Selma

This film contains some violent scenes and some strong language.

I accept this honour 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 going to be a pastor somewhere small.

College town.

SHE GIGGLES

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.

APPLAUSE

INAUDIBLE CONVERSATION

'I accept this honour for our lost ones,

'whose deaths pave our path.

'I accept this honour 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.

-GIGGLING

See, I asked my mama if she could 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 put rollers in it.

It's just like that. But I studied. I know how she do it.

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

LOUD EXPLOSION

SMASHING, CRASHING

DISTORTED RUMBLING

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, sir.

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 tranquillity,

"provide for the common defence,

-"promote the general welfare..."

-How many county judges in Alabama?

67.

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 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 going to 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 statesman-like 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 want to 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, uh, 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, um... 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 colours.

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

This voting thing is just going to have to wait.

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

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 understand.

Selma it is.

Big speech lined up for these folks tonight, Doc?

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

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.

Hmm.

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.

-KING GROANS

-Hey!

ANGRY MURMURS

It's OK. It's OK. I'm OK.

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'd 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.

KIDS CHATTER AND PLAY

THEY LAUGH

PHONE RINGS

Hello.

-MAN:

-'You ain't got long. When the hearts

'of those pickaninnies of yours stop beating...'

REPLACES RECEIVER

Same thing?

When are you all heading out?

We're heading back to Selma at 5am.

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, uh, put these things away in your bag now.

I didn't realise you were leaving so early.

HE DIALS

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

'Halie?'

Martin.

I need to hear the Lord's voice.

Oh.

Surely, Martin.

Surely.

SHE CLEARS HER THROAT

-SHE SINGS:

-# 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. #

THEY CHATTER

-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!

-SHE EXCLAIMS

-Oh!

-Looking like her mom.

-You go play.

-Hey!

Hey, Ralphy.

How you doing?

Hey!

-Good to see you, sweetheart.

-Hey, get over here.

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

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

Uh, 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 CT 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 Fella!

All right. Well, this is fine with me.

Mrs Jackson. Hosea Williams.

Or Castro!

Oh, yeah, that's a long story.

Uh, 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.

-THEY LAUGH

-There's a phone!

-Hey, get off that phone.

-Juanita?

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

Turning in, Doc. You OK?

Yes, sir. Goodnight to you.

Uh...

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

Local students?

Oh, no.

The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.

Oh. OK.

Our young friends at SNCC.

Mm-hm.

Good to know.

You the one told them to organise.

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.

-Mmm.

-Not a bad thing.

It'll sort out.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

"Boycotting the buses in Montgomery.

"Segregation in Birmingham..." APPLAUSE FADES IN

..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.

APPLAUSE

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!

CALLS OF AGREEMENT

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 colours 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!

APPLAUSE

They say to us that the local white leadership

use their power to keep us away from the ballot box

and keep us voiceless.

APPLAUSE

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!"

-ALL:

-No more!

-No more! ALL:

-No more!

That means protest,

that means march,

that means disturb the peace,

that means jail,

that means risk!

And that is hard!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

We will not wait any longer.

Give us the vote! CHEERING

That's right! No more!

We're not asking. We're demanding.

-Give us the vote! ALL:

-Give us the vote!

WILD CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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 their 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 got time for this. None of us got the time for this.

John.

James.

The way our organisation 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.'

MUSIC: I Got The New World In My View by Sister Gertrude Morgan

# On my journey, I pursue

# I said I'm running, running for the city

# I got the new world in my view

# I got the new world in my view

# On my journey, I pursue

# Lord, I'm running, running for the city

# I got the new world in my view

# Come on, get an army

# Help me to run this holy righteous place

# Can't you hear them saviours calling

# Well, he's knockin' at your door today

# I got the new world in my view

# On my journey, I pursue

# I said I'm running, running for the city

# I got the new world in my view. #

'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.

'The perfect stage.'

MUTED SHOUTING FROM ONLOOKERS

Y'all deliberately causing an obstruction!

You don't disperse, you're going to 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 going to have to wait at the rear!

-No, Sheriff Clark.

We're going in the front and we're going to 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!

-OK. We about to sit him down. He can't sit.

-Then he needs to learn.

-He's going to sit.

-Sit down, goddamn it!

Hey, hey! Pa? Pa?

Daddy!

-I just told you he can't sit.

-Oh, 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?

AGITATED MURMURS

HE GRUNTS

ALL GASP

SILENCE

Get that nigger woman!

Kill that nigger bitch!

Get your hands off of me!

GRUNTING, STRUGGLING

SHOUTING

CROWD SHOUTS

SHE STRUGGLES AND SHOUTS

'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 favour 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 cos 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.

THEY LAUGH Oh, Lord!

They're going to 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 overhead them talking about him coming in this evening.

Overhead 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've got to figure this out

-right and fast.

-Oh, 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.

Oh, please do, Mrs Boynton.

