"Some history should never be forgotten and never repeated," said Librarian of Congress James. H. Billington during a recent event marking the Library's acquisition of the Voices of Civil Rights collection.
Sister Antona Ebo, who faced angry police, dogs, billy clubs and fire hoses in Selma in 1962, examines a display of her story in the Voices of Civil Rights exhibition at the Library. - John Harrington
On March 17 William D. Novelli of AARP and Wade Henderson of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights officially presented the Library with a collection of 4,000 oral histories from the civil rights movement [see related story on page 65]. Taken as a whole, the Voices of Civil Rights collection documents the nation's collective experience during this turbulent period in U.S. history.
Moderated by Andrea Roane, television news anchor of WUSA, Channel 9 in Washington, the event included videotaped congratulatory messages from Bishop Desmond Tutu and former South African president Nelson Mandela. Both leaders noted the parallels between their fight for human rights and the struggle for racial equality in the U.S.
The Voices of Triumph Choir of the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va., provided a fitting melodic backdrop to an evening about voices. But the real stars of the evening were the individuals who contributed their personal stories to the collection.
Some, like Sister Antona Ebo, were in attendance at the Library's event. A Franciscan Sister of Mary, Ebo marched for voting rights, in Selma, Ala., in 1962, with an interfaith delegation.
Others, like Geneva Craig, Mario Bustos and Kay Golden, had their personal stories read aloud to the audience, while Levi Frazier of Memphis, presented his own story.
"When I was 10 years old, my mother took me to a march at First Tennessee Bank because the bank did not hire black people in any positions, aside from maintenance," read Frazier. "During the march, a white teller came out to go to lunch and said, very sincerely, 'I hope you get what you want.' It was then I realized that there were some white people who were caught up in a racist society who were not racist," said Frazier, who would grow up to write a stage play about the civil rights movement for the annual King Day celebration in 2003 at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.
Geneva Craig was a teenager in the early 1960s. "When the civil rights movement came to Selma, Ala., I was ripe for action, to be involved and to make things change," according to her story, which was read to the audience by Laurette Davis. Jailed many times for her protests against discrimination, she learned to dress in layers for an extended stay and to "decrease the pain you felt when you were cattle-prodded or smacked by a billy club."
Mario Bustos was a Mexican American citizen who experienced discrimination during the civil rights era. As a college student, he was sabotaged on his summer job by permanent workers who resented him. His story was presented to the audience by Quique Aviles.
"They damaged my work, unplugged my welder, poked me with hammers, rushed me and then criticized me for being slow." He was angry and wished to retaliate, but instead he prayed. "I was a Christian and had been taught nonviolence and forgiveness toward our enemies."
His approach worked. By the end of that summer, his fellow employees told him he was a good worker and welcomed him to come back and work with them. "I thank God for reminding me to pray and to follow the teachings of Christ and Dr. King in practicing love, forgiveness and nonviolence. This is the message I have taught my three sons and and now teach in the congregation that I pastor."
Kay Golden experienced the civil rights movement from the other side of the lunch counter. Her story was presented to the audience by Deb Gottsman. A waitress at Howard Johnson's on Interstate 85 in Charlotte, N.C., Golden wondered what would happen if the Freedom Riders—black and white—came to the restaurant and demanded to be served. All but the most senior waitress, Pat, agreed they would serve them. When the moment arrived, Pat stepped forward with trepidation, but shortly thereafter declared, "It's OK, they're nice." After receiving a nice tip from the group, Pat was able to see that "they were not troublemakers, just people wanting to eat."
These moving stories and thousands of others are accessible at the Library of Congress. An online presentation of selected stories and vintage photographs from the Library's extensive civil rights collections is accessible on the Library's Web site at www.loc.gov/exhibits/civilrights/.
