"THE GREAT DEBATERS" "Heavenly Father, we come before Thee, knee-bent and body-bowed, in the humblest way that we know how." "Father who controls and knows all things:" "Both the living and dying of all creatures." "Give us strength and wisdom to do Thy work." "In God's name we pray." "Let all Gods people say:" "Amen." "When I was slippin' up, she looked down, saw the head of something was right there in her hands." "She told me was a wild animal." "I say then it was Gods revenge." "You go heathen, Henry." "You know what I've got right here?" "What?" "Something very wild" ""When I was a child, I spake as a child," "I understood as a child," "I thought as a child." "But when I became a man," "I put away all childish things." (1Cor 13:11." "KJV)" "Freshman Class," "I believe we are the most /privileged people in America." "Because we have the /most important job... /in America." "The education of our young people." "Trudell!" "Who the hell is he?" "Just my husband." "I'm gonna cut your head off." "We must impress upon our young people." "That there will be /difficulties that they face." "You're scared, ain't you?" "You do raise and twice my size?" "They must defeat them." "They must do what /they have to do... /...in order to do what they want to do." "Education is the only way out." "Get up, get up, baby, come on." "The way out of ignorance." "Like cut people?" "Home boy?" "Want to cut people, Trudell, uhm?" "Get your hands off me!" "The way out of darkness" "Into the glorious light." "WHITES Only" "Come on, give me back, come on, give me back." " "To precious Hamilton."" " This is not fun." "Give me back." "Have a seat." "I am... /...the darker brother." "They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes." "But I laugh, and eat well, and grow strong." "Tomorrow I'll sit at the table When company comes." "Nobody'll dare say to me, "Eat in the kitchen", then." "Besides, they'll see how beautiful I am" "And be ashamed, " "I, too, am America." "(I, Too)" "Who wrote that?" "Langston Hughes, 1924." "1925." "Hating you shall be a game... /played with cool hands..." "R E V O L U T I O N" "Memory will lay its hands... /upon your breast." "And you will understand my hatred." "(Hatred)" "Gwendolyn Bennett wrote that." "She was born in 1902." "Unofficially." "You see in most states... negroes were denied birth certificate." "which means I can lie about my age for the rest of my life." "You think that's funny?" "To be born without record." "Mr. Reed, hand this up." "I'm going to introduce you to some new voices this semester" "There is revolution going on in the north." "In Harlem, they're changing the way... negroes in America think." "I am talking about poets like Hughes, Bennett," "Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen." "Some are teethed on a silver spoon, with the stars strung for a rattle." "I cut my teeth as the black raccoon... /...for implements of battle." "(C. Cullen:" "Saturday's Child)" "Meet me after class." "What's a professor doing in the middle of the night, dressed like a corn-chopper?" "What is a student doing in the middle of the night, throwing his life away?" "It's funny, I thought I was defeating myself." "I remember you." "Couple years ago but you disappeared." "What happened?" "I come and go, whatever it suits me." " Suspension?" " Leaves of absents." "Why did you come back?" "School is the only place where you can read all day." "Except prison." "I want you to come by my house tonight 7:30." "Corner of Junho Campos." "Why would I do that?" "Holding try-outs for the debate team." "You're sure you want somebody like me?" "No, that's why you're trying out." "7:30, Junho Campos." ""...driven by the wind and tossed..." (Eph 4:14)" "Do well tonight, Junior." "Of the 360 students here /at Wiley College." "Only 45 of you were /brave enough... /to try out for the debate team." "Of that 45 only 4 be who'll remain standing when the tryouts are over." "Why?" "Because debate /is blood sport." "It's combat, but your weapons are words." "Come on in." "Now that Mr. Farmer has joined us, we can begin." "Sit down, Mr. Farmer." "Not right there, over there." "James, come this way!" " Good evening Mrs. Tolson." " Good evening." " We're waiting for you Mr. Farmer." " I'm going, sir." "Thank you, Mr. Farmer." "You smell very good, Mr. Farmer." " Thank you, sir." " You're very welcome." "Gentelmen and Lady!" "This is the hot spot." "You will enter it at your own risk." "Mr Tolson, what about debaters from last year?" "Don't ask a question you already know the answer to." "Get up, you will be first." "You, right here in the hotspot." "Debate starts with a proposition, with an idea, resolved." "Child labor should be regulated by the Federal Goverment." "The first debater argues the affirmative." "Affirmative means that you afford something." "Mr. Reed will argue affirmative, the second debater argues the negative." " Negative means that you are what?" " Against." "Brilliant, Mr. Burgess." "You shall argue the affirmative, Mr. Reed, go." "Well, sir I begin with a quote from the poet Cleghorn." ""The golf links lie so near the mill... /That almost every day the laboring children can look out and... " " And..." " And watch the man at play?" "(Sarah Cleghorn)" "It that what you learned from last year, Mr. Reed?" "To start something and not finish it, is it?" " No sir." " Sit down." "Who's next?" "You, stand up, stand up." "Is getting late, how much longer can you hide?" "I'm not hiding, sir." "I transfered from my college just to come and try out of your team." "I am deeply moved." "What's your name?" " Samantha Booke." " Booke?" " With an "e"." " Arise Miss Booke with an "e"." "Into the hotspot Miss Booke with an "e"." "You know there's never been a female on the debating team, ever?" "Yes, sir." "I know that." "What makes you think you should be the first?" " Because I am just as qualified as..." " Withstanding Miss Booke." "...anybody else." "My gender has nothing..." " Resolved." "Welfare discourages hard work." " You're logging the negative." " All right." "Walfare takes away a man strongest reason for working..." "Which is survival." "And that weakness the will of the poor." "How do you rebut that, Miss Booke with "e"?" "I would say it does not." "Most of the new deal goes to children anyway and to the handicapped..." " ...and to old people." " Is it a fact or conjecture?" " It is a fact." " Speak up." " It is a fact." " What's your source?" " The President." " Of the United States?" "Yes, sir." "That's your primary source?" "You spoke to president Roosevelt personally?" "Of course not." "I did not speak to him personally." "But I listen to his "Fire Side Chat"." " A radio broadcast?" " Yes." "Any other sources?" "Any other sources?" "Yes, there are other sources..." "Like that looking at a mother's eyes when she can't feed her kids." "Without welfare, Mr. Tolson, people would be starving." " Who is starving, Miss Booke?" " The unemployed are starving." "Mr. Burgess here, he is unemployed obviously he's not starving." "I drew you