Selma (2014) - full transcript

I accept this honor
for our lost ones,

whose deaths pave our path.

And for the 20 million
Negro men and women

motivated by dignity and a
disdain for hopelessness.

This isn't right.

Corrie.

This ain't right.

What's that?

This necktie. It's not right.

Well, it's not a necktie, dear.
It's an ascot.

Yes, but generally the same principles
should apply, shouldn't they?



It's not right.

It's not right, or
you don't like it?

I don't like how this looks.

Looks distinguished
and debonair to me.

You know what I mean.

Like we're living
high on the hog.

Dressed like this while
folks back home are...

It's not right.

Wait till the brothers back
home see me like this.

They'll have a good laugh.

Let them laugh.

It's not a crime to be away
for a few days, Martin.

It's nice being away, huh?

Yeah. It really is.



Look here.

I'm gonna be a pastor
somewhere small.

College town.

Lead a little church.
Teach a class.

Maybe the occasional
speaking engagement.

And I'll pay all
the bills for us,

especially the mortgage
for our very own house.

Perfect.

You look handsome.

Through it all,

Martin Luther King has
spoken of his dream.

One which we

and many other people
around the world share.

To this undeterred
hero for justice,

the Nobel Committee
of Oslo, Norway,

awards our 1964 Peace Prize.

I accept this honor
for our lost ones,

whose deaths pave our path.

I accept this honor for the more
than 20 million American Negroes

who are motivated by dignity.

Together we believe
that what the illusion

of supremacy has destroyed,

the truth of equality
can nourish.

I promise you. It ain't
nothing to be scared of.

It's quick. And the pastor
is right there next to you.

Yeah, but the biggest thing
is getting your hair wet up.

I got my hair pressed
that same morning

and it was wasted as
soon as I hit the water.

I should have worn a
swim cap like Mama said.

See, I asked my mama

could she make my hair like
Coretta Scott King had hers

at the Washington March.

But she said that was too grown.

Oh, I love her hair.

I heard she don't even put rollers in it.
It's just like that.

But I studied it. I
know how she do it.

See, she parts in the
middle and then...

Annie Lee Cooper!

Get on up now. I
ain't got all day.

You work for Mr. Dunn down at the
rest home, ain't that right?

Yes.

Wonder what old Dunn'll
say when I tell him

one of his gals is down
here stirring a fuss.

I ain't stirring no fuss. I'm just
here trying to register to vote.

It's all right this time.

It's right when I
say it's right.

Recite the Constitution's preamble.
Know what a preamble is?

"We the people of
the United States,"

"in order to form a
more perfect union,"

"establish justice,"

"ensure domestic tranquility,"

"provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare..."

How many county
judges in Alabama?

Sixty-seven.

Name them.

Aren't we done? Are we
not done with this?

- Will this ever end?
- I don't know, Mr. President.

A comprehensive plan
is already in place.

The act was only
passed six months ago.

So hammer home that impatience
only hurts the overall cause.

We're... We're getting there. Just...
Just keep reiterating the plan.

No, he doesn't want reiteration.

He wants something so he can say,
"Look, I told you I had a dream"

"and it's all coming goddamn true,
whether you like it or not!"

That's what he wants.

What he needs to do is get on
board with what we're doing

instead of the other way around.
For once!

Mr. President, Dr. King.

Mr. President.

Dr. King.

Well, I'll tell you. I'm
a tall son-of-a-bitch,

but this close to the
new Nobel laureate

and with all those other trinkets
you've been collecting lately,

I feel tits-high to a puppy dog.

Well, thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. White.

- Dr. King.
- All right.

I'll tell you,
ending segregation,

proudest moment of my life
when I signed that '64 Act.

Proudest moment of
my life, I tell you.

Now civil rights is a priority

- of this administration as you know.
- Thank you.

We're gonna face the challenge,

or this country is storing up
a heap of trouble for itself.

Now, seeing as I can't convince you
to work with my administration

in an official capacity
inside the White House,

I feel damn fortunate

to have someone as
statesmanlike as you

leading the movement.

And I want you to go on leading it.
No one else.

Not one of these militant
Malcolm X types.

So... I wanna help. Tell me how.

Well, Mr. President,

I'm here to speak
specifically about the denial

of a basic American right
for the Negro citizen.

The right to vote.

Well... Technically...

Technically, we already have it.
Yes, Mr. President.

But, we both know in the South

black voters are kept off the rolls
and out of the voting booths

by systematic intimidation and fear, Mr.
President.

Now, you asked how you can help.

We want Federal legislation

granting Negroes the right
to vote unencumbered.

And we want Federal
protocol eliminating

the decades-long dismissal

and illegal denial of
blacks seeking to vote.

And we want robust enforcement
of that protocol.

Well... That's fine.

But... Most of the South is
still not desegregating.

Let's not start another battle when
we haven't even won the first.

And you know what the
next battle should be?

The eradication of poverty.

I'm calling it "The
War on Poverty."

It's a matter of
political priorities.

Poverty is going to be my focus at home
and I want you to help me with this.

We can make big changes
in these things

for people of all colors.

And I know that matters
to you, doesn't it?

This voting thing is
just gonna have to wait.

It...

It can't wait, Mr. President.

Well, why not?

Because there have
been thousands

of racially motivated
murders in the South,

including those four girls.

Well, I know that...

And you know the astounding fact

that not one of these criminals who
murder us when and why they want

has ever been convicted.

Yeah, I know we have a lot
of work to do down there.

Not one conviction because they
are protected by white officials

chosen by an all-white
electorate.

And on the rare occasions
that they face trial,

they are freed by
all-white juries.

All-white because you
can't serve on a jury

unless you are
registered to vote.

Well, Dr. King, you've certainly
given me something to think about.

But this administration is going
to set this aside for a while.

Just for a while,
you understand.

Yes, Mr. President, I...
I understand.

Selma it is.

Big speech lined up for
these folks tonight, Doc?

We need to see what's
what first, Big Fellow.

We're just here to
test the waters.

Oh, my Lord. What you
got us into, woman?

We've got 128 miles to come
to our senses, gentlemen.

Hush.

This here is the
place we need to be.

This right here is the
next great battle.

I can only imagine.

Decent-looking place
to die though.

Ms. Nash.

Mr. Bevel.

Doc? This here is it.
Selma's the place.

A lot of groundwork has already
been laid by the people here.

And they ready.

- Sister Boynton.
- Mr. Orange.

Good afternoon.

Dr. King?

May I introduce myself?

Yeah, of course.

Hey!

It's okay. It's okay. I'm okay.

This way, Dr. King.

That white boy can hit.

This place is perfect.

What's the FBI's current
information on Martin Luther King?

I heard he was
assaulted in Selma.

My information can be
summed up in a few words.

King is a political
and moral degenerate.

Well, you say that, J. Edgar.
I have to take it seriously.

But if he's a degenerate,
what I do know is,

he's a non-violent degenerate.

And I want him to go on leading
the civil rights movement,

not one of these
bloodthirsty militants.

What I need to know right now
is what's he about to do next?

Mr. President,

you know we can shut
men with power down

permanently and unequivocally.

I'm very aware of that, Mr.
Director.

Well, if you prefer a
different approach,

we can go with the wife.

We know there's tension
in the home already.

We can weaken the dynamic.

Dismantle the family.

Hello.

You ain't got long.

When the hearts of those Pickaninnies
of yours stop beating...

Same thing?

When are you all heading out?

We're heading back to
Selma at 5:00 a.m.

It turned out to be an
ideal staging ground.

There's a full couple
of weeks planned.

Quite a bit to be done.

I see.

That highway is nice now. Get
you there in a couple of hours.

Good people in those
parts though.

Well...

I'm worried about the
ones who ain't so good.

This local Sheriff Jim Clark is
supposed to be bad business.

Won't go down without
a fight, they say.

And since we don't fight...

Well...

As good a place to
die as any, I guess.

I wish you wouldn't
talk like that.

It just takes the edge off.

You and your friends
can joke about that.

I don't joke about that.

You're right. I'm sorry.

I'll put these things
away in your bag now.

I didn't realize you
were leaving so early.

Hello?

Halie?

Martin.

I need to hear the Lord's voice.

Surely, Martin. Surely.

Precious Lord

Take my hand

Lead me home

Let me stand

I am tired

I am weak

I am worn

Through the storm

Through the night

Lord, lead me on

To the light

- Hey!
- Hey!

- Sully.
- Look at you.

- Morning, Doctor.
- Good morning, Doctor.

- Drive all right?
- Good and long.

Good news is Richie
Jean is in there.

Oh, she's ready for you.

Negro, that's all
you had to say.

Uncle Marty!

There she is! There's our girl!

Hey, Richie Jean!

- Looking like her mom.
- You go play.

- Hey!
- Hey, Ralphy.

- How you doing?
- Hey!

Good to see you, sweetheart.

Hey, come over here.

Oh, Lord, it's good to see this!

Okay, now, I've got the
grits on the stove.

How many we expecting today?

Well, now, Sister Jackson.

You know about our
group, the SCLC, right?

The Southern Christian
Leadership Conference?

A few of our top SCLC leaders
are with us this time

since we're going to be here a
little longer than expected.

Now, this here's Reverend C.T.
Vivian.

He coordinates all
the SCLC branches.

Welcome. Nice to meet you.
Welcome, welcome.

This is Reverend James Bevel.

- How you doing, ma'am?
- I'm well. Thank you.

This here is James Orange.

Oh, this is a big one.

I don't know if I've got
enough to feed you.

Well, let's find out.
How about that?

Hey!

Now, you got two of
them named James.

- Oh, you can call me Jim, Sister.
- And Orange is fine with me, ma'am.

Or Big Fellow!

All right. Well, this
is fine with me.

Mrs. Jackson. Hosea Williams.

Or Castro!

Oh, yeah, that's a long story.

Those grits, they need
some stirring. Mind?

You put your foot in it now.

Ain't you supposed
to be on a diet?

Somebody call Juanita.

- There's a phone!
- Hey, get off that phone.

Juanita?

Don't do it, Doc. Don't do it...

Turning in, Doc. You okay?

Yes, sir. Good night to you.

I wanted to tell you that
the students are in town.

Local students?

Oh, no.

The Student Non-Violent
Coordinating Committee.

Okay. Our young friends at SNCC.

Good to know.

You the one told
them to organize.

Took it to heart.

Don't be surprised if they
don't give us grief tomorrow.

Town folk may be happy to see us.
But SNCC?

They feel we're in
their territory.

They're young and
full of spirit.

Not a bad thing.

It'll sort out.

Good night.

Good night.

"Boycotting the buses
in Montgomery."

"Segregation in Birmingham."

Boycotting the buses
in Montgomery.

Segregation in Birmingham.

Now? Voting in Selma.

One struggle ends just to go
right to the next and the next.

If you think of it that
way, it's a hard road.

But I don't think
of it that way.

I think of these
efforts as one effort.

And that one effort
is for our life.

Our life as a community.
Our life as a nation.

For our lives.

We can do this.

We must do this!

We see children

become victims of one of
the most vicious crimes

ever perpetrated against humanity
within the walls of their own church!

They are sainted now.

They are the sainted ones
in this quest for freedom.

And they speak to us still.

They say to us, to all of
us, all colors and creeds,

that we must do this.

They say to us that
it is unacceptable

for more than 50% of
Selma to be Negro

and yet less than 2% of Negroes
here being able to vote

and determine their own
destiny as human beings.

They say to us that the
local white leadership

use their power to keep us
away from the ballot box

and keep us voiceless.

As long as I am unable to exercise
my constitutional right to vote,

I do not have command
of my own life.

I cannot determine my own destiny
for it is determined for me

by people who would rather
see me suffer than succeed.

Those that have gone
before us say, "No more!"

No more! No more!

No more!

That means protest,
that means march,

that means disturb the
peace, that means jail,

that means risk!
And that is hard!

We will not wait any longer.

Give us the vote!

That's right! No more!

We're not asking.
We're demanding.

Give us the vote!

Give us the vote!

Dr. King. Roy Reed of
The New York Times.

Yes. Hello to you. How are you?

I'm well, sir. Thank
you for asking.

Dr. King, are you truly non-violent
if you are provoking violence, sir?

We are here, using our
very bodies in protest

- to say to those who deny us...
- Dr. King. Dr. King.

Pleasure, sir.

...that we will no longer let
them use their billy clubs

in dark corners and
halls of power.

We make them do it in the
glaring light of day, Mr. Reed.

Is SNCC standing with us
on this or not, gentlemen?

You want us to bring our people in, but
you're not giving anything in return.

Now we are asking for some
kind of commitment here.

Respectfully
speaking, of course,

we've been handling the
voter registration

in this town now for two years.

Well, you haven't gotten
very far, have you?

Well, maybe not, Reverend.
But we're still here.

Meaning what?

This time next
month, you won't be!

- That's insanity!
- Just like you left Albany.

Those people are
pathetic down there now.

Like they daddy left home!

What we're trying to explain
is that in Albany you all...

You know what I think? Maybe
we should just leave Selma...

Now! Leave it to these two.

Come back in another two years and
see how much further you got!

- Sounds just fine to me.
- That's enough.

Enough of this now.

I haven't the time for this. None
of us got the time for this.

John.

James.

The way our organization
works is straightforward.

We negotiate. We demonstrate.
We resist.

And on our best days, our adversary
helps the matter by making a mistake.

Now, we were in Albany for nine
months and we made a lot of mistakes.

But their sheriff,
Laurie Pritchett,

he never made a mistake.

Kept his cool, kept arresting
us in a humane way,

carried people to the
jail-wagons on stretchers.

