Ghosts of Mississippi

John F. Kennedy: It is better to settle these matters in the courts

than on the streets.

And new laws are needed at every level.

But law alone cannot make men see right.

We are confronted primarily with a moral issue.

The heart of the question is

whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights

and equal opportunities.

Good night, Mr. Evers.

Whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans

as we want to be treated.

If an American, because his skin is dark

cannot eat lunch in a restaurant open to the public;

if he cannot send his children

to the best public school available,

if he cannot vote for the public officials who represent him;

if, in short, he cannot enjoy

the full and free life which all of us want,

then who among us would be content

to have the color of his skin changed?

Who among us would then be content

with the counsels of Patience and delay?

One hundred years of delay have passed

since President Lincoln freed the slaves

yet their heirs, their grandsons,

are not fully free.

They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice.

They are not yet freed

from social and economic oppression.

That looks like a police car.

And this nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts,

will not be fully free

until all its citizens are free.

We preach freedom around the world and we mean it.

And we Cherish our freedom here at home.

But are we to say to the world

and much more importantly, to each other,

that this is a land of the free,

except for the negroes?

That we have no second-class citizens,

except negroes?

That we have no class or caste system

no ghettos, no master race, except with respect to negroes?

Now the time has come for this nation to fulfill its promise.

The events in Birmingham and elsewhere

have so increased the cries for equality

that no city or state or legislative body

can prudently choose to ignore them.

Bam.

The fires of frustration and discord

are burning in every city,

north and south,

where legal remedies are not at hand.

Redress is sought in the streets.

We face therefore a moral crisis as a country and a people.

It cannot be met by repressive police action.

It is a time to act in the congress,

in your state and local legislative body,

and above all, in all of our daily lives.

A great change is at hand,

and our task;

our obligation is to make that revolution,

that change, peaceful and constructive for all.

Those who do nothing

are inviting shame as well as violence.

Those who act boldly are recognizing right

as well as reality.

Ahh! Medgar!

Get down! Get the baby, get the baby!

Mommy, get down!

Medgar!

Medgar!

Oh! Oh, my god!

Daddy! Daddy!

Daddy, I love you!

Daddy, don't die!

I want my daddy!

Daddy! Daddy!

I love you, daddy!

Turn me loose.

Turn me loose.

Turn me loose.

Medgar evers believed in this country.

It now remains to be seen whether his country believed in him.

The citizens council's already raised thousands for your defense.

Money's pouring in from all over the south.

Whoo! Nice likeness. What do you think, boys?

Hello, Mr. Beckwith, glad to see you.

Mighty glad to be here.

And isn't it true that your husband was the first

to attempt to integrate the university of Mississippi?

Yes.

And at the time of his death,

he was involved in a lawsuit

to integrate the public school system, wasn't he?

Yes.

Well, your husband must've had quite a few enemies, would you agree?

Yes, he did.

Your eldest boy, his name is kenyatta, isn't it?

Darrell kenyatta evers.

Kenyatta's a mau mau name, isn't it?

Objection.

Sustained.

Now isn't it true that over 100 people

were arrested during a demonstration

that your husband organized boycotting

a department store in downtown Jackson known as kennington's?

Who's that?

Ross barnett.

You're kidding.

Nope. You don't see that every day of the week.

A former governor shaking hands

with an accused assassin

right in front of the jury.

There's not a court in america that would stand for that.

What's america got to do with anything?

This is Mississippi.

Byron de la beckwith.

And you live over in greenwood, Mississippi, correct?

Yes, sir.

My mother was a yerger.

Her mother was Susan yerger,

a close personal friend of Mrs. Jefferson Davis.

Mr. Beckwith, did you shoot medgar evers?

No, sir!

Your honor, may I?

Mr. Beckwith, is this your rifle?

Well, let's see.

Hmm.

Well, it bears a similarity,

but I couldn't say for certain.

See, I don't record the serial numbers of my weapons

and my gun was stolen from my home several days before

this, uh, whole business.

Mr. Beckworth, Mr. Beckworth, how do you feel, delay?

I got tears in my eyes.

For Dixie, huh?

In summation,

not only did the surveillance cameras

provide us with a visual record

of the crime being committed,

but four eyewitnesses observed the defendant removing his mask

upon exiting the convenience store.

Now, short of you ladies and gentlemen of the jury

attending the actual event,

we don't feel the state could have a stronger case.

Thank you.

Counsel?

Hey, Bobby. How'd it go?

Well, through a combination of superior lawyering

and a less than stellar performance by our criminal,

I was able to secure a conviction.

Congratulations.

Listen, I've got a rape victim who's reluctant to testify.

Can you handle the Harrison motion this afternoon?

You bet. You're a lifesaver.

Delaughter, your wife just called.

What'd she want?

She said to remind you you're having lunch with

her mother and your parents at 1:00 at the club.

How could I forget?

Bobby.

Bobby, you seen this?

Yes, I have.

Evers' widow myrlie is calling for

the re-prosecution of de la beckwith.

Ed, this guy was killed over 25 years ago.

Just dig up whatever you can on medgar evers

and be in my office at 3:00.

Well, ed, this is ridiculous.