American Playhouse (1981–…): Season 3, Episode 10 - The Killing Floor - full transcript

[drum corps music]

[chatter, old-time piano music]

[train chuffing]

[whistle blows]

The war come,

and all of a sudden,
there was jobs up North.

[softly suspenseful music]

Mattie wasn't too happy
about me goin'.

A lot of boys went off
seeking their fortune

lookin' for work
and never come back.

The children didn't know
what was going on,



'cept their daddy
was leavin'.

Chicago was just
a name to them.

[door squeaks, slams]

[dog barks, rooster crows]

[train chuffing]

[whistle blows]

We's outta the South now.

North!

Can't never really tell
what's gonna happen

in your life.

Wasn't for the war,
I probably never woulda

left the South and gone
to the Promised Land.

That's what we called it.

[whistle blows]



[street noises]

[chuckling]

[newspaper vendor shouts]

Yes, sir.

Right in the middle
of Chicago,

colored folks had built
their own city.

[mellow music]

You can dream about a place,

but it ain't real
till you get there.

There I was in Chicago.

It was real.

Hey there, Mr. Governor,
you'd look mighty snappy

in one of them there suits.

Yeah, wouldn't look
half-bad yourself!

Send the word,
send the word over there!

Yeah, that's it, do it, boys!

[women giggle]

Fight for your country!

Be a man
and fight for your country!

Join the Illinois 8th.

Fight for your country!

Beat the Huns!

Join the Illinois 8th.

Uh, hey there, mister.

We're new here in Chicago.

Where can we be
getting ourselves a job?

Fight for your country!

Beat the Huns.

Join the Illinois 8th!

You ever done any butchering?

-Sure!
-Yeah, both of us

killed lots of hogs
back in Mississippi.

Take these letters from me
over to the stockyards

and get yourselves
some jobs.

Before the war,

thousands of white people
used to wait

out in front
of the packing house,

trying to get work.

But now the war is on!

There's lots of jobs,

and they're hiring
colored people too.

'Specially if you've
got recommendations.

Now, you know how much
they payin' to start?

21 cents an hour.

Now.

To get to the stockyards,

you has to go through
the white neighborhood.

You boys be on your best
behavior over there.

We're particular about
our reputation

and appearance
in Chicago.

Now, you boys get settled in

and you want to write your folks

and tell 'em
how good you're doin'?

You come on back here
to the YMCA

and see Mr. Cheeks.

Be careful!

Next, please.

[jazzy music]

[snoring]

[klaxon horn sounds]

You hear that, boy?

[horn sounds again]

That's Chicago out there.

Chicago.

Yeah, I hear.

Sounds a whole lot better
than them Mississippi crickets

and hound dogs,
don't it?

You know, Frank,
a minute ago,

I'm sleeping,

and I'm on this train
coming north.

Before I know it,
the thing is flying backwards

and I'm saying "Whoa, train,
you're going the wrong way!

Whoa, hold up!"

And the next thing I know,

we was back
in Mississippi.

Seemed so real.

And I'm laying here
listening to Chicago.

Seemed like I'm dreaming.

[he sighs]

I'll feel a lot better

when I get my family
up here too.

Mm-hm, we'll both
feel a lot better.

Yeah.

Hey...

[soft snoring]

[bicycle bell rings]

[street noises]

We didn't need no rooster
to get us up,

me and Thomas.

Hey, you new boys back there,

lemme give you
a piece of advice.

That viaduct,
other side of the viaduct

we just came through
back there?

Well, that's where
the white folks live.

There's a lot of Irish gangs
all up and through here,

so you gotta be careful.

Yes, sir, be mighty careful
how you step!

[cattle mooing]

[twangy, rhythmic music]

[indistinct chatter]

[unintelligible].

[chatter in foreign language]

You, you, and you.

The foreman pointed at Thomas,

and Thomas jumped
like a jackrabbit.

I need one
for the killing floor.

Then he pointed at me.

You--boy.
Come with me.

That was the sweetest
"you" I'd ever heard

in my whole life.

[chains clanking]

[pulley creaks]

Wait here a minute.

[soft weeping]

[exclaims in foreign language]

How was you supposed
to work with folks

you couldn't
understand them?

Hey, boy.

Let's go.

[clamor, chatter]

He ain't taking
that job, Harry.

I been all over this floor
and nobody wants to do it,

so this boy's
doing the job.

It's Dan McCarr's job, dammit!

He don't listen to me,
so he's out!

What do you think we are,
a bunch of machines, Harry?

You got 120 head
comin' down here

-every hour.
-Don't tell me how much meat

has to be cut,
we're in a war, remember?

Now, get back to work,
all of you.

You do whatever the boss say,
don't you, boy?

This boy wants to work.

That's more than I can say
for that lazy Polack out there.

Whatever the boss says,
right, nigger?

"Yessir, boss,
yessir, boss!"

Stop it, Jimmy.

This boy's staying.

You don't wanna do
work like that, son.

Now, that ladder gets
very slippery sometimes.

You could fall,
break your neck.

We ain't movin', Harry.

[distant mooing]

All right.

Go get that Polack.

But if I have to tell him again,
he's done for sure.

Now, get back to work.

They're comin' in here
faster than the damn cattle!

[chatter]

I was always
kind of a dreamer,

sittin' around,
starin' at them fields,

and lookin' down the road

wondering what was beyond 'em.

But I never dreamed
it would be like that.

[sharp thwacking]

Hey, boy!

Get the blood off here.

Yes, sir, boss,
be right there.

All different kind of men.

Some of 'em
rippin' off the tails,

some of them
skinnin' the hides,

some of them
splittin' the carcasses,

some of 'em laborers
like me.

White faces,
colored faces,

like a clock.

You take off the back
and you get all these parts

moving and spinning
and buzzing,

each one doing something
to make the whole thing work.

I'd almost forgot
about Thomas,

and I went looking for him
after work,

down to the hide room.

Eight floors,
and on every floor,

everybody was doing
something different.

Everybody turning that cow
into little bits and pieces,

and they didn't
waste nothing.

They sold every part
of that cow.

They made lard from it,
soap.

They even used the blood
for fertilizer.

If they'da found
a use for the moo,

they probably woulda
sold that too.

And the farther down you went,

the hotter and darker
and scarier it got.

And the smell
of them cow hides

made you wanna vomit
and turn back.

'Scuse me, mister?

Is the hide room down there?

What do you want, boy?

Thomas Joshua,
started working here today.

Oh, you mean that
smart-mouthed nigger.

He's a friend of yours?

You better talk
some sense into him.

[soft flute music]

Thomas?

Frank.

[mooing]

[Frank sighs deeply]

[softly exclaiming]

[mellow jazz music]

What you gonna do, then?

I'm gonna join the Army.

We ain't never been more
than a hoot and a holler

away from each other
since we was kids.

Never!

You be careful, Thomas.

Yeah.

[explosions]

[jaunty piano music]

Dear Mattie:

I think about Thomas a lot,
layin' in my bed

or hearing the newsboys
yelling about the war.

Thomas over there fightin'.

But if I know Thomas,

he'll end the war
all by hisself.

I bought me a knife

so I can try and move up
and be a butcher.

Gotta make some more money.

See, rumples get 45 cents.

Floorsman, he gets 50.

That's the kinda money I want.

You be careful now,
young man.

You might be up North

but you still got
to stay in your place.

Don't be pushing too hard now.

I ain't in the mood
to write no more,

if you don't mind.

[bright piano music]

Can I help you?

Yes, ma'am.

Letters?

Sit.

How much it cost?

Fifty cents a letter.

[coins clink]

All right.

What you wanna say?

[he clears his throat]

-"Dear Mattie--"
-I hope you don't mind

my suggestin'.

How 'bout
"My dearest Mattie"?

You know, show her
you really miss her.

Yes, ma'am.

All right?
What you wanna say next?

Well, let me see.

Uh, I want to tell her
I'm very glad to be

-working in the stockyards.
-Why don't we say it like this?