in, Miss Booke." "You gave a faulty premise, so your syllogism fell apart." " Syllogism?" " Your logic fell apart." "Major premise, the unemployed are starving." "Minor premise, Mr. Burgess is unemployed." "Conclusion, Mr. Burgess is starving." "Your major premise was based on a faulty assumption." "Classic fallacy." "Who's next?" "You were right." " Tell us your name." " I'm Henry Lowe with an "e"." "All right, Mr. Lowe." "I will name a subject, you speak a few words opportune quote from the literature." "Go ahead." "Beauty." ""I heard the old, old men say all that's beautiful drifts away... /..." "like the waters." (William Butler Yeats)" "Very good." "History." "And name the author this time." ""History is a nightmare from which I'm trying to awake."" "James Joyce." "Self-pity." ""I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself."" "D. H. Lawrence." "I love D. H. Lawrence, have you ever read?" " Mr. Farmer." " Yes, sir." "I have eyes on the back of my head and ears on both sides." "Stand up." "Tell me the irony in the name Bethlehem Steel Corporation." "Bethlehem is the bithplace of Jesus, Prince of peace." "And Bethlehem Steel makes weapons of war." "Very good, sit down." "Good." "Who's next?" "Samantha." "Mr. Tolson, he is tough, isn't he?" "Sure he is." "I'm James." "Is your father Dr. James Farmer?" "Yes, he is." "I'm taking the eulogy from him and that man speaks in tongues." "French, Greek, Hebrew, Latin." "How many languages does he speak?" " Seven languages." " Seven languages." "He must be the smartest man in Texas." "That's not saying much." "So why do you want to be on the team?" "I think, it would be a good training." " For what?" " Being a lawyer." "Lawyer?" "It's great." "You know how many negro women practise law in the state?" " Two." " Exactly." "One it was a hot." "But look at you, Mr. Farmer, how old are you anyway?" "I'll be 16." "In 21 months." "Young lady, James!" "I just want to thank you." " For what?" " For your performance tonight." "I mean, how many other students have a stand-up to Tolson?" " I did." " No, you answered a question." "And I spout off few quotes." "Miss Brooke with an "e"..." " She fought back." " And lost." "But you did't have to lose." "Why isn't the "Fire Side Chat" a legitimate source?" "Because Tolson said so?" "Nobody has better access to those statistics than the President." "If you'd have called Tolson on that, you'd have won." "I don't know." "I'm sure that he would be able to come up with something." "Goodnight, James!" "Goodnight, Samantha." "Can you believe that he's 14 years old and he's in the college?" "You are gifted, all of you." "But I want you to know that I chose this team for balance." "And none of you should take it as a failure." "As a denigration of your intellect." "Denigrate, that's the word for you." "From Latin word "Niger", to defame, to black." "Is always there, isn't it?" "Even in the dictionary." "Even in the speech of a negro professor." "Somehow black is always acquainted with failure." "Well write in your own dictionary and mark this as a new beginning." "Whether you make the team or not." "The Wiley College for Ransack Society of 1935-36, is as follows." "The debaters will be..." "Mr. Hamilton Burgess, from last year's team." "Sit down, Mr. Burgess." "Mr. Henry Lowe." "Our alternates, Miss Samantha Booke with an "e"." "And finally..." "Junior!" "Slow down!" " Where is dad?" " Quiet, he's writing the lecture." " Dad." " Junior." "What is the greatest weakness of man?" "Not believing?" "Doubt?" "That's it." "Thank you Junior." "Matthew 14:31." "That will be the lesson." "Dad." ""Oh, you of little faith why do you doubt?"" " Dad." " What is it, son?" "I made the debate team." "Well, congratulations!" "And who is on your team?" "There is 4 of us, I'm one of the alternates." "Who's ahead of you?" "Hamilton Burgess and Henry Lowe." "And another alternate is Samantha Booke." " There's a girl?" " She wants to be a lawyer." " Lawyer?" " She is very intelligent." "Is she pretty?" "I don't know." "I've never really noticed." "Because extracurricular activities like the debate team are fine." "But you must not take the eye of the ball, son." "Yes, sir." "So, what do we do here?" "We do we have to do, so we can do we want to do." " What do you have to do right now?" " My homework." " Do get toward." " Yes, sir." "My daddy owns grubs so there're as apples, bananas, cookies, donuts, eggs, figs and gonzolabic." " Nice." " What is a gonzolabic?" "Hogwash, hogwash." "Ready, steady, go!" " Apricot." " Oh, come on." " Why no apricot?" "Look out!" "Who was there?" "I'm not sure." " Sit down!" " You stay put." " What is it?" " It's pig." "Only pig." "Shut up, dog!" "Junior get into the car." " What the hell happened to my hog?" " Sorry about that." "Came out of nowhere I didn't see coming." " You kill my hog, boy ." " I'm truly sorry." "I gladly pay you for it." "How much?" "How much you want?" "Some cost you 25 dollars." "Only have a few bucks on right now but I can..." "I do have a cheque." "My monthly cheque from Wiley College in Marshall." "It's 17 dollars 36 cents." "You may have that, and I would endorse that over to you." "You do what?" "I will sign the cheque over to you." " Well, let me see it." " Is in the car with my wife." "Can I walk to the car now?" "Junior, get in the car." " Give me the salary cheque, Pearl." " We need that money, James." "Just give me the cheque." "Come on." "I thought it was in here." "Relax." "All right, you'll find." "Here is." "Here it is." "The cheque better be good, boy." "Is good." "Well, pick it up!" "What the hell you think you're going?" "You gotta help us get this hog in my truck." "Come on, grab the tail in there, boy." "All right, on three." "1, 2, 3." "Damned nigers a bit too good to get the hands dirty." " Dad." " I told you to get in the car." "When I tell you to do something, Junior, you do it." " Who's the judge?" " The judge is God." "Why is he God?" "Because he decides who wins or loses not my opponent." " Who is your opponent?" " He doesn't exist." "Why does he not exist?" "Because he is a mute dissenting voice of the truth I speak!" "Who is the judge?" "The judge is God." "Why is he God?" "Because he decides who wins or loses not my opponent." " Who's your opponent?" " He doesn't exist." "Why does he not exist?" "Because he is a mute dissenting voice of the truth I speak!" "Who is the judge?" "The judge is God." "Why is he God?" "Because he decides who wins or loses not my opponent." " Who is your opponent?" " He doesn't exist." "Why does he not exist?" "Because he is a mute dissenting voice of the truth I speak!" "Who is the judge?" " The judge is God." " Louder!" "The judge is God." "Why is he God?" "Because he decides who wins or loses not my opponent." " Who is your opponent?" " He doesn't exist." "Why does he not exist?" "Because he is a mute dissenting voice of the truth I speak!" "Speak the truth!" "Speak the truth!" "Yes, sir." "I do like to talk." "Is that a virtue or a vice?" "Well, I have to admit I've always wanted to be