Against the wall of white supremacy: 1965

NARRATOR: (MUSIC) For the past week a town called Selma in Dallas County, Alabama, not to be confused with Dallas, Texas, has been on the American conscience. Normally peaceful Selma is caught up in the civil rights commotion that is sweeping not only the old South but the whole of the United States. Negro leaders from the North invaded the town and staged a massive voter registration campaign, a campaign to rouse the southern Negro from his apathy and send him marching against the blank walls of white supremacy and opponents like Sheriff Jim Clark.

C T VIVIAN: (INAUDIBLE)

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: You say you're here to ...

C T VIVIAN: ... Defend ourselves according to Judge Thomas's order that you or no one else can prevent us from presenting ourselves as a means to the registrar of registering to vote, and do you mean by this document, sheriff, that you're saying that you break Judge Thomas's order? (TALKING TOGETHER)

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: What is your name?

C T VIVIAN: My name is C T Vivian.

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: Where, where, where is your home?

C T VIVIAN: I'm a member of the Dallas County Voters League.

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: How long have you been in Dallas County?

C T VIVIAN: I have not lived in Dallas County, but everyone here has, and (TURNS TO CROWD) do we agree that he is stopping us, (INAUDIBLE) trying and stopping you from presenting yourself to register to vote? (TALKING TOGETHER) stopping you from registering to vote. All right, now, let's look at this. Do you live in Dallas County?

CROWD: Yes.

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: Do you live in Dallas County?

C T VIVIAN: That does not matter, sheriff. You're stopping all these people ...

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: I'm stopping you, you're (TALKING TOGETHER) the one I'm talking to.

C T VIVIAN: You stop me, now stop him (POINTING TO MAN NEXT TO HIM).

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: I order you to disperse, otherwise you're under arrest for contempt of court.

C T VIVIAN: Shall we stand in prayer until the time that's given for us to disperse by this sheriff breaking Judge Thomas's order?

CROWD: Yes.

C T VIVIAN: Shall we bow our heads in prayer?

WOMAN: And pray.

C T VIVIAN: Father ...

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: You are under arrest for contempt of court.

C T VIVIAN: ... we come to this place and this sheriff has decided to arrest us. Lord, be with us, keep us, that this country of America might really be one day a land of the free and the home of the brave, where men of tyranny cannot rule. We ask, O Lord, your blessings upon us and your safekeeping of us as we go into jails that have misused us, as we go into jails where men have been beaten, where the waters have been placed upon floors, where there has been no heat. Keep us, Lord, as we go, keep us from illness, keep us from the brutality of this official. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

SHERIFF JIM CLARK: You're under arrest for contempt of court. Come right on through here.

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