"The Lord has seen fit

to smile on me

and reward me
with a position

at the Chicago stockyards,

and I am eternally
grateful for that."

What do you think?

Yes, ma'am!

Uh, lemme see, what else?

Yeah, uh...

"I don't know
when I can bring you up here,

but I'm working on it,
so don't lose faith in me.

Things are so expensive
up here, Mattie.

Ain't been able
to save a whole lot.

Had to buy me a knife,

so that's about all
I been able to save,

'cause I'm gonna try and be
a butcher one of these days."

That's the ticket.

I hope you don't mind
me saying it,

but that's the way
we have to think

as colored folks,

instead of low-rating
ourselves.

We don't have to settle
for the crumbs

when there's plenty
of bread out there.

I'm glad to hear you
talk like that.

If you wanna be a butcher,
go on and be one,

that's my advice.

What else you wanna say?

Um...

uh, "Tell the children
and your daddy I said hello."

All right?

Mm-hm.

[clock ticks]

[machinery hisses and clatters]

Your knife?

You see, there are
all kinds of butchers.

The stickers do like this.

That old cow bleeds.

A butcher like me
don't wanna make no mistakes.

But you gotta be quick,
like this.

See?

Down home, we butchers
lots of hogs like this.

Them hogs squeal like crazy.

That's the guy we want, Pop.

[whir of blade on stone]

[chatter, laughter]

Folks would step
outta my path.

What's in that jug
ain't gonna help you none.

Yeah? Before I bought
this stuff,

folks used to jump
outta my path,

I smelled so bad.

Now I'm the sweetest smellin'
nigger in town!

[laughter]

Let me have that bottle,
please.

Put it right in my hand.

'Cause when it comes
to smellin' sweet,

Frank Custer is your man.

[laughter]

Keep an eye out for Harry.

Okay, all you union men.

Lemme see your buttons.

It's straight
and simple, boys.

We want everybody
to join the union.

We work our tails off,

and what do we get for it?

Crumbs.

We're gonna make 'em give us
the pay raise we deserve,

and we're gonna make 'em
give us some respect.

But the only way
we can do that

is if everybody
joins the union.

Everybody, and I'm talking
to you colored guys, too.

Heavy. Joe. All of you.

You too, Custer.

Mister, I come up here
to make a living.

I ain't getting in no
white man's fight, no, sir.

[laughter]

Hey!

How much does it cost
to join your union?

Five dollars to join
and 75 cents a month.

You hear that, Joe?

The man wants five whole dollars
to join his union.

Man must think
money grows on trees!

[laughter]

It's gonna be all right.

It's not gonna be all right
till we get those colored guys.

Your knife's gotta cut
clean as a whistle.

Put your knife
in this position.

Sharpening your knife
ain't easy.

I was showing you
the right way,

but you was forcing
against me.

You think I done that
on purpose.

You think that,

come on and lay into me,
come on.

What are you running for, huh?

Scared? Pretty brave around
your colored friends, ain't ya,

but you piss every time
a white man comes near ya,

don't ya?

-I ain't scared of you.
-Ain't ya?

No, I--

You a field hand
from the South or something?

Field hand don't get
much more pay for work

than a damn mule, does he?

Mule probably eats
a hell of a lot better too,

don't he?

-Sometime.
-That's what I thought.

Hey, you.

You better watch
who you keep company with.

[bluesy music]

[chatter, laughter]

You know, I had a friend
named Jim once.

Me and him used to work
in the stockyards in West Texas.

White man,
union man,

him and Jim had
a little disagreement.

Took out his cleaver.

Jim had his hand
right on the bin,

and that white man
brought that cleaver down,

whump! Cut off his hand.

Heavy Williams
was a West Texas boy.

Said the union was
just for white boys.

Heavy'd had a lot of trouble
with them white union boys

down South.

Northern nigger must be lost.

Look at him.

Like he about
to pee in his pants.

Ain't nothing but
a white man's nigger,

as far as I'm concerned.

Y'all 'scuse me a minute.

I just wanted to know
who that man Robert was.

You know, why he was
always hangin' around

the white fellas
on the kill floor.

I heard you might be here.

Well? Anybody?

Anybody what?

Joining the union, Frank.

Oughta be an honor
to join the union.

For a long time,
colored people weren't

allowed in the union;
now we are.

We oughta take advantage
of the chance we get.

Look, I told that other fella,

I come up here
to make a living--

Any worker, Frank,
colored or white,

any worker who fails to join
the forces of organized labor

has a grudge against himself.

[rhythmic clapping, stomping]

Down on the killing floor!

Oh, yeah!

Talkin' 'bout
down on the killing floor.

Low-down dirty shame.

Call you "nigger"
for your first name.

Be quick,

call him a Mick.

Get on back, mangy Polack.

And they don't likes it,
that's too damn bad!

Just be one big nigger,

they sure done gone
and got mad!

[laughter]

[unintelligible].

Yeah, it was hard work.

I ain't gonna lie about it.

And it kept you jumpin'.

But just like back home,

once you get the hang
of that old hoe or that plow,

there wasn't nothin' to it.

You could do it
in your sleep almost.

I am saying
what you want me to say,

aren't I?

Yes'm,
sounds real nice.

'Cept I kinda like
what I said

a little bit better,
you don't mind.

See, Mattie, well,
she don't read so good,

you know what I mean?

Yes, of course.

You're the one writing it.

[chuckling]

One of the colored fellas
on the job

asked me to go
to a union meeting.

I don't know
why he wants me to go, but...

I ain't made up my mind yet.

Maybe I will,
maybe I won't.

Just don't know.

That sound all right?

Sounds just fine.

Why don't you go?

To the meeting?

I'm not being nosy,

but from the letters
you've been writing,

you work real hard,

and they ought to pay you
more money.

[speaking excitedly
in foreign language]

That guy talkin'?

That's Kikulski,
he's a union organizer.

Most of these people
don't speak much English.

Now, most of these people
just joined, Frank.

They're new too.

Hey, Dan, Bill.

Frank here's thinking
about joining.

Isn't that right, Frank?

Thinkin' about it.

[chanting in foreign language]

Come on up here, brother!

Come on up on here!

Come on up here, come on!

Come on up!

Come on up, brother!

[chanting "Union, Union!"]

[applause, cheers]

Well, uh, all I've got to say
is, uh...

united we stand
and divided we fall.

[applause]

Reminded me a lot of
the prayer meetings back home.

People witnessin',
testifyin', preachin',

gettin' happy,

and all the while
speaking in tongues.

I guess you could say
they were speaking in tongues

at the union meeting, too,

because most of 'em
were Poles and Slavs,

and I couldn't understand
them neither.

This is John Fitzpatrick.

He's the head of the Chicago
Federation of Labor.

More than half
of the stockyards workers

have joined the union,
brothers!

[applause]

[speaking in foreign language]

[scattered applause]

A committee of myself,
Brother Lane here,

and Brother Foster

approached the big five packers.

They refused
to let us bargain

on your behalf.

[speaking foreign language]

Let's strike now!

Let me give you
the list of demands.

One.

We want union recognition,
and that means

we want them to sit down
and bargain with us

and discuss our grievances
like honorable men.

[applause]

[speaking foreign language]

[applause]

We want a wage increase,

we want an eight-hour day,

and we want time and a half
for overtime.

[applause, cheers]

[speaking foreign language]

[whistles, applause]

Now, we're Americans now.

Polish, Irish, colored,
whatever you are.

The days of peasants
and serfs and slaves

must be behind us!

[applause]

And, my friends,
we must treat each other

with respect and friendship.

Let us be truly united.

Let us be 100 percent union.

The union boys was always
mad at the packers.

"The packers this,
the packers that."

Long time, I didn't know
who they was talkin' about.

Well, "the packers" was
the meatpacking companies.

There were five big ones
in Chicago.

The union was
taking 'em all on.

Cold in here.

Hard to hold my knife.

You'll get used to it.

Come on, get back to work.

You got plenty of guys
pushing a squeegee.