the quiet mysterious type." "Only I can't keep my mouth ain't long enough." "Would you punch yourself on a street fight, Mr. Burgess?" "No, sir." "Then don't punch yourself in a word fight." "You don't have to make fun of yourself." "Use your humor against your opponent." " Mr. Farmer." " Yes sir." "Happy Mr. Farmer, tell us one thing we don't know about your father." " He is the first negro PhD." " One thing we don't know about your father, Mr. Farmer." "He walked from Florida to Massachusetts to go to College at Boston University." "He graduated magna cum laude." "Mr. Lowe." "Tell us about your father." "Why don't you tell us something about your father?" "I'm trying to get to know each other, Mr. Lowe." "And I'm just trying to get to know you, Mr. Tolson." "I'm not the one on the debate team." "Are we not engaged in the debate right now?" "All right." "I'll take the affirmative." "Take the meanest, most restless nigger." "Strip him off his clothes in front of the remaining male niggers, female niggers and niggers infants." "Tar and feather him." "Tie each leg to a horse facing in opposite direction," "Set him on fire and beat both horses, until they tear him apart." "In front of the male, female and nigger infants." "Both whip and beat the remaining nigger males within an inch of their life." "Do not kill them." "But put the fear of God in them." "For they can be useful for future breeding." "Anybody know who Willy Lynch was?" "Anybody?" "Raise your hand?" "No one?" "He was a vicious slave-owner in the West Indies." "The slave-masters in the colony of Virginia were having trouble" ""controlling" their slaves," "So they sent for Mr. Lynch to teach them his methods." "The word "lynching" came from his last name." "His methods were very simple, but they were diabolical." "Keep the slave physically strong," "But psychologically weak and dependent on the slave master." "Keep the body, take the mind." "I and any other professor on this campus are here to help you to find, take back and keep your righteous mind." "Because obviously you have lost it." "That is all you need to know about me, Mr. Lowe." "Class dismissed." " Wanna dance?" " Yes." "Come." "You're good dancer." "Thank you, I practice in my room." "Keep it." " Excuse me, your punch." " Thank you." "It's better I go to get me some punch." "Here." "Take my if you want." "It's good." "All right?" "You know, I can take you to a place where's real music, right?" " I'm not living here, Henry." " Just for a spell." "I'll bring you right back." "And what would my chaperone say?" "You'll be back before she ever knows you're gone." "What's the matter, you afraid?" "What's the matter, you afraid?" "Mr. Tolson." "Mr. Tolson!" "And tell them the sharecroppers are just wage them" "So they don't have to slip their farms on substitute" "And that's why the Southern Tenant Farmers Union want you to organize." "To make things right." " Well, how?" "Strike?" " They'll be just bringing the mexicans." "We'll organise them too." "Yes, so they could shoot us all down, white, colored and mexicans." "That is exactly what they want you to believe." "The farmer boys want you to believe that they'll make war, but they won't." "They may be fools but they are smart businessman." "And once we organize, they'll see," "Even guns can't stop us." " They stopped them in Elaine." " Why don't you talk about that?" "About how they killed 100 colored sharecroppers for trying to organize." " That was 1919, friend." " There was my dad and they gunned down, friend." "We're sorry about that." "But those men stood alone, that's my point." "This is 1935." "We got the National Labor- Relations Board," " We've got the A. F. of L. (American Federation of Labor)." " You ain't got shit." "He ain't got shit." "Hey they come!" "Hey they come!" "Get the lights!" "Everybody get down." "Come on." "Let's go." "This way." "Come on." "All right." "What are doing out here?" "I saw you." "I was walking by your house and I saw you dressed plainly." "I'm dressed like them, son." "You think they'd listen to me if I was wearing a tuxedo?" "Listen to me!" "Are you listening?" "You can not tell anybody what you saw tonight." "You understand?" "Not even my wife knows about this." "I won't tell anybody." "I promise." "I promise on Sacred Bible I won't tell anybody." "Jesus..." "Come on." "Junior..." "Are you just gonna stay in there?" "No, sir." "Sorry, I'm late." "You're sorry?" "Is 1 o'clock in the morning." "I've been looking everywhere for you." "I went to Mr. Tolson's house after dance." "I thought you might have done that." "That's why I went over there." "I talked to Ruth." "She said, Tolson was gone and that you weren't there." "Son, I give you another chance." "Where were you?" " I can't tell you, sir." " Good Lord, boy." "We've been worried to death about you." "Junior, where were you?" " I can't tell you sir." " Why not?" " I don't know." " I don't know?" "I don't know is not an acceptable answer, Junior." " Junior." " Silence is not an option either." " You've been drinking?" " Honey." "Because you must have been drinking, coming up in my house talking about you don't wanna tell me where you've been at 1:30 in the morning." " Come on baby, tell me what's the matter." " Mum, nothing is the matter." "Now, something is the matter, something is wrong." "Were you with that girl, were you with that girl?" "No." "Because you're 14 years old, Junior." "You've got plenty of time for girls later." "I wasn't with Samantha." "Junior." "Then where were you?" "Where were you, honey?" "You don't wanna talk?" "Fine." "But you're not leaving this house." " What do you mean?" " Just what I said." "You're not leaving this house until you tell me the truth." " What about school?" " Don't go question on what I just said, boy." " Mum, what about school?" " And don't raise your voice!" "I'm not raising my voice." "You're gonna raising your voice in the house?" "I am not raising my voice!" "You do for me the job, pay all the wages?" "Are you a man, now?" " I'm not not raising my voice!" " Just apologise!" "I didn't say anything what shall I apologise." "Like you apologized that pig farmer?" "What you said, boy?" "You go to your room." "Junior..." "I'm not going to be weak on this, Pearl." "I know." "Can't allow my son to be corrupt." "You're right." "Now let's just go to bed." "I'll take him to school in the morning." " All right?" " All right." "I will be honest with you, boys." "I'm not well." "I'm not well at all this morning." "I'm sure sorry to hear that, sir." "But you look well than me." "Don't he look well?" "Yes, sir." "You look really good." "Now we've got some white fellows from up north coming to our town." "These turn up trouble between our coloreds and our whites." "They say that we need to make a union." "The sharecroppers and the workers, all together colored and white." "They need make a union?" "How do you boys feel about that?" "I don't know sir." "I really don't know much about that." "It's a bad idea." "It's bad idea." "Take my word for it." "Yes, sir." "And