MAN: I think one of the most emotional moments of my life
was the night that I was initiated into the Klan.
I was led into the Klavern hall, which was dark.
The only light that I could see was a fiery cross.
And that put me through the ceremony.
Purified me with water. Laid his hand on my shoulder, says,
"You're part of the Invisible Empire, United Klans of America."
And there was a tremendous applause throughout the auditorium.
And I came up off the floor really in tears
because that's what I'd been looking for all my life.
An opportunity to be heard, an opportunity to be something.
WOMAN: I first told him, "Hell no!"
(AUDIENCE LAUGHS)
I would never, ever. But kill him, that's all I want.
That was on my heart to kill him.
And this is the kind of reputation that I have in Durham.
I'm not bragging about it, but it is the truth.
You can call Durham, and they will tell you.
No, I will not take no for an answer. I have to have the word "yes"
because all of our blood, when it comes out, is the same color.
I haven't seen any blood different yet than the color of mine.
And, I'm saying whatever you believe in, and I keep saying it,
stand on it, baby. Stand on it.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(CROWD CLAMORING)
(CHANTING) Equal housing now! Equal housing now! Equal housing now!
WOMAN: They call this Magic City, Mr. Atkins.
Ain't no magic here.
Abe Greenfeld ain't nothing but a vile slumlord.
You know it, and I know it.
And the black people of East Durham have the same rights as anybody else.
This girl, Mr. Atkins,
this young lady, is a single mother of three children.
And she wake up this morning to an eviction notice.
But there's no hot water, what, baby, for two weeks?
That's right, Miss A.
Two weeks, and you say, what, no toilet? No toilet.
No toilet. And that ain't no way for no human to live.
(STIFLED LAUGH)
Mr. Atkins, we done writing letters here.
We want to be heard before tomorrow night's ruling.
Miss Atwater, you know our agenda is tight,
and we simply cannot allot time to everybody that wants to speak.
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
Now, we thank you. Show yourselves out.
Mr. Tucker, to what do I owe this pleasure?
Sit down. (ATKINS LAUGHS)
Well, and a mighty fine afternoon to you, too.
Now, you listen to me, Councilman! And you too, Mr. Tucker!
We ain't going nowhere until we get down to the brass tacks.
You understand me? Everything all right here, Bill?
Mr. Oldham, now we have been sitting here for over half an hour,
and the Councilman, here, ain't done nothing but... Ann.
Ann. We're gonna give you your chance to speak tomorrow night.
Are we good now?
(CHUCKLES)
Not yet.
Come on.
(INSECTS BUZZING)
MAN: Samuel Grace. Ayes?
ALL: Aye. Nays?
Okay, then.
Fred Eggert, Gene Waddle, and Samuel Grace
are tentatively approved as new citizens
of North Carolina Unit Nine of the Invisible Empire,
United Klans of America.
Kligraph is directed to certify the petitions
and prepare the oaths for ceremony.
Roy, next week should be fine.
Final item. Combat and firearms training
resumes this Saturday from noon to 4:00
under the supervision of second officer Floyd Kelly.
And I'll remind the Youth Corps members
that this training is mandatory.
Y'all hear me? I'm talking to you.
Yeah. (MEN CHUCKLING)
Let's bow our heads.
Heavenly Father, give us strong minds, great hearts,
true faith, and ready hands.
Keep us unfettered from the world that we might fight the good fight
and be worthy to claim the prize.
May we as brethren and Klansmen be steadfast and unremovable.
As we go hence from this Klavern into the struggle of the alien world,
let us not forget the crowning glory of a Klansman is to serve.
Non silba, sed anthar.
ALL: Not for self, but for others!
Mmm-hmm. Get him ready.
You can say that again. He was born ready.
Ready or not.
Mr. Ellis?
Oh, hey.
This is, uh, this is the new boy I was telling you about.
Oh, sure. Sure, sure.
Sure, Ben. Come on in the office.
I'll see you fellows.
Have a seat.
What's your name, son?
(CLEARS THROAT) Leonard, sir.
Don't be nervous, Leonard.
Ben here tells me you'd like to be a part of the Youth Corps.
Yes. Yes, sir.
Why do you want to be in the Youth Corps, Leonard?
(CLEARS THROAT) To help...
To help protect the white race of America
from the communist niggers and Jews who threaten us, sir.
That's a good boy. (DESK DRAWER OPENS)
But that's not all. (DRAWER SLIDES SHUT)
It's our rights, our freedoms,
our way of life that need protecting.
We're an endangered species, Leonard.
You understand?
I do.
Let me show you something.
You see that?
One day, this will be your most prized possession.
It will give you everything you need in your life.
Brotherhood, standing in the community, and a sense of pride
that you're part of something bigger than yourself.
But, most importantly, it will be a reminder every day
that you will no longer be an outsider.
(BOX SHUTS)
Welcome to the Youth Corps, Leonard.
(KNOCK AT DOOR)
We gonna take care of that thing?
Yeah.
Ben, bring the car around, out back.
(ENGINE SHUTS OFF)
Now what?
We wait.
(MAN CHUCKLING)
(MAN SINGING BALLAD ON RADIO) (HUMMING ALONG)
(CAR DOOR OPENS)
(DOG HOWLS)
She got a nigger boyfriend. (LIGHTER CLICKS)
The neighbors have been complaining.
Stay here.
Wait for the light, Wiley.
(SCREAMS)
(TELEPHONES RINGING) (TYPEWRITERS CLACKING)
(SIGHS)
Hey. Thank you. Mmm-hmm.
Miss Dupree.
Miss Dupree... Yes, I know, Miss Dupree, but...
Hold on, Miss Dupree.
Miss Dupree says she can't make it. Her kids...
Oh, no, ma'am. Come here.
Cissy, you better get your ass down to City Hall tonight.
No, no, I don't want to hear that.
I have been a single mother ever since I was 16,
and that's a whole hell of a lot longer than you.
(CHUCKLES) Well, child, it's supposed to be hard.
Are you gonna be down there tonight or what?
I better see your face looking black and angry.
Mmm-hmm.
Who's next?
(BELL DINGS)
Hey, Jeb, I'll take this one.
JEB: Sure, Mr. Ellis.
Finish up that tire for me, will you? All right.
Can you fill the place tonight?
You know I can, Carvie. What's up?
We're ruling on Greenfeld tonight.
Ann Atwater and all her Operation Breakthrough niggers
are gonna make a scene. I just need numbers.
Jesus. Greenfeld. You gonna help that scum?
(CARVIE CHUCKLES)
You know, C.P.
Reelection here. He got deep pockets.
I need to at least appear supportive.
And you need to keep your friends on the city council.
(CAR DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
I know, Carvie. We'll be there.
C.P.: Oh, you late. Yeah.
I guess that's what they call Africa time.
(MEN LAUGH)
FEMALE CLERK: First item on the docket.
In the matter of the Edgemont community housing,
the council will first hear from Mr. Paulsen,
representing Mr. Greenfeld.
(SPECTATORS GROANING, MURMURING)
Good evening.
As you know, Mr. Greenfeld prides himself
on providing comfortable housing at affordable rent
to a great many people in Durham.
(MURMURING) (GAVEL RAPS)
The council will hear Mr. Paulsen.
As with any dwelling, from time to time,
there undoubtedly will be some wear and tear.
(LAUGHING, SCOFFING) Mr. Greenfeld fully intends to address any of these issues
that these folks might have.
However, with the recent inclement weather,
Mr. Greenfeld has had insufficient time to get to everyone.
That's a lie. (GAVEL RAPS)
PAULSEN: We ask that the council grant us
the 90-day extension for these minor repairs.
Thank you.
Miss Atwater?
Uncomfortable housing and unaffordable rent
are about the only two things Abe Greenfeld has ever given us.
(EXCLAIMING, APPLAUDING)
Now, I have here with me
79 written complaints from the residents of Edgemont.
Each and every last one of them is a code violation.
(EXCLAIMING, APPLAUDING) (GAVEL RAPS)
I brought them here with me 'cause, obviously,
you ain't get them the first couple times when they were sent here.
(EXCLAIMING, APPLAUDING)
(GAVEL RAPS) Order!
Now we are fed up with this man
and his eviction notices and his rent hikes.
He has absolutely no care for his tenants' living conditions.
We humans. Humans shouldn't have to live like this.
(CLAMORING)
(GAVEL RAPPING)
Thank you for your comments, Miss Atwater.
And I will personally
pass those complaints on to the Housing Commission
for future review.
At this time, the council will grant the requested 90-day extension.
Thank you all.
This council will now stand in recess till next week.
Bye.
MARY: Put down that paper, Claiborne.
Put it down. All right. Okay, Mama.
Hmm? Daddy.
Hey, it's time to visit with your children.
Claiborne! I'm visiting. I... I...
I'm visiting.
How's your marks, Tim?
MARY: Tim, answer your father.
I'm getting an "F" in math.
That's 'cause you're stupid.
Well, I know it ain't for a lack of trying, son.
Maybe your teacher can give you a little extra time after school.
I don't think this teacher.
Why not?
She said I just ain't got a head for numbers, Daddy.
She said that don't matter, though.
She said I'll just work in the gas station with you when I grow up.
Yeah.
Maybe this teacher ain't so smart.
I'm gonna stop in at Murdock this morning before I go in, see your brother.
Give him a kiss for us, Daddy. You bet.
I don't like that place.
That's 'cause it's full of weirdos and retards.
Kenneth Wade!
Don't be calling your brother that.
I wasn't talking about him.
He just ain't as lucky as you is all. That's right.
I'm sorry.
You be sorry cleaning that table.
KENNETH: Yes, sir.
I better go. Give me some sugar, sugar.
Bye, Daddy.
ANN: Let's go, girls. Move your backsides.
Marilynn.
Marilynn! Girl, you forgot your lunch.
You'd forget your head if it wasn't attached to your shoulders. Go on now.
NURSE: Hey, come on. Help me out here.
Come on.
No. You got to help me out here.
Hey, buddy.
It's Daddy.
How you doing, pumpkin?
You have breakfast yet?
Pancakes this morning.
Oh! Hey, buddy, that's your favorite.
Thank you.
You got eggs and maple syrup.
(HUMMING OH, MY DARLING CLEMENT/NE)
Supposed to cut this up ahead of time.
He can't swallow all this.
There you go.
So you must multiply the three on this side by two.
But remember, whatever you do to the bottom,
you must do to the top, right?
Good. So I want you to go ahead,
work out the equations that I gave you.
Let's do the next one. Let's see what you come up with.
All right?
(METALLIC CREAKING)
(ALARM BELL RINGING)
(CHILDREN SCREAMING, SHOUTING)
Go. Single file.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(COUGHING)
(SIRENS APPROACHING)
Over here. Come on.
(RINGS)
Ann Atwater.
Hey, baby.
MARILYNN: Mama! Oh!
Thank God. (EXHALES)
Are you okay? I'm okay.
Okay, baby. You go wait in the car. I'll be right there.
Is anybody hurt? Everyone's okay. Just lots of smoke.
ANN: HOW did it start?
MAN: Most likely electrical, the way they keep this place up,
or it could've been set on purpose.
No. Klan ain't that stupid.
MAN: Why do you say that?
When a black school burns, then“.
Then what?
Then the black kids got to find a new school.
(LAUGHTER)
Turns out, he left the thing in neutral.
It rolls right back into the ravine.
They didn't find that truck for two weeks.
Oh, are you talking about how small your pecker is again, Wiley?
(LAUGHTER)
That ain't funny, Doreen.
Yeah, it ain't that kind of funny. That's for sure.
(LAUGHING)
FLOYD: You... You wait.
The guy's got one arm.
C.P.
Garland. Garland Keith, my friend. You're out late.
You wanna have a seat? No, thank you. Gentlemen.
Well, something must be awfully important for you to lower yourself
to come to a dump like this, Garland. Floyd, come on now.
No, no, no. Mmm-mmm.
I like the White Citizens' Council,
with their parade floats and their fancy country club meetings.
I'm always honored to mop up after them, do the dirty work.
You'll have to excuse Mr. Kelly. It's been a long week.
Sorry to say it's about to get a bit longer.
There was a fire out at East End Elementary today.
So what? It's a black school.
The parents have already filed a petition to allow the students
to finish out the year at Durham Elementary School.
There's an emergency council meeting tomorrow.
Well... Ann Atwater?
I think so.
C.P.: This ain't no small landlord dispute, Garland.
We're gonna need everybody on this one.
Well, that's why I'm here, C.P.
Were you scared?
A little.
(SIGHS)
It's gonna be all right, okay?
All right, baby? You get some rest.
Try to go to sleep, okay?
You warming up?
Mmm-hmm.
(KISSES, CHUCKLES)
Mama? Mmm-hmm?
Where are we gonna go to school now?
Don't you worry about a thing, okay?
Mama gonna find you somewhere real nice to go.
Say your prayers.
MALE REPORTER: The fire was strictly limited
to the building's facilities and perhaps equipment.
I know your first appearance here, you can't make an opinion...
I'm not gonna have them kids going to Tim's school.
Mmm.
Well, they got to put them somewhere.
Ain't gonna be in Durham Elementary.
Tim having enough trouble without more distractions.
Mmm-hmm.
May have to look into one of them private schools outside of town.
Oh, yeah. How we gonna pay for that? I'm working on it.
Ain't nothing gonna work until you start selling gas to the other half of Durham.
What's that supposed to mean?
You know what it means.
That's not fair. Oh, fair.
Hey. Come on. It's not fair. It's a fact.
It's not fair 'cause you know I can't, Mama.
How's it gonna look if the president of the Klan
is putting gasoline in a nigger's car?
How's it gonna look to my Klan folk? Oh. Oh, I see.
I... I didn't know that the Klan paid your bills.
I didn't think so. (GROANS) Here we go.
You spend all that time at Klavern hall
jaw-jacking about them niggers and them commies and them Jews.
I don't sound like that. Yeah, you do.
Give me some... Ew!
Claiborne Ellis, you smell like beer.
I'm not gonna have them kids going to our school.
This emergency council meeting was called late last night
after an apparent electrical fire
destroyed nearly half of East End Elementary School.
They've been in session for nearly three hours now.
(SPECTATORS CHATTERING)
This council is facing some difficult decisions.
Tonight, we've had to consider
how these decisions will affect the students
of not one school but two.
We've heard testimony from the marshal
that eight classrooms and three common areas,
including the gymnasium,
were unaffected by the fire.
Unaffected? Hey.
Have you been to the school? She's breaking the rules.
No, no. Ain't nobody talking to you, C.P., so shut your mouth.
Miss Atwater, you've had your time. I've seen the school.
And if that marshal says that school is habitable for children...
Miss Atwater, you've had your time.
...then he's just lying, or he just plain stupid!
C.P.: Why don't you shut up? (CLAMORING)
Don't make no sense.
(GAVEL RAPS) (CLAMORING CONTINUES)
MAN: Shut up!
We will have quiet in the chamber!
(CLAMORING QUIETS) Now what we talking about is important,
and you're gonna damn well listen to us, Mr. Steele.
CARVIE: Miss Atwater.
Miss Atwater.
Kindly take your seat before I have a deputy remove you.
Now then,
it is the opinion of this council
that there remain two basic questions.
One, is East End a safe and habitable place
for its students to finish their school year?
And two, would the students of Durham Elementary
be unfairly burdened by the sudden and massive influx of new students?
Our answer to both of these questions
is yes.
(SCATTERED APPLAUSE)
With the limited number of classrooms that remain at East End,
the students will be put on a split-shift system.
One from 7:00 am. To noon, the other from noon to 5:00.
CAMERAMAN: We're good. Got it.
MAN: Miss Atwater?
Who the hell are you?
Miss Atwater, we're from the NAACP.
MALE REPORTER: WDNC news time, 9:00 a.m.
Recapping our top story,
the NAACP's legal action is causing quite a stir
inside the county's district court,
one source saying he would not want to be
in Judge Les Hallford's shoes this morning.
WOMAN: Good morning, Your Honor. (SIGHS)
(HALLFORD EXHALES)
Is that it? Just arrived.
Full and immediate integration of all Durham public schools.
(HALLFORD EXHALES)
Get Wilbur Hobby in here.
Yes, sir.
You've passed things down before.
Ah, you know I can't do that.
These idiots just sent kids back into a school that's still smoking.
I pass it down, it's the same as ruling against.
I know. I just wanted to make sure you knew that.
I asked you here for your counsel, Wilbur, not a lecture.
Sorry.
(EXHALES)
What if you held off, delayed your ruling?
(SCOFFS) Delaying the inevitable, that's all that would be.
No. You delay to allow the people of Durham to reach their own decision.
I'm not following, Wilbur.
(EXHALES)
I know a guy. (CHUCKLES) You know a guy?
Yes, I know a guy.
He runs a department at Shaw University down in Raleigh.
He does this thing. He holds charrettes.
Cha-what?
They're kind of, uh, these official community summits
with people from both sides of the problem.
They're called charrettes. He's had some pretty good results.
Wilbur, get this guy of yours up here.
(PHONE RINGS)
Bill? Wilbur Hobby's on the phone.
Wilbur Hobby.
Why does this phone call worry me?
(CHUCKLES) Well, what a coincidence.
I was hoping it would worry you.
(BILL LAUGHS)
How are you, Wilbur?
Looks like you're having some trouble up there.
Well, nothing a heavy dose of Bill Riddick can't solve.
Hello?
LOOK, Bill, I, uh... I heard York went well.
York, Pennsylvania, isn't Durham, North Carolina, Wilbur.
Well, all the more reason. We need you.
Now, look, you're the only one that does this.
Besides, it'll get you out of the house.
Delores even said you're driving her crazy.
(CHUCKLES)
We've been driving each other crazy.
All right, Wilbur.
All right. Great.
I'll see you in a few hours, Bill. A... A few hours?
(DIAL TONE) Hello?
Now, I've asked Bill Riddick here
to conduct a 10-day community charrette
so that the citizens of Durham can finally come to a resolution
on the school integration question.
Now, the city council will abide this resolution
and enact the will of the people.
That gutless fool.
"Abide"?
It's not even defined.
He's making us define it
What are we gonna say to the press?
Nothing.
At least not till we get a legal opinion.
And, in the meantime, what in good Christ is a charrette?
(POP SONG PLAYING ON RADIO)
(BELL DINGS)
Uh, yeah, we don't sell gasoline to niggers here.
I'm not looking for a fill-up. Mr. Ellis?
My name is Bill Riddick.
Yeah?
Uh...
Wilbur Hobby suggested I...
Wilbur Hobby sent you here? Yeah.
He said I should come see you, yeah.
He said you represent a great many people in this town.
He'd be right about that.
Well, Mr. Ellis, I've been asked to organize a charrette.
I read the newspaper.
Oh. Well, so then you know... Hold on.
Are you here to ask me to come to your integration meetings?
Well, for now, just lunch.
Lunch? Tomorrow,
with, uh, with me and with Ann Atwater.
Come again?
Well, I was hoping you'd come to lunch with me and Ann Atwater.
Ann Atwater? Ann Atwater.
(STIFLED LAUGH)
What did Wilbur Hobby think I'd say to that?
Well, he thought you would say no.
He'd be right about that, too. Well, see here, Mr. Ellis...
You're not from around here, uh, Mister... Riddick.
So I'll help you out.
Folks in this town, and especially me,
want niggers to stay in their own schools.
That's definitely one of the options, Mr. Ellis.
Right, um, I'm gonna give you my card.
The local number is on the back.
You change your mind... Boy, you better get on out of here.
(SPITS)
Go on, git. Like I told you.
Mr. Ellis, I hope you reconsider.
This charrette is happening.
So, uh, if you truly represent your people,
represent them.
Have a good day.
CARVIE: We know this makes you uncomfortable, C.P.
But, God damn it, it's the best thing that could have happened.
"Uncomfortable" isn't exactly the word I'd use for it, Carvie.
C.P., what do you think would happen
if a lily-white liberal was in there instead of you?
Nothing good.
A liberal and Ann Atwater will pass integration
faster than a hot knife through butter.
That's what don't make no sense. STEELE: What don't?
This Riddick nigger wants school integration, right?
So why me? Why put that on himself?
I should've been the last person on his list.
C.P., this judge...
Our hands may be tied.
But it won't matter if we have a friend on the inside.
And especially if that friend is C.P. Ellis.
Oh, Charlie, I...
He's about to hand you the keys to school integration,
and you're going to lock the door.
(SOFTLY SINGING HYMN)
Hey! How you doing? How your dad doing? MAN: Good.
How late is he?
Twenty minutes.
C.P. coming to have lunch with two niggers. (SCOFFS)
He'd just as soon shoot us than do that.
Y'all northern folks just don't get it.
I'm from North Carolina, Ann.
Oh, yeah? Where about?
Hertford County. That still north of here.
He's here.
ANN: Here he go.
Would you look at that crazy white man?
Just pacing back and forth.
I ain't waiting for that cracker. I'm hungry.
Mr. Ellis? Please, come sit down.
Well, uh, okay.
Um, thank you both for coming.
Hopefully, this is a first step...
Hey, I... I'm not gonna sit here one minute longer than I have to, so...
ANN: Well, go on and git, then.
That way, me and Bill can have a civilized conversation.