I know that we are descendants of a mighty people,

who gave civilisation 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 any more.

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 defenceless.

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 enamoured.

SHE SIGHS

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 going to pay us a visit?

Huh?

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 cos 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.

OFFICER: Y'all move back! Move back now. Get back.

Go back to your homes now.

WHISTLE BLOWS

SCREAMING, THUDDING

GRUNTING, WOMAN GROANS

Stop! Leave him be!

Mama, come on!

Mama, come on!

We've got to keep moving. Come on.

SCREAMING

-This way, this way.

-Leave him alone!

SCREAMING CONTINUES

It's all right.

It's going to be all right. OK?

Act like you're... Act like you're reading your menu. OK?

It's OK.

Pops...

It's all right, Mama. It's going to be cool.

It's OK, it's OK.

Hey! Hey...

PANICKED SCREAMS

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

Get off of him! No!

No! Get off of him!

GRUNTING, THUDDING

Stop it! No, no, no!

GUN COCKS

Stop it!

GUNSHOT

SHE SCREAMS

Help me.

SIRENS APPROACH

SHE YELLS AND SCREAMS

SHE SOBS

Help me.

Jimmie.

Jimmie. Jimmie. Jimmie.

Help me...

Sir?

Oh. 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.

HE SNIFFS

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 an Army man.

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

In the Army a spell.

He say, "Pa, you going to vote before you done."

Mm-hm. That's what he said.

He tell me.

-He was a good boy.

-Yes.

Always good.

-VOICE BREAKING:

-Always good...

HE SOBS

Jimmie gone.

I'm so sorry.

-HE SIGHS

-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 terrorise.

MURMURS OF AGREEMENT

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,

brutalised, and ripped from this earth!

APPLAUSE

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."

MURMURS OF AGREEMENT

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!

We will put these men out of office! We will take their power! APPLAUSE

We will win what you were slaughtered for!

-Yeah!

-Yeah!

MURMURS OF AGREEMENT

We're going back to Washington.

We're going to demand to see the President

and I'm going to 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!

APPLAUSE

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!

APPLAUSE

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've got to 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.

Cos black people are poor! Black people are poor down here.

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?

THEY SHOUT OVER EACH OTHER

Come on now! Listen, now!

The big issue is voting vouchers.

Is that the number one issue?

Now, hold on. Let me finish. Cos 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? Hmm?

-Mmm.

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 got to be 50 miles!

You march those people into rural Alabama unprotected,

it's going to 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 OK. 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, uh,

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.

OK. 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 front lines.

Just for a while.

Not going to 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.

-MAN ON RECORDING:

-'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.'

MAN MOANS SEXUALLY ON RECORDING

WOMAN MOANS SEXUALLY

RECORDING STOPS

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.'

'Oh.

'Yes. OK. I understand.

'But I have to tell you the organisation 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.'

Mmm.

OK. Uh... 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 DC.

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 demonise 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 the Lord 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.

MAN: 'About 525 Negroes had left Brown's Chapel

'and walked six blocks to cross Pettus Bridge

'and the Alabama River.'

They 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.

MURMURS / CAMERA CLICKS

SHOUTING

'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.

-TV:

-'We interrupt this programme 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!

GUNSHOT

SCREAMING

COMMOTION

MUSIC: Walk With Me by Martha Bass

70 million people are watching this.

-REPORTER:

-'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.'

SCREAMING

EXPLOSIONS, HISSING GAS

THUDDING / SHE SCREAMS

'Those still on their feet retreated.

'A cheer went up from the white spectators

'lining the south side of the highway.'

THEY SHOUT

Come on.

You gotta come on.

-Please, don't...

-THUMPING

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

'and the prodding of their nightsticks.'

BANG

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

'and a grey cloud spewed over the troopers and the Negroes.

'But before the cloud hid it all,'

'there were several seconds of unobstructed view...'

HE CLEARS THROAT

'15 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!

SCREAMING

'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.

# You walked with my mother

# Come on and walk with me, Lord

-# Please walk with me

-Come on and walk with me, Lord

# Come on and take a walk with me

-# You walked with my mother

-Come on and walk with me, Lord

-# Please, come walk with me

-Come on and walk with me, Lord

# Come on and take a walk with me

-# All along

-Walk

-# This old tedious journey

-With me, Lord

-# I want Jesus

-Come on and walk with me, Lord

# Just to walk with me... #

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

We need a 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 ten of us.

No. We have to win another way.

-TV:

-'..to our regularly scheduled programme.'

We're going back to the bridge.

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

We go again.

CLAMOUR / CAMERAS CLICK

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.

Thank you for coming. Thank you for coming out.

Hello, sister. Good to see you this afternoon.

Oh. Oh... 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 travelled 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.

CHEERING

The courts don't want us to march.

-But we must march. ALL:

-Yeah!

-We must stand up. ALL:

-Yeah!

We must make a massive demonstration of our moral certainty.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE