Her name was Odessa Cotter.
I called her Dessie.
As best as anyone knows, she was
the first woman to rock me to sleep.
There wasn't anything
extraordinary about her, but,
I guess there's
always somethin'...
extraordinary about
someone who changes...
and then changes
those around her.
That's me.
- Morning, Mary Catherine.
- I was only seven years old.
Excuse me, Odessa.
I didn't mean to run you down.
- Is that a car or a boat?
- It's a piece of sausage.
- You tell her, sweetness. - Odessa,
we're having a cocktail party tonight,
so I'm sending you to Oak Park
with Mary Catherine...
- just as soon as Claudia gets here.
- Yes, ma'am.
Honey.
- Look what you did. Boop. Gotcha.
- Has anyone seen my racket?
- Oh, I know where it is.
- Bye-bye.
- Bye.
- Oh, my clubs.
- I wanna cut something.
- Not today, young lady.
Ah, your hands are sticky.
- Oh, she's been beside herself for weeks.
- That's 'cause you never discipline her.
- Where are you going?
- One guess, Sherlock.
- Trey and I are playing at the club.
- Oh, well.
- I wanna see Trey's car.
- Here are my clubs, honey.
- If you can get 'em to the pro shop.
- I'm givin' a party tonight.
Catch Sara.
She's on her way to the club.
I can't play with the grips like that.
Thank you, sweetie.
- I'll see you at 6:00, huh?
- See you at 6:00.
Odessa, just have 'em
waitin' out here at 3:00.
- I should be back from the beauty parlor
and Junior League by then. - Yes, ma'am.
- You be good, Mary Catherine.
- I will.
Bye!
Feel a tickle comin'.
Go on.
Y'all come on now.
It's time to eat.
Hey!
Hey!
What you doin' here?
Can't you hear me, nigger?
What are you doin' in this park?
Just takin' care of
Mrs. Thompson's...
Don't give me any of
that mealy-mouthed crap!
Now, this park
is whites only,
and that means niggers like you best
answer with "yes, sir" when spoken to.
I don't care who
you're takin' care of!
You don't understand
nothin', do you?
Go on. Get your stuff together
and get on out of here!
Come on, Mary Catherine.
Get your friends. We got to go.
I never heard such
nonsense in all my life.
Let me just see about this.
Hello. Could I speak to
Commissioner Sellers, please?
Mrs. Norman Thompson.
Well, would you tell
Clyde Sellers...
that one of his policemen threw my
nine-year-old daughter out of Oak Park?
He knows who I am.
- I really appreciate you coming by
this afternoon. - Oh, not at all, ma'am.
- I'm just sorry about the
misunderstanding. - Thank you.
Mrs. Cotter, I would like to apologize
on behalf of myself,
the police department,
and the city of Montgomery for
what happened today in Oak Park.
Hope y'all come back to
the park someday soon.
I hope I didn't cause you too
much trouble, Mrs. Thompson.
I'm sorry if I embarrassed your
maid in front of the children.
Thank you.
- Thank you very much.
- You're welcome, ma'am.
I regret that this happened
in the first place.
- Well, send the commissioner my best.
- I will, ma'am.
Shh.
Y'all come on inside.
Alabama's got a small line,
but they're agile.
Oh, my God.
How's my little Boo-Boo?
Tunker's here.
Tunker.
Tunker, welcome.
- Hello, Norman.
- I'm glad you could make it.
Yeah.
It's a nice-lookin' party here.
- Yeah. We try. We do.
- Hello, Miriam.
- That a bartender?
- Yeah.
- Does I has to tip him?
- Well, being you're my baby brother,
why don't we just say that the
drinks are two bucks, all inclusive.
Thanks. Thanks. Hey, y'all lucky
to get a bartender at all.
The niggers are all
movin' to Philadelphia.
- Why's that? - 'Cause they hear
there ain't no work in Philadelphia.
- I don't get it.
- Honey, you never get jokes.
What?
Tunker, don't be so loud
this close to the bar.
- Oh, he didn't hear me.
- You better be careful.
She'll have you out there
apologizin' to him.
What's this?
- Nothin'. It was just somethin' stupid,
that's all. - I'd like to know.
Go on.
Tell him.
Some young policeman
threw our maid out of Oak Park.
Mary Catherine and her friends were
right there, and he was extremely rude.
So I called up Clyde Sellers,
and he had him come out and apologize.
Well, what were you doing sending
your maid into that park anyway?
Tunker, she was takin'
care of the children.
But you shouldn't have the poor fellow come
out and apologize to a nigger, Miriam.
That's plain old wrong.
Tunker, it's not like she was parading
her own children around the park,
for heaven's sakes.
And you know,
I did grow up with a maid,
and I've had them all my life, and I know
what's right and I know what's wrong.
And I will not have my judgment impugned
by some wet-behind-the-ears patrolman...
or by you.
Excuse me.
Oh, hi, Liz.
How are you?
She's a hellcat, Norman.
I always thought so.
Mr. Sandman
Bring me a dream
Make him the cutest
that I've ever seen
My world was a bubble
when I was seven.
Wars could have been going on
outside our front door,
and I would have been
all the happier.
Thank you, darling.
- In a way, a war was about
to start in Montgomery. - Hey!
- A war of wills...
- Give that back!
in the cradle of
the Confederacy.
- It began on a crisp December day.
- Hey!
Give it back!
Give it back.
Give it back!
Mama!
Where you at?
What you comin' in here
screamin' like a banshee about?
A lady gave these out
to everybody after school.
I'll read it to you.
"This is for...
Monday the"...
Boy, you can't read. We're gonna
die of consumption waitin' for you.
- Can so! Give it back! - Franklin, give
him the paper and let him read it.
Watch it.
"Another Negro woman has
been arrested and thrown in jail
because she refused to get up
out of her seat on the bus...
for a white person
to sit down.
It is the second time
since the Colvin case...
that a Negro woman has been
arrested for the same thing.
This has to be stopped. "
"We're therefore asking
every Negro...
to stay off the buses Monday
in protest of the arrest and trial.
Don't ride the buses to work,
to town, to school...
or anywhere on Monday.
You can afford to stay
out of school for one day,
if you have no other
way to go except by bus.
You can also afford to stay
out of town for one day.
If you work,
take a cab or walk.
- Please, children"...
- I heard about that last night.
- That woman was Miss Parks.
- Rosa Parks?
Yep. They had to bail her out
of jail for sittin' in the bus.
- See, the problem is...
- I'll tell you what the problem is.
I ain't never seen people get so
worked up over a piece of paper.
- I think it's dumb.
- I think you're dumb!
- Shut up, Franklin.
- I bet nobody rides the bus.
- Franklin, sit up.
- Well, if that don't get all.
Here we are without a car,
and somebody tellin' us not to ride the bus?
Theodore and Franklin ready
to follow along like lap dogs.
If that ain't cuttin' your
nose off to spite your face.
She's mad 'cause she ride the bus
out to Newtown on Saturday,
- to see that boy she think like her.
- Shut up.
I'm tired of hangin' my head
in the shadow of crackers.
I wanna ride at the
front of the bus.
Lord, we thank you for this
food we're about to receive.
Watch over our
souls tonight...
and help us live your
word tomorrow.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Right around the fence.
That bus is as empty
as my grave.
It starts to rain,
people get on that bus.
No, they won't,
not unless they stupid as you are.
Mama! If we can't ride the bus,
then do we have to go to school?
Boy, you ain't never
took the bus in your life.
Now get in there and help
me clean off that table.
Hello, Mrs. Thompson?
This is Odessa.
Mrs. Thompson, I think I'm gonna
be awfully late to work today.
Odessa, this is Monday. You know
how badly I need you on Monday.
Yes, I know, Mrs. Thompson,
but, as I said, I...
Well, this wouldn't have anything to do
with the boycott business, would it?
Well, Mrs. Thompson, the buses usually
come past my house pretty near full,
but today there ain't a soul
on 'em except the driver,
and this last one had
a police car following it,
- so, ma'am, I ain't likely to
ride the bus today. - Hmm.
Well, I was goin' to Curb Market
this mornin' anyway.
- You live down on Cobb Street,
don't you? - Yes, ma'am.
Well, then I'll meet
you on the corner of
Court and Mildred
in about an hour.
- Thank you, ma'am.
- Okay. Bye-bye.
Odessa, I'm not gonna be
able to carry you home.
Mama needs help with Shelly's dinner,
so I'm gonna have to go over later.
Yes, ma'am. Go and show your
mama how you're helpin'.
Oh.
That's sweet.
Good evening, ma'am.
Whose turn is it
to do the dishes?
- Theodore's.
- No, it ain't mine.
- Well, who did 'em last night? - I did 'em.
It's Theodore and Franklin's turn.
You got a choice: clean the
dishes or clean the outhouse.
- Mama's home!
- Good. She can do the dishes.
After you called, we waited
for you to come home, Mama.
- We just ate while we waited.
- He's been waiting all night to say that.
- Can I fetch you some supper? - Theodore
and Franklin keep makin' fun of my cookin',
and Daddy won't
get them to stop.
Still comin' to that mass meetin'?
It's in 15 minutes.
- Selma, get your coat.
- What?
Listen to a bunch of preachers talkin' 'bout
us plain folks wearin' out our shoes today
while they drove around
in their cars?
No, thank you. I put in my time at church
on Sunday morning, not Monday night.
- Can I go, and Selma watch Franklin?
- I wanna go too!
"I wanna go too!"
Theodore gets to
have all the fun.
- I think she cut up the cleanest
parts and fried it. - Shut up, fool.
Mom, I'm sorry about supper.
I think it got worse as it got cold.
Just let me get my shoes off.
I'll be ready in a minute.
Mmm. I got to give that girl
some cookin' lessons.
- Mama, your feet. - I just got to get
me some shoes that fit, that's all.
I'll get up and change my dress.
I'll be ready in a minute.
Don't wanna be late.
Might not get a seat.
You quit that horsin' around
in my... Get off my bed!
- Get in there.
- Daddy?
You can't let her walk
down to the church.
Don't worry about it.
It'll make her feel better to go.
It really will.
The only weapon that we have in our
hands this evening is the weapon of protest.
And we are not wrong.
We are not wrong
in what we are doing.
If we are wrong, the supreme
court of this nation is wrong.
If we are wrong,
the Constitution of
the United States is wrong.
If we are wrong,
God Almighty is wrong.
And we are determined here in
Montgomery, to work and fight,
until justice runs
down like water,
and righteousness
like a mighty stream.
Well, now, ain't you all
full of the day?
I haven't felt this good
in a long time.
Course, when I got up
this morning, I like to die.
Once I started movin' around,
I felt pretty good.
- You walked all of that way
across town? - Yes, ma'am.
- Ooh, that's a long walk, woman.
- Yes, indeedy.
You know, you come into town
and go to one of the mass meetings.
You feel like you could
walk forever too.
Mmm, I gots me a ride to work,
and I sleep through it most of the time.
I don't need no inspiration.
Odessa.
Now, I hear that gettin' up early,
movin' around,
does a soul good
in the mornin'.
I just wonder what it does
for 'em in the afternoon.
Pass me not,
O gentle savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others
thou art calling
Do not pass me by
O savior, savior
Hear my humble cry
While on others
thou art calling
Do not pass me by
Savior, savior
- Hear my humble cry
- Hear my humble cry
While on others
thou art calling
Do not pass me by
I think I'm gonna have to ask
Mrs. Thompson for some days off.
You be careful.
Lot of folks losin' their jobs.
Christmas next week.
Yeah.
Mrs. Thompson ain't as bad as some.
She called that policeman out for me.
I ain't never seen a white woman
do nothin' like that before.
Odessa, don't you go foolin'
yourself 'bout that white woman.
She don't know us,
and she don't want to know us.
She may have a heart of gold, but she
the one that sent you to that park,
and you ain't have
no say in it.
That policeman was
apologizing to her, not you.
Well, still and all,
I cannot keep comin' home too tired to do
the cookin' and too late to do the cleanin'.
- You can always take the bus.
- What?
What did you say?
I guess it's like
the preachers say,
"There's an easy answer
for everything. "
Nobody said it
was gonna be easy.
Mary Catherine, will you stop messing with
that silverware and sit down in that seat.
I'm just playing.
I'm sorry I yelled at you.
Odessa's got a lot of work to do.
Odessa, I'm going to Junior League,
so you'll have Mary Catherine.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Is that all the silver you've done?
I've been feeling
a little poorly today.
Well, you've been feeling poorly all week,
and next week is Christmas.
Yes, ma'am.
Now, I know you can't ride the bus,
and I'm not a taxi service,
but I can't have you come in here in the
mornin' and draggin' around all day, Odessa.
Not this close to Christmas.
I go to Curb Market early
on Tuesdays and Fridays,
so I can pick you up between 7:30
and 8:00 on those mornings.
Until you can start
riding the bus.
The other days, you're gonna
have to get here on your own.
Mary Catherine?
Mary Catherine!
I don't want you to go tellin' Daddy
I've been carrying Odessa to work.
Now, I've got a good
reason for this, okay?
- Yes, ma'am.
- No slips.
Santa might
get unhappy.
Understood?
Okay.
Bye-bye.
Of course, what I cared about that
Christmas were the little things...
the presents I'd asked for and the way I
thought my older sister owned the world.
Mommy, Mommy!
- They're here! They're here!
- Oh!
- Hi, honey!
- Hi, Mom.
Father says you never
wrote a Christmas list.
- I did mine a month ago.
- Jeepers, Boo-Boo.
- I'm not Boo-Boo.
- Yes, you are, Boo-Boo.
Let me get these bags
to Sara's room,
and then I want to take
you all out for a surprise.
- You mean after dinner.
- No, I mean now.
- Honey!
- It'll be a lot of fun, honey.
I know Sara's hungry, and I just made
her favorite, chicken tetrazzini.
- Ew!
- Mother!
I stopped eating chicken tetrazzini
when I was nine years old.
Besides, I had my heart set
on eating at The Elite.
- She made me promise at the airport.
- Honey, I've been cooking all day long.
I promise, I will eat cold
chicken tetrazzini all week.
This is the...
the new subdivision.
It's... 41 lots.
I wasn't gonna bring you
out here till Christmas, but,
they put up these, uh...
these street markers,
and I was just sure that somehow
you were gonna find out. Look.
- Is that named after me?
- It sure is.
And, honey, look.
Over there, that's Mary Lane.
And it runs into Catherine Court,
so you have two streets named after you.
- Really? Two streets?
- Yes, indeed.
And way back there,
you can't see it, but...
that's Miriam Street.
So now all the women in my life
have somethin' named after 'em.
And years and years
from now,
you can look back and know that
people lived their lives on your street,
and whenever they said
where they lived,
they used your names.
Merry Christmas.
The air force has spotted an
unidentified object on radar
coming south over Alaska.
Fighters were launched from bases
in Alaska to confirm the sighting.
They say it appears to be
a small sleigh flying in the air.
Could it be Saint Nick?
They've run the same Christmas
Eve story for centuries.
You'd think this entire city
would die of boredom.
- What's wrong with it? - I mean,
who do they think they're kidding?
Nobody who really believes
in Santa Claus is listening.
You don't still believe
in Santa Claus, do you?
- No.
- Good.
If there was a Santa Claus,
he would have surely swooped down
and replaced that old thing.
Well, I wouldn't hold my breath
waiting for that to happen.
I know.
I'm back in Montgomery again.
Harness the mule.
It's time to go down to the
well and draw some water.
- Miriam.
- Shh. I'm right here.
Shh.
Honey, you're gonna have to
tell me which pile to put these in.
Relax, honey.
It'll be fine.
- I like the layout.
- Well, let's see. Mary Catherine.
Honey. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, honey.
Now, wave.
Wave to the camera.
Good.
- Okay. Sara?
- Come on.
Merry Christmas, honey.
Sweetness?
Mary Catherine.
Whoo!
- Hold on. Hold on.
- Look at the presents.
Come on, Mary Catherine.
Merry Christmas, Odessa.
Miriam, the Eighth Army
has arrived.
Good morning, Odessa.
The turkey and the ham are in the fridge.
They're thawed, and the turkey is
ready to be stuffed and cooked.
Now, the casseroles
still need to be cooked.
375, but not until 1:00.
We can't have cold casserole.
You could get started on
the deviled eggs though.
And when Claudia gets here,
one of you will have to vacuum.
Now, don't forget to
put out the milk punch.
Last year, we were
halfway through the day,
and nobody thought to
put out the milk punch.
Oh, I know I must be
forgettin' somethin'.
Oh!
Merry Christmas, Odessa.
- Merry Christmas, Mrs. Thompson. - Mother!
Do I have to wear this stupid dress?
Sara, I ordered these dresses specially
for all of us. Now, they're cute.
Mother!
Dessie, look what I got.
Isn't she pretty?
She's got three whole outfits,
with shoes and socks and everything!
- Three whole outfits!
- Look at her bonnet and her dress
- and the ribbons and the shoes!
- Oh, she's beautiful!
Oh!
Wait until you see
what else I got.
He come runnin' down the stairs,
be so excited,
he'd fly right on right on
and hit his grand keister.
Land on the road.
Does he still do that?
Now let's see if Tunker wants
some of these limas.
Hey, did you see that thing
in the paper this morning?
- I think Grover Hall has lost his mind.
- What are you talking about? What thing?
Didn't you read the paper
this morning, Norman?
He's talking about the ad that Grover
let the coloreds put in the paper,
demanding that we
give in to them.
Well, it's stupid.
It's about one of the stupidest things
that ever happened to this city,
because who really cares
about the buses?
Ah, you don't understand.
This is just a test.
In the paper this morning, they said
they want all the bus drivers' jobs.
- Wouldn't that be great.
- No. It seems to me...
that the way to handle this
thing is to play it down.
Supreme court's just itching
to force this whole issue.
Let 'em sit where they want.
It just won't work that way.
I, for one, won't stand for the niggers
in Montgomery running around
yappin' about how they won.
And don't you think it's
gonna have consequences.
Norman, don't you understand?
If they get by with this bus thing now,
in a few years you won't even be
able to have this Christmas dinner...
'cause you'll have to have the
maids sittin' right beside you.
It's Communism is what it is. Just a
bunch of Communists. All of 'em.
None of 'em are from
Montgomery either.
That Martin Luther King...
He hasn't even lived here a year.
These niggers just want too much,
and they're not willing to work for it.
- Rolls, Mrs. Thompson?
- No, thank you.
Well, that's the way I feel.
I don't care who hears me.
- Thank you, Odessa.
- Thanks, Dessie.
Thank you.
Claudia. Claudia, Odessa.
That was a magnificent meal. It was.
- Here's a little something for you.
Merry Christmas. - Thank you.
Merry Christmas, Odessa.
We, uh...
We were just talkin'
about the bus boycott.
- Claudia, I know, I know you get a
ride with your husband. - Yes, sir.
But, Odessa, you're here
five days a week.
How do you get to work?
- Today I walked.
- I mean, on a normal day.
Well, I can't take the bus,
Mr. Thompson, so I... I just...
will find me a ride
where I can.
But if it were safe
to ride the bus...
you'd still rather walk
than sit in the back?
Yes, sir, I would
have to say I would.
That's a long walk.
Yes, sir.
Mighty long.
That was...
It was a delicious meal.
- It really was. Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas, Mr. Thompson.
Well?
Well...
I see your point...
- but I can't blame her because I don't
think she's a problem. - The hell she's not.
Why don't you get a new maid,
get a white maid?
- Mother, she's been with us for
nine years. - She's a problem.
She's not uppity like some.
Not to your face.
But slowly, they all start
asking for more, doing less.
Norm?
You got a good family,
good community here.
When was the last time you
locked your door at night?
Never.
If you give in...
what do you think is gonna
happen to this city?
What do you think is gonna
happen to your family?
No, you gotta hold the line.
We all do.
And if she'd rather walk...
bleed out the soles of her feet
till she begs to ride that bus.
Ooh, Mr. Thompson had a look in his eyes
when he asked you 'bout gettin' to work.
Girl, I can't believe what you said. It's
one thing I learned in this life is when
you got your hand in the lion's mouth,
it's better just to pat him on the head.
Mr. Thompson's all right. He didn't
mean nothin' by that. But I tell you,
Mrs. Thompson's mother almost got
a plate of rolls busted upside her head.
- Ooh, and on Christmas Day.
- Mm-hmm.
- Lord, spare that woman's soul.
- Mmm.
I know you got to work here,
but if she said that to me,
I'd have thrown those rolls down
and given her my apron,
told her the next time I serve her is
the day after she walks to my house
- and cooks my Christmas dinner.
- Go ahead, girl.
But I tell you, see, I sit up there and let
her call me a lazy nigger, and I'll walk.
I'd walk until I
got no legs left
if I thought it was gonna give my
children a better shot in the world.
You work so hard, have some
woman say what that woman said,
and make you wonder who gonna
be sittin' in the backseat in heaven.
- And on Christmas Day.
- Mm-hmm.
- See you tomorrow, girl.
- Okay.
I ain't takin' that.
Listen, I gotta go. All right.
Bye. See you.
Merry Christmas.
Y'all ain't gonna make me
late for Christmas service.
We ain't goin' nowhere
without Theodore.
Besides, you don't look
like you're dressed yet.
What are you
talkin' about?
Mama, you just
don't look ready.
Theodore! See if you can find something
in there for your mama to wear.
Has everybody
gone crazy?
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas, Mama.
- Merry Christmas, Mom.
Open 'em.
I don't know
how you did this.
I don't know how
I did it either.
Well, you know, ain't...
they ain't gonna wait for us over at
the church now. Come on, y'all. Here.
Mm-hmm.
Well, come on.
Mama's gonna find out she's been
hoggin' that phone and tan her hide.
I gotta go to the shed. Get them lights
straight before I get back here.
Well, yeah, I could get
there if I wanted to.
Yeah. Why not? Stop!
Get away, stupid.
Sorry.
Excuse me.
All right. Hold on.
I'm gonna leave right now.
Yeah, I can get there.
Yeah, I got a way.
I'm hangin' up the phone,
all right? All right?
Okay.
Bye.
Shoot.
Everybody's lost their minds.
- Where's Selma? - She went down
to Leticia's for some hot chocolate.
Did Leticia call?
What you got
behind your back?
- Nothin'.
- What is it?
It's just somethin'.
Stop!
Let's see. About worth a shit.
Open your hand before I break it!
Did Selma give you
that quarter?
I can't say.
You hurt my arm.
Damn!
- I don't want no trouble.
- I'm just riding the bus, sir.
I ain't caused no trouble. I don't
want any trouble. You understand?
- Yes, sir.
- Okay.
Selma.
Damn!
I don't care if God himself
comes down and asks.
You don't tell nobody
that Selma and I left.
I know.
Kickin' us out of class.
- My dad is not gonna care.
- It's his fault, not ours.
- I know it's his fault.
- Huh.
- His dad won't care.
- Never does.
- My dad will.
- Hey. We got a nigger on the bus.
She must be
from out of town.
She must be.
- Hey. Hey. Do you wanna
have some fun? - Yeah.
We're gonna have some fun.
Have some fun.
She's kinda cute too.
Yeah, for a nigger.
Go on.
You from out of town?
He asked you a question.
No, I'm not
from out of town.
You call him "sir. "
Sir.
Hey, in case you hadn't heard,
niggers quit ridin' the bus around here.
Or ain't you a nigger, girl?
Say
"I'm a nigger, sir. "
- Say it! - Y'all are gonna have
to sit down back there.
This girl is sittin'
where I wanna sit.
She's supposed to be
at the back of the bus.
All right. You three,
get off the bus... right now.
I said, now, or I'll call the police
and have you thrown in jail.
You think I won't do it?
You think I won't do it?
Old fart.
Don't bring your trashy ass
back on my bus again.
I'll call your daddy.
Damn fools.
I'm gonna teach you
to ride our bus!
Your water's
in the ditch, nigger.
- Mommy.
- Never mind. Come on.
Catch that nigger!
Come on back, nigger!
What do you want?
What did I do wrong?
- Why'd you run, nigger bitch?
- Get away from me.
Get away!
Don't talk that way
to me, nigger.
Leave my sister alone!
Why'd you push me,
nigger?
- Hit him!
- No!
No!
Go down, nigger!
Hey! If you wanna
hit someone, hit me!
- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
get you hurt. - I'm not hurt.
Get his ass in the car. Let me take
you home before I get lynched.
- I didn't wanna fall.
- You stood long enough.
Hello.
My God. What happened
to your face?
It's my fault.
I tried to ride the bus, and Theo got
beat up by some white boys 'cause of it.
You tried to ride the bus?
Is that what you're tellin' me?
You tried to ride the bus,
and that's why his face looks like that?
What's wrong with you?
Wash your face, Selma.
Get Theo cleaned up here.
If you own a car, but you must
be at work during the day,
we have fine young men
who can drive your cars,
allowing you to still
contribute to the boycott.
And now the choir will sing
"We're Marching to Zion. "
Those of you who can help
us with the carpooling,
come forward during
the singing of this song.
- We are marching
- We are marching
- Up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- That beautiful city of God
- That beautiful city of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- Oh
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- Come on, children
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God, Hallelujah
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
- Lord, we are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- Wonderful
- That wonderful
- Glorious
- That glorious
- Victorious
- Victorious
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
That beautiful city of
God
I'm sorry I'm late.
I just had this stuff to
take care of downtown,
and I didn't see any sense in
making the trip out here twice.
I've got this club luncheon, which means
I have to go to the beauty parlor...
as soon as I get back, and then I have
this Junior League thing this afternoon.
- Now, what is he doing?
- Oh, they're tryin' to break the boycott.
They just follow behind people
and try to give 'em tickets.
You just drive nice and slow, Mrs. Thompson.
He'll go back to the lot.
Is that the big
boycott carpool stop?
Oh, yes, ma'am,
I believe it is.
Is that woman drivin'
for the carpools?
Well, I don't know if she is,
but I know there's a lot of women
from the air force
base who do.
I come to find
out from Odessa,
they are drivin' these maids
around on a regular basis.
- What? - There are white
women drivin' for the carpool.
- Are you sure? - Yes. Odessa says
they're from Maxwell Field.
I should have known
they were Yankees.
But they had police out there,
and they were followin' people around.
For a while, Odessa and I
thought they were followin' us.
- Miriam, are you drivin' your
maid to work? - No, Laura Ann.
Two days a week I go to the Curb Market,
and I just pick her up on those days.
And you were talkin' like you thought those
white women drivin' the carpools were wrong.
You're just as bad. Robert says this
whole boycott would end tomorrow if
- people like you would stop drivin' their
maids to work. - Is that what Robert says?
Well, my maid has a car,
so I don't have to worry about it.
Well, I told Cathy,
that if she wanted to boycott,
that was fine, but she'd be on her own.
She fed me all this junk about:
"Oh, I's not wantin' to boycott.
I's just walkin' 'cause I can't ride
with all these police and stuff. "
I told her, "Fine. Just be at work
on time and don't leave early. "
One club.
Well, you better well believe
- she's sittin' up front at those
church rallies. - Pass.
- One spade.
- Pass.
I don't really care what happens to
the boycott, but I do care if I have a maid,
and if that means drivin' her sometimes,
well, that's what it means.
Two clubs.
40,000 local Negroes continue
to walk and ride in carpools,
as the city buses roll
without passengers.
An announced settlement with Negro
ministers proves to be an empty promise.
In day 49 of the
Negro Bus Boycott,
dramatic new developments
from City Hall.
Good evening.
I'm Carl Stephens, WSFA News.
Mayor Gayle announced today he was calling
off negotiations in the Negro bus boycott.
Must be Tunker.
I have to go.
Honey, that's not polite.
Sit at the table when
we have company. Hi!
- How's my little Boo-boo? - Oh, she doesn't
like to be called Boo-boo anymore.
- They make fun of her at school.
- Aw...
Well then...
I will never call you that again.
If you just...
Give your Uncle
Tunker a little
- ... sugar.
- ... sugar.
Ah! I always liked Mary
Catherine better anyway.
That's the type of name you'd
expect for a princess or a queen.
- 'Cause you are a princess. My beautiful
little princess. - We better be off.
- Well, good luck.
- Luck?
Citizens' Council don't need luck.
Not with men like your daddy.
Oh, I thought you were going
to a business meeting.
- No. Citizens' Council meeting.
- Oh.
Norman, could I talk to you
for a minute, please?
Norman. These are the people
you said couldn't count to 10.
You're gonna go to
one of their meetings?
The whole thing has
just gotten out of hand.
And now the mayor, the city commission,
they've all joined.
So for me, it's either joining
this group or the Klan.
Oh, honey.
That's not true.
The mayor and the commission
are politicians.
They'd join the circus if they
thought it'd get 'em reelected.
You're beginnin' to let your little
brother lead you around by the nose.
Listen, I don't care whether you like Tunker
or not, but don't you tell me what to do.
I'll make up my own mind, and I'll join
any goddamn group I please.
- Are you ready?
- Sure.
- Well, this is not at all what
I expected. - Yeah.
See. No white sheets.
No secret oaths.
You mean I don't get to
learn a coded handshake?
- Is that what you're tryin' to tell me?
- Norm Thompson. - Yeah.
Oh, hi. Jeff Sewell with
Avalon Brothers here in town.
- Oh, right. Nice to see ya.
- Glad you could be out tonight.
- Thank you. - By the way, I've just
been put on the planning commission.
- Uh-huh. - If you ever have a
zoning problem, you give me a ring.
- I can put you right.
- Thanks, Jeff.
Over half the small business owners
in town are members of the council.
You mean half the white
small businesses.
If you call what the niggers do business,
Commissioner Sellers.
- How you doing, Clyde?
- Holdin' on.
Didn't think you'd be
out here after that
phone call I got from
your wife a while back.
She was right though. The police
department's gotta keep its nose clean.
Hope you can get the rest of that country
club crowd to some of these meetings.
If the niggers keep pushin'
the way they are,
- we'll get 'em off the golf
courses for ya. - No, no.
What I want is to get
'em on the course.
Best caddy I ever had
was a nigger.
Testing.
One, two, three.
Testing.
One, two, three.
- I know the journey... has been hard.
- Yes. Yeah.
- Many of you are tired.
- Right. Yeah.
- Still tired.
- We've seen the city,
and it's turned its back
on its black children.
We've seen the mayor
and city commission,
which has taken a stand...
- for injustice...
- Yes. Amen.
- and bigotry.
- Yes.
- Moses.
- Moses.
- Moses!
- Yes. Moses.
- Fought the pharaoh long
and hard for his people. - Yes.
- What? Oh!
- But Moses stood tall for his people.
Tall, yeah.
When the children of Israel...
were led out
into the wilderness,
- they didn't walk for just
one month or two. - No.
- They walked for 40 long years.
- All right. All right.
They just bombed
Reverend King's house.
Wait.
Let us pray.
- Father, I've just heard
terrible news. - Yeah.
I've heard that a bomb
was thrown at the house...
of a young man
so full of spirit.
Father, we pray...
- in thanks, for sparing the life of
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. - Yes!
- Lord, be by our side.
- Yeah.
These dark days... hold our hand
as we walk through the night.
- Yeah.
- Yes.
- Lord, don't pass Montgomery by!
- Yes.
- Don't pass Montgomery by tonight.
- Yeah.
Oh.
- Is there anything you need, honey?
- No, no.
When's Odessa gettin' here?
Well, she's probably gonna be a
little late on account of the rain.
Isn't she usually
here by now?
Not really.
You mean she
comes in late a lot?
Odessa gets here just fine every day.
Now, I've got to go.
She'll be here soon enough.
Miriam.
Yeah.
Just how does Odessa
get to work?
Well, I was goin' over to
the Curb Market today anyway,
and that's over on Madison
near where Odessa lives,
- and I was just gonna go ahead and
pick her up. - You're gonna do what?
How often do you
drive her around?
Well, I go to Curb Market
twice a week.
- That's it. - Here I am tryin'
to hold my head up as a
white man in this town,
and you're cartin' a nigger maid.
No wonder none of 'em are ridin' the buses.
They have you to carry 'em around.
What should I do?
Odessa walks to work three days
a week. She can walk five.
You can just get on the
phone and call her now.
- Norman.
- Now, damn it!
Hello.
Yes, ma'am, I can be to work.
I'll just be a little late.
- Oh.
- Miriam?
Damn.
I'm sorry I got
so upset before.
- Can I talk to you for a minute?
- Yeah.
I know you don't
keep up with things.
Even I thought this boycott business
was silly when it first started.
And if it wasn't
being made into...
such a circus by the coloreds,
I'd still think it was silly. But...
...it's not anymore.
And drivin' Odessa
to work, it...
just wasn't the right thing to do.
You know that.
I think Odessa... has been
a wonderful maid for us,
and when she's here,
that's what she is: A Maid.
And that's not the real Odessa. We don't
know that woman. Can't ever know her.
It's like... a dog knowin' a cat.
It's a different species.
And you drivin' her to work is
tellin' her that she's just like us.
And she's not,
and she never can be.
Even if I thought you didn't
understand that, and I know you do,
I still couldn't let you
drive her to work.
Do you know what would happen to you...
if the wrong people saw you?
You saw the pictures from Tuscaloosa
when they kicked that niggra out.
There are people here, now,
that are ready to do those things.
Don't go off on your own.
You ask me.
I know what's best.
Mrs. Thompson?
- Mrs. Thompson?
- Odessa. I didn't know if you'd make it.
I did the breakfast dishes.
Mrs. Thompson...
why did you call me at home,
and tell me you couldn't carry
me to work anymore?
Well, if...
If you won't ride the bus,
Mr. Thompson doesn't see
why I should have to suffer.
I ain't asked you to suffer,
Mrs. Thompson.
It wasn't me, Odessa.
It was Mr. Thompson.
He was home with a cold today,
and he found out.
Let me get you somethin' dry.
- Here ya are.
- Thank you.
So, what are you gonna do?
I don't know.
I can't walk,
and I can't ride the bus.
Can't you just walk until
this whole mess is over?
Mrs. Thompson,
you a good woman.
But I gotta find me another job.
I gotta quit.
I gotta be able to take
care of my children.
Well, uh, I understand.
You know, it's... It's funny
the way people are.
This mornin' Norman was actin' so sick,
and then he found out I'd been drivin' you,
and he got so mad,
he jumped out of bed.