Frank's learned
how to sharpen his knife,

now let him try
and rip tails!

Hey! You don't make
the assignments on this floor,

I do!

-Now, move out, boy.
-Let him learn, Harry!

If this guy don't get back
where he belongs,

I'm gonna fire you, Bremer.

You can walk right outta here
and get your time.

[distant mooing]

Okay.

Okay.

[murmuring]

I never was too crazy
about Bill Bremer till then.

People fool you sometimes.

[bluesy music]

Look at him, Joe.

Bigtime nigger.

Yeah, boy.

We got us a bona fide,
sho'nuff bigtime union man

in our midst.

-Say a few words, bigtime.
-Aww, come on, y'all.

Heck, boy, you done
throwed your money

on a little piece of puddin'.

Had me the time,
I'd start my own union,

and there'd be
a chicken in every pot

and a heifer in every room.

Ain't worried about no chicken.

Just get me that heifer.

Yeah. I bet you
can't walk out the door

with that little gal over there.

Grapevine tells me
most of the union boys

ain't nothin'
but a bunch of sissies

who got their
first big pants!

Just telling you
what I heard, Frank.

Seeing is believing,
know what I mean?

Good night, gentlemen.

Have your fun.

Frank won't be home
till the night is done.

Hi.

Hi. My name's Frank.

Frank Custer.

What's yours?

How 'bout Helen?

Sure, that's fine.
It's a nice name.

I got an aunt with that name.

-Real nice lady.
-My, my, aren't you polite.

-I try to be.
-Keep workin' at it.

Never know how far
it'll get you.

So. What's on your mind?

Was just wonderin'...

I was thinking.

Aren't you cute!

You want me
to say it for you?

Say what?

You forgot what
you come over here for?

No, I didn't forget.

Well, then say it, sugar.

'Less you wants me
to put words in your mouth,

and no tellin'
what I might put in there.

Uh...would you--you like...

Come on, sugar,
you almost there.

You know what I mean!

[chuckling]

Yeah, well,
you just might be good.

Are you?

Sure. Of course.

That's why I'm standing here.

Well, since you are
standin' here,

why don't you ask me to dance?

Yeah, sure--
you wanna dance?

Uh-huh, come on.

I-I gotta be honest with you.

I can't be
takin' you home.

It was just a kind of bet
between me and those guys.

You ain't mad at me?

Let's just say
I'm disappointed.

You might have been fun.

But since you were so honest,

I'll walk out with you
so you can win the little bet.

But you better be careful,
honey.

Next time, you never know
what might happen to you.

Come on.

Oh, it got cold
in Chicago all right.

Yes, sir.

That wind would get
to whippin' around

and you knowed you was north.

[murmuring]

Merry Christmas, brothers!

[together]
Merry Christmas, brothers!

Fellow workers,

this is a historic moment
for all packinghouse workers.

Brother Fitzpatrick from
the Stockyards Labor Council

is gonna tell you about it.

[cheers, applause]

Thank you, Brother Lane.

Brothers and sisters.

Your union and the packers
have agreed to a settlement

of all disputes!

[cheers, applause]

Through binding arbitration,

and under the full authority
of the United States government,

a federal judge
has been appointed

by the President
of the United States

to hear all our complaints

and issue
binding decisions.

And I take
this opportunity to say

that our first complaint

is that the workers
in this industry

want and need
a wage increase.

[cheers, whistles, applause]

[chanting "Union, union!"]

It felt good to pull out
that union button

and not have to hide it
no more.

I never did like
sneakin' around.

I want to introduce to you

the Secretary of Labor

of the United States
of America.

[applause]

Merry Christmas, gentlemen.

[together]
Merry Christmas, sir.

I know some of you men
wanted to go on strike,

and I must tell you

that we seriously
considered a plan

to have the plants run
by the federal troops

for the duration of the war.

[murmuring]

But after speaking
with some of your union leaders,

we will not have
to take that step.

Now.

Keep up the good work,

and Merry Christmas.

[applause]

Now, here's Mr. Condon
speaking for the packers.

Boys, I can say
for the packers

that we're gonna make
every effort to give you boys

the best we can.

And there'll be
a package of sausage for you

for everyone
when they leave work tonight,

compliments of the company.

[laughter, jeering]

I got to like Dan.

He was a farmer like me
'fore he come over from Poland.

This thing with the judge,
what do it mean?

Well, we will tell the truth.

Hope he will listen
to the truth.

Then we will get raises.

[soft music]

In Poland,
it is said...

animals...

Christmas Eve,

midnight tonight,

animals speak
with a human voice.

Must not be around
when animals speak.

Wafer from Poland.

And an apple for you,
Brother Frank.

[mooing]

Happy Christmas.

Miss Lilah?

[bright piano music
in background]

Merry Christmas.

I brung you a present for
helping me with my letters.

Oh, Frank, I'm very flattered,
but I can't accept.

You have a nice Christmas.

Maybe next Christmas
you'll be a lot happier.

Maybe you'll have your wife
and family here then.

You really want me
to have it?

I'll take it.

You know something, Frank?

You remind me
of my late husband,

the second one.

You certainly do.

Wait here a minute.

Been hanging in the closet
nearly three years

collecting dust.

Somebody oughta be wearin' it.

Merry Christmas, Frank.

Miss Lilah...

Frank, you're just
a little lonely, that's all.

It's Christmastime,

and we always get that way
when we don't have

the people we love
around us.

Hey, Lilah!

Oh, excuse me.

Hey, Lilah, you better
come on back.

Saint Nick's got something
in his stocking for ya.

Merry Christmas, Frank!

[holiday music
for brass instruments]

"Dear Mattie:

Some people say
there's folks slackin'

on the war effort.

It ain't us at the plant.

I'm telling you,
I go to bed

and I can still hear
Harry's voice yappin'.

'Hurry up,
get that meat out!

You want them boys over there
not to have their rations?'"

[bright piano music]

"We got a hearing
with that government judge

about them pay raises
comin' up.

I just hope he'll listen
to what we got to say."

Your headdress is
quite colorful.

What do you call it?

[speaks foreign word]

-A what?
- [speaks foreign word]

Oh, a babushka.

Tell me, have you ever worn
a hat or owned one?

In old country,
I have a hat.

I bring to America,

hat wears out.

You mean to tell me
that in all the time

that you've been here
in America, you--

you've never been able
to afford a new hat?

No, sir.

Thank you, Mrs. Michora.

Thank you!

Mr. Fitzpatrick.

According to this
average family budget

provided by the union,

under the wage increase
that you are proposing,

Mrs. Michora would have enough
for two hats a year,

-is that right?
-That is correct, Your Honor.

And under this budget,

three dresses a year to be
allowed for employees' wives?

Yes, Your Honor.

Thank you, Mr. Fitzpatrick.

[wings flapping]

[cheers, applause]

Good to see ya, hi.

[cheers, applause,
shouting in various languages]

Brothers and sisters.

I've been a union man
almost all my life.

[speaking foreign language]

Since I was 12 years old.

[speaking foreign language]

I sleep in a union bed.

[speaking foreign language]

The broom that sweeps my floor
is a union broom.

[speaking foreign language]

That wedding ring was made
by union hands.

[speaking foreign language]

I'm proud to be a union man.

[speaking foreign language]

And I'm proud to bring you
a very important announcement.

[speaking foreign language]

I want to announce

Judge Alschuler has handed down
his decision.

[speaking foreign language]

We've got an eight-hour day

and a general pay increase
for everybody!

[cheering]

Now.

Now, it's the government
that got us those raises,

in recognition
of your sacrifice

for gettin' the meat
to our boys overseas.

But we've still got to get
the packers to recognize

and bargain directly
with the union.

[speaking foreign language]

Brothers and sisters,
we still need a union contract.

And by Jesus,
we're gonna get one.

But we've got to keep up
the pressure.

We will, brother!

[applause, cheers]

That's what I wanna hear,
brothers.

But you've also got to know,

part of your agreement,

there'll be no walkouts,

no strikes for
the duration of the war.

