joseph Lawson, one of

the defendants, is among them.

Let's look at

this movie you took.

Now I see photos and film

in Bogalusa and all I see

are Confederate flags.

Is there not one American flag

in the town of Bogalusa?

I see the police doing

nothing to protect those people.

Turn it off!

I gave the order once in July

and now here I am again.

I am making this court decree

for the last time.

You stop beating and harassing

and arresting

and clubbing these people!

You protect them!

And you ensure their

constitutional right to protest.

The instant you do not,

you'll be in violation

of my decree and

you will be jailed.

Is that clear?

Also, these known Klan members,

William Chase and Lester Conley,

I'm issuing a declaration

stating that these men

cannot be within 100 yards

of a demonstration.

I will end this.

We're adjourned.

Marcus!

Gentlemen, we won!

At least acknowledge that.

Victories are few and far

between in this fight.

He made the same ruling

a couple of months ago.

Didn't mean anything then.

Do you think the police

listen to the federal

government, Mr. Garrison?

You know who the police

listen to in Louisiana?

Who?

The Klan.

Do you know what the Klan is,

Mr. Garrison?

Because for me, coming from up

north, this has been one

eye-opening experience.

I know what the Klan is.

I don't think you do.

The Klan is

not beer-drinking rednecks

with sheets on their heads.

The Klan is an incredibly

violent paramilitary fascist

organization that dictates

to the police,

the local government,

the school boards.

It's more murderous, pervasive

and influential than any

criminal organization

in the United States,

including the mafia.

And the only reason that Hoover

and the rest of the world is not

up in arms about it is because

their victims are black.

The only reason you're here

is because somebody in the

government didn't like seeing

little black children being beat

up on the news every night.

You think I'm the enemy here?

I risked my life

coming down here.

Mr. Garrison,

I appreciate that.

But the truth is, you're never

gonna get hard white southern

boys to protect Negroes.

Don't underestimate me,

Mr. Clay.

See, if you're wrong,

you're gonna go back

to court and fight another day.

Gonna get another decree.

But for me, it means somebody

I know or love gets

a bullet in their head.

This decree is right,

Mr. Garrison, but we all know

that that decree

is gonna be tested.

And when it is, the Deacons,

the Deacons, will be there.

Over the past months, riots

have broken out in protest

to Judge Herbert Christenberry's

court ruling.

School integration is being

strongly challenged

by the Klan and

other local white-only groups.

A Klan spokesman has stated

that this is a crucial test

of local and states rights.

Parish and local police

departments have been reluctant

to enforce the court's decree.

In Bogalusa, local Klan leaders

have declared that they

will make a final stand

and test the

Christenberry ruling

by resisting the integration

of Bogalusa High.

The Deacons for Defense have

vowed to defend

the black students' right

to integrate at all costs.

All right, fellas, it's on.

Lucille?

Lucille, you remember

what I told you?

Yes.

Go to it.

Okay, everybody, let's go!

All right, y'all.

Get to your cars!

Hurry!

[ shouting, talking ]

Get this bunch of animals!

Everybody get outta here!

Move, move!

This bunch of niggers!

Keep going, keep going.

They shouldn't be around us,

you understand?

Ready for a test?

Take them down the back.

Get 'em outta here!

Get on the bus!

Daddy, I'm not

gonna get on...

Get on the bus.

I'm not leaving.

Go on inside!

Go on inside!

You stay there!

Don't you come outta there!

They shouldn't be here.

They're a bunch of niggers!

Don't fire unless

you're fired upon.

I don't like this.

Are you ready?

Yes, sir!

[ police siren ]

I'm ordering you to put

your weapons down right now!

We ain't putting down

a damn thing unless

you get them the

hell outta here!

Disarm your men right now

or I will confiscate these guns!

I'd rather die before

somebody takes this gun

outta my hands.

You are under a federal order

to protect these people.

They hit us, they beat us,

and all we do is lift up our

guns and defend ourselves,

and you go crazy.

If you do not protect these

people, you will be arrested,

sir.

You get the fuck

outta my face, boy!

All right.

Charlie, I want you to go

to the school.

I want you to find a phone

and call the Eastern District

Federal Courthouse

in Baton Rouge.

All right.

Wait, wait!

Marcus, be reasonable.

We know each other

a long time.

Order your men

to put their guns down.

Why don't you get their guns?

It's time to take a stand!

It's them or us!

I'm talking to you.

All right, then.

I'll put my gun down.

Christenberry said you

were gonna defend my life.

He said you're gonna defend

all these peoples' lives.

It's time to end this.

Are you ready?

Yes, sir!

[ shouting ]

Let's do it!

We're ready!

Archie, if they kill me,

you know what to do.

I gotcha.

The only thing stopping

a man from greatness

is the fear of his own death.

I made the call.

Did you hear that?

You're about to be arrested,

sheriff.

I guarantee you that,

no matter what happens to me,

there'll be more white blood

than Negro blood running

in the streets today.

And that includes your blood

'cause you will be dead.

That's the only thing you

understand, isn't it?

Aim!

Goddamn it!

I am gonna send you

to your maker!

Goddamn it, Chase!

Put your gun down!

I am not afraid and I am

no less of a man than you are.

Put the gun down, Chase!

I will not.

I said put

the goddamned gun down!

Go to hell, Neely.

I'm ordering you

to put that gun down.

It's over.

Under federal mandate,

these people have the right

to assemble and I have

the obligation to guarantee

their safety.

You are under arrest.

Traitor!

You Judas!

You're a disgrace

to your white race!

Cuff him and take him away.

Don't think this

is over yet, Marcus.

You know why men wear hoods?

'Cause they got no courage.

You all put down your

weapons or you'll be arrested

for violating a federal law!

And I mean it!

We will arrest anybody

who does not move out.

Move out!

Guns down!

Let's go.

[ laughter ]

Yeah!

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

Never again!

Never again!

Never again!

Never again!

I hope they drive him

straight to hell.

You see that coward

driving away in that car?

He's goin' to jail.

You're partly responsible

for that.

I want you to remember.

I don't want you ever

to forget it.

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

All right, fellows!

Gonna be interesting

to see what happens with

this integration thing.

Your order will be

ready tomorrow.

See you then.

May I help you?

No, thank you.

I'll call you if I need you.

Okay.

What do you think?

It's nice.

So your summer vacation's

over?

You sure you don't wanna

come over to my house?

Have some dinner like

we talked about in church?

I can't.

There's still a couple of

rednecks down the road

who haven't had a chance

to whup my ass yet.

A lot of people could have died.

I'll never subscribe

to what you do.

You know, I killed

white men in Germany.

People said they was evil,

so that was all right.

Now I defend myself against

pretty much the same kind of man

and you want me to feel

like I'm not

as honorable as you,

that I should feel ashamed

for protecting my family.

No.

No, that's not true.

I don't want you to feel

ashamed of a damn thing.

Truth is, only reason anyone

listens to us at all is 'cause

they're too afraid

to deal with you.

Thought I was gonna have

to give a gun to my son and

tell him to go on and make

your way in the world.

That's not what I want for him.

You might have made it

so he doesn't have to.

Been a long, long fight.

I'm with you.

I know that.

You take real good care

of yourself.

Archie, take care of him.

I will.

Hillibrand.

Goodbye, Marcus.

Let me hear it!

Yes, sir!

Never again!

Never again!

'Til peace comes at last.

'Til peace comes at last.

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

Deacons for Defense!

[ chanting continues ]