Day in, day out.

There was no drama.

You mean there was no cameras.

Exactly.

Now I know, we all understand,
that you young people

believe in working in the
community long-term.

Doing the good work to
raise black consciousness.

It's good grassroots work.

I can't tell you how
much we admire that.

But what we do

is negotiate,

demonstrate,

resist.

And a big part of that

is raising white consciousness.

And in particular
the consciousness

of whichever white man
happens to be sitting

in the Oval Office.

Right now, Johnson has other fish to
fry and he'll ignore us if he can.

The only way to
stop him doing that

is by being on the front page of
the national press every morning

and by being on the
TV news every night.

And that requires

drama.

Now...

John.

James.

Answer me one question.

I've been told the sheriff in this town
isn't like Laurie Pritchett in Albany.

He's a big ignorant bully like
Bull Connor in Birmingham.

Well, you tell me.
You know Selma.

You know Sheriff Jim Clark.

Is he Laurie Pritchett?
Or is he Bull Connor?

He's Bull Connor.

- Bingo!
- Good.

That's good.

But it gets better.

See, Clark doesn't control the streets
like Connor did in Birmingham.

Clark's the County Sheriff,

and all he controls in Selma
is the County Courthouse.

So relatively speaking,

we have clear avenues of approach
to a defined battle zone.

In the courthouse sits
the heart of the matter,

the voter registration office.

Now this is an exceptional
circumstance.

See, in Albany, there were no
clearly defined battle zones.

The issue was segregation, and
segregation was everywhere.

In Selma, we can concentrate
our actions on one building.

A citadel, defended by fanatics.

The Selma Courthouse.

A perfect stage.

Y'all deliberately
causing an obstruction!

You don't disperse,
you're gonna be arrested.

I promise you!

Sheriff Clark,

we're trying to gain access
to the registration office.

Which is our legal right.

There's too many of you. And
you know damn well there is!

Now, y'all just gonna
have to wait at the rear!

No, Sheriff Clark.

We're going in the front and
we're gonna wait right here.

Segregation is now illegal
in this country, sir.

Get out, nigger.

- Come on.
- I'm trying.

Kneel down, Daddy.

Come on.

Keep this sidewalk clear.
Clear a path!

Get out of the way!
Get out of the way!

Get the hell out of the way!

Keep the sidewalk clear!

I said keep it clear!

Okay. We about to sit him down.
He can't sit.

Then he needs to learn.

- He gonna sit.
- Sit down, God damn it!

Hey, hey! Pa? Pa?

Daddy.

I just told you he can't sit.

What do we got here?

What's going on here, boy? What
we got here? What we got here?

- Jimmie! Sit down!
- No, Mama, I'm sick of this.

- Jimmie!
- Don't do it.

- Do you have a problem, boy?
- I'm sick of this! I just told you...

What'd you think, boy?
What'd you think?

What the fuck are you thinking?

Get that nigger woman!

Kill that nigger bitch!

Get your hands off of me!

We will not tolerate a
bunch of nigra agitators

attempting to orchestrate a
disturbance in this state.

Not as long as I'm governor.

Now, I stand here today

in the cradle of the Confederacy

to remind its people of
our Founding Fathers'

goals of duty.

Goals long since forgotten
by progressives and liberals

in favor of what they
call a changing world.

They seek to make us
one mongrel unit.

Instead of allowing each race to flourish
from its separate racial station

as has been the standard
for generations now.

Good morning, Mr. President.

Their changing world

is sickening the balance
of the Southland.

Now...

I pledged to stand up for
Alabama when I campaigned

and the people elected
me on that pledge,

and that is exactly
what I intend to do.

Johnson'll flinch.

I'm tired, Ralphy.

Tiring of this.

Eyes on the prize, Martin.

Yeah, but what is
the prize, friend?

We fight to have a seat at
whatever table we want.

How does it help a black man to
be able to eat at a lunch counter

if he doesn't earn enough
to buy the burger?

Or worse yet, can't even...

Can't even read the menu

'cause there was no Negro
school where he's from.

What is that?

That equality?

Amen.

And what about in our minds?

Equality in the black psyche.
Look at these men.

Beaten and broken
down for generations.

Deciding to demand more?

What happens when a man stands
up and says enough is enough?

Look at Medgar.

Murdered the man in
his own driveway.

Kids and wife right
there inside the house.

George and Herbert
Lee, Lamar Smith.

A man stands up, only
to be struck down.

And what happens to
the people he led?

What are we doing, Ralphy?

We take it piece by piece.

Like we been doing.

We build the path as we can.

Rock by rock.

This cell is probably bugged.

It probably is.

Oh, Lord.

They're gonna ruin me so
they can ruin this movement.

They are.

"Look at the birds of the air,"

"that they do not sow, nor
reap, nor gather into barns,"

"and yet your Heavenly
Father doth feed them."

"Are you not worth
much more than they?"

"And who of you
by being worried"

"can add a single
hour to his life?"

Matthew 6, verse 27.

All right.

Yes, sir.

What? Where did you hear that?

I overheard them talking about
him coming in this evening.

Overheard us?

I'm learning about this just like you.
We didn't do this.

That Negro can't be
talking about that

"by any means necessary"
madness with these people.

They about to bust as it is.

He's on his way here, right?

So we gotta figure this out.
Right and fast.

He ain't on his way. He here.

Holy shit.

Are you all right?

I wish I had more time
to prepare is all.

I want to do this kind of
thing whenever possible.

But I don't get to do it enough
to feel entirely comfortable.

I prefer to be prepared.

Yes, I understand that.

I admire you. I do.

Sometimes I wish I were more
out there in the trenches.

You do more than you know, Mrs.
King.

I'll tell you what
I know to be true.

It helps me in times
when I'm feeling unsure.

If you'd like.

Please do, Mrs. Boynton.

I know that we are descendants
of a mighty people,

who gave civilization
to the world.

People who survived the
hulls of slave ships

across vast oceans.

People who innovate
and create and love

despite pressures and
tortures unimaginable.

They are in our bloodstream.

Pumping our hearts every second.

They've prepared you.

You are already prepared.

Mrs. King, I mean no disrespect.

I come with great respect
for your husband.

I have no army
behind me anymore.

I have myself and the truth.

That is all I stand on today.

You've said disrespectful
things in the past, Minister.

So you'll understand why there
is some alarm here tonight.

I do. I understand that.

Your husband and I, we do
not see exactly eye-to-eye

on how to achieve progress
for the black man.

And yes, I have been piercing in
my critiques of non-violence.

But because we don't agree, Mrs.
King,

does not mean that
I'm the enemy.

What do you intend to say
to these people then, sir?

A lot of work has
been done here,

and I don't intend to
see it undone tonight.

Let's just say, my
eyes see in a new way.

But your local sheriff here?
He doesn't know that.

So allow me to be the
alternative to your husband.

The alternative that
scares them so much

they turn to Dr. King in refuge.

Let my being here, Mrs. King,
represent the factions

that will come if they don't
give the good reverend

what he's asking for and soon.

Do you know what he has said
about us in the past, Coretta?

He called us "ignorant
Negro preachers."

Called me a modern
day Uncle Tom.

Said on national television
that the white man pays me

to keep Negroes defenseless.

The white man pays me!

How could you allow it?

It wasn't like that this time, Martin.
I'm telling you...

He spoke with some of the
words he's used before,

but it wasn't aimed at you.

It was...

It had more to do
with helping us.

Not that you need his help. I'm
just telling you how it was.

This movement, our movement,

has been the one that
has moved the needle.

Our movement changes laws and
day-to-day life for our people.

But what has he changed?

Actually changed?

You don't sound like yourself.
You sound tired.

And you sound enamored.

I didn't mean that.

Corrie.

Coretta.

I didn't mean that.

I'm tired.

You're right.

Rest then.

Rest tonight, Martin.

This is not what I want to hear.

How in Christ's sake does
Malcolm X slip into my state,

meet with the wife
of the other one,

and give an actual
speech to these nigras

who are already riled up enough?

I mean, how does that
happen, Colonel Lingo?

Governor...

Is every spook militant in
existence gonna pay us a visit?

Do you know what this means?

Johnson is going to get jumpy.

King and X together is sending him
through the cotton-pickin' stratosphere.

And pictures of nigras
getting beat in the street

- doesn't help the matter.
- Governor...

Now I can't make a move
against that backwoods,

white trash Sheriff Clark 'cause
that'll be seen as I'm helping King.

But somebody got to get
Jim Clark under control.

Election year is coming up

and this black voting
business won't abide.

I mean, what's not
clear about that?

Look, George, I'm telling you,

if the Lord Jesus and Elvis Presley
come visiting and they said,

"Jim, now, we need you to
treat them niggers nice."

Jim Clark would beat the shit
out of the pair of them,

then throw them in jail.

Jesus H. Christ.

Jim's a good old boy,
he's a friend of mine.

Jim Clark just ain't that scary.

Now he's playing
into their hands.

Now...

If you want fear,

you need dominance in Selma.

Hoover picked up some intel
about a night march.

Wasn't announced.

It's some locals outside of King's group.
Unofficial, they called it.

Supposed to happen tomorrow
night once King leaves jail.

Going to some bleeding heart
fundraiser in California.

So...

King's out of town.

Fewer cameras.

And at night.

Find a reason to
send us in there.

Let's scare some real sense
into them black bastards.

Y'all move back.

Move back now. Get back.

Go back to your homes now.

Stop! Leave him be!

Mama, come on!

Mama, come on!

We gotta keep moving. Come on.

This way, this way.

Leave him alone.

It's all right.

It's gonna be all right. Okay?

Act like you're...

Act like you're reading your menu.
Okay?

It's okay.

Pops...

It's all right, Mama.
It's gonna be cool.

It's okay, it's okay.

Hey! Hey...

No, get off of him!
Just get off of him!

Get off of him! No!

No! Get off of him!

Stop it! No, no, no!

Stop it!

Help me.

Help me.

Jimmie.

Jimmie. Jimmie. Jimmie.

Help me.

Sir?

Dr. King.

There are no words to
soothe you, Mr. Lee.

There are no words.

But I can tell you one
thing for certain.

God was the first to cry.

Yes.

He was the first to
cry for your boy.

Yes. I believe that.

Is your daughter...

Is Jimmie Lee's mother here, Mr.
Lee?

No, she... She couldn't make it.

May I ask your age, sir?

Well, I... I got 82 years.

1883.

Right.

Yeah. Jimmie...

He born in '38.

He a Army man.

I mean, he was...
Was an Army man.

In the Army a spell.

He say, "Pa, you gonna
vote before you done."

That's what he said.

He tell me.

- He was a good boy.
- Yes.

Always good.

Always good.

Jimmie gone.

I'm so sorry.

Yeah.

Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson?

Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson?

We know a state trooper

acting under the orders
of George Wallace

pointed the gun and
pulled the trigger.

But how many other fingers
were on that trigger?

Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson?

Every white lawman who
abuses the law to terrorize.

Every white politician

who feeds on prejudice
and hatred.

Every white preacher
who preaches the Bible

and stays silent before
his white congregation.

Who murdered Jimmie Lee Jackson?

Every Negro man and woman who stands
by without joining this fight

as their brothers and
sisters are humiliated,

brutalized, and ripped
from this earth!

When I heard

President Kennedy had
been shot and killed...

And when I heard just yesterday

that Malcolm X,

who stood in this very
church just three weeks ago,

had been shot and killed,

I turned to my wife Coretta

and said the same thing I often say
when one of our leaders is struck down,

"Our lives are not fully lived"

"if we're not willing to
die for those we love"

"and for what we believe."

But today, Jimmie,

we're doing the living and you've
done the dying, dear brother.

We will not let your sacrifice
pass in vain, dear brother.

We will not let it go!

We will finish what
you were after!

We will get what
you were denied!

We will vote and we will put
these men out of office!

We will take their power!

We will win what you
were slaughtered for!

Yeah!

We're going back to Washington.

We're going to demand
to see the President.

And I'm gonna tell him

that Jimmie was murdered
by an administration

that spends millions
of dollars every day

to sacrifice life in the
name of liberty in Vietnam,

yet lacks the moral will
and the moral courage

to defend the lives of its
own people here in America!

We will not let it go!

And if he does not act, we will act.
We will act!

We will do it for all
of our lost ones.

All of those, like
Jimmie Lee Jackson,

who have gone too
soon, taken by hate!

Let me hear the top-tier issues

that have to be evident in the
overall legislation we demand.

Let's break it down.

But let's root this
discussion in what we know.

We know Johnson can't
see the full picture.

So, let's paint it for him.

What are the specific
hardships and humiliations

we can address within the
larger context of legislation?

Doc, we gotta start with
banning these laws that

if a Negro tries to register,

I mean, actually musters up the
courage to go in that courthouse,

that their name and address
is published in the paper.

It gives anybody who wants
to do them any harm

their exact location, and
we know how the Klan is.

I hear that. But the poll taxes
got to be our focus first.

'Cause black people are poor!
Black people are poor down here.

- Yep.
- And they expected to pay for every year

they weren't legally registered
before they can register.

Now, what the hell is that?
Who got that kind of money?

Come on now! Listen now!

The big issue is
voting vouchers.

Is that the number one issue?

Now hold on. Let me finish.

'Cause everybody'll
forget about this part.

But if you're Negro, the
only way you can vote

is if an approved registered
voter vouches for you.

Right? So, let's say, you take
some place like Lowndes County,

where there are no Negroes
who are registered

and you've got to have
someone who is registered

to vouch for you.

What are you supposed to do?

Nobody you know,

not a single black person for
100 miles is registered.

So how do you get
the voucher, right?

To get you into the
courthouse door

to pay the poll tax

to get your name published

and get yourself dead.

That's true.

We need a new plan!

I can't take him
back to Washington

and waltz into the White House
with a list of empty demands.

Tactics, my friends!

We must break down
this institution

into the tangible tactics that
it takes to dismantle it.

What's your next move?

A march from Selma to Montgomery
to protest and amplify.

Well, I'll be damned.

This was always part of
the plan, wasn't it?

Provoke some tragedy in little
old Selma, then go big.

Get someone killed and march
on the State Capitol!

Selma to Montgomery's
gotta be 50 miles!

You march those people into
rural Alabama unprotected,

it's gonna be open season.

It's too damn far and
too damn dangerous!

Then propose new
legislation, sir.

I can't do that this year.
I won't! I told you.

We need your involvement here, Mr.
President.

We deserve your help as
citizens of this country.

Citizens under attack.

Now, you listen to me.
You listen to me.

You're an activist.
I'm a politician.

You got one big issue. I
got a hundred and one.

Now, you demanding more

and putting me on the spot
with this visit, that's okay.

That's your job.
That's what you do.

But I am sick and tired

of you demanding and telling me
what I can and what I can't do.

If you want my support
on this voting thing,

I need some quid
pro quo from you.

What do you want, Mr. President?

We have a line on
some threats that are

particularly troubling.

Well, what's new?

No, no. This is serious.
Credible threats with detail.

This information, coming
from the FBI, I assume?

High-level?

The same high-level that's
been tracking us like animals?

Bugging our homes and
our hotel rooms.

Digging for things that
simply are not there, Lee?

This all feels very convenient.

Okay.

This is coming from
Lowndes County, Alabama.

Between Selma and Montgomery.

I'm telling you,
if he were my guy,

I'd keep him off the frontlines.

Just for a while.

Not gonna happen, Lee.

Meet me halfway on this, Martin.

I can't, Mr. President.

Can't or won't?

I came here hoping to
talk to you about people.

People are dying in
the street for this.

It cannot wait, sir.

Mr. President, how did it go?

What can I do to help?

Get me J. Edgar Hoover.

King,

you know you are
a complete fraud

and a liability to all nigras.

Like all frauds, your
end is approaching.

You are done.

Your degrees and your fancy
awards will not save you.

The American public will soon
know you for what you are,

an evil, abnormal beast.

That wasn't me.

That isn't me, Corrie.

I know.

I know what you sound like.

I've gotten used to a lot.

All the hours wondering
after your safety,

worried about how you are.

This house.

Renting here.

No foundation.

Without the things the
children should have,

all because of how
it would look.

I have gotten used to it,

for better or worse.

But what I have never
gotten used to

is the death.

The constant closeness of death.

It's become like a
thick fog to me.

I can't see life sometimes

because of the fog of death
constantly hanging over.

People actually say that
they will stop the blood

running through the
hearts of our children.

That's what they said on the
other end of that phone line.

How they're going to
kill my children.

And what they'll do to you
and how they'll do it.

How many years have I
had to listen to this?

The filth,

deranged and twisted and just
ignorant enough to be serious.

If I ask you something,

will you answer me
with the truth?

Yes.

Good, because I am not a fool.

Do you love me?

Yes, I love you, Coretta.

Do you love any of the others?

No.

I need to put the
march back a day.

Why?

I have to be home right now.

Yes. Okay. I understand.

But I have to tell you the
organization looks good.

Real good.

The mood is strong. And
the locals are prepared.

The SNCC kids are ready to go.

We can start it off from Selma, and
you can join in on the second day.

I just think it'd be a
mistake to hold people back

when their blood is up.

I hear you, but we need to
be out there full throttle.

This ain't a test run.

We need to get to Montgomery.

I warned Johnson that we
were going to the Capitol.

We need to do just that.

And I believe we will.
We'll get there.

And when we do the
real deal, the finale,

when you make the big
speech at the end,

right on Wallace's doorstep.

I don't know, Andy.

It'll be just fine.

We'll get it started strong.
And you'll finish strong.

Okay. Let's proceed.

But only one of us
walks to start.

I don't want to get back on Monday
and find all our leadership in jail.

One of us walks.

Understood.

There will be no march
from Selma to Montgomery.

It is not conducive to
traffic flow on Route 80.

Or to public safety.

Your lives could be in danger,

but we're going to be strong
if we stick together.

Don't fight back. It's a
non-violent movement.

Non-violence is not passive.
It's actually very strong.

We shouldn't do this, John. This is not us.
This is not SNCC.

It's some bullshit.

It's gonna do more for King
and the SCLC than for Selma.

This is Alabama.

They can keep their asses
in Washington, D.C.

You don't tell us how
to live our lives.

This is an example of what you
might deal with out there.

What you might experience. Here we go.
Let's show them.

We don't want your kind here.

Go to the bottom of
the river, black boy.

We're going to put you
down in Alabama River!

He's not even here. How's
it gonna do more for him?

Well, why ain't he
here, then, man?

Are you listening to yourself?

First, it's gonna do more for him.
Now, it's why he ain't here?

Do you want him here, or
do you not want him here?

Honestly, I don't give a rat's ass
about that man. That's your hero.

Let's take these bastards and stick
them down into Alabama River

and never see them again.

James, you are so
off-base with this.

All this nonsense. This
ain't what SNCC is about.

Don't make me out to be
the bad guy here, John.

I'm not! You're the
one playing me small.

Don't demonize me...

You're mad because
they called him in.

We were here first. And
they called him in.

I get it. I understand that.

But if we are really and
truly for the people,

and the people of
Selma chose him,

well, then the
people have spoken.

And if they want to march,
then I'm marching with them.

Then, brother,

you're marching as John Lewis.

Not as part of SNCC.

It's been voted on and decided.

For this march, you're on your own
with De Lawd and his disciples.

Short man wins. Short man wins.

Short man wins.

All right.

All right. Who got it?

It's on you, Hosea.

You ready, young blood?
You ready?

- All right. Let's do this.
- All right.

About 525 Negroes had
left Brown's Chapel

and walked six blocks to cross
Pettus Bridge and the Alabama River.

There were young and old,

and they carried an
assortment of packs,

bed rolls and lunch sacks.

The troopers were waiting 300 yards
beyond the end of the bridge.

Behind the troopers were
dozens of possemen,

15 of them on horses, and
perhaps 100 white spectators.

Can you swim?

Not many swimming pools for
black folk where I come from.

Yeah.

Andy. It's Bayard.
Everybody there?

Yes.

Turn on CBS right now, Andy.

Right now. You have a TV there?

- Yes. Now?
- Right now!

Turn on the television set.

We interrupt this program to bring you
a special bulletin from CBS News.

Give 'em two minutes.
Stand right there.

We're ready.

This is an unlawful assembly.