(SCOFFS) Mr. Ellis,
um, I'm holding a steering committee meeting here on Saturday.
And I've invited people who represent all types of citizens in this community.
All types? Only two types in this town.
Well, whites, black, liberals, conservatives.
For a charrette to be successful,
we need to bring together a large number of diverse people.
(SCOFFS) The only folk he gonna bring,
they're gonna be wearing sheets and hoods.
Ain't that right, C.P.?
(STAMMERS) Hold On...
If you already have a meeting set,
what the hell am I doing, sitting here?
Well, you're here, both of you,
because I need two co-chairs to lead the charrette.
(LAUGHS)
I'm gonna think about it, you know,
'cause I wouldn't want your type taking over this... What'd you call it?
Charade? (LAUGHS)
I don't know what you're up to either.
I don't like it. You could use me for my help. That's fine.
But I am not gonna work with that cracker.
So you need to look somewhere else.
This corn bread is good.
WOMAN: I would love it.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Let me help you clear this.
It was delicious. Very nice of you. Thank you.
You outdid yourself, Mrs. Keith.
Oh, well, thank you.
Ten days is a long time with them people, Garland.
It's also a long time for them to be making decisions on integration
without us having a voice.
That's not gonna make it any easier to sell to my people.
Well, you're their president, C.P.
You just make them understand.
Hell, it says so right there in your Klan creed,
"Failure to know your enemy gives them aid and comfort" and all that.
I mean, the truth is, C.P., we... We don't know the enemy at all.
Do we?
All right, you're yanking on the trigger too hard.
Trick is to think of it as pressing the trigger, not pulling on it.
Ten-hut!
Y'all heed this man, now.
Mr. Kelly here's an expert.
He even knows that word for when you breathe out before you shoot.
What's that called again?
Respiratory pause. (MEN LAUGH)
See? What'd I tell you?
All right, one more, then next up. MAN: All right.
You didn't care too much for that conversation last night.
Well, when it's me and you, it's fine.
I ain't much for talking in mixed company.
Well, we do need people there, Floyd.
And Carvie asked me personally, so...
Yeah, I know it, C.P. And I'll back you up on it.
But, uh, be careful. Careful of what?
If you wrestle with a pig... (GUN COCKS)
You're gonna get muddy.
BILL: Meeting these benchmarks successfully will depend entirely
on the dedication and enthusiasm of this steering committee.
And, uh, we haven't got much time to get organized,
so priority one will be to get the word out
and to recruit as many citizens as possible to come and participate.
All right, before we go any further,
we need to elect our two co-chairs.
I nominate Ann Atwater
and C.P. Ellis.
But he's a Klansman.
And we're talking about integration.
Uh, Mr. Riddick, I already done told you I won't work with that man.
(SCOFFS) That'd be just fine with me.
Everybody know it would be just fine with you, C.P.
Just hold on a minute now, Ann.
I'd like to hear from C.P. on this. Mr. Ellis.
Well, I'm not in the habit of interviewing for a job that I don't really want.
But you're asking, so I'll tell you.
Everybody talking about nigras want this, nigras need that.
This whole thing started 'cause of what nigras are demanding.
What about white folks? What about what we want?
You already got everything you want. No, we don't.
And now the niggers in this town are trying
to take away everything we got left.
They don't want us to play "Dixie" at our schools.
That's our song.
They're angry when we fly the Confederate flag at ball games.
And why should one of our boys have to play ball under that flag?
That flag is our proud Southern history.
Well, it might be your proud Southern history, C.P.,
but it sure as hell ain't ours.
C.P.: All right.
You know, integrated schools have blacks-only assemblies,
blacks-only Martin Luther King this, that.
That ain't my history.
You wanna talk about schools?
Let's talk about schools, Mr. Riddick.
My sons don't have it easy in school.
Their teachers ain't even teaching them half the time.
And you want to throw them together with a bunch of nigras?
It's only gonna get worse for them.
You ask why I'm here. To protect my boys.
So all the better if she don't get in my way.
I'll sit with you, Brother Ellis.
(MURMURING)
Howard, have you lost your everlasting mind,
calling that man your brother?
You're offering to co-chair, Howard?
Uh, I am.
And that's an honest man right there, Ann.
The only honest man that's stood up today.
He hates me. (CHUCKLES) And he told me why.
But then he opened up his heart about his sons.
Why is he agreeing with me?
I don't know. That means he's my brother.
(WHISPERS) Did that nigger just call me "brother"?
(LAUGHS)
Y'all hear that?
I'll tell you what you are, Howard.
You one of them "big niggers," ain't you?
You done went up north and got your college degree,
your fancy cars, and your fancy suits.
Meanwhile, we down here on the ground, getting dirty.
Oh, no, no. Wait a minute, Ann.
Now, the Black Solidarity Committee has been working within this community...
Oh, shut up, Howard! You're late to the fight!
And you have no idea what real black folk go through.
You don't deserve a seat. He don't deserve that chair. He don't.
Calling that man his brother.
So are you saying you'll accept now, Miss Atwater?
(SHUTTER CLICKS)
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
I'm going to continue to fight for us white working men,
even if I have to sit in a room with that awful Ann Atwater to do it.
(CHEERING, APPLAUDING)
C.P. Ellis don't scare me.
We're gonna beat school segregation once and for all.
Well, she's living in her own fantasy world.
Folks in this town like things the way they are.
ALL: (SINGING) Happy birthday, dear Larry
Happy birthday to you
(EXHALES)
WOMAN: Good morning, Mr. Ellis.
