Photo: Dick DeMarsico, World Telegram.
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Anne Feeney introduces this piece as a call to courage, inspired by a 1965 speech of Martin Luther King Jr's. She says:

There are times I know when it's so hard just to put one foot in front of the other, and keep breathing. Lord knows, we have been through some trying times lately.

And after enduring so many setbacks, we can begin to wonder if our lives, our work, mean anything.

But still, I keep believing, because we can never know exactly where we stand in history. Think of the thousands of people who spent ten or twenty years of their lives trying to get Nelson Mandela released from prison. Some of them died, perhaps broken-hearted, without learning the happy ending to that story.

And so I say "Hold on. Hold on to hope with both hands." I'm going to share with you words from Dr. King that have given me the strength to carry on many times. And I hope that these words, inspired by sacred song and unitarian philosophy lift you up and give you the courage, the courage to keep on.

King spoke to a crowd of 25,000 from the steps of the Alabana capitol building, on March 25, 1965. Dramatic events led up to it.

Photo: Charles White, courtesy of Representative John Lewis.

Civil rights groups had attempted to organize a march from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery, for March 7. This was aborted because of mob and police violence against the demonstrators. The day has since become known as "Bloody Sunday." Bloody Sunday was a major turning point in the effort to gain public support for the Civil Rights Movement, the clearest demonstration up to that time of the dramatic potential of King's nonviolence strategy. King, however, was not present. After meeting with President Lyndon Johnson, he attempted to delay the march until March 8, but the march was carried out against his wishes and without his presence on March 7 by local civil rights leaders. Footage of police brutality against the protesters was broadcast extensively and aroused national public outrage.

King next attempted to organize a march for March 9. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference petitioned for an injunction in federal court against the State of Alabama; this was denied and the judge issued an order blocking the march until after a hearing. Nonetheless, King led marchers on the 9th to the Edmund Pettus bridge, then held a short prayer session before turning the marchers around and asking them to disperse so as not to violate the court order. The unexpected ending of this second march aroused the surprise and anger of many within the local movement.

Photo: FBI

The five-day/four-night march finally went ahead on March 21. It covered a 54-mile route along U.S. Route 80 through chilling weather and rain. During the march Willie Ricks coined the phrase "Black Power" (widely credited to Stokely Carmichael).

The marchers reached Montgomery on March 24 and camped out at the Catholic complex City of St. Jude. That night, a "Stars for Freedom" rally was held, with singers Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Peter, Paul and Mary, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Nina Simone all performing.

By the next day, Thursday, March 25, their numbers had swelled to 25,000, and King delivered the speech "How Long, Not Long" beside the State Capital Building. It ended:

I know you are asking today, "How long will it take?" (Speak, sir) Somebody's asking, "How long will prejudice blind the visions of men, darken their understanding, and drive bright-eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?" Somebody's asking, "When will wounded justice, lying prostrate on the streets of Selma and Birmingham and communities all over the South, be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men?" Somebody's asking, "When will the radiant star of hope be plunged against the nocturnal bosom of this lonely night, (Speak, speak, speak) plucked from weary souls with chains of fear and the manacles of death? How long will justice be crucified, (Speak) and truth bear it?" (Yes, sir)

Photo: DOJ .

I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, (Yes, sir) however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, (No sir) 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, (All right. How long) because "you shall reap what you sow." (Yes, sir)

How long? (How long?) Not long: (Not long)

Truth forever on the scaffold, (Speak)

Wrong forever on the throne, (Yes, sir)

Yet that scaffold sways the future, (Yes, sir)

And, behind the dim unknown,

Standeth God within the shadow,

Keeping watch above his own.

How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. (Yes, sir)

How long? Not long, (Not long) because:

Anne's CD, Dump The Bosses Off Your Back

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; (Yes, sir)

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; (Yes)

He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword; (Yes, sir)

His truth is marching on. (Yes, sir)

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; (Speak, sir)

He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. (That's right)

O, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant my feet!

Our God is marching on. (Yeah)

Glory, hallelujah! (Yes, sir) Glory, hallelujah! (All right)

Glory, hallelujah! Glory, hallelujah!

His truth is marching on. [Applause]

Within five months President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Liner notes sources: Martin Luther King Jr., Selma to Montgomery Marches, How Long, Not Long.

Full text of speech || Audio excerpt.

Anne Feeney, vocal and guitar; John Schmidt, drums; Mark Perna, acoustic bass; Nelson Harrison, organ, piano; Anne Weiss, Eric vön Beck, Spank and Janice Hopkis, Leta McLeod, supporting vocals engineered by Will Coca, arranged by Anne Weiss.

Anne Feeney is a member of AFM Local 1000.