You have two minutes
to disperse.

Go home or go to your church.

This march will not continue.

Two minutes.

May I have a word
with the Major?

There's no word to be had.

Major Cloud, may
we speak with you?

Troopers, advance!

Seventy million people
are watching this.

The first 10 or 20 Negroes

were swept to the ground
screaming, arms and legs flying,

packs and bags went skittering
across the grassy divider.

Those still on their
feet retreated.

A cheer went up from
the white spectators

lining the south
side of the highway.

Come on. You gotta come on.

Please, don't...

The troopers continued pushing, using
both the force of their bodies

and the prodding of
their nightsticks.

Suddenly, there was a sharp
sound, like a gunshot,

and a gray cloud spewed over
the troopers and the Negroes.

But before the cloud hid it all,

there were several seconds
of unobstructed view.

Fifteen or 20 nightsticks could
be seen through the gas,

flailing at the heads
of the marchers.

The Negroes cried out as they
crowded together for protection,

and the whites on the sidelines
whooped and cheered.

From the hospital came
reports of victims

suffering fractures of ribs,
heads, arms and legs.

And Negro leader John Lewis,

despite injury from a
possible skull fracture,

led the marchers
back to the chapel

after the encounter
with officers.

Help!

Help!

He said, "I don't see
how President Johnson"

"can send troops to Vietnam"

"and can't send troops
to Selma, Alabama."

To which the Negroes present
roared their approval.

Gerry! Gerry, come with us!
Come with us!

We need your gun, man!

I can't walk!

Come with us. We know you got
them guns in the shed, Gerry.

Hey, hey, hey, what
you need guns for?

The Bible says, "An eye
for an eye," Reverend.

- Yeah?
- I'm sick of this shit!

How many guns you think
they got down there?

That's an entire
army down there.

What you got? A couple of .32s?
A .38?

Maybe a couple of old scatterguns?
What?

I got enough to kill a couple of
them crackers, that's what I got!

And how many of us you think
they gonna kill in retaliation?

With their 12-gauge pump-actions,
their Colt automatics,

their Remingtons, their
helicopters, their tanks!

We won't win that way, and I
ain't talking about the Bible.

I ain't talking what's right by God. I
am talking facts. Cold, hard facts!

Now, you take two of them,
and they take 10 of us.

No. We have to win another way.

...to our regularly
scheduled program.

We're going back to the bridge.

We're going to finish this, we
promise you that, Ms. Amelia.

We go again.

Dr. King! Can we get
a statement, sir?

Dr. King! Morning, Doctor. Can
we get a statement, please?

- Morning.
- Morning.

While rageful violence continues
towards the unarmed people of Selma,

while they are assaulted with tear gas
and batons like an enemy in a war,

no citizen of this country can
call themselves blameless,

for we all bear a responsibility
for our fellow man.

I am appealing to men
and women of God

and goodwill everywhere,

white, black and otherwise.

If you believe all are created
equal, come to Selma.

Join us. Join our march against
injustice and inhumanity.

We need you to stand with us.

Judge Johnson, Dr.
King's call-to-action

was nationally televised.

We've seen hundreds of people
travel across the country

to attend tomorrow's march,

mostly white, mostly
clergy of some kind.

The SCLC is seeking a
federal court order

enjoining the state authorities from
interfering with the next march.

You're asking me to overturn
the Governor's mandate

and to do so without a hearing,

but it's not going to happen at
all without a proper proceeding.

Dr. King is in position to
lead tomorrow's march, Judge.

Understood, but you will have your
day in court on Thursday, Mr. Gray.

Meanwhile, there will
be no march tomorrow.

I will not oppose Wallace
against protocol.

"Thousands head south
in moral crusade."

The SCLC already filed an appeal
against Wallace's orders this morning.

You want my advice, Mr.
President?

You have to ask?

Give King the march
to Montgomery.

Do that, and then Selma's over.

Then you're back in control.

In control of what?

Another civil war?

This ain't about the goddamn march.
You think he cares about the march?

He wants the law changed, now.

I've got Congress calling
me by the dozens.

I've got picketing that gets
bigger and bigger every day.

He tugs on their goddamn
white liberal conscience.

Every march pulls 'em.

Especially when people are
getting beat up in the streets.

These pictures are going
around the world, Lee.

I understand, Mr. President. All
the more reason to act now.

I'm gonna act now.

You tell Wallace and
those backwater hicks

I don't want to see any
more of this horseshit.

And you tell King he best
not march, you hear me?

Either King stops
and Wallace stops,

or I'll stop 'em both.

I'm here on the President's order
to try and make this work.

Please work with me.

So we give up the
march and you...

You give what?

We asked for federal protection.

And with no disrespect, but when
the Assistant Attorney General

is the highest-ranking
federal official in Selma,

we have our answer.

And it's not the one we want.

Might I suggest that you
speak with Governor Wallace

and Sheriff Clark and urge
them against violence

instead of trying to persuade us
not to have a peaceful protest?

Maybe we can make a deal.

What if I

could assure you that
the administration

would endorse a later march

if tomorrow is called off?

You know what? He's
closer than you may think

to coming around on this issue.

I believe this compromise
might be agreeable.

Mr. Doar?

Thousands have gathered here
to demonstrate their dignity.

I don't want to challenge
Judge Johnson.

I don't want to go against the President.
I don't want any of this.

The President could stop this
with a stroke of his pen.

He chooses not to.

The decision is with
your side, sir,

not ours.

Good to see you, Father.
Good to see you.

Thank you for coming.
Thank you for coming out.

Hello, sister. Good to
see you this afternoon.

You came.

You called and we came, my friend.
You are not alone, my friend.

Welcome, welcome.

- Hi, what's your name?
- Susan.

Hi, I'm Viola. Welcome to Selma.

- Yes, ma'am, I'm good. How are you?
- Fine, thank you.

What is your name and
where are you from, sir?

My name is James Reeb.
I've come from Boston.

Tell me, why have you
traveled here, Mr. Reeb?

I heard about the attack
of innocent people

who just want their rights,

and I couldn't just stand by when Dr.
King put out that call to clergy.

I couldn't.

The President doesn't
want us to march today.

The courts don't
want us to march.

But we must march.

Yeah!

- We must stand up.
- Yeah!

We must make a massive demonstration
of our moral certainty.

I'm so glad we're
here together today.

I thank you for standing up.

For we shall be
victorious in our quest.

We shall cross the finish
line hand in hand.

For we shall overcome.
All right.

Troopers, withdraw!

My point is, after what
happened the last time,

if it don't feel right, we don't do it.
That's my point.

We've been going round and
round on this for hours,

and nothing's gonna
change the fact that

it was Doc's decision and
we have to support him.

This is a movement
of many, not of one.

So any choice we make has
to be right for many.

Come on, Diane. Now, you know

that's not what I meant
by that, all right?

People are angry, Dr. King.