I guess that got his blood goin', and he
started feelin' better and went on to work.
Norman's just always been where
everything's segregated. That's...
That's just the way he thinks.
When I was 15, my girls club went
on a bus trip across the country.
It was in the '30s,
but my family had some money, and,
I remember we went
to Portland, Oregon.
It was the middle of the summer,
and it was hot, and,
the bus driver found this public
pool for us. We went swimmin'.
Then these two colored boys came
and got in the water. And let me tell ya,
you've never seen 20 girls get out
of a pool so fast in all your life.
We just...
We just didn't know any better.
But I remember watchin'
those other kids in the water.
And they just kept right on swimmin'
with those colored boys, and,
they didn't seem any
the worse for it.
So the rest of the world
around ya is...
livin' that way, and so you
just don't question it.
Years ago...
I decided I'd live with Norman
for the rest of my life.
And part of that means
livin' the way he lives.
But sometimes...
Sometimes Norman says things.
It makes me wonder if he saw as much of the
world durin' the war as he thought he did.
But he's a good man.
He's a good provider.
In a lot of ways, he's a better
husband than I am a wife.
He's better with the children.
He...
You know, he can say a word and
make 'em smile. I can't do that.
Mrs. Thompson, he can't be
a mother to 'em.
Odessa.
You do the motherin'.
I saw the way you held Mary Catherine
when she had the chicken pox,
and you hadn't even had it.
Mrs. Thompson, anybody
would have done that.
I wonder.
Would I have done that
for your daughter?
Mrs. Thompson, I don't want your
children to grow up scared of mine.
It's just that a lot
of the wives are scared.
I'm a little scared.
We all scared.
But what's scarin' you, Mrs. Thompson?
Who you are?
Or who Mr. Thompson
wants you to be?
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Here.
- Oh, thank you.
- Let me take your coat.
- Thank you.
- How's your cold?
- Oh, I'm miserable. I feel like crap.
Well, that's nice, honey.
Odessa walked to work today.
- Oh, you told her she had to?
- In the rain.
From Cobb Street.
But she's not walking again.
- No?
- No.
You have your job, and I
guess you do it just fine.
My job is to run this house. And as
long as it's clean, supper's cooked,
and the laundry... the laundry
gets done, I don't...
I don't think it's any of your
business how it happens.
Wait a second. Aren't you forgettin'
who pays the bills around here?
Well then, what time should
I be ready tomorrow?
Ready for what?
Well, I'm gonna go downtown with you in
the mornin' and help you with your job.
You seem so intent on
helping me with mine.
Or if you don't like that idea,
I do have a college education,
so I'll just go out and
get a job of my own.
It'll probably be somethin' secretarial,
but I'm sure I'll manage.
You will have to take on a lot of
the housework, which will include
finding a maid who
can get out here.
But the money I earn will be my own,
and I'll do with it what I damn well please.
- You're serious...
- And that includes givin' it all to that
Reverend King and the Montgomery
Improvement Association,
so they can put an end to
this whole boycott mess.
Now, do you really care
if I drive Odessa to work?
We're havin' pork chops
for supper,
and I told Mary Catherine that you'd
read to her before she went to sleep.
Did you get Mary Catherine
to bed?
Yeah.
What are you doin'?
Oh, are you just not
gonna talk to me?
Honey, there's no reason
to be so mad.
- Norman, talk to me.
- You already made up your mind.
- No need to talk to me.
- Honey, I'm doin' what I think is right.
Where are you going?
Norman, I'm still your wife.
Yeah, that's all you are.
Odessa, come on,
sit up front with me.
Odessa, how does that
carpooling system work?
Well, I don't use it often,
Mrs. Thompson,
but I believe that drivers
come at the end of day,
to places like Cloverdale, and they pick
up the women that need the rides.
It's a little more organized
than that, isn't it?
Yes.
Yes, it is.
They look for the ringleaders
of the boycott,
they pull 'em over
and give 'em tickets.
If they see too many coloreds in the car,
they pull them over too.
I'll probably get
lots of tickets.
You know, Mrs. Thompson,
it ain't just tickets.
Once you step over there, I don't
know that you can ever step back.
But the boycott
needs the help.
Mrs. Thompson, this boycott's
gonna survive without you drivin'.
Odessa, I wanna do this.
I wanna help.
There's a lot of ways you can help, Mrs.
Thompson. You can just write a check.
If I wrote you a check,
it would be Norman's money.
This is somethin' I can do.
This whole mess is just about
ridin' the bus anyway.
That's what it is now.
But we gonna win this thing,
Mrs. Thompson.
When it's all said and done...
people are gonna look at you,
Mrs. Thompson,
and they're gonna say
that you were part of this.
Well, let people say
what they're gonna say.
And what about when it
isn't just the busses?
When it's the parks
and the restaurants?
When it's colored teachers
in white schools?
What about when we start votin',
Mrs. Thompson? 'Cause we are.
And when we do,
we are gonna put Negroes in office.
What about when the first colored
family moves into your neighborhood?
You know, Mrs. Thompson,
ain't nobody gonna think any less of you
if we just turn around
and go back to the house.
I don't want all
them beans, Selma!
Eat what you're gonna eat, and I'll
let you have the rest for breakfast.
- Mama!
- Don't be a crybaby.
- But it's beans!
- Hush up, and let's say the blessing.
I'll say it.
I'll say the blessing tonight.
Lord, I'm gonna ask you to bless this
food for which we are thankful to receive.
Watch over our souls tonight,
and help us live your word tomorrow.
And, Lord, please watch
over Miriam Thompson too.
In Jesus' name we ask this.
Amen.
I got my reasons.
- Amen.
- Amen. - Amen.
Hi! I'm with the carpools.
Y'all goin' downtown?
Yes, ma'am.
Mornin', ma'am.
My mother began drivin'
five and six days a week.