Co-chair office is just around the corner.
Thank you.
All I'm saying is our children are way behind.
Almost a full year.
WOMAN: Well, just having white teachers isn't gonna help them catch up.
ANN: White teachers?
They already got some white teachers.
It ain't that. It's about the books.
Newer books don't account for a whole year.
Newer ain't got nothing to do with it.
Baby, what's your name? In the red shirt. What's your name?
Miles. ANN: Miles.
What year did you just finish, Miles?
My junior year. Mmm-hmm.
And what year were your books for?
The textbooks were for the tenth-graders, ma'am.
(SCOFFS)
(MURMURING, APPLAUDING)
Well, how's that gonna work?
How's what gonna work, C.P.?
You're gonna put a bunch of black kids who are a year behind
with white kids who aren't.
How are you gonna teach that class?
You can't. It just ain't possible.
So you go ahead and get the right books,
but you can't teach that class. No way. No way.
(MURMURING)
Okay. So, tomorrow, we'll break into our smaller groups
and begin hammering out the different resolution points.
But we meet back here each night for wrap-up.
Also, you've noticed these two tables up here on the stage.
Along with Mr. Ellis and Miss Atwater,
10 more of you will be chosen
to fill these seats as part of our senate.
That senate will vote on the resolutions on the final night of the charrette.
Okay. Unless there's anything else,
I think we could all use some sleep.
Yes, Reverend?
Mr. Riddick, it's been quite a tense day.
It may be wise if we have some positive note to end each session.
Something to lift our spirits.
I think that's a good idea, Reverend.
What did you have in mind?
Well, I notice we have a piano over here.
What if we all sing gospel music at the end of each night?
Okay. MAN: Nigger music.
(CROWD MURMURS)
What did you say?
I believe he said that's nigger music.
Gospel music don't have nothing to do with black or white.
It's about God. Praise God, but he... He's right.
Gospel music is absolutely for black folk.
I'm a bit surprised that the reverend would suggest something so one-sided.
I'm a little disappointed. Okay.
I can appreciate that, C.P.
These people would like gospel music.
So, uh, how would you like to represent your people?
Well, I'd like to display our Klan materials here at the charrette.
(CROWD MURMURING)
Klan materials?
Mmm-hmm.
It's not the same thing. I know that.
We can't let him do it.
That stuff's full of hate. That's all it is.
He gave on the gospel. I don't give a damn what he gave on.
Well, he gave, so we give.
Bill Riddick, if that stuff shows up here, it's gonna be a riot.
And you can bet your ass I'm gonna be the one leading the charge.
Oh, you gonna get all Roughhouse Annie on me now, huh?
Yeah, I heard tell about you. All talking and no listening.
We're here trying to understand each other for once and stop fighting.
I'll stop fighting when there ain't nothing left to fight for.
Then you're gonna be going uphill the rest of your life, Ann.
In the meantime, I'm-a keep that man here talking
as long as I possibly can.
BILL: C.P.
C.P.
This, um, display you want to bring.
We're willing to go along with it.
But there'll be folks not wild about the sight of it.
So, uh, you're gonna need to provide some security,
someone to watch over it. I'm not gonna be responsible for it.
(BLOWS)
This is my security.
That gun don't belong here.
But I like to have it close in case I need it to do my talking for me.
This here does the talking for me.
I have a Bible. Oh, you do? Have you read it?
Of course, I've read it.
Even go to church on Sundays. Hmm.
Well, then you ought to know, C.P.
Know what?
Same God made you made me.
That's everything, Mr. Ellis.
Looks good, Ben. Real good.
Thank you, Mr. Ellis.
Divided according to race.
Uh, six black, six white.
The senate members will float in and out of different working groups,
observing and participating.
On the final night of the charrette,
you will vote to either adopt or reject
the resolutions presented to you.
So we're the final word?
Final word, Howard.
Two-thirds majority to pass each resolution.
Eight votes to pass?
Well, then we should be able to handpick the other four white members.
Well, then we might as well go on home then.
C.P., that's not practical. We need to be as fair as possible.
Now, I'm gonna have to side with my friend here.
I mean, we can surely all agree that every Negro in the building
is gonna vote yes on school integration.
That's six automatic votes, no matter what.
Same's not true for every last white person.
There's a bunch of liberals sitting out there right now.
Look, there are four prominent organizations
represented in this room right here.
The Klan, The White Citizens' Council,
Black Solidarity Committee, and Operation Breakthrough.
You each get your votes.
You want fair?
We'll pick eight regular members.
Regular. No black power people, no Klan.
They're excluded.
Agreed?
None of her people? BILL: No.
And none of your own.
Hey!
What do you think you're doing, huh?
Leave that alone.
Boys need to be reading this instead of ripping it up.
The Klan is giving you a window to look through.
You need to read this stuff and understand it.
That way, you understand them.
Okay? You got the upper hand. Got it?
Get on out of here, Charles. Give me that.
I should tell your daddy. You know better.
(EXHALES)
Kids don't make no sense. They...
"...professional experts from in the community and from outside
"will stand by listening, learning."
(CONTINUES READING INDISTINCTLY)
Ann? Ann? What?
Where are you going? I'm going home.
Look, I know you're upset, Ann. You don't know nothing!
I told you it was a damn fool idea to let that man bring that stuff in here.
Ain't no good gonna come from it!
And I'll tell you something else, Bill Riddick.