Angry. They went back to that bridge
because they were hot about Sunday.

That was our moment
out there today.

And you threw it away.

They could've sealed off
the road behind us.

No food, water, no kind of
support allowed through.

We wouldn't have made 10 miles.

You saying this was a trap?

I don't know what it was.

That was no trap!

You know why they opened
up the road to us?

Because all them nice, respectable
white folks was with us,

and we should've
capitalized on that.

Because they're not gonna be around
here for long. They never are!

It was Martin's call. It's done.

He made the wrong goddamn call!

Hey, watch your
mouth, young man!

Two days ago, you didn't
wanna march at all.

And now you're mad because it
didn't go the way you planned?

Calm down, brother.

Now, what happened out there today?
You gotta tell us something. Please.

I'd rather people be
upset and hate me

than be bleeding or dead.

My dearest Corrie,

at a time when I need you,

I cannot call you.

And I have done this
to myself, to us.

At this late hour,

my thoughts are of you

and all you have sacrificed
for this struggle.

So many have sacrificed.

So many have been lost.

I wonder how many must we lose.

I pray for discernment and
guidance as we journey on.

I pray, too, that I can justify
the faith you once had in me.

I, too, often feel that heavy
fog you spoke of, Corrie.

Only you and our family
clears the haze.

Love, Martin.

He betrayed trust.

He called, we came, and he
didn't fulfill his own call.

Yeah, but sometimes it's
not that clear-cut.

Sometimes it's instinctual.

Like when you're preaching,

and you're just flying.

You know, you're not on the notes.
You're not on memory.

You're tapped into what's
higher, what's true.

God is guiding you.

I've known that feeling. It's
rare, but I've known it.

I think that's what happened to Dr.
King up there on the bridge today.

He kneeled down, prayed
to God and got an answer.

And he was brave enough
to follow that answer,

and I, for one, don't
fault him for it.

Except he owes me a
bus ticket home.

You know what I hate
more than niggers?

What's that?

White niggers.

Look, we don't want
trouble, okay?

No, you came here
stirrin' trouble.

Doc,

someone's been hurt.

A priest, from Boston.

White.

Now you know what being
a nigger around here

feels like, boy.

Hurt? How?

Dead.

I need a phone!

Chicago, Detroit,
Boston, I don't care.

Hell, you got 2,000 people
marching up in Harlem.

Well, good for you.

But when you have people
come inside the White House?

Inside the White House!
On a tour?

They just sat down, Martin.

They sat down in the main corridor,
started singin' and shoutin'.

Well, I won't have it!

I cannot stop people
from expressing...

You can! You can stop them.

No, you can stop it.
You, sir, can do more.

Now I'm glad to hear that you
called Reverend Reeb's widow, sir.

That is very fine,
and it is right.

I only wish that Jimmie
Lee Jackson's family

would have received the same
consideration from their President.

Don't you lay your
guilt at my door.

You're the one choosing to send

people out to slaughter when
we told you there was trouble.

We won't sit idle

while you wait another year or two to
send this bill up at your leisure.

That should be clear by now.

We will continue to demonstrate
until you take action, sir.

And if our President won't
protect our rights,

we will take this
fight to court.

You know, I'm...
I'm trying here.

We're getting close to
figuring something out

on this voting thing, but
I will not have this!

This bill has been almost
impossible to craft, you hear me?

You think you're jugglin', Martin?
I'm jugglin', too.

I am a preacher from Atlanta.

You are the man who
won the presidency

of the world's most
powerful nation

by the greatest landslide
in history four months ago.

And you are the man

dismantling your own legacy
with each passing day.

No one will remember
the Civil Rights Act.

But they will remember
the standoff in Selma

when you never even set
foot in this state.

They will remember you saying,
"Wait, " and "I can't,"

unless you act, sir.

- Evenin'.
- Evenin'.

I wanted to speak privately.

I know there's been
trouble with the group,

and I apologize that our efforts
have caused a rift between y'all.

That's a painful thing, I know, and
I'm truly sorry it's happened.

Yeah, painful.

LBJ is not moving, John.

I thought he would, but our
efforts are not working,

and I can't risk another march
with people getting killed

when it's not working.
I won't do it.

We need voting, not marching.
You know that.

We have to move beyond these protests
to some real political power.

This can't go on
forever like this.

I can't go on like this.

When I was...

When I was working with
SNCC on the Freedom Rides,

the Montgomery bus
reached the city limits.

We got off. And out of nowhere,

from all directions, they came.

There was men, women.

Kids, too.

They had just about every makeshift
weapon you could think of.

I mean, bats, bricks,

tire irons, pipes.

I remember...

I remember this little girl
just clawing her nails

into the side of my
friend Jessie's face

while her daddy... Her daddy
beat him with an ax handle.

Jessie was unconscious,

and they just kept beating
on him and beating on him.

I must've passed out on
the asphalt somewhere.

Next day, I found myself patched
up and sitting in a church.

I could barely hold my head
up, but I needed to be there.

You were gonna be speaking.

And I needed to hear you.

And I was feeling down,
but you got up there.

You remember that day at all?

I don't think we remember
it the same way.

What'd I say, John?

I'm about to tell you right now.

And I hope you hear me.

You said that we would triumph.

That we would triumph because
there could be no other way.

And you know what else you said?

You said,

"Fear not."

"We've come too far
to turn back now."

I feel good about where we are.
We have a strong case.

- We can do this.
- Right.

Now, Ms. Cooper and Ms.
Boynton are here,

and they need to be ready.

A lot depends on what
they have to say. Okay?

I hear what you're
saying, but...

You're here.

Yes, I'm here.

I'm glad.

Just in time.

In the matter of the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference

v. The state of Alabama,

I will now hear testimony from
the plaintiffs. Mr. Gray.

Your Honor, you will hear
testimony from the victims

who were beaten and bludgeoned
in their quest for freedom.

For their right to vote
and to self-determine.

The fact of the
matter, Your Honor,

is that the incidents that
occurred cannot be disputed.

These particular circumstances

will paint a thorough picture of the
horrific events endured in Selma.

Very well, you may proceed.

Mr. King, you went out on that bridge in
direct violation of that judge's orders.

You deliberately disobeyed this judge
and the Governor, did you not?

Thousands of people
came to Selma,

aroused by Sunday's brutal acts

exacted by officials
of the city of Selma

and the state of Alabama.

I felt if I had not
led the march,

pent-up emotions and inner tensions
would have led to an uncontrollable

retaliatory situation,

a violent situation
on both sides.

I don't need any of your
preaching and prancing in here,

you hear? I want an answer.

- Objection.
- Watch it, counselor.

I'm trying very hard, Judge.

Try harder, counselor.

It seems basic to our
constitutional principles

that the extent of the
right to assemble,

and demonstrate and march

along the highway in
a peaceful manner

ought to be commensurate

with the enormity of the wrongs

that are being protested
and petitioned against.

