Down To The Crossroads: James Meredith And The Civil Rights Movement

On June 6th, 1966 James Meredith began a “March Against Fear” to promote black voter registration and defy the entrenched racism of the region. Meredith’s original plan was to walk from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi; however, on the second day, he was shot by an unknown gunman and hospitalized. (21) While Meredith suffered in the hospital other leading figures of the civil rights movement stepped in to carry on his efforts. In Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear, Aram Goudsouzian provides an excellent account of those involved, their ideological differences and the tensions between them not only in the March, but also within the Civil Rights Movement. Meredith getting shot and

The first public debate over the march’s meaning took place at Centenary Methodist Church. More than six hundred people attended the meeting. Roy Wilkin’s from the NAACP was the first to speak. Wilkin’s stated “If you start hating all white men, you’re going to waste your energies. Now you can’t go home and get your gun, God forbid, but you can support the bill that is before Congress now.” Whitney Young and members of the Urban League also supported Wilkin’s beliefs and urged African Americans to “uphold their responsibilities as good citizens.” Although the crowd applauded and supported Wilkin’s and Young, they saved their loudest cheers for Charles Evers, McKissick and Carmichael. These men were angry, especially at the white men and the Federal Government and stood on the opposing side of Wilkins and Young, condoning violence. Carmichael blasted the federal government for treating Meredith like “a nigger in the cotton patch.” (35) King was the last to speak expressing both the moderates’ duty and the militants discontent stating “We have power, and it isn’t in bricks and guns. We have weapon- nonviolence. (38) King envisioned a theme of harmony and welcomed all people of all races, regions, religions, economic classes and education

As time went on, SNCC, CORE and SCLC all began having different opinion of the march. What had once seem to be a well, thought out plan was now crumbling. Some black marchers refused to shake hands with whites, muttered rude responses to polite conversation and growled at reporters. (57) Many people had difficulties with King’s way of approaching the march because nonviolence asked its practitioners to occupy a higher moral plane. It demanded an extraordinary sacrifice, when most African Americans just wanted basic equality. Many marchers were becoming increasing frustrated encouraging violence and black separatism. (90) The Washington Post referred to the march as “this strange parade- half army of liberation and half civil rights carnival show.” (87) There were many tensions involving King from the other organizations. Many noted that King benefited the march, rallies, and voter registration, yet they did not like how people flocked to him. Carmichael states, “The greatest mistake we could make is to drive Martin Luther King Jr. out.” Carmichael knew that losing King would also mean losing the press and the platform to speak to the nation. These ideologies destroyed and under minded Meredith’s original plan for the march; however, they were gaining voters. These tensions not only undermined the march,