You're an even bigger fool if you think you're gonna make any change
with this here meeting.
Is that right? That's right!
'Cause as long as the C.P. Ellises of the world
keep getting their way, ain't nothing gonna change.
Yeah, you talk about Roughhouse Annie?
Keep Uncle-Tomming that cracker
and you're gonna see Roughhouse Annie.
Go on back up north where you belong 'cause you don't know nothing.
Marion Wilson.
Okay. The other bowl now.
GARLAND: Sam Watford.
Is that Scooter Watford's boy? HORACE: Yeah.
You won't have a problem there.
C.P.: You sure? Pretty sure.
I remember he kept losing jobs during them boycotts.
Still pretty sore about it.
I don't like that mustache, tell you what.
All right. Earl Weeks.
(LAUGHS)
He's... He's with us.
GARLAND: How do you know?
He's been a deacon at my church since I was a kid.
He don't like nobody.
(LAUGHTER)
That's a good man. Two for two.
Okay, we're gonna have an issue with this gal, Maddy Mays.
The blonde over by the window.
GARLAND: Yeah, she's a nurse.
C.P.: Yeah, over at Durham Clinic.
Real people person. I think that's one to worry about.
Last is Lee Trombley.
(GROANS) Trombley Hardware.
Off of Route Nine.
What do we know?
I don't know about him, C.P. Might be a problem there.
He took over after his daddy passed.
Family man, two kids, I think.
C.P: And?
HORACE: Everybody that works for him is a nigger.
Every one.
And they all thick as thieves.
(TAPS NOTEBOOK)
All right, I guess it's time we get acquainted with Lee Trombley.
Can I help you, sir?
Uh...
Lee around?
No, sir. He's not here right now.
But I'm the manager. Something I can help you with?
Uh, no. Um...
I'll come back another time.
(DOOR OPENS)
(THUNDER RUMBLES) (RAIN PATTERING)
Okay.
Any thoughts, uh, insights?
You don't have to raise your hand, Maddy.
I think it's nice to see people talking for once.
That ain't talking. It's yelling.
Well, okay, it's arguing.
But people are listening to one another. They really are.
They're arguing. I've been listening to it for days,
and still no one's answered how integration's gonna help my kids.
Well, it sure can't hurt them. It sure as hell can.
Well, I'd like to know how. Well, for one,
I don't want my daughter sitting next to a Negro boy in class.
I don't want her eating next to one,
and I don't want her being at a school dance with one.
So you care about your daughter?
And you don't want to see her get hurt.
What's your point?
Well, my point is, that is what we do as parents.
When they're little, we try to keep them
from touching the stove, so they don't burn.
We teach them to take small bites, so they don't choke.
We worry about their first day at school, the first time they drive a car,
their very first job.
See, we want them to avoid the pain that we experienced.
(CHUCKLES) All right. All right.
We all gonna sit around, hold hands, sing "Kumbaya"?
We see what you're doing, Howard. And what is that, C.P.?
That there's no difference between blacks and whites, right?
'Cause we all worry about our kids.
We're all the same, right?
Actually, no, C.P.
We're not.
See, I left some things out.
I left out that black folks have
a whole different menu of pain to worry about.
Our kids get spit on for no reason.
Our kids have to move on the sidewalk to let white folks pass,
or they get beat.
Our kids aren't allowed to sit where they want,
play where they want, go to school where they want.
See, this is the pain they experience every day
that we... We can't... Can't spare them from.
And that is a...
It's a helpless feeling.
A more helpless feeling than you could ever know.
I fell right into that one. Yeah.
Shit. You see Trombley's face? (CHUCKLES)
Did you get anywhere with Trombley last night?
He wasn't there.
They were right, though. He got a black manager.
Well, where are we gonna get him, then?
Right now. We're gonna crowd him at lunch.
Mmm.
BILL: Okay. Everybody, listen up.
We're going to be trying something different today.
There are name cards at each seat in this lunch room.
This will be your seat for the rest of the charrette.
You may not move your name card.
And you guessed it, the person sitting next to you
will not be the same color as you.
What? And...
And no discussion of issues during this hour.
Talk about something else.
C.P.: (GROANS) One more week.
(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)
(ANN SINGING SOFTLY)
(CLEARS THROAT)
I can't do it. Mmm-mmm.
Mmm-mmm! Mmm-mmm-mmm.
These fish sticks is dry.
Well, hmm, if we can't change anything else,
we can sure demand better school lunches, huh?
We're not supposed to talk about issues.
I guess you're right.
Howard...
Howard was wrong in there, weren't he?
Wrong?
Mmm-hmm.
Well, I mean, he weren't wrong about what black kids go through,
but he was wrong about you not knowing what helpless is, weren't he?
What does that mean?
You got a boy out at Murdock, don't you, C.P.?
I don't wanna talk about that. I'm just trying...
Ann, don't talk about my son.
Don't ever talk about my son. Okay.
We're willing to go to summer school,
even nights, just to catch up with the white students.
Good Lord never intended for blacks to have equal rights.
(INAUDIBLE SINGING)
(INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS)
Daddy! What's wrong? What's wrong, sugar?
It's Larry.
(BOY SCREAMING)
C.P.: What's going on?
Who is this? Alvin. He moved in Friday.
Hey, hey. Okay. Shh, shh. Shh, shh, shh.
(SCREAMING CONTINUES)
Hey, pumpkin. (GRUNTING)
C.P.: Go! It's okay. NURSE: Okay.
No monster. No monster, son. No monster.
