[piano music playing]
[male voice sings]
♫ Last Sunday morning ♫
♫ The sunshine Felt like rain ♫
♫ The week before, They all seemed the same ♫
♫ With the help of God And true friends ♫
♫ I come to realize ♫
♫ I still had Two strong legs ♫
♫ And even wings to fly ♫
♫ Oh, I ain't wasting Time no more ♫
♫ 'Cause time goes by like ♫
♫ Like hurricanes And faster things ♫
(woman) We heard it on the radio. ln the songs, you could tell
that there was a movement--
(woman 2) Because we were hearing what was going on
all over the country.
Yes, yes.
And it seemed like it was real everywhere
but here. What happened?
How did we get left behind?
(man) I lived in this part of North Carolina all my life.
Back in 1 970, these fields were flat-covered in tobacco.
Far as you could see.
lf tobacco was the blood of eastern North Carolina,
then Oxford was its heart.
For 300 years, tobacco flowed through those old warehouses.
And like blood, it kept people alive--
black and white.
After having served in Vietnam,
and having many black soldiers around me,
where it was pretty much the norm,
I come back home and only find a few blacks
on the Highway Patrol at the time,
it seemed a little strange to me.
But being an old North Carolina boy
and raised down in New Bern,
um, I was surprised, but at the same time,
my background told me that I wasn't too surprised.
Martin Luther King was never my favorite,
but I admired him.
I liked what he stood for.
But after Dickie Marrow was killed,
nobody was having that shit anymore.
We was about ready to kick some ass our own selves.
(little boy) What is it?
(older boy) Shh.
See? I told you Grandma Jessie's rich.
Wow.
There's gotta be close to $10 worth of Cokes right here.
I'm gonna take one.
She won't miss it.
(man) Vern, Tim, come on outside
and say goodbye to your grandmother.
(grandmother) Vernon.
Saying our goodbyes, Mother Jessie.
Vernon, before you go,
there's something serious l've got to talk to you about.
lf my boys broke something, you know I'm good for it.
Bye, Grandma.
So long, Grandma!
I n the car! Okay, last one.
Well, I think we're ready.
Martha, I asked Vidalia to pack a basket of food for the trip.
Would you go see if it's ready?
Of course.
[door closes]
Anyway, Vernon,
I know you believe you can talk your way out of every predicament,
but Oxford is not like Biscoe.
They're more set in their ways.
Don't you worry, Mother Jessie.
The Lord hasn't let us down yet.
It's not the Lord I'm worried about, Vernon.
Let's get this show on the road, Tysons.
Load 'em up.
Oh, I'm gonna miss you so much.
You be sure and write me, you hear?
I will. I'm gonna miss it here, too.
All right, sweetie. Bye.
Bye, Mother Jessie.
(both boys) Bye, Grandma.
Vernon, you take care now.
(Vern) I don't want to leave.
(Tim) Me, neither.
(Vernon) Come on, everyone. We're on an adventure.
[bell rings]
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
I said good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
(class) Good morning.
Welcome to third period English.
My name is Mr. Chavis.
And I'm your teacher.
lf you could, turn with me to page 1 5 in your textbooks.
We'll be covering Ralph Ellison.
Mr. Chavis.
Yes.
you really know Stokely Carmichael the Black Panther?
Yes. I know him.
When I was at U NCC, I had him speak to a student assembly.
And they let you do that?
Sure. I was head of the Student Union.
And I thought it would be a good idea if people heard what he had to say.
What's a Student Union?
A Student Union is basically an organization of students,
a place to meet, discuss ideas, affect change.
Any other questions before we start?
Yeah. Why'd you ever want to come back to Oxford?
Are you sure you priced this flour right?
I can get it over at the A&P for almost 50 cents less.
Then you just walk another mile and a half over there and buy it.
May I have a bag, please?
(Tim) Why do we have a house with furniture already in it?
(Martha) Because the church owns it, honey.
It's not ours.
Remember the one where all the furniture was covered in plastic?
(Vernon) Hah. That was a long time ago, little buck.
Oh, Vernon, it's beautiful.
I just hope they haven't completely redecorated the place.
Just once, l'd like to paint our home myself.
Okay, everyone, best behavior.
Let's go, Tysons.
Reverend Tyson ! Hi.
You must be Martha.
Yes, hi.
I'm lsabel Taylor, and on behalf
of the ladies of First Methodist,
welcome to Oxford and your new home.
We knew y'all would be getting in late,
so we just dropped off a few things
so you'd have something for supper.
Well, thank you. Everything looks so nice.
We painted the whole house and redid the drapes.
You shouldn't have.
Well, I don't mean to be rude,
but I need to excuse myself.
But you ladies, you feel free to stay and just visit
for as long as you like.
See you Sunday.
(woman) Sure you don't need any help unpacking?
No, thanks, I'm fine. Bye.
Oh, Lord, not again.
[sighs]
[knocking]
Come in.
(Roseanna) Mrs. Tyson?
Yes?
Hi. My name is Roseanna Allen.
I'm a friend of Vidalia, who works for your mother.
She said you might be needing some help.
Roseanna, you are a godsend.
(woman) Ben, is that you?
Yeah, it's me, Mom.
Oh, good. Dinner's ready.
(mom) And all you could see were these little feet
running down the hall, just bare bottomed,
and him chasing him. It was so--
(woman) You were chasing my baby?
I was trying to catch him.
I was trying to-- And you know, you would be surprised how quick he is.
He was just mad because they broke the vase.
Do you know how long we've had that, though?
I gave you the money for--
Oh, come on, that--
Quit crying about the vase.
So did you see Mary Catherine Chavis at school?
Mm-hmm.
She still there? She was tough.
I still don't understand why you didn't take that offer
to start on your doctorate right away.
You know, you are always better off
just getting into it and getting it over with.
I don't know. Those kids at Mary Potter, they'll
drive Ben to graduate school faster than a scholarship.
Well, actually, I was thinking
about doing something else with my time.
Really? What's that?
Reopening the Ridley Drive-l n.
Opening up Granddaddy's old place?
Why?
Well, I think there's a need.
A need for whom?
I guess we'll find out.
[male voice sings pop song]
♫ Un-huh ♫
♫ I know a place ♫
♫ Ain't nobody crying ♫
♫ Ain't nobody worried ♫
♫ Ain't no smiling faces ♫
♫ Unh-unh ♫
♫ No no ♫
♫ Lying to the races ♫
♫ Help me ♫
♫ Come on, come on, Somebody help me now ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Help me y'all ♫ ♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Help me now ♫ ♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Oh-ooh ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Oh, oh, mercy ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Oh, let me Take you there ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫ ♫ Oh-oh ♫
♫ Let me take you there ♫ ♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Play it Mary ♫
♫ Play your piano now All right ♫
♫ Do it do it ♫
♫ Come on now, Play on it, play on it ♫
♫ Big Daddy now ♫
♫ Daddy, Daddy, Daddy ♫
♫ Play your-- Mmm ♫
[chatter]
♫ Ooh, Lord ♫
♫ All right now ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫ ♫ Un-huh ♫
♫ Lying to the races I'll take you there ♫
♫ Oh ♫ ♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Ain't no smiling faces ♫ ♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Up in here, Lying to the races ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ You gotta gotta Gotta let me ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Take you, Take you, Oh my Lord ♫
♫ I'll take you there ♫
♫ Oh, I'll take you there ♫
[music fading]
(man 1) How's it look?
(man 2) That's good.
What do you think?
Yeah, man, good job.
My father loved this place.
[chuckles gently]
This may be your Ph D.
[chuckles softly
(Vernon) Good morning.
(congregation) Morning.
For those of you just returned from behind the I ron Curtain
or perhaps trekking somewhere high in the Himalayas
where phone service, I'm told, is not all that good--
my name is Vernon Tyson,
your new pastor here at Oxford Methodist Church.
I want to thank all of you
who welcomed my wife Martha
and our four children,
Vern, Tim,
Boo, and Julie, with such open arms
and made us feel so welcome this week.
Now, let us pray.
Father,
we live in difficult times that challenge our faith
in new and often difficult circumstance.
Grant us the power to choose right from wrong,
and the strength to love all people
of all races, because in the eyes of God,
we are all equal.
ln Your holy name we pray. Amen.
(congregation) Amen.
[knock on door]
Mrs. Alwin, I'm Reverend Tyson.
I heard you on the radio.
You have a beautiful voice.
Well, thank you, ma'am.
'Course, I don't usually trust preachers with beautiful voices.
They tend to think too highly of themselves.
But then I heard your sermon about the Negroes,
and I changed my mind.
I thought this is either a man
with a total disregard for his career,
or else he's one of the bravest preachers I ever heard.
Either way, he wasn't all full of himself.
(Vernon) Well, I'm not sure
my wife would completely agree with you on that.
(chuckles) She must be a good woman.
She is.
Children?
Two boys, two girls.
Good.
You know, Reverend, l've been a member of that church
for 87 years, and l've seen
20, 22 pastors stand in that pulpit,
some good, some not so good.
But they all fell into two groups.
They were either priests, or they were prophets.
The priests told us the comforting things we wanted to hear.
The prophets challenged us
with the difficult things we needed to hear.
Which one are you?
I try to be a little bit of both.
Oh, Reverend,
in these times, I think you're going to find it very hard
to be both.
[cheerful indistinct chatter]
[soul music]
♫ [male voice sings indistinct] ♫
Man, we need to put up a basketball hoop out back.
What for? Why don't you just go to the park and play?
[men laugh]
What's so funny?
They took down all the rims.
What you mean, took down the rims? What are you talking about?
Rims, man. The town took down the rims
to keep us out of their neighborhood.
Oh, man, don't look like that.
You know how stuff changes here.
One step forward, two steps back.
Name one black person working a shop downtown.
Unless they got a broom in their hands.
They got one brother on the police force.
He been there four years
and still ain't allowed to arrest any white folks.
So what y'all gonna do about that?
Shit. People been pushing change downtown for years.
Ain't nothing gonna happen.
Yeah. I agree with you, Eddie.
Ain't nothing gonna happen--
unless you make it happen.
(male voice) No one's saying you don't work hard, Robert.
Jesus. You work like a slave.
It's just that some folks downtown want to make sure
you got things under control out here, that's all.
Now you tell those folks not to worry about their investment.
Ain't nobody gonna mess with me out here.
I got friends who'll guarantee me of that.
The change machine's empty in the laundromat.
Hello, Mr. Watkins.
Larry, how you doing, son?
Fine, sir!
[cash register bell rings]
Now you have a good day.
Howdy.
What you need?
Driving by, see the shop,
realize I'm due for a haircut.
No.
No?
No what?
I need to make an appointment?
No.
I don't cut y'all's hair here.
All right, all right.
No problem.
I'll go to a fellow in town I know.
Y'all have a good day.
You know what, Robert?
You've got a good thing going on out here.
lf you don't die of a heart attack trying to keep it up
and if you keep that temper of yours under control,
you might just end up a rich man.
Don't you worry about me, Billy.
I'm gonna be fine.
(male voice) Next order of business, a request by Mike Taylor
for a new stop sign down his way.
Neil, is the application in order?
Yes. We've been out there and checked it out.
Then I'm looking for a motion to move this thing along.
Motion. Second.
All in favor?
(many) Aye.
Opposed? Motion carried.
Next item.
Restoration of the basketball rims in city park.
Mr. Chavis, this is your request?
It is, Your Honor.
Looks pretty straightforward to me.
Um...
unfortunately, Mr. Chavis, we are not
the jurisdictional body you need to be addressing.
That would be the town Recreational Committee,
which meets the first Tuesday of every month.
I have, Your Honor.
I beg your pardon?
I have submitted that request to the Rec Committee,
but since it never holds a quorum in its meetings,
it can't vote on that request.
Well, better luck next month.
Mr. Mayor,
the Rec Committee has not held a quorum since 1964,
which, not coincidentally,
was the year of the Federal Civil Rights Act.
But, that may be,
but there's nothing that we can do about that.
Actually, there is, Your Honor.
Based on the town charter,
if a standing committee is without a quorum
for a period of longer than six months,
then it's possible for this council-- to call for a vote.
Neil?
He is correct, Your Honor.
But only if there is a quorum present
at the time the vote is called.
[clears throat]
Your Honor and everybody,
I'm sorry, but I forgot I need to leave early tonight.
I'm afraid I have to leave early as well, Your Honor.
Well, that leaves us without a quorum.
Adjourned.
How'd it go?
What was that Frederick Douglass quote
your father was always so fond of reciting?
Power concedes nothing...
Without a demand.
Yeah, well, I demanded.
The power just rolled right over me.
Well, I don't think Frederick Douglass
expected the power to yield on his first attempt.
[chuckles]
I guess he didn't.
Get some rest, son.
Night, Momma.
Pack of menthol Rx, please.
What you trying to pull, boy?
They're--for my momma, sir.
Yeah?
Then she ought to know that they're 35 cents.
Why'd you tell him these were for your momma?
For 35 cents, he'd sell the baby Jesus a pack of smokes.
He's got, like, 500 other--
(Jebbie) That was awesome.
Sweet, man.
What the heck?
Hey, what're you niggers doing in our neighborhood?
What're you doing?
Y'all better get your black asses out of here
before we come over there and kick them out!
(several) Run!
(Roseanna) Hey!
You get home. Now.
[sigh]
Thank you, Roseanna.
He was gonna kill me!
And why would that be?
Well, because Jebbie threw a rock at him.
I didn't throw it!
Well, it didn't look like you did much to stop him.
You go clean up.
And get them cigarettes out your back pocket
before your momma gets home.
Thanks, Roseanna.
Good night.
(Vernon) See you tomorrow.
What're you gonna do?
I'm taking you on a trip, little buck.
(Daddy) Whoo!
Come on! Let's go!
Come on, Daddy!
Are you speaking to me?
Yeah!
Woo-hoo!
Daddy?
When are you gonna talk to me?
I'm not, little buck.
I'm gonna show you something.
What is it, Daddy?
It's a revival!
Tim.
Tim. It's not a revival.
(man's voice) The light of Jesus.
(several) For our God.
The light of Jesus.
(several) The light of Christ.
The light of Jesus.
Deliverance.
We are the chosen ones.
By the fire of Calvary's cross
and the sentinel and the bearer of the light,
jointly give birth to the star.
For our God. For our God.
Let the circles of light become alive.
The light of Christ.
We mean to cleanse and purify our virtues
by burning out our vices from the fire of His word.
The light of Christ.
Honor,
truth, loyalty, purity.
For our God. For our God.
[cheering]
I want to go, Daddy.
Shh.
(faint) Please, Daddy. I want to go home now.
Let the circle truly become
a living representation of our order
in the darkness of the world.
When I saw the cross, I thought everything was good.
Evil can sometimes be hard to recognize.
It hides in normal things.
People you think you know.
But recognizing evil isn't the hardest part.
It's standing up to it,
even when nobody else will.
(Dr. Proctor) So essentially, the quality of our choices
determine the quality of our lives.
Which, translated, means you probably need to work a little harder.
[whispering] Thank you.
Dr. Proctor, my name is Reverend Vernon Tyson.
Reverend Tyson.
Please.
I'm the pastor at the Oxford Methodist Church.
I heard you preach last year
at the North Carolina Council of Churches.
You gave a magnificent speech.
Well, thank you, Reverend Tyson.
But I'm assuming that wasn't the only reason you came to see me.
So he said yes.
And we'll get run out of town together. [chuckles]
You might be right about that.
Well, I think you're overreacting.
I'm just saying there are people in this town
who think that things have moved awfully fast in a very short time
and maybe they should just-- slow down a bit.
Well, if anybody bothered to ask the blacks in this town,
they'd tell you if things went any slower they'd be going backward.
At the very least don't you think you should've consulted
with the Executive Committee before inviting him to speak?
Dr. Samuel Proctor is one of the leading educators in America.
All the more embarrassing if you have to go back
and tell him they won't let him preach.
They? Who is they?
You know full well who's they.
They, who put bread on our table.
[sigh]
I know what I'm doing, Martha.
Trust me.
Just promise you'll give me 24 hours notice to start packing.
Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.
[phone ringing]
May Your goodness and mercy be upon us
and with those less fortunate.
I n Your holy name. Amen.
(others) Amen.
No. I got it.
Reverend Tyson.
Oh, hello, John.
Yes, as a matter of fact, we just sat down--
Yeah, sure, l'd be happy to listen.
I see.
Un-huh.
Well, I'm sorry you feel that way,
but I'm afraid I can't do that.
No.
[phone ringing]
Reverend Tyson.
(male voice) Is it true you invited
a nigger to preach at our church?
Who is this?
'Cause if it's true, you're gonna regret it.
Who is this?
[dial tone]
[sigh]
(kids, shouting) Fight! Fight!
Stop it! Stop it!
Tim Tyson!
What are you doing?
He called Daddy a nigger-lover.
Your daddy doesn't need you to defend him.
I wasn't defending him, Momma.
I was trying not to be wicked.
Wicked?
Daddy says the wickedest thing we can do
is to do nothing.
[sigh] Oh, honey.
[ding]
Dorothy.
I came as soon as I heard.
How's Joe?
He's gonna be okay.
Thank God.
Vernon...
he isn't gonna want to see you when he comes out.
(Martha) Vernon? ls that you?
Vernon?
Dick called.
They scheduled an executive committee meeting tonight at 7:00.
What was I thinking, Martha?
Did I really believe I could change everything by myself?
You're not changing anything--by yourself.
I'm here.
Stand your ground.
Good evening, everyone.
Reverend Tyson.
Jack, Mr. Pink.
Vernon.
Dick.
I'm assuming we're all here tonight
because of my invitation to Dr. Samuel Proctor to speak this Sunday.
Why would you do this, Vernon?
I got people coming into my store asking me
what kind of ship we're running here.
Wanting to know did we really invite
a Negro preacher to stand in our pulpit?
And what did you tell them, Jack?
I told them they heard wrong.
Ain't no Negro professor speaking in our church on Sunday.
Oh, Jack, why in the hell would you say something like that?
'Cause it's the truth, Thad!
Vernon, nobody's saying that it's perfect here,
but we've got good relations with the Negro community.
This might not be time to--to stir things up.
What time is a good time, Dick?
A year from now?
What, five years from now, Doug?
Does that sound about right? Once your boys graduate high school?
Ten years from now? Heck, this is starting to sound like work.
Why don't we just leave it for the next generation to fix?
lf this man speaks on Sunday,
there will be a breach
that will split this congregation.
Is he worth tearing this church apart over?
You, um, you can end this with one call, Vernon.
Just call him and tell him don't come.
We're living beneath a dam, gentlemen,
a dam that's holding back 300 years of wrong.
Now, you can say that dam ain't going to break
all you want, but when the rains come
and that dam bursts open
and all that's bad comes flooding out,
you won't have time to run for high ground.
Now is the time.
That's why I invited him.
And that's why I'm not making that phone call.
Well, that's all well and good, Vernon,
but this is our church,
and you don't have a right to do this.
Well, actually, Jack, I do. And you gave it to me.
This is the Methodist Book of Discipline.
It defines the rules that govern our denomination.
And it says--
"the pastor of this church can determine the number
and the nature of services held in the sanctuary."
And for the moment, I am still the pastor of this church.
Now, if you see things differently,
you give Bishop Grayson Tullis a phone call
and you let him know.
Otherwise, I have a job to do tomorrow, gentlemen.
And I hope to see you all there.
[organ playing]
Reverend Tyson?
You never asked me what I was going to speak about.
No, sir.
I didn't think that was my place.
Thank you.
Shall we face the lions?
[chuckles]
I come to you today
to talk about a problem of enormous magnitude.
Something some of you would probably rather not hear about.
But it is a subject that affects us.
I am the president of North Carolina A&T,
a black university of approximately 4,000--
I'll be right back.
outstanding young men and women.
Among our many fine accomplishments
is our football program.
The other day, my coach came in to see me.
He told me that the finest running back
he had ever seen is down at New Bern.
Now, this prospect's daddy and his brother both went to A&T.
But when my coach went down to recruit him,
he say he ain't coming to A&T.
Said he's going to school over at Chapel Hill,
says he's going to play for the Tarheels.
They got the big school over there, big money,
the big stadium, and he's going to play for them.
Then my poor coach drove over to Kinston
to see about this 300-pound offensive tackle they got
at the Negro high school there.
A fine young man, good grades,
but he say he ain't coming to A&T, either.
That his mama wants him to play for N .C. State
and wear the red and white of the Wolfpack.
