Selma Page #4

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 n*ggers nice."

Jim Clark would beat the sh*t

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.

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

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