they said that there was some kind of secret meeting last night down near the lake." "Now, do you boys know about that?" "No, sir." "You don't know about that?" " Samuel?" " No, sir." " You didn't hear about that?" " No, sir." " You swear to me?" " Yes, sir." "Yes, sir, I swear." "All right, then." "See you later." "Our first debate is one week from today." "PAUL QUINN" " One week?" " That's right." "I thought Prairie View is first." "Prairie View is tough, so I thought we're needed to warm up." "With the best negro college in the State?" "That's right, Mr. Burgess." "Is that frighten you?" "Yes, sir." "One week is not enough time to write our arguments." "You do the research, I write the arguments." "Wait." "You?" "You write the arguments?" "And you deliver them, Mr. Lowe." "What the hell do I look like, a mailman?" "Hell is where you're headed if you question me again." "In theory you look like a student." "So what you're saying is I'm not capable?" "Is not a matter of competence it's a matter of experience." " How do I know you...?" " I write the arguments." "That's the way has been, that's the way is going to be." "Any more questions?" "One week." "I'm bringing to you our first affirmative debater..." "From Paul Quinn College:" "Oquery Hobert." "Resolved." "Unemployment's relief should be ended," "When the depression ends." "If the depression ends." "I've traveled back through the history to 1536, when the first followers of England were mandate." "In those days the dole or welfare as we call it." "Was founded by voluntary contributions." "But as time passed the English devised the allowed system." "The first unemployment relief." "Only now it was paid but involuntary contributions." "More commonly known as taxes." "The allowed system was a disaster." "Don't need real unemployment relief as to give a man a job." "But to do that you have to give economy life." "Not tax it to death." "When capitalism was young the old puritanical concept to duty was:" "He who does not work so not eat." "And that made sense when it was more work than men willing to do it." "But those days are gone." "Now there are many who want to work, but find themselves standing in breadlines." "Now should they not eat?" "Because there are no jobs?" "People, today we need a new concept to duty." "The right of the individual to demand from society is just as much as he gives to society." "We clutch on anything that even looks like a solution." "60 million dollars on month for public relief." "Pay it out if it'll sweep the hobos off the streets." "One seventh of the population of the US are on welfare." "Fine, as long as it ends our misery." "A nation as desperate as this is a danger to itself." "Once, a Roman general brought peace to a rebellious province by killing all its citizens." "Even the stalled Romans were shocked." "One of them wrote:" ""Solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant"." "Which means they create desolation and call it peace." "Now for all their facts and figures the Paul Quinn debaters would also create desolation" "And call it peace." "They would allow the unemployed to die so the economy can live." "A brilliant young woman I know was asked once to support her argument in favor social welfare." "She named the most powerful source imaginable." "The look in a mother's face when she can not feed her children." "Can you look that hungry child in the eyes?" "See the blood on his feet from walking barefoot in the cotton fields?" "Or do you ask his baby sister with the belly swollen from hunger, she cares about her daddy's work ethic?" "!" "He is good." "Wiley!" "Wiley!" "The only thing that matters that big fish and little fish, and the color of the fish does not count." "WON 2." "LOST 0." "If in the state of Missisipi was turned a head each and every time a negro was lynched." "You've seen the Federal Government intervene?" "WON 3." "LOST 0." "Wiley!" "Wiley!" "WON 6." "LOST 0." "And the winner is..." "Fisk University" "Wiley College." "WON 8." "LOST 0." "WON:" "Infinity." "WILEY COLLEGE DEBATERS NEW CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS" "That's right captain, I think I've got the ring leader." "All right, if that's what you want." "Yes, okey-dokey then." "Bye-bye." " Shit." " Who was that?" "Captain Wainwright." "Texas Rangers?" "He wants me to hold off on picking this fellow up, until him and his boys get up here." "Shit." "He wants to get his picture on paper." "Yeah." "We do all of the work and they get all of the glory." "I guess that's the way the world is." "Am I right Samuel?" "I've an announcement to make." "Excuse me." "Recently I - ahm, we " "Sent some letters to some major universities." "Told them all about us, our team, what we've been doing," "And yesterday we've got response." "From Oklahoma City University." " Are they a...?" " Anglo-Saxons, yes." "We'll be the first negro college in America," "Well, one of the first negro colleges in America," "To have a debate in a white college." "All right." "University of Oklahoma." "Not University of Oklahoma." "Oklahoma City University." "The debate will take place at an out-campus site." "Wait." "At out-campus site?" "Why?" "Because sometimes, Mr. Lowe you have to take things one step at a time." "So what you're saying is that the crackers in Oklahoma ain't gonna allow us in the campus?" "No, what I'm saying is that you have to take things one step at a time." " This is a great opportunity." " Thank you very much." "A great opportunity?" "The master just is gonna give us a crumb out of his plate." "What?" "I think Lowe here is afraid." "What am I afraid of, James?" "I think you're afraid to debate white people." " Anglo-Saxons." " Anglo-Saxons." " Thank you very much." " Mr. Tolson let me debate." "I mean I'll debate Anglo-Saxons anywhere." "In a dark alley with no light with a candle, and the people chasing you down with guns." "Now." "I'll debate Anglo-Saxons anywhere." " I ain't afraid." " I am." "Mr. Tolson when I came here today." "I saw the Sheriff outside watching your house." "What's going on?" "Maybe you should ask the Sheriff." "I've been hearing a lot of rumours about what you're doing." "My dad just called Dean last week." "And asked what is a communist doing and teaching at a good Methodist College." "My polics are my business, Mr. Burgees and I promise you that it will not endanger the team." "But, sir." "It is being endangered." "I came to Wiley College to be educated not investigated." " I understand." " I don't wanna be dragged in anything." "If my parents..." "I'm sorry." "Mr. Tolson, please." "Just tell me you're not a communist." "Otherwise..." "Otherwise what?" "Otherwise what?" "My father said I have to quit." " Nobody wants that." " Then tell me." "As I said, my polics are my business." "I guess I have to resign." "Mrs. Tolson, thank you for the wonderful dinner." "You're welcome, Hamilton." "Good luck in Oklahoma." "I know you'll win." "All right." "Well..." "If anybody else wants to quit, I'll understand." "MOUNT SINAI." "Resolved:" "The negroes should be should be admitted..." "I can't hear you!" "Louder!" "Resolved:" "Negroes should be admitted to state universities." "My partner and I will prove that blocking a negroe's admission to a state university is not only wrong," "It is absurd." "The negro people are not just the color in the American fabric." "They are the thread that holds that all together." "Consider the legal and historical record." "May 13, 1865, sergeant Crocker, a negro is the last soldier to die in the Civil War." "In 1918 the first US soldiers decorated for bravery in France are negroes Henry Johnson and Nedham Roberts." "1920, The New York Times announces that the "n" in "negro" would hereafter be capitalize." "To force upon south what they are not ready for, would result in nothing but more racial hatred." "Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, he is perhaps the most eminent negro scholar in America," "He comments:" ""It's a silly waste of money... /...time and temper... /...to try to pelt a powerful majority to do... /...what they're determined to not to do."" "My opponent so conveniently chose to ignore the fact," "That W. E. B. Du Bois is the first negro who receved a PhD," "From a white college called Harvard." "Dr. Du Bois, he adds:" ""It is impossible," ""Impossible for a negro to receive a proper education... /...at a white college."" "The most eminent negro scholar in America is the product of the United League education." "You see, Du Bois knows all too well the white man's resistance to change." "But that's no reason to keep a black man out of any college." "If someone didn't force upon the south something it wasn't ready for," "I'd still be in chain, and Miss Booke here'd be running from out of an asset." "I do admit it." "It is true." "Far too many whites are afflicted with the disease of racial hatred." "And because of racism it would be impossible for a negro to be happy in a southern white college today." "And if someone is unhappy it is impossible to see how they could receive a proper education." "Yes, the time will come when negroes and whites would walk on the same campus." "And we will share the same classrooms." "But sadly that day is not today." "As long as schools are segregated negroes will receive an education that is both separate and unequal." "By Oklahoma is on reckoning the state is currently spending 5 times more for the education of a white child than in the spending to educate a colored child." "That means better textbooks for that child than for that child." "I say that's a shame." "But my opponent says today is not the day for whites and coloreds to go the same college." "To share the same campus." "To walk in the same classroom." "Well, would you be so kind to tell me when is that day gonna come?" "Is it gonna come tomorrow?" "Is it gonna come next week?" "In 100 years?" "Never?" "No!" "The time for justice, the time for freedom and the time for equality..." "Is always, is always right now!" "Thank you." "What is this?" "I told you is holy wine, but hairy in the chest." " If you say so." " Good, ain't?" "You will bat on me as if you'll need it." "And my weapon were words." "I don't need a gun, I don't need a knife, you see..." "Meet me outside in 5 minutes." "And then what?" "Honey, nobody knows that better than you know." "I'm fine." " How are you doing, Pearl?" " Pearl." "How do you do, I'm just like you." "And where's your husband?" "He is in the study." " Dr. Farmer." " Congratulations Melvin." " Thank you." " You put us on the map." "Well, your son is doing great job, his researching is impeccable." "That's good to hear, good to hear." "Listen." "There're people around town who aren't very happy with your off-campus activities." "They're calling you a radical." "In fact I wouldn't be a bit suprised to find out," "When in the mornin' when I woke up that you're strung up to a tree." "They have to catch me first." "This is serious, Melvin." "Very serious." "A hungry negro steals a chicken and he goes to jail." "A rich businessman steals barns, he goes to Congress." "I think that's wrong." "And that makes me radical, a socialist, a communist..." "Amen." "Amen on that." " Jesus was radical." " Careful." " Yes, he was, Jesus was radical." " Careful." "Mental institutions are filled with people who confuse themselves with Jesus Christ." "You confess to Jesus Christ now?" "You confess to Jesus Christ?" "You know what words do." " Come on now." " Amen." "Don't wanna confuse yourself with Jesus Christ." "No, I am not confused, I'm convinced." "I'm not judging you." "I'm just concerned about your methods." "What methods?" "James was there that night, wasn't he?" "He was not with me." " Is he involved in this?" " Of course not, James." "I've done everything in my power to keep him out of this." "To keep him out?" "What?" "Does he want to be involved?" "You tell me he wants to involved?" "No, he doesn't." "Maybe this is something you should discuss with him." "I'm discussing here with you right now and I don't feel like I'm getting the straight answer from you." "No, you're getting a straight answer..." "I think that you were there with him that night." " He was not with me." " He is a 14 years old boy." "I understand that, James." "And I'll do whatever I have to do to protect him, you understand that?" "Do anybody thirsty?" " Thank you, thank you." " You're welcome." " Ruth, this is a fine party." " Thank you." "I think it's time for some sweet potato pie." " Please." " I help you with that." "Not the time to talk about it." " Congratulations." " Thank you." "It's so beautiful out here." "Yeah." "I was born near here, up by the lake Jefferson." "I come here since I was a little boy." "Your parents still live around here?" "No, they're gone." "My grandparents raised me." "My papa here spent his live building levels around here, for free of course." "He was a slave?" "My grandma was always telling me that," "Be good or else the Confederates will rise up out of the Marshall cemetery, and get me." "What?" "I've just never seen this side of you before." "What side?" "You seem so calm, so peaceful." "I think the lake does it to me." "I am happy when I'm up here, you know?" "It's funny..." "A part of me wants just to stay out here by the lake, you know." "To read books all day, hunt or fish when I get hungry." "And the other part want to go everywhere and see everything." "I want to go to New Orleans, and New York, and Chicago, ...and even San Francisco." "So I wanna go..." "walking down the road and disappear." "Maybe you can take me with you." " Come, over." " What?" "The schoolband is playing in the outside." "What?" "Oh my Jesus!" "I thought you said that nobody ever comes here." "Nobody ever does come here, Samantha." "Hold on, hold on." "Henry, come on!" "Henry!" "Get dressed." "What's going on?" "We gonna go get Mr. Tolson and Samantha head back to the campus" "And have a paper hour." "Come on, get dressed." "You know, you go get Tolson and I meet up you a bit later on campus." "Come on, Lowe." "You know it's gonna be fun..." "I