My father knew
she drove Dessie,
but he didn't know she drove
for the carpools.
I may be a little late,
so I'll get my own dinner.
- I am... - You know, we all are goin'
down to this thing this evenin'.
You comin'?
- Well, I was plannin' on it.
- Yeah.
Listen. I want you to come
see somethin' with me first.
- Say 6:00, 6:15?
- Okay.
Good.
Good.
When we started stakin' this place
out and takin' down tag numbers,
we, uh, came up
with a few surprises.
That, uh, wagon registered
to you is one of 'em.
She's been here the last
couple of nights at this time.
Drivin' for a few weeks,
apparently.
I didn't find out
until this mornin'.
- Well, Norman, you had to know.
- Not like this!
I'm sorry, but now you
can't ignore it anymore.
- Well, I won't. - Now...
She's got Mary Catherine over there.
Don't go makin' a scene in front
of the child. Let me go. Hmm?
- This is my problem. I can handle it.
- Yeah, handle it.
At home, in private.
Not in front of the girl
and a bunch of niggers.
I can get rid of 'em.
I'll get 'em out of there.
Let it wait for a few minutes till things
start up. Then she'll wanna leave.
- Yeah, well, don't you get
cute with me. - Hey!
I made plans to be here
tonight a long time before
- we found out about your wife,
and so did you. - Huh, Christ.
Give me five minutes.
Hmm?
Let's go.
- Winston. Good to see ya.
- Good to see ya.
- Charlie.
- Hi.
Police pulled out
about 20 minutes ago.
There are a couple
folks already here.
All right.
All right.
- ... Gay Meadows in the middle
of the day. - Mm-hmm.
- We need some cars on
those routes. - Okay.
Now, uh...
Miriam.
- Do you know him?
- Yes.
- Is he trouble?
- No. I can handle this.
Excuse us.
Miriam, you shouldn't be here.
Is that Mary Catherine over there?
You shouldn't be bringin'
her into a place like this.
Well, Tunker, I don't think
it's any of your business.
I don't think you
heard me right, boy.
I'm okay.
Miriam, don't be tellin' me
this isn't any of my business.
- Well then, don't try to run my life.
- You should leave.
- Tunker, there are some women dependin'
on me for a ride. - Can I help you?
They'll be here any minute.
- I'll leave then.
- Yeah, you got an ashtray?
If you don't have any business here,
I'd appreciate it if you'd leave the lot.
Well, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it
if you got your black ass out of my face.
Miriam.
Miriam.
In a few minutes, 150 men are gonna
shut this lot down... any way they can.
I think Norman might be
interested to find out
why his little girl was
smack in the middle of it.
Winston, what do you think I should
do with a nigger like this one?
Charlie!
- Charlie!
- Get off my back, nigger.
- What's happening?
- Come on, baby.
- Charlie!
- You gonna hit me, black boy, huh?
Odessa, we've gotta go.
You ain't drivin' your
nigger maid out of here.
Get away from my car.
No, you get away from your car.
You wanna act like a nigger?
Then you just get your daughter and
walk with the rest of the niggers.
What do y'all think we ought to do
with Mrs. Martin Luther Coon, huh?
- We're gonna show you what we
think about niggers. - Martin. Martin!
Martin.
All right.
If she leaves, she walks
with the rest of the niggers.
Miriam, you lost this one.
Let's go.
- Get her out of here.
- Don't let him treat you that way.
- Shut this parking lot down.
- You a man or a mouse?
Go to hell, Tunker. Just go to hell, you...
ignorant son of a bitch.
Let's get these niggers
out of here!
Mommy!
Mommy!
Get 'em out of here!
Get 'em out!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
Walk, nigger, walk!
You were told, nigger, to get out of here
and by God, I'm gonna move you!
Open up a space to let her through.
We can get her out of here!
Why you still standing there? You bunch
of niggers think you can come in here
and cause trouble without thinkin'
we're gonna do anything about it?
Well, I got news for ya! We are gonna
do somethin' about it, hear me?
We're gonna move you
right out of here!
What are you lookin' at?
I said move!
I want you to move right now!
I said move, lady!
I don't want you starin' at me.
I want you...
Shining
Upon me
- From within
- Walk, nigger, walk!
So right
I've
Bade the world
And its follies
Adieu
I've started
In Jesus
And I'm
Going through
I'm
Going through
Yes, I'm
Going through
I'll pay the price
Whatever
Others do
I'm
Going through
It would be years
before I understood
what standin' in that line
meant to my mother.
And as I grew older, to me.
I'll take the way
With the Lord's
Despised few
I started
In Jesus
And I'm
Going through
50,000 boycotted the
buses in Montgomery.
I knew one.
Her name was Odessa Cotter.
- Subtitle -
Completely fixed: titler
- We are marching
- We are marching
- Up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- Oh
- City of God
I come to say to you
this afternoon:
- However difficult the moment...
- Yes, sir.
however frustrating
the hour...
it will not be long.
- Because truth crushed to
earth will rise again. - Yes, sir!
- How long? Not long.
- Yes, sir.
- Because no lie can live forever.
- Yes, sir!
- How long? Not long.
- Not long.
- Because you shall reap
what you sow. - Yes, sir.
- How long? Not long!
- Not long.
Because the arc of the
moral universe is long,
- but it bends toward justice.
- Yes, sir.
How long?
Not long!
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God
But let all the children
of our heavenly king
Spread their joys abroad
- Hallelujah, we are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
- Oh, we are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- Wonderful
- That wonderful
- Glorious
- That glorious
- Victorious
- Victorious
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- The beautiful city
- Oh, come on
- Of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- City of God
- City of God
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- We're marching up to Zion
- To that beautiful
- That beautiful
- Wonderful
- That wonderful
- Glorious
- That glorious
- Victorious
- Victorious
- We are marching
- We are marching
- On up to Zion
- Marching up to Zion
That beautiful
City of...
God