Well, when Coach finished, he looked at me defeated,
and said, "I'm sorry, but we're going to struggle
"next year on the football field
and probably for years to come."
l've never seen a sadder man.
I walked over and put an arm around him and said,
"See, that's the problem with all this integration,
Coach, that's just the price we're going to have to pay."
[laughter]
Our lesson today comes from the Book of John.
Willie Mae? You listening to the radio?
Willie Mae?
(little girl, happily) Daddy!
[happy sob]
[loud music, cheerful whooping]
[chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
What'd they feed you over there, boy? You're getting big.
Ah ! Cockroaches. [laughs]
Take this off, handsome.
How are y'all all doing?
You're looking great, looking great.
That Miss Mary Catherine?
How you doing, son?
Hey, Mr. Yancey.
Thank you for coming tonight. I really appreciate it.
You look great. You look great.
Thank you, sir.
Still growing up like a weed, but you look great.
Thank you. See you guys in a little bit.
See you.
How you doing, man?
Fanny. Hey, baby, how you doing?
It's good to see you.
Good to see you. I'll see you in a little bit.
Hey, Roseanna.
Hey.
You look wonderful.
Auntie Roberta.
Wonderful.
Give me some of that sugar.
Yes. Yes.
Dickie, we took care of Willie Mae and the girls for you.
Just like you took care of me.
Yes.
Now it's your turn to take care of them.
I will. I promise.
Hey, darling.
Betsy, you didn't let him touch none of this food, did you?
Well, well, well. What the cat dragged in.
How's life at the rubber plant?
It's good. They're starting up a late shift next week,
but I ain't too interested in that.
Well, good. You can help me down at the store
in all your spare time.
[sigh]
Did you put that chain on that boat trailer like I told you?
Yeah.
Well, you better have.
You let something like that slip
and you go back and that boat won't be there.
The chain's there. Boat'll be there when we get back.
Like that time you left the bolt undone
on the back door and they stole us blind down at the shop.
That was an accident.
Took care of that.
Yeah, when it was too late.
You need to use your head, son.
Yes, sir.
Betsy went to the doctor today.
The baby's doing fine. Everything looks okay.
Maybe once that baby comes, y'all'll come by more often.
You ready to be a granddaddy?
Hmpf.
You ready to be an uncle, boy?
I don't even like being a brother.
[laughs]
Go on back upstairs and start packing your bags, then.
All right, you see Mr. Fox here?
Mr. Fox needs some sleep, too, just like you need some sleep.
All right? All right. So get to bed.
I'll see you in the morning. All right?
[tired sigh]
Why don't you go find Boo
and play a couple hands of bid whist.
I know you've been wanting to catch up.
I'll be okay.
I'll be back in a bit.
I'll be waiting.
Go on.
(Fanny) Who's there?
It's Dickie, Fanny. How you feeling?
Oh, I'm hanging in there.
lf you're looking for Boo, he ain't here.
Think he's at Four Corners.
lf you're going over there,
will you get me a ice-cold soda?
I sure am thirsty.
You got it.
And don't go getting in no trouble.
Bring my soda right back here to me.
Yes, ma'am.
Okay. I took out the trash and broke down those boxes.
Anything else?
Yeah. Go lock up the barber shop.
How much longer we gonna be here?
Well, till the old man turns the lights out.
[whistles] He closing up?
I'll bet you that's the last time Roger comes over for dinner.
Hey, Dickie. Is that you?
Yes, ma'am, Mrs. Downing.
Seen Boo?
No, man.
Nowhere.
All right.
Hey, girls.
Y'all looking good tonight.
Is this where all the action is?
I can't believe y'all out here all by y'allselves.
Hey, nigger! Hey, you!
That's my wife you're talking to.
Hey, man, listen, I was just talking to the sisters here.
Right.
Hey, man, it's cool. Listen, listen.
I was just talking to the sisters over here.
The hell you were.
Man, what're you doing?
I'll show you what I'm doing.
[grunts]
(wife) Larry, no!
Hey!
Larry, no!
[grunts]
Stop it! Larry, stop!
[wife] Stop!
Damn!
You're crazy, man!
[wife] He's got a knife!
Hey, Dickie! Dickie, run!
Hey, where's the fire?