guess I tell them you're gonna join us later." "He's gonna join us later." "Just has to clean his house, that's all." "Great news, great news, great news!" "My phone has been ringing off the hook." "University of Michigan wants to debate us." "So does SMU (Southern Methodist University), so does Georgia." "Where is Mr. Lowe?" "When do I get to debate?" "Sooner than you think, James." "Sooner than you think." "When?" "When you're ready." "I am ready now." "Mr. Tolson, I do not mind if James..." "What's wrong?" "Maybe I'm tired of this." "Of what?" "Of watching another people debate." "When am I get a chance to prove myself?" "You are the best researcher, James." "We could not do this without you." "You do plenty without me." "Excuse me." " James." " What?" "James, you wait." "It was so mean what you said in there." "I don't wanna lose your friendship..." "How can you lose something that you've never had?" "You were never my friend?" "Maybe I don't wanna just be your friend." "Maybe it hurts me to be your friend." "Get stringed." "Mr. Tolson!" "Where is he?" " Calm down, Henry." " Have you seen him?" "No, they don't let us." " Ain't did unto you, did they?" " No, we're fine." "Good day." "I am dr." "James Farmer, Wiley College." "This is William Taylor, Mr. Tolson attorney." " And this is his wife, Ruth." " Hello." "I'd like to see my client, please." "William." " Sir Dozier, dr James Farmer, this is..." " Hello William." "How are you doing today?" " Fine, sir." "And you?" " Not too bad, not too bad." "Me and William we go a way back." "I knew William when I was a boy." "Could I see my client now, sheriff?" "Your client?" "The fact of the business is, William that your client is kind of busy right now." "Busy doing what?" "Sheriff, sheriff." "It's a situation..." " Get some boys out there." " Right." "Men!" "Let him go, let him go..." "Let him go!" "Let him go!" " They're with you?" " That's right." "See, this is what happens to a town when you let the unions in starts trouble." "People get all wild up about nothing." "One of us is liable to get hurt." "If you catch my drift." "Sheriff, it is clear that you have not evidence," "To arrest Mr. Tolson." "So I suggest you let him go." "You suggest it?" "Who the hell are you?" "Couple months ago there was a raid on the floor of Tilmuch barn." "It was a peaceful and lawful gathering of sharecroppers," "Who were brutally attacked by a gang of violent vigilants." "Now witnesses say that you were there." "If you led that raid, Sheriff," "You're the one who broke the law." "Not Tolson." "Are you threatening me, boy?" "No, sir." "I wouldn't do that." "But I can not speak for those people outside." "An unjust law is no law at all." "What does that mean?" "A mass-slaughter of citizens." "Both white and colored... by Texas Rangers." "It's that really what you want as a Sheriff of this county?" "Now if you'd let Tolson go home," "I believe, I believe these folks outside they go home as well." " That pig wasn't worth 25 dollars." " What?" "You owe my father some money." "Have a seat, Mr. Farmer." "Oh, Lord..." "SMU (Southern Methodist University) has canceled." "University of Georgia sounds like they will follow soon." "Why?" "I've been blacklisted." "They're talking about censoring me," "Dean claiming the board have asked me to..." "Stop working with sharecroppers or else," "They say that is not my fight." "So..." "Things are bad." "My academic career is in jeopardy," "My debate team has nowhere to go." "Anyone know who Antaeus was?" "Sure, he was a gigantic wrestler in Greek mythology." "His mother was Gaia, the Goddess of Earth, and..." "I mean he was unbeatable, because any time he was thrown down to the Earth that would make him stronger." "That's correct, it would make him stronger." "Defeat would make him stronger." "You are my students, I am your teacher." "I think that is a sacred trust." "So what do I say to you now?" "Quit?" "Because the Dean says so?" "Because the Sheriff says so?" "Because the Texas Rangers says so?" "No!" "I am diametrically oppose to that." "My message to you is to never quit." "We are not quiting." "Good." "What do you wanna us to do?" " Debate Harvard." " Harvard?" "Harvard University." "They're the reigning national champions." "If we defeat them, we defeat the best." "Mr.Tolson, sir!" "With the whole lotta respect." "Harvard ain't gonna debate us." "Not a little Wiley College in Marshall, Texas." "They know who we are, Henry." "I've been writing them letters, sending them articles..." "But how do we get them letter back?" "By continuing to win." "Dr. Farmer has informed me, that Howard University... is gonna be in Prairie View next week." "We annihilated Fisk (Univ.)" "If we eliminate Howard we will have beaten the two best negro colleges in Amierica." "I can guarantee you that I will see to it that Harvard does not ignore that." "All right?" "Yes." " Look forward on that, you don't see on that?" " I've been looking all the time." " Prairie View, Texas. 127." " You show me where I look, 'cause it's not on." "127, near Waxer Hutch." " It's not there." " Is there, you just can't find it." "I see 2 and I see 7." "Right, now look for 1 in front of this and you get it." "After 126, Before 128." "I really don't think..." "Where you get this map?" "What are you doing?" "I'll come down." "Back in the car, shut the door." "Nobody move." "Get down, get down." "Get down, too." "There is a negro in that car." "Come on, let's pick it." "All right." "Everybody sit tight and I'll get the keys." " How you doing, Mrs. Baker?" " I am fine." " Are you all right?" " Yes, M'am." " Nice if you come in." " Thank you." "Henry." "Henry!" "Henry!" "Hi baby, how you doing?" "Still waiting for me?" "What's the matter baby?" "Come on." "Baby!" "Samantha!" "Shut up, let's go." " Where?" " Shut up, let's go." " Where we going?" " Next room." "Got him, Mr. Tolson." "Ok, sit..." "Come here." "Give me a hug." "Stop." "...what I see, great big nigger hanging on the tree..." "You're worthless..." "What?" "You think you are the only one hurt?" "Ok, I'm sorry..." "For everything..." "For drinking..." "I apologise." "I'm not talking about me." "You're right." "I'm gonna talk to her." "No, no." "You won't allowed." "She doesn't need to see you like this." "No, is ok." "I'm just gonna talk to her..." "Can you leave me alone?" "Calm down, boy." "Stop." "Stop." "I am not playing with you." "Calm down." "You're crazy?" "You're never gon' forgot what you saw up there, you understand?" "You're never gon' forgot what you saw up there." "Can hang and they easy tore off you sometimes sometimes they cut all of your fingers off," "Your toes, your nose, your ears." "Sometimes they cut your coverts off." "Sometimes they skin you alive." "You'll never be able to forget." "What do you think he did?" "He did not have to do nothing James, he did not have to do nothing." "In Texas, they lynch negroes." "Do you understand?" "So it doesn't matter how good we are, doesn't?" "What do you talk?" "What?" "This is all useless." "What are you