Now, until the war is over,

Judge Alschuler is staying on,

and he'll arbitrate
any problems

between us and the company.

I guess that's it.

Enjoy the victory.

You've earned it.

[speaking foreign language,
whistling]

[lively music]

We did it!

We got 'em.

Forced the mighty packers
to give in to our demands.

Yes, sir, now I can get
my wife and family up here.

We fumbled it.

All we had to do was strike.

Then they'da had
to recognize us.

But no, we opened
the damned door

and let the government
come sneaking in.

Well, who the hell needs 'em?

Look, Frank.

This judge is gonna be gone
someday.

And then there's gonna be
a showdown

between us
and the packers,

sooner or later,

and it should have been now,

when the packers are making
all this big money

and need us bad.

Hey, Brother Frank!

Do you want to dance
with my wife?

Oh, I been called a polecat
in my time, but never a Pole.

I don't know
if I can do that dance.

Come on, she will teach you.

Put that down,
that's it, come on.

[singing in foreign language]

[old-timey piano music]

Yeah, we was beginnin' to feel
real good in Chicago.

Just like the young colts
in the springtime back home,

kickin' up their heels
and rompin'.

Yeah, things was just fine
in the Promised Land.

[girls chant a rhyme]

Look, you even got on
a new suit!

You slicked up and all.

Aww, I'm not.

Yes, you are.

They're coming back, Mattie.

Well, here we are.

Children'll sleep here,

Daddy'll sleep over here.

Mm-hm.

This is what they call
adjoining rooms,

the two of 'em together.

This what they call
a rooming house.

Mm-hm.

How many rooms
they have here, Frank?

Oh, I don't know,
18, 20, something like that.

How much you pay
for these here rooms?

Five dollars a week
for the two of 'em.

We can afford it?

Don't you worry
about it now.

Or else you all
wouldn't be up here.

It's gonna be all right.

[bluesy piano music]

I still feel sorry
for the ones down home.

Old Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon

sitting on their porches
just rocking away.

Ain't goin' nowhere.

Just like two pieces
of old wax meltin' away.

You don't know what yonder
they starin' at

over them hills.

I done made it
over them hills.

[laughter]

Who's that?

Just one of the neighbors.

I tell you,

here you ain't seen me
in a whole year,

you didn't bring me
no flowers or nothing.

Back home,
you'd bring me flowers

if you was gone
for the day.

But I guess that's what
Chicago do to folks.

Sugar, Chicago ain't done
nothin' to me like that.

What's wrong?

You been behavin' yourself?

'Course I have!

Learned to be a butcher too.

It's for you.

What is it?

Open it!

Don't wanna be
spoilin' the surprise.

[paper rustling]

Oh!

Frank!

Thank you!

They're so pretty.

Oh yeah, I likes this.

You like it?

I bought it, didn't I?

Is this what ladies
is wearing in Chicago?

Indeed they are.

Thank you, baby.

You take back what you said.

Mm-hm.

[old-timey piano music]

When the word come
the war was over,

Chicago went wild.

Happy, didn't matter
if folks knowed you or not,

they smiled at you.

That's right,
the boys was comin' home.

Only thing that worried me was,

I hadn't heard a word
from Thomas.

But Thomas never could
write too good.

I just hoped and prayed
that was the reason.

[indistinct chatter]

[whistling]

You and you.

Get your time, boys.

[whistling slows, stops]

Hey, you.

Get your time.

What?

War is over.

We're cuttin'
this cattle gang.

We're down to 75 cattle an hour
and that means, that, uh...

we don't need you no more.

You and you,
let's go, boys.

We're laying you off.

What's the union
gon' do about it?

We don't have
a union contract yet, Frank.

Remember?

They can lay off
anybody they damn please

or hire back
anybody they please.

A man walks up to me,
points his finger and says,

"You laid off,"

and they got a right
to do that?

What about my family?

Christmas is coming.

Take it easy, Frank!

Maybe there's some jobs
in some--

[slams locker door]

Oh, don't look so down, Frank.

Best to get yourself
outta that union, Frank.

I was a waiter once.

Went on strike
with white boys.

The strike was settled;

white boys,
they got their jobs back.

-We got on the bread line.
-Beggin'.

Yeah, beggin'.

Then the stockyards
was on strike,

packers brought
us colored boys in

to take the white boys' places.

And that's the only reason
we still up here feastin'

in the Promised Land.

Yeah. White man's war
always good for the colored man.

Mm-hm.

Let those folks fight it out
amongst themselves, Frank.

Hey! Barkeep!

[door squeaks]

Tommy?

Frank!

[joyous laughter]

Where the hell you been?

Gettin' medals!

Congratulations!

They cost me plenty.

Plenty of bullets.

Captain!

I want you to send
your men in over here

and attack the enemy
on his right flank.

Yes, sir!

And then I want you to send
the 7th, 11th, and 16th Regiment

and attack the enemy
on his left flank.

Yes, sir!

And then I want you
to send in the rest of the men

and attack any flank that's left
when you gets through.

Yes, sir, General,
only one problem.

What the hell's
a flank look like?

[Thomas chuckles]

[laughter]

I thought to
stay over there.

Tell you the truth, they treat
you like a man and all.

But I got thinking about
Estelle and the kids, so...

came on back, flat broke.

I know she thinkin'
'bout you too.

Mm-hm. So my ship
pulled up in New York,

had to try
to find me a job.

But folks out of work
in New York, too.

So, came on to Chicago,

figured I'd get my hands
on some money

for Christmas, at least.

What do you think, Mattie?

Would it be all right
for Thomas to stay here awhile?

If he can bear it.

I mean, after Par-ee.

[laughing]

Yeah, well, you come over
to the yards with me tomorrow,

we see about
getting us some jobs.

Frank.

You done lost your job?

I was gon' tell you
about it, Mattie.

What happened?

Now, don't be frettin' now,
they just layin' us off

for a little while.

Don't be messin' up
that pretty face

with all that frowning.

It's a pretty-looking face,
ain't it, Thomas?

Yes indeedy.

Prettier than
a sweet potato pie.

Yeah, we gon' try the
hog kill tomorrow, all right?

-Mm-hm.
-Yes, sir.

We'll bring home the bacon
for Christmas.

[laughs nervously]

[soft music]

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,

catch a nigger by his toe.

If he hollers,
let him go,

eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,

catch a nigger by his toe.

If he hollers,
let him go,

eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

[murmur of conversation]

Sure is a lot of folks
out here, Frank.

The war bein' over,

industries was cuttin' back,

and there was a lot more people
than there was jobs.

The fellas that fought the war
thought they deserved the jobs,

if there was any.

[indistinct conversation]

Scrape this damn uniform off.

This place smells the same,
don't it?

Bill, this is
my best friend Thomas,

just come back from the war
a little while ago.

Thomas, this is Bill Bremer.

Told me they was hiring
for the kill floor again today.

They been saying that
ever since the day

good old Harry walked up to me,
pointed his finger, and said,

"You! Get your time."

A freakin' month now.

Everywhere you looked,

people scroungin'
through garbage cans.

I tried hard not to look,
but I couldn't escape it.

Just like I couldn't escape
having to get out of bed

every morning
before the sun come up

and head down to the stockyards
and wait,

pushin' and shovin'
to get to the head of the line.

[shouting]

All of you,
I said quiet!

You'd wait half the morning,

then one of the foremen
would come out

and you'd get your hopes up,

and then he'd hire one of
the new boys from the South,

just off the train.

You!

[angry exclamations]

We was gettin' by 'cause Mattie
was bakin' and sellin' pies.

I didn't know
about other folks.

[tense music]

-Joe! Joe!
-Over here, Joe!

Hey, you.

You.

[shouting, "Hey, Harry!"]

This is my buddy.

My buddy Thomas,
good worker.

[shouting continues]

You ever seen
those guys before?

I ain't never seen them.

What's going on, Harry?

I ain't hiring no damn
union troublemakers.

You guys are through
in this place.