In this case, the
wrongs are enormous.

Therefore,

the extent of the
right to demonstrate

in an estimated five-day march
from Selma to Montgomery

has been approved accordingly.

- Yes!
- Thank God!

There's no further
business with this court.

These proceedings are concluded,
with our thanks to the litigants.

Good day, gentlemen.

Yeah, that's right.

Well, now, we don't like to
have no mistakes, if you...

If you're sure about it.

Bayard says that Harry says
he can get Nina Simone,

Dick Gregory, Joan Baez,
Peter, Paul and Mary in.

Come on now. We don't
got money for that.

Well, Harry is chartering
a plane himself.

Day-O, day-O

Daylight come and
me wan' go home

President's angling for your blocking
of the march to be overturned.

Unfortunately, all my maneuvers
have been put on hold

while the matter's
being adjudicated.

Governor, you wanted to talk.

Well, Mr. President...

Malcontents are disrupting Alabama, and
it's your responsibility to stop them.

They're protesting about
the right to vote

and the way they're
treated in your state.

So that's your problem,
your responsibility,

and it's on your watch.

Mr. President, I disagree.

We have a certain way things are done.
It's the way it is.

And it's the way the
people want it to stay.

George, why are you doing this?

Your whole career has been
working for the poor.

Why are you off on
this black thing?

Well, 'cause you can't
ever satisfy them.

First, it's the front
seat of the bus.

Next, it's take over the parks,

then it's the public schools,
then it's voting, then it's jobs,

then it's distribution
of wealth without work.

George, you seen all
those demonstrators

out front of the White House

keeping my Lady Bird awake
the whole damn night?

Oh, yes, Mr. President.
I saw them.

Well, let's go out
there, you and I,

and announce that you've decided
to let the blacks vote undeterred,

and this whole
mess will go away.

And I don't have to draft
bills or force the issue.

Now, why don't we
do that, George?

Why don't you just let
the niggers vote?

You agree they got the
right to vote, don't you?

There's no quarrel with that.

I know that. That's the law.

Then why don't you
just let 'em vote?

I don't have that power. It
belongs to the county registrars.

Now, don't shit me about
who runs Alabama.

I don't have any legal power

over the county registrars, Mr.
President.

They have their regulations
and they adhere.

Are you trying to shit
me, George Wallace?

Are you trying to fuck
over your President?

Mr. President...

We shouldn't even be
thinking about 1965.

We should be
thinking about 1985.

You and I'll be both
dead and gone by then.

In 1985, what do you
want looking back?

You want people
remembering you sayin',

"Wait," or "I can't,"
or, "It's too hard"?

I don't right care
what they think,

and you shouldn't neither.

Well...

I'll be damned if I'm
gonna let history

put me in the same place
as the likes of you.

I speak tonight for
the dignity of man

and the destiny of democracy.

At times, history and fate

meet at a single time
in a single place.

So it was last week
in Selma, Alabama.

There, long suffering
men and women

peacefully protested the denial
of their rights as Americans.

Rarely in any time

does an issue lay
bare the secret heart

of America itself.

The issue for equal rights
for the American Negro

is that issue.

For this issue,

many of them were
brutally assaulted.

There is no Negro problem.
There is no Southern problem.

There is only an
American problem.

The Constitution says that

no person shall be
kept from voting

because of his race or color.

To correct the denial of
this fundamental right,

this Wednesday, I will
send to Congress a law

designed to eliminate
these illegal barriers.

The bill will strike down

voting restrictions
in all elections,

federal, state and local.

And we shall do this.

We shall overcome.

We believe we can cover you
through Lowndes County,

but once we add the final day's
march through Montgomery,

and you're passing through all
those tall buildings and whatnot,

coverage becomes challenging.

So please consider

driving in on the final leg.

And please consider nixing
the speech at the Capitol.

Well, if Wallace will
see us when we arrive,

there'll be no
need for a speech.

Can you arrange that?

I can't hide.

We can't hide. You understand.

I don't want to see
this go wrong for you.

Don't you want to protect
yourself, Doctor?

Let me try to do that.

You know, I know you
want to live to see

the fruits of all this work.
I know you do.

I'm just asking you to allow
us to help you do that.

I'm no different
than anybody else.

I want to live
long and be happy.

But I'll not be focusing
on what I want today.

I'm focused on what God wants.

We're here for a reason,
through many, many storms.

But, today, the sun is shining, and
I'm about to stand in its warmth

alongside a lot of freedom-loving
people who worked hard to get us here.

I may not be with them for
all the sunny days to come,

but as long as there is
light ahead for them,

it's worth it to me.

Thank you, John.

We heard them say we'd
never make it here.

We heard them say they'd stop us,
if it was the last thing they did.

We heard them say we don't
deserve to be here.

But today, we stand
as Americans.

We are here,

and we ain't gonna let
nobody turn us around.

This mighty march,

which will be counted
as one of the greatest

demonstrations of
protest and progress,

ends here in the
Capitol ofAlabama

for a vital purpose.

We have not fought only for the
right to sit where we please

and go to school
where we please.

We do not only strive here
today to vote as we please.

But with our commitment,

we give birth each
day to a new energy

that is stronger than our
strongest opposition.

And we embrace this
new energy so boldly,

embody it so fervently,

that its reflection
illuminates a great darkness.

Our society has
distorted who we are.

From slavery to the
Reconstruction

to the precipice at
which we now stand,

we have seen powerful
white men rule the world

while offering poor white men
a vicious lie as placation.

And when the poor
white man's children

wail with a hunger that
cannot be satisfied,

he feeds them that
same vicious lie.

A lie whispering to them

that regardless of
their lot in life,

they can at least be
triumphant in the knowledge

that their whiteness makes
them superior to blackness.

But we know the truth.

We know the truth, and we will go
forward to that truth, to freedom.

We will not be stopped.

We will march for our rights.

We will march to demand
treatment as full citizens.

We will march until the
viciousness and the darkness

gives way to the light
of righteousness.

No man, no myth,

no malaise will
stop this movement.

We forbid it. For we know
that it is this darkness

that murders the best in
us and the best of us.

Whether Jimmie Lee
Jackson or James Reeb,

or four blameless little girls

struck down before
they had even begun.

You may ask, when will we
be free of this darkness?

I say to you today, my
brothers and sisters,

despite the pain,
despite the tears,

our freedom will
soon be upon us.

For "truth crushed to
earth will rise again."

When will we be free?

Soon, and very soon.

Because you shall
reap what you sow.

When will we be free?

Soon, and very soon.

Because no lie can live forever.

When will we be free?

Soon, and very soon

because "Mine eyes have seen"

"the glory of the
coming of the Lord."

"He is trampling
out the vintage"

"where the grapes of
wrath are stored."

"He hath loosed the
fateful lightning"

"of his terrible swift sword."

"His truth is marching on."

"Glory! Hallelujah!"

"His truth is marching on."