talking about?" "We're just a bunch of negroes debating each other on subjects we all agree on." "James, don't talk like that." "All right?" " Why not?" " Because you can't." "Not you." "Bye." "God bless." "Where is Samantha?" "She's not going with us." "Why not?" "What do you think?" "I took her to the bus-station." "She wanted to go back to school." "You wanted your chance?" "This is it." "How can any negro defend the punishment of prison..." "When he sees so much oppression in his own life?" "How?" "Because crime itself is a form of oppression." "And negroes fall victim to more violent crime, than any other race in America." "For us..." "Prison not only offers protection, but retribution." "Yes, it is." "And for the criminal..." "It is a dark gift..." "The hardship that introduces a man to himself..." "That rouses his passion for freedom..." "His hope for redemption." "Our next debater from Wiley College," "Mr. James Farmer Junior." "Mr. Farmer." "Mum." "Mum." "Honey!" "Hi!" "So..." "We lost." "I'm sorry." "This came..." "Harvard?" "Who sent this?" " Go on, open it!" "And read it." " It seems that someone opened it already." "Not me." " You didn't open it already?" " No." "You are not a good liar." "Out loud!" "Dear Mr. Tolson." "Thank you for informing us... about your historical victory over Oklahoma City." "I'm sure you realize our season is nearly over, but today we received another letter from Wiley College, written by Mr. Henry Lowe." "with an "e"." "He told us from his student's prospective about your about your undefeated season." " Well, we are not undefeted any more." " Doesn't matter." "We wish to extend an invitation to..." "We wish to extend invitation to debate Harvard Crimson," "Here in Cambridge." "Let us know if this is agreeable to you." " Don't tell anybody." " No." "You don't have to thank me." " I just wanted to show you I could write too." " Yes, good." "Thank you." "You could do me a favor." "What's that?" "Keep Samantha on the team..." "Why I wanna do that?" "Mr. Tolson it was a rough night." "Yes it was, Mr. Lowe." "For all of us." "And she walked out on us at the last minute." "No, sir." "She did not walk out on us." "She walked out on me." "It's a good tea." "Resolved:" "Capitalism is a immoral." "You will be arguing the affirmative." "To a bunch of Wall Street bankers." "Mr. Tolson, I owe you and my teammates..." "You're late, come in, sit down." "Samantha, I am not..." "Resolved." "You've got macaroni cheese, fried chicken, black peas for good luck, red beans and rice, corn-bread, candy canes, I put some peach cutlet in there too." "And red pudding too." "I know that you don't like pudding but I put it anyway." "Thank you, mom." "Good luck, son." "Dad..." "Yes, Junior." "You get bolster by regards, yeah?" "Yes sir." "Come on, train's leaving." "Coming." " Bye mom." " Bye bye." "I love you." "We love you, too." "All aboard." " I'm not going with you." " What?" "I can not leave the state." "It's a condition of my bail." "You can't let them stop you." "They're not stopping me." "I just don't wanna jeopardize your opportunity." "You did want without me, this is what you wanted to do all along." "Isn't it?" "It's right." "Why didn't you tell us before?" "Because I didn't want to hear your arguments." "I knew they'd be too good." "All right, Mr. Lowe." "You are in charge." "Whatever your instinct will tell you, you listen." " Yes, sir." " Let's go." "What we supposed to do without you?" "Win." "I thought someone supposed to meet us." " Wiley College?" " Yes." "I'm Harland Osbourne." "Harvard has put me in charge for the time you are here in Boston." " Hi, I am Henry Lowe." " Mr. Lowe." " James Farmer Junior." " Mr. Farmer." " Samantha Booke." " Of course, Miss Booke." "We should be going." "My car is up front." " I've got it." " Thank you." "Just so you know we're staying on campus in Douglas Hall." "I got to tell you, this debate is stiring up a lot of excitement." " Really?" " Oh yeah." "It's gonna be broadcast all over America." " Can we see where we gonna debate?" " Of course." "Hello, Harvard." "Excuse me." "You suppose to be here?" "I guess we'll find out." "Won't we?" "Look, Mr. Farmer." "5 dollars?" "Lowe, I've got 5 dollars." "Yes, I did, too." "It's called "per diem"." " Want me to hold it for you?" " No, not my 5 dollars." "I've got 5 dollars." "I've got 5 dollars." "Yeah, me too." "Well, mine is crisp." "James, this is high tea, all right?" "We nibble, we do not devour." "How do you know?" "I don't." "Hello, I'm Wilson." "This is for you." "Thank you." "I can't accept that, sir." "It would be inappropriate." ""To be inappropriate"." " Who this wrote?" " From Harvard." "Maybe it's more money." "We have been informed, by Tau Kappa Gamma that your team delivers..." "Canned speaches..." "Arguments written by faculty rather then students." "Therefore we are changing the topic." "You have the same amount of time" "To write new arguments as the Harvard team." "48 hours." "Coaches helped students all the time." "Yes, sir." "Both teams will be delivered the same reference books." "A new topic: "Resolved:" "Civil disobedience is a moral weapon to fight for justice."" "Wiley College will be arguing the affirmative." "Thank you, sir." "I can't reach Mr. Tolson." "Nobody knows where he is." "He sent us up to loose." "We can't win without him." "You're wrong." "We can't win without him." "Thoreau?" "Here is your coffee, sir." "Thank you, Mr. Wilson." "Just Wilson." "Thank you, Wilson." " Well, you have to use the mass..." " But is that..." "Agreed, James." "But we'll save it for the red button." "We gonna save the best for last." "Because you have to..." "You have to lead the audience..." "I think we should include this Ghandi concept with Satyagraha..." "I don't agree." "I don't think people can understand Satyagarha... or Such a gar..." "Satyagraha." "From the Sanskrit, meaning truth and fairness." "I told you." "It's obvious to me that we should begin debate with Ghandi." "That's exactly what I won't do it." "Why should I do the obvious thing?" "Because that's what wins debate." "Listen to what you're saying." "This is Harvard, ok?" "The first thing you think when you say "disobedience"..." "What's the first thing?" "That's why we chose Ghandhi!" "He's a strong poet." "I wanna win." "Do you wanna win?" "Yes, I wanna win." "This is not getting us the way out." "Tolson told me I was in charge." "Ain't put you in charge." "He put me in charge, so I make the decision." "We will not starting with Ghandi." "You act like a kid!" " You are a kid." " You are an idiot." " Am I an idiot?" " Yes, you are an idiot." "To hell with you, to hell with this debate." "To hell with me?" "Just because I've just leaved you?" "Crazy, you!" " He's coming back, isn't he?" " See if I care." "You're beautiful when you sleep." "Yes, I know, I know..." "But she ain't stop me from looking at you." "Shut up and go to bed." "James, come on, wake up." "No." "James..." "Come on James, get up." "What?" "What is this?" "That's my notes." "Why are you giving on to