I'll be damned if these bastards
are gonna take my job!

[shouting]

All of ya,
cut it out!

Cut it out!

-[unintelligible].
-Come on.

That's just what
they want us to do.

I couldn't blame them
for coming up and getting jobs.

But Bill said the company was
scaring the new colored boys

away from the union
and trying to bust it.

[speaking in foreign language]

He says he won't work
with these colored fellows

who don't have buttons on.

-You're an American citizen?
-Who?

Are you a citizen
of the United States?

Brother Johnstone,

they said they were hiring
for the kill floor.

Then they wouldn't hire us
'cause we're union.

They started picking
colored guys

just come up
from the South.

-That ain't right.
-I know.

We'll talk to the judge.

You'll have your jobs back
by the end of today.

[celebratory applause]

The one thing
rich folks miss

is the joy of getting
their job back.

Felt good.

All right, all right.

All right!

You and you, get your time,
you're finished.

There was still
something sad about it though.

I remember back home,

I'd pick me an apple
and eat it.

After a while, a little worm
would stick his head up at me

and let me know no matter
how sweet that apple was,

there was something rotten
about it too.

I got my job back, but Thomas
was still waiting out there.

I said that's all for today,
and that's it.

[mellow music]

There was something
different about the kill floor.

Maybe it was me,
but it felt like

something was
waiting to happen.

[unintelligible],
jump on that

Papa's gonna give you
a big old whack

The baby's so dirty
and your dress is so torn

Girl, what you doing
in that field of corn

You know what I'm doin'
in that corn.

Frank Custer
got himself a job.

[chatter, laughter]

[mellow music]

Good music.

I wanna go dancin', Frankie.

Can we go dancin'?

Eh, I'm working now,
we can afford it.

I got my dancing shoes
on tonight.

Well, why stand here?
Let's go upstairs.

With them folks?

Nobody's worried
about no white folks.

[soft music]

[exclaims]

Baby, why don't we take in
a moving picture show?

You ain't brung me yet.

You know I sure been
wanting to see one.

Let's go, Thomas.

-You're the boss, sugar.
-Hey.

How y'all colored folk doin'?

How you doin', white boy?

-Thomas!
-Put it away, Thomas,

put it away!

Now y'all get on
out of here now.

We don't want no trouble.

Thomas.

I wasn't gonna shoot
them boys.

Looks like we got
the enemy running,

let's take the regiment
into the house.

One, two, three,
one, two, three.

A lot of folks
was feeling angry.

They was organizing
all over the country too.

The government decided to keep
the judge on another year,

and while
he was still on,

the union wasn't supposed
to walk out or strike.

Our hands were tied.

Bill said,
"What was they doin'?

Helpin' us or the company?"

So we had to get everybody
into the union,

make it strong.

I was out recruiting
all the time.

...colored boys
doing that skilled work

and getting 75 cents an hour.

And you know why?

'Cause the foreman
wasn't putting us in there,

that's why.

And the company's
doing the harm

by not letting us move up.

The union's
gonna change all that.

I'll join up.

All right, Mr. Dewitt!

Now you wear this every day.

Then folks know
you a union man.

Yeah, 100% or bust.

We all homeboys, right?

So let me tell you something.

That killing floor
is too small

for a bunch of men to work
and get the work out so fast

without running over
one another,

know what I mean?

And them knives
are sharp as razors.

Now you get cut
with one of them,

let me tell you,

you're likely
to get blood poisoning.

That's your life,
you understand what I'm saying?

Now that's what the union's
trying to do.

Slow that pace down so that
nobody come out of there

bleeding and dying.

[dog barking]

Mm.

How 'bout that.

[chuckling]

-Those are nice.
-Mm.

Fifteen years ago,
remember that, Tessie,

union tried to organize.

Packers brought colored boys
in from the South

by the damn train loads.

They put up barracks
right there in the yards.

And that's where they lived,

with all that blood
and the filth.

That's a shame
folks got to live that way.

Oh, no, shame was that
we were starving outside

and they was working inside.

Just a bunch of scabs,
that's all they were.

She ain't talking
about you folks.

Oh, couldn't be.

Frank ain't
never been no scab.

Well, this time
things are gonna be different.

We've got some colored
committeemen like Frank here.

Damn right, things
are gonna be different.

Either they come in
or they're out.

That's right.

Well, those colored guys
will listen to you.

I hope so.

Oh, they'll listen.

If Frank set his mind to it,

he can do lots of things.

[laughs]

[blues music]

[crowd chatter]

Give me two.

Busted!

I'm gonna need everybody
signed up for the union.

No sense in us
having to beg the packers.

What about you, Frank?

Hey, Frank, take this here
joining up money, man,

before it takes off
out of my hand to the bar.

Hey, all right,
all right,

let me have it for you,
let me keep it, all right.

-Yeah.
-Here.

Now you're
all paid up, boy.

-Good.
-Yeah?

Yes, sir.

Folks is joining up,
paying the dues.

[laughter]

Paying the dues, yeah?

Hey, hey, old boy,
have a sit down.

Hey, hey,
where you been?

I ain't seen you
in a coon's age.

I get up, go to bed,
Thomas still ain't around.

How do you be talkin'?

I was over there
last week,

and the landlady tells me
you and the madam

was out dining somewhere.

Spent all his greenbacks.

Oh, no, no,
we was having dinner

at a union brother's house.

-A white man?
-Yeah.

You was at a white man's house?

Yeah, he white,
but he's still in the union.

I don't care
how many buttons he got on.

Never catch me
at no peckerwood's table.

Ain't always colors, Thomas,
it's what's in their heart.

I know
what's in their heart,

and I was over in Europe
with 'em.

If it wasn't
for them damn Germans,

they would have been
shooting at me too.

Thomas, white boys
is workers just like us.

Oh, you blind, huh?

Look at 'em, look at 'em.

They ain't workin'.

Broke as can be.

Beggin' for drinks,
yelling and snapping.

Calling some white people
you having dinner with.

Same folks keeping me
from getting my family fed

and stopping me
from getting a job.

Look, we don't have
to talk about it no more.

It's your business.

Besides, I'll be moving
out the house anyway.

I've been meaning
to tell you.

Staying someplace else,
got my own job now.

There ain't no need for you
to be doin' all that.

Oh, he's right, Frank.

You done changed
since you first come around.

Heavy, I'm talking to Thomas.

This ain't none
of your business.

But I'm making it
my business.

[blues music]

[lively band music]

That's 100% American music
you're hearing,

and we're gonna make it
100% union in the yard!

Come on up here and get
yourselves a union button!

Whose music
you gonna dance to?

The packers
or your own?

Come on up here and get
yourselves a union button!

Be a union man today!

[speaking in foreign language]

[speaking in foreign language]

[cheering]

[speaking in foreign language]

[laughs]

Yeah!

Come on up here.

That's the ticket,
I didn't know

you all understood Polish.

[applause]

-Union!
-Union!

-Union!
-Union!

[chanting "Union!"]

[chanting "Union!"]

[screaming, commotion]

[unintelligible].

-Yo!
-Hey, hey.

[band music continues]

[commotion]

I don't give a damn!

Look, look!

I told you I'm not firing
Heavy and Joe,

and that's final.

No work with scabs!

The union fellas said
they wasn't gonna work

with Heavy and Joe
unless they joined up.

It ain't easy
working alongside a man

who just threw a brick
at ya.

Company brought us up
on charges

'cause we wasn't supposed
to stop work.

All right, you guys,
let's go.

Bill said he thought
maybe Heavy

was getting two paychecks
from the company,

one for workin'
and the other for agitatin'.

-I didn't know.
-What we are trying to get at

is the cause
of these strikes

and how to avoid them
in the future.

Mr. Williams,
what is going on

between the union
and non-union workers?

These fellas here,
they just got it in for me.

Some men,
they put on buttons.

They think
they're all of it.

They just try to run
all over you and bully you.

I ain't got no dues money
to throw away on no union.