I got your book. I'm gonna read you...
Shh, Shh, shh. Shh, shh, shh.
VICKIE: It's Vickie.
Okay. Here. Read to him.
Come here, pumpkin. Read it to him. I'll be right back.
Vickie's gonna read to you. It's your sister, Vickie.
Get him out.
Hey, who's in charge here?
Can I help you, Mr. Ellis?
Is there someone else I can talk to?
One moment.
Hey. He...
(BELL DINGING)
Hey. I need help. NURSE: I'll be right there.
No, sir. No, sir. I need help.
My son needs help. Step outside that door.
I need to get my son out of that room. Yes, sir.
Step outside for a moment.
Now calm it down. I need to get my son out of that room.
Your son is gonna be just fine. He's scared.
He's not fine. He needs to be moved right away.
Or that other one needs to be moved.
My son's scared. Look. Look.
It's important that our patients stay in familiar surroundings
'cause if they're moved too often, they get agitated...
A private room then. (STAMMERS) Give Larry a private room, please.
We have regulations here at Murdock.
I don't care about your regulations.
Now you move him, or I will. How's that? No, you will not. Mr. Ellis!
Call security right now.
You calm yourself down.
(EXHALES)
God.
How much... How much is it again?
A private room is $75 more per week.
Now do you wanna pay for that?
I got $16. Mr. Ellis, listen to me.
Larry will get used to it, all right?
You should've told me.
No one told me that boy would be in this room.
It was... No one told me.
It was a last minute... You should've told me.
(SLAPS COUNTER)
(MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
C.P.: I'm trying to tell you now.
His roommate was wailing and screaming and...
But they wouldn't let me move him.
I wanna take him home.
He's better off with us.
He don't belong there.
He ain't like them others.
MARY: Yes, Claiborne, he is.
I'm seeing him tomorrow. I'm sure he's fine.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm just tired, you know.
I'll see you at home. I love you.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
(MUFFLED GOSPEL SINGING)
(SINGING CONTINUES) (PEOPLE CLAPPING HANDS TO SONG)
(SINGING FADES)
Can I help you?
You can't, but Bernadette can.
One moment. Thank you.
Miss Atwater! (CHUCKLES)
Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. How have you been?
Oh, baby, I've been good. How about yourself?
I'm fine. I'm just fine.
Well, what can I help you with?
Where's that Larry Ellis boy?
(MURMURING)
(SIGHS)
Bernadette.
Yes, Miss Atwater? I'm gonna need a favor.
But that's not fair. I know it's not fair, honey.
But I went back and looked. Not even half of them are done yet.
But she never does any of her charts.
She always expects us to do them for her.
Well, you and I have to go over all her work, or it's gonna be on us.
(ALVIN HUMMING)
Hello?
Where's Larry? Where's my son?
He's not in his room. What happened?
Nothing happened, Miss Ellis.
He was moved.
(SONG PLAYING ON RADIO)
It's so nice.
Hey, baby.
It's your mama.
Hey, baby, it's your mama.
Hi. Hi.
Let's put on some music.
(VOLUME INCREASES)
(some FADES)
What?
No, no, it's good. It's...
It's just, uh...
All right, I'll see you at home.
I want to talk to you. Finally.
Look. What you, uh...
(SIGHS) I didn't... I...
I didn't ask for your help.
I can take care of my own family, okay?
Okay. Okay.
Okay. It's just what I do, C.P.
Well, whatever it is you do, don't do it for me.
I didn't do it for you.
(SIGHS)
Strike one! Yeah, Chester, bring the heat!
All right, shut your hole. That ain't helping.
Well, don't pay him no mind, boy. He ain't going nowhere with two outs.
They'll hold them. Be all right.
(BOTTLE OPENS)
I'll be right back.
(BAT HITS BALL) (CHEERING)
Your boy playing today? Oh!
Mr. Ellis.
Uh, no. My nephew.
You can call me C.P. You want a beer? Oh, thanks.
UMPIRE: Strike!
So how do you think it's going? The charrette.
Um... (CHUCKLES)
It's interesting.
It's nice to hear both sides, you know.
Yeah. Yeah.
We got some decisions to make.
UMPIRE: Strike three! You're out!
(SCATTERED CHEERING)
Say, that nigger fellow? The one that comes, uh...
He runs your hardware store?
Yeah. About two years now.
His name's Emmett.
And you trust him to... To run things?
Sorry, I... I'm just curious.
I don't think I could trust one of them to run my filling station.
Other than my wife, he's the only person I trust.
How's that?
Well, he and I, we...
We were in Vietnam together.
Oh, you were in Vietnam? Yeah.
Two tours. Got out in '68.
You?
No. No, I...
No.
Yeah.
Well, look, Mr. Ellis, I know who you are.
And I know what you want from me.
But I just don't... No, no, Lee.
Any man who served bravely in this country's military
doesn't need to hear anything more from me.
You vote how you want to.
I'll respect it.
Mr. Ellis?
Emmett served this country, too.
And he was a lot braver than me.
All right, folks. For our last day,
I thought we'd go on a little field trip.
Where to? You got to vote Monday night.
I think it's important we get a firsthand look
at what we've been talking about the past few weeks.
BILL: I know it's been a long day, but this is the last one.
Please be careful. Watch your step.
ANN: Ain't no better over here. This is a mess.
They got to keep the doors open because of the smell.
I imagine so. It helps.
(CHILDREN CHATTERING)
That's a lot of kids for