me for?" "Because you're debating, not me." "What?" "It's your turn, James." "You're serious?" " You're crazy." " 14 is just as good as me." "Judges will love you." "No, you can't quit." "I'm not quitting Samantha." "Tolson made me captain, and I said that you are ready." "You saw me at Howard, it was horrible." "That's right." "You did it horrible, didn't you?" "Stuck-up the whole joint." "Right?" "So she just quit, right?" "She just give up?" "No." "Who is the judge?" "What?" "Who is the judge?" "Judge is God." "And why is he God?" "Because he decides who wins or loses, not my opponent." "Who is your opponent?" "He doesn't exist." "Why doesn't he exist?" "Because he is a mute dissenting voice of the truth I speak!" "That's right." "Speak the truth!" "Direct from Harvard, Memorial Hall /in Cambridge Massachusetts," "This is the WNBC Radio, bringing /to you live tonight's history, making debate... /Between little Wiley College, /from Marshall Texas," "And the Harvard University /debate team." "The first time ever a negro college /has faced the national champions." "Harvard's Dean and students are making their ways to the podium now." "The crowd as if were cued fall silent." "On this historical occasion... /We welcome the distinguished /team from Wiley College," "the illustrious judges, you, the audience, /and through the wonder of radio, the nation." "Harvard University celebrates its 300th anniversary this year." "And in Franklin Delano Roosevelt, its 5th President of the US." "But no University, no matter how grand or august in its history" "Can't afford to live in the past," "So in the spirit of tomorrow... /I introduce to you today..." "The debaters from Wiley College," "Miss Samantha Booke Mr. James Farmer Junior." "What?" "Mr. Farmer will argue the first affirmative." "Resolved:" "Civil disobedience is a moral weapon in the fight for justice." "But how can disobedience ever be moral?" "I guess that's depend on one's definition of the words." "Word." "In 1919 in India, 10,000 people gathered in Amritsar... to protest the tyranny of British rule." "Has it started?" "Your brother's talking, just sit down." "General Reginald Dyer, /traped them in a courtyard," "And ordered his troops to fire into the crowd for 10 minutes." "379 died." "Men, women, children, /shot down in cold blood." "Dyer said he taught them a moral lesson." "Ghandhi and his followers responded not with violence," "But with organised campaign of non-cooperation." "Government buildings were occupied," "Streets were blocked by people /who refused to rise." "Even being beaten by police." "Ghandhi was arrested." "But the British were soon forced to release him." "He called it "a moral victory"." "The definition of moral:" "Dyer's lesson, or Ghandi's victory?" "You choose." "From 1914 to 1918," "For every single minute the world was at war." "4 men laid down their lives." "Just think of it." "240 brave young men..." "Were hurled into eternity every hour of every day," "Of every night for 4 long years." "35,000 hours." "8,281,000 casualties." "240." "240." "240." "Here was a slaughter immeasurable greater that what happened in Amritsar." "Can be anything moral about it?" "Nothing." "Except that it stopped Germany from enslaving all of Europe." "Civil disobedience isn't moral because it's non-violent." "Fighting for your country with violence can be deeply moral." "Demanding the greatest sacrifice of all." "Life itself." "Non-violence, is the mask civil disobedience wears to conceal it's true face." "Anarchy." "Ghandhi believes one must always act" "With love and respect for ones opponents." "Even if they are Harvard debaters." "Ghandhi also believes that law-breakers..." "Must accept the legal consequences for their actions." "Does it sound like anarchy?" "Civil disobedience is not something for us to fear." "It is after all an American concept." "You see, Ghandhi draws his inspiration not from a Hindu Scripture," "But from Henry David Thoreau who I believe graduated from Harvard," "And lived by upon not too far from here." "My opponent is right about one thing." "Thoreau was a Harvard grade," "And like many of us," "A bit self-righteous." "He once said:" ""Any man more right than his neighbors... /...constitutes a majority of one."" "Thoreau, the idealist, could never know," "That Adolf Hitler would agree with his words." "The beauty and burden of democracy is this:" ""No idea prevails without the support of the majority"." "The people decide the moral issues of the day," "Not a majority of one." "Majorities do not decide what is right or wrong." "Your conscience does." "So why should us citizens surrender his the whole conscience" "To a legacy." "We must never, ever kneel down..." "Before the tyranny of a majority." "We can't decide which laws to obey, which to ignore." "If we could, I'd never stop for a red light." "My father is one of those men that stand between us and chaos." "A police officer." "I remember the day his partner," "His best friend... /Was gunned down in the line of duty." "Most vividly of all, I remember the expression on my dads face." "Nothing..." "That erodes the rule of law can be moral." "No matter what name we give it." "Why doesn't he say something?" "In Texas they lynch negroes." "My teammate and I..." "Saw a man strung by his neck." "and set on fire." "We drove to a lynch mob." "We pressed our faces against the floor board." "I looked at my teammates." "I saw the fear in their eyes." "And worse, the shame." "What was this negro's crime?" "That he should be hung without trial in a dark forest filled with fog." "Was he a thief?" "Was he a killer?" "Or just a negro?" "Was he a sharecropper?" "A preacher?" "Were his children waiting up for him?" "And who are we to just lie there" "And do nothing." "No matter what he did, the mob was the criminal." "But the law did nothing," "Just left us wondering:" "Why?" "My opponent says:" ""Nothing that erodes the rule of law can be moral."" "But there is no rule of law in the Jim Crow South." "Not, when negroes are denied to housing, turned away from schools, hospitals," "And not, when we are lynched." "St. Augustine said:" ""An unjust law is no law at all."" "Which means I have a right, even a duty to resist." "With violence or civil disobedience..." "You should pray I choose the latter." "In tonight debate... /Between Harvard University," "And Wiley College." "And the winner is..." "Wiley College." "Just 7 years later in 1942 James Farmer Junior founded the Congress of Racial Equality." "And became a leader in the civil rights movement." "After a long life of teaching and writing." "James Farmer Sr. passed away in 1961." "on the day before Samantha Booke, a lawyer, took the first Freedom Ride to Alabama." "Henry Lowe went on study theology at the University of California." "and became a minister." "Melvin Tolson became a world renowned poet." "He continued his work with Southern Tenant Farmers' Union." "By the end of 1936, it had 31,000 members in seven states." "For ten years the Wiley College debate team went undefeated."