Did any superintendent
or foreman

ever tell you to keep the men
from joining the union,

and did you ever make
any effort to do so?

No, sir, never.

I just told 'em
to make up their own minds.

Mr. Lane.

Mr. Williams,
how much pay do you draw?

Fifty cents an hour.

Fifty cents.

And when you started workin',

you were makin'
21 and a half cents.

Because of the union,

your pay has been increased
more than double.

And I'm surprised to hear
you say what you just said

just a moment ago
about your union dues,

which are 75 cents,

when you're gettin' $40 or $50
more pay a month.

Look, I've got
my own convictions.

No further questions,
Your Honor.

No further questions.

Thank you, Mr. Williams.

Mr. Meyer,
you want a question?

Yes, Your Honor.

Mr. Johnstone, what do you think
caused that strike?

The cause of the strike
was that non-union man there.

And we ask
that he be discharged,

not because
he's a non-union man,

but for the sake of peace
on the floor,

and on the grounds that
he's carrying on agitation.

He's the one who threw bricks
at our wagon!

Now, I don't know
if it's under the direction

of the company or not,

but it is with the full
knowledge of the company.

That's a damn lie!

Your Honor, they're trying
to use all the colored people

as a means of breaking down
the standards of living.

It's the silent strangulation
of organized labor

in the packing houses!

The question is this:

Just because
Mr. Williams says,

"I don't believe
the union is any good,"

is that any reason for me
to say to the company,

"You should discharge that man"?

We can't all be angels,
Mr. Johnstone.

We cannot all wear wings.

Oh, I suppose the supply
of wings would run out, huh?

Thank you,
Mr. Johnstone.

We know how you feel, brother.

We haven't lost the war,
just a little battle.

We're still gonna fight.

Yeah, Joe!

He's just like
one of them cows, ain't he?

Going to the slaughter

as the white man
leads him to it.

Hey!

Let go, man!

Come on!

[commotion, shouting]

Get him off of him.

Hey, Frank,
come on, Frank!

Stop that.

Frank, back off.

Get your hands off me.

Get your hands off me!

Damn you.

Hold it, Frank, hold it!

Let him go, let him go.

It ain't worth it, man.

Are you all right?

They're gonna
keep pushing us

until we start
killing each other.

[soft dramatic music]

It's the same old story.

When my people
first came to the yards,

the Irish were there.

They set us against them.

Your people?

My folks came over
from Germany.

Then, the Bohemians came.

We were in the union.

And they set them
against us.

Then, it was the Poles
against the Bohemians,

and the Lithuanians
against the Poles,

and now it's the coloreds.

[crowd murmuring]

Seemed like all hell
broke loose after that hearing.

Every day there
was some more trouble

all over the stockyards.

There's trouble
in the hide room.

Union boys
just stopped workin'.

Colored guy down there
ain't got no union button on.

Committeeman down there
talk to you?

Yeah, didn't do no good.

So I come up for Custer.

I thought
maybe he could talk to this guy.

Come on, Frank,
let's go.

One room stopped work
and then another,

just 'cause one
of the new colored boys

wouldn't join
the union.

The hide room stopped workin'!

[shouting in foreign language]

Everybody was at each other
like a bunch of hound dogs

scrapping over
a piece of meat.

The men ain't gonna work
with that guy till he joins up.

You better talk to him.

He don't join,
we're gonna walk out.

[distant commotion]

[impassioned shouting]

[crowd hushes]

Tell your white friends,

they mess with me
I'll mess right back.

We're gonna spend
a million dollars

to protect this man
if we have to.

Everybody that
don't belong down here,

get the hell out.

The rest of you,
get back to work.

[crowd muttering]

Make him join!

[crowd muttering]

You better talk
some sense into him.

If he ain't
in the union tomorrow,

the only job
he's gonna have around here

is trying to stay alive.

Thomas looked at me
like he used to look

at them crackers
back home,

and Thomas
hated crackers.

Whew, heat really somethin'
today, ain't it?

Yeah.

Mississippi heat.

I don't know why,
but old Petunia

kept coming to mind today.

Y'all remember Petunia.

Yeah.

I helped Frank and your daddy
bring her into this world.

Remember, Frank?

Thomas, you gotta join.

Frank, I ain't gotta join
nothing.

[Mattie laughs]

I remember one time
you and Frank

was messing with Petunia,
teasing her,

and she went on a rampage.

Drug you about a mile
before you got her stopped.

[Mattie laughs]

Yeah, I still got
the scars to prove it.

Thomas, I wouldn't be asking you
if it wasn't important.

Don't you two
start arguing now.

It ain't worth all that.
We're friends.

Ain't no sense in letting
something like this divide us.

I ain't the one arguing, Mattie.

I need my job.

Took me long enough
to get one,

and I'm gonna keep it.

Maybe I can get Estelle
and the kids up here soon.

So you got a job.

But what you got, huh?

Them folks can do
anything they want to us.

You ain't got no say
about nothin'.

Well, both of you
got a point.

Mattie, we need the union.

It's the only protection
we got.

I got all the protection
I need.

Custer! Where's Custer?

You see this?

"We, the stockyard workers,

demand an all-white
union shop."

-Where you get that?
-Harry gave it to me.

I don't know
where he got it from.

What the hell's
going on, Frank?

Now, he didn't get this
from the union.

You see this?

The stockyard workers
demand an all-white union?

Who the hell did this?

It damn sure
wasn't the union.

That's what
I just told you.

Christ, that's all we need.

Yeah, Bedford, what's going on?

I don't know, but I--

Seemed like everything
was going downhill

like a big old mudslide.

What we gonna do
about our five dollars?

-That ain't the point.
-They're giving it away,

that's what.

Judge Alschuler,
Alschuler.

Judge Alschuler,

can we speak to you
for a minute?

You gotta listen to us.

The men in the stockyards,
they're scared, sir.

Sir, you gotta get
the agitators out of there.

What if race trouble stars?

The packers are trying
to say that the union

wants an all-white union.

All that's gonna do
is make a race war

between the colored workers
and the white workers.

Judge, if we could just--

[soft music]

Chicago is just
fallin' apart, Mattie.

It's just fallin' apart.

Guess we thought things was
gonna be a lot easier up here.

Everything falling
into neat little piles.

I guess don't nothin'
come easy.

I lost track of Thomas
the rest of that summer.

Somebody said he was still
workin' in the hide room,

but I didn't go see him.

He had crossed over
to the company.

It stayed hot
all that summer.

You couldn't get away
from the heat.

Just like
you couldn't get away

from the smell
of them stockyards.

[nostalgic piano music]

The only place
you could get some relief

was on the beach
on Lake Michigan.

Anyway, one Sunday,
we heard that a colored boy

had been stoned
in the water,

crossing over
to the white side of the water,

and the police
didn't do nothing about it.

And that started
a big ruckus.

Get the hell out.

This is white territory.

Niggers!

[shouting]

All right, you boys,
hold it right there.

You, get the hell out.

Go on!

We're searching you boys,
come on.

What are you
searching us for?

Now, I'm--I'm--

I'm working
at the stockyards.

Yeah, you can cut people
with this knife,

-if you are a butcher.
-I need that knife.

Now, if wanted,
you can come down

and claim it when this thing
is all over.

If you're smart,
you'll go straight home.

You'll get
yourself killed

walking through these
white neighborhoods.

-Now get! Get!
-I need my knife.

Frank, what's the matter?

I don't know.

Some white boys come
and they jump me

on the way to work.

We was lucky to get away.

And the police come,
they take my knife.

[gunshots]

[screaming]

What did they do that for?

I don't know, Mattie.
I don't know.

[banging on door]

-Anybody hurt?
-No.

I hear they killing colored
people all over the city.

-No!
-They stoned a boy

in the lake yesterday
and he drowned.

Now they jumping people
on the way to work.

Even pulling 'em
off the trolley

and beatin' 'em to death,
throwin' 'em in sewers.

We can't even get
to the stockyards.

Nobody can get out
of the South Side

to get to work.