[shotgun blasts echo]
[Boo shouts, moaning]
[panting]
I didn't do nothing!
Okay, okay, man.
You got me.
Let's just forget about it. You got me, man.
Okay?
[grunts]
[grunting, fists pounding]
[grunts and pounding]
[grunts and thuds]
Better stop that before you kill him!
You better get back in your house, woman!
[grunts]
[continued kicking]
[heavy breathing]
[gunshot]
[dog barking in distance]
[train whistling in distance]
Go lock up the stores.
[sobbing wildly] Oh, God.
Oh, God, Dickie.
Ba-bro, get us a car. Go get us a car!
Honey, we got to find him.
Oh, dear. Okay, you look over here.
(nurse) Ma'am, stop. You can't go in there.
Over here.
Dickie? Dickie, it's Roberta.
I'm right here, honey.
Ma'am, you'll have to leave.
Oh, my God!
What have they done to you?
They're going to have to take him to Duke Hospital.
[ambulance siren wailing]
No. No!
I ain't going to no damn police station.
They ain't gonna listen to a word I got to say.
Boo, I'll take you down.
Ain't nobody gonna mess with us.
Who's on the desk?
Let me speak with him.
Dale.
Yeah, this is Billy Watkins.
I understand there was a shooting tonight
at, um, Mr. Teel's store out at Four Corners.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
He's with me.
I'll bring him in a little later.
'Preciate it.
Do you still have people up in Berea?
Yeah.
Call 'em. Tell them you're gonna be staying
with 'em for a while.
Well, what you want me to do?
Go upstairs.
Get yourself a pillowcase.
Fill it with all the money you can put your hands on.
You're gonna need it.
Excuse me, Sergeant.
This is William Chavis.
He was shot this evening by Mr. Robert Teel.
Mr. Teel and his sons killed Dickie Marrow.
It was witnessed by Mr. Chavis
and he'd like to report that murder,
his own assault, and swear out a warrant for the Teels' arrest.
Have a seat.
Sorry.
[sigh]
All that time he was in the service,
I prayed that nothing would happen to him.
I prayed and prayed.
Somebody should've told me I needed to be praying
he wouldn't get shot in his own hometown.
Nothing I can do.
C'mon, Boo. Let's go home.
John, I just heard.
What can I do?
It's too late, Vernon. Too late.
Go on home.
Oh, nice one.
So close.
Hey, where you been?
Home. Y'all hear?
Daddy, Roger, and them shot them a nigger.
Why?
Said something he shouldn't have to Larry's wife Judy.
Tim Tyson.
Come in for supper.
What're we having?
I am not announcing my menu to the neighborhood.
Come in now.
[rumble of thunder]
Shh. It's only me.
Daddy.
Is everything going to be okay?
Go to sleep, little buck.
[indistinct shout]
Y'all, come on.
[shouting]
[shouting continues]
Let's go around back.
[siren approaches]
[shouting and noise fade]
(mayor) Quiet, please.
This morning, I dispatched a telegram to the Governor's office
informing him of the events of last night,
as well as my intention to declare the existence of a state of emergency
and the imposing of a curfew for all citizens
from 7:30 in the evening until 6 in the morning, beginning tonight.
Further, I requested from him the assistance of State Troopers
to help enforce this curfew.
And most importantly, to restore a safe, secure,
and law-abiding environment for the hearing tomorrow
and for the trial in the months to come.
All citizens my ass!
Damn right.
That curfew ain't nothing
but a No Niggers After Nightfall Act.
(several) That's right.
(teacher) You can have...
whatever you can take.
(student) Yeah.
That's right.
Yeah, Mr. Chavis.
But you can only keep--
what you can--
hold.
That's right. We're gonna keep it!
Keep what, Darrel?
Beer? Cigarettes? TV sets?
You think that's why the State Troopers are here?
Because you broke some windows and stole some groceries?
They're not.
You want to know why they're here?
They're here because last night, when you hit those streets,
you took something more valuable than you could ever imagine.
Something our families have been fighting for for years.
I'm talking about equality.
And they're not going to let you keep it without a fight.
I ain't giving it back.
Me, neither.
Good.
Mr. Chavis!
Mr. Chavis, where you going?
What's going on?
Come on!