Well, we're gonna go
and get us some white folks.

You comin', Custer?

I best stay here.

[old-time piano music]

Once the killin' started,

everybody seemed happy
to get into it.

Become just like
a bunch of animals.

Forty, fifty white men
stop a trolley car

and chase
the colored folks off it

and stone 'em to death.

And a gang of colored men
grab a peddler

or somebody
who was crazy enough

to get lost
over on the South Side,

bash his head in.

Police couldn't stop it.

[sirens, gunshots]

[soft music]

Remember Old Man Soul
back home, Daddy?

Mama used to send one of us kids
down there to his smokehouse

to fetch a piece of ham
and bacon.

He'd get out his knife
and start sharpenin'

on his strap.

Then he'd get
to spittin' on that knife

and then sharpenin'.

He's probably
somewhere right now,

just spittin'
and sharpenin'.

[distant sirens]

Daddy.

Guess nobody'll
ever know for sure

how many folks
was killed.

First the paper
said hundreds.

Later they said 23 colored
and 15 whites.

Always some rumor
going around.

We heard the white boys
was still workin' in the yards,

but none of us colored
could get past

them white neighborhoods
to get to work.

And the South Side
was running out of food,

and you could still
smell them stockyards

comin' in your window.

[harsh knocking]

Somebody's knocking.

All right,
everybody calm down.

-Hey.
-Afternoon, everybody.

Heat's a beast, ain't it?

If it gets any hotter,
we're gonna melt.

Be one big puddle of water.

It's hot all right.

Wondering if you've got
any lard?

Done run out.

Run out of soap,
everything, for that matter.

Take your life
in your hands out there.

You got some lard?

I would appreciate it.

I got a little bit left.

I'd be glad to share it
with you.

-Oh.
-We just 'bout out

of things too.

"Ghastly deeds
of race rioters told.

For fully four days,

this old city
has been rocked in a quake

of racial antagonism.

Victims lay in every street
and vacant lot.

Hospitals are filled
with maimed men and women.

Undertakers
on the South Side

refuse to accept bodies
of white victims.

White undertakers refuse
to accept black victims.

Reports of shootings,
stabbings,

and burnings of buildings
literally pour in every minute.

Daddy, there's some mens
with guns out there.

Go! You men, that way.

People,
move along, move along.

It's okay, son,
he's here to protect us.

He all right.

Provisions for your people
down at the Wabash YMCA.

Praise the Lord!

Whew!

Guess I better
get on down there.

Be careful, Frank.

Come on.

It was just so hard
looking my boy in the face,

his daddy needing the
protection of the militia

to go fetch him
some milk.

There wasn't much
I felt like sayin'.

We was makin' progress
up here!

Good homes, good jobs!

And then you rag-tag niggers
started coming up here

looking for the Promised Land,

and everything went down!

The streets,
the neighborhoods!

Yeah, now there's nothing
but fire and smoke!

Mr. Carter, I'm trying
to induce men of our race

to return to the South.

At least there's jobs
down there.

Cotton fields and lumber mills,
plenty of work.

Now I've got to warn you
about something.

You have to show a certain
kind of respect down there.

Felt like we was
on some kind of island

and the white folks was
the water all around us.

And somehow we had to try
and swim through that water.

I guess we'd been
pretty brave

trying to go to work every day
in the first place.

-Frank!
-Oh no.

Now if you got that
in your head,

ain't no sense
in going.

Frank, hey,
we armin' up, Frank.

It's a war out there,
and, Frank,

it's eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth.

You got yourself
some protection?

Well, you gotta
have somethin'.

Come on.

There's 200,000
of us colored folks

jammed up in this city.

We've gotta survive, Frank,
and cut out.

If we can't get to work,
we're gonna lose our jobs.

I ain't going
back south, Frank.

We're going back
to work tomorrow,

even if we gotta fight
to get there.

Now, this'll take a whole lotta
white folks to hell.

Thomas was just like
some army general

plottin' his strategy,

huntin' for a right flank
and a left flank

and any flank
that was left.

No, Thomas,
I ain't gonna need it.

Yes, sir!

Packers want you to know,

they gonna
take care of you.

[unintelligible]
from the packers.

Right here.
Right here.

Right here,
from the packers.

Yes, sir.

Packers want you to know,

they gonna take care of you
during these hard times,

so step on up.

Yeah, one of them
white gangs

broke into a colored folk's
place near Wentworth,

dragged him out of the house
and stomped him to death.

I've seen 'em drag a colored
lady off of a streetcar,

down there on South Street,
beatin' on her.

Whole mob of 'em.

Man, all I know is,
I gotta get back to work.

These handouts
ain't gonna do it.

I might as well be
on the corner with a tin cup.

Just a minute, boy.

Step aside a second.

We got us a very important man
amongst us here.

Come up here, boy.

Name.

You know my name.

Frank Custer.

Don't seem to have your name
in my book, boy.

Looks like you're gonna have
to check with your union.

I ain't takin'
no more foolishness

from you or nobody else.

Now give it to me.

Well, he is a colored man
with a family in a race riot.

Times like these,
we gotta stick together,

don't we, boys?

[crowd murmurs agreement]

Especially
when we is here,

and the white fellas
is over at the yards workin'.

Riot ain't stopped
them from workin'.

That matter,
the union ain't either.

Well, just goes to show you,

white folks
will look after they own.

Sticks together.

Just like we gonna be doing
from now on,

ain't that right, boys?

[crowd agrees]

I just don't know
what kind of union it is

that lets the white boys work
and don't do nothin'

for the colored boys.

Y'all boys hear anything
from that union?

[crowd confirms they haven't]

Yeah, the packers done
got through the enemy lines

with these few
little provisions here.

The thing I don't
understand is, Frank,

where's the union?

Must have got their wheels
stuck in the mud somewhere.

I told you to get yourself
out of that union, Custer,

but you don't listen
to nobody.

You tryin' to poison
folks' minds, nigger.

Poison?

I'm just trying to let
these here boys know

who they friends are
in this town.

You're blaming the race riots
on the union,

that's what
you tryin' to say?

I'm sayin' it
weren't for the packers,

wouldn't none of us
be eaten.

Look at these folks here.

-You see what I'm seein'?
-No, I see 'em.

No, you don't see
nothin', nigger.

You don't even see
how grateful they is

when they come
up to this table

for this little bit of food,

when they smile and thank
the Good Lord for it.

Look, Heavy,
we're all grateful for it.

Maybe it's time the packers
did do something for us.

But it wasn't the packers
that tried to give us raises

so as we could live
halfway decent.

That was the union.

If the packers paid us
what we deserve,

we wouldn't need
no handouts.

Wouldn't have to live
from week to week.

You don't know
who your friends are.

I know what the hell
a friend is, nigger.

It's when somebody comes to your
side when you're down and out,

when everybody else
don't give a good damn for ya!

Just go on workin'.

Don't care whether
you're living or dead,

like some old dishrag
thrown into a corner.

If nothing else,

this riot is making folks
appreciate the packers.

What, you tryin' to tell us
you sold out,

ain't ya, Heavy?

I ain't sold out
to nobody.

I just know which side
my damn bread is buttered on.

No.

You sold out.

And you gonna let the packers
make you a nigger again.

Well, I'm sorry, y'all,
but I didn't ride that boxcar

all the way up here
to be the same as I left.

I was nothin'
when I come up here.

But I ain't gonna
stay nothin'.

But that's what the packers
want from me.

Get a nigger some food,

watch him kiss your feet
for the rest of his life.

Oh, you can do
what you want with him,

and he ain't gonna bat
an eyeball.

Yeah, give him a job,
give him a job,

and it don't matter
what you pay him.

You know, watch him--
watch him grin, yeah.

Nigger!

You done forgot
where you come from.

No.

I'm rememberin'.

[crowd murmuring]

[soft music]

You ain't eat a thing.

I just wanna be left alone
for a while, Mattie.

So leave me alone
for a while, all right?

[jaunty piano music]

They brought in
a lot more militiamen,

but they still
wasn't making it safe

for the colored men and women

to get through
the white neighborhoods

to the stockyards.

And to tell you the truth,

nobody knew if we still
had our jobs.

[knocking]

Open up, militia.

[banging]

Open up!

[banging]

Open up!

-Daddy, what is it?
-Shh.

Are you Frank Custer?

I didn't know
what in Heaven's name

they wanted from me.

Why was they comin'
to my house?

Does Thomas Joshua
live here?

He used to.

Come with us.

Is this Thomas Joshua?

[soft, soulful music]

Maybe we don't belong up here.

Maybe we oughta go back south.

We ain't goin'
back down there.

Junior, come over
and bring your book.

Read for your father.

Now read.

Show him how good
you can read.

"If four men take three hours
to unload a truck of coal

with six-inch shovels,

how long would it take 12 men
with nine-inch shovels?"

Go on.

You can't learn to read
and spell down there.

Quicksand up here, Mattie,
that's all it is.

[sirens, fire bells clanging]

All Saturday night,
one siren after another,

wailing and yelping
like a bunch of bloodhounds

that's got the scent
of some poor colored man.

[sirens, fire bells clanging]

Some blocks near the stockyards
had been burned down.

A lot of folks
was homeless.

Somebody said
colored folks done it,

but that didn't
make no sense.

No colored man could have got
close enough to set that fire.

Even the police said
it was white men in blackface.

I guess it didn't matter,

'cause folks was gonna
think what they wanted.

[baby crying in the distance]

[vigorous knocking]

Frank, it's me,
Bill Bremer.

It's about the union, Frank,
we need your help.

Why ain't nobody from the union
been in touch with me--

We couldn't
get through to you.

Frank, the packers
are gonna use the militia

to bring the coloreds
back to work tomorrow.

[distant siren]

'Bout time
they did somethin'.

You don't understand, Frank.

Last night,
somebody started a fire

over in the Polish neighborhood.

A lot of those people
think the coloreds did it.

Well, what if the coloreds
and the whites

start fighting
in the yards tomorrow

after the militia
brings 'em in?

We're going to the packers,
Frank.

Tonight, right now.

We want to stop 'em from
bringing the coloreds in

for a few days.

We want you to go with us

and represent
the colored workers.

Will you help us out, Frank?

[soft, tense music]

The coloreds will be brought in
by the militia tomorrow.

You gonna herd
the coloreds into the yards

like a bunch of cattle?

Mr. Custer,
the colored workers themselves

have requested
our assistance.

We've received
several petitions.

Any coloreds
that we have a record of

will be invited back.

Uh, "Our vigorous protest
against this malicious attempt

to prevent members
of our race

from returning
to their places of employment

in the stockyards.

We demand
every means of protection

so that we can
reach our place of work."

Then bring 'em in
as union members.

Mr. Custer,
that's up to them.

Mr. Custer, who is it
that you represent?

The colored workers, or are you
working for these men here?

You bastards.

Let's go.

[dramatic music]

I felt like I was in
the middle of a hurricane

and I was trying my best
to hold my ground

while everything
was splitting up

and dropping down
around me.

This is the only place
they have to stay right now.

Good God.

Brothers and sisters,

we're asking you
not to go to work tomorrow.

It's our responsibility
to stop the--

[overlapping shouting]

Brother Frank Custer is here

as a delegate
for the colored workers,

to give us a few words
on their behalf.

You can do it, Frank.

Welcome, Brother Custer.

[crowd jeering]

You burned down
our houses.

We will burn down yours.

You will see.

[crowd jeering]

[baby crying]

Both been suffering,

that's why we can't
be yellin',

accusin' one another.

This is a time we oughta be
stickin' together.

But you know
why I'm here?

Can the packers
stop this riot?

[baby crying]

No.

The union's gotta do it.

I'm talking
about the folks

working in
the stinkin' hellholes.

We are the ones
that's got to lead the way.

I am a colored man.

But I am a union man.

You coloreds
burned down our homes,

now you want
to take our jobs!

We ain't gonna let you!

[crowd erupts]

No, we don't want to take
nothin' from nobody.

We just want our own jobs.

[crowd jeering]

We just want the same thing
that you want.

Come on, brother.
Come on, brother.

Step it aside.

We ain't tryin'
to take nothin' from nobody!

[crowd shouting]

[shouting in foreign language]

Frank, look.

Take this.

It'll help you get through
the next couple of days.

Don't go out there
alone, Frank.

I'm gonna drive you home.

I want you to stay there
a while.

Don't come back to the yards
for a couple of days.

Until we've quieted
things down.

Tomorrow,
where are you gonna be?

Me and the union gonna be
outside the damn slaughterhouse

trying to keep those people
from comin' in

to kill the coloreds.

I won't be needing this.

[baby crying]

I'm going into work tomorrow.

We're asking everyone
to stay out, Frank.

I'm going in
with the militia, Bill.

I got to.

[woman weeping]

[soft music]

I could still hear
that Polish music.

It was nice music.

[cattle bellowing
in the distance]

All right, move 'em in!

Yea, though I walk

through the valley
of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil

For thou art with me

Thy rod, thy staff

Nothing but niggers,
that's all we are.

No damn better
than before we come up here.

[chanting "no scabs"]

[chanting intensifies]

Yea, though I walk

through the valley
of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil

For thou art with me

[chanting continues]

Yea, though I walk

through the valley
of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil

For thou art with me

Thy rod, thy staff

They comfort me

[unintelligible] union!

-No!
-I will fear no evil

For thou art with me

[chanting continues]

Company, split break, huh!

[chanting continues]

March!

[chanting continues]

Scabs!

Taking people's jobs!

Go on,
let's get the niggers.

We are walking out, all of us.

[shouting in foreign language]

Scabs!

Ah, get out of the way, Bremer.

Are you union or not, Jimmy?

I was a union man long before
you come into it, Bremer.

You've got to go past me, Jimmy.

I'm not surprised, Custer.

You walkin' in
with all the rest

of these nigger scabs!

We are walking out,
all of us.

[shouting in foreign language]

What kind of men are you?

Union!

[shouting in foreign language]

What kind of men are you,
dammit?

Union!

What kind of men are you?

Union!

What kind of men are you?

Union!

What kind of men are you?

Union!

All right, then.

All right,
if you believe that,

if you believe
in the union,

then you'll follow us
out of here now.

Solidarity forever

Solidarity
forever

We're walking out,
all of us.

Solidarity forever

Solidarity
forever

Solidarity forever

The union--

Come on in, boys.

Solidarity forever

Solidarity
forever

That's it,
there's plenty of work

for any man
who wants to work.

You've got nothing
to be afraid of in here.

We're behind you 100%.

Solidarity forever

Solidarity
forever

[celebratory chatter]

I can't wait till payday, man.

[slams locker]

[laughs]

All right,
it's back to work, huh?

Yeah, that's good,
ain't it?

[crowd agrees]

But look at us.

They herdin' us
into these packin' houses

like a bunch of cattle.

And every day
them bosses and foremen

squeeze a little more
life out of us.

And we get out
on the kill floor,

we gonna be exactly what
the company wants us to be.

God, we gonna be too scared
to be anything else.

So we gonna have
to live like that

for the rest of our lives.

But it don't have
to be that way.

We can make them
treat us with respect.

That's right.

Respect.

And you can't tell me
we got that now.

But you know
what we need?

Each other.

And them men and women

that just walked away
from the yards,

we need them too.

And they need us.

The union,

it's all we got
in this hellhole.

All right, you guys,
let's get back to work!

[group murmuring]

It's nice to see
healthy stalks of corn

growing tall
in the field,

or some tomatoes growing
red and juicy on the vine.

But somebody's got to get
out there in that boiling sun

and plant them seeds
before they can grow.

You can hold a little seed
in your hand till doomsday,

but nothin's
gonna happen

till you put it
into the ground.

[soulful humming
and mellow guitar music]

[mellow old-time music]

[lively old-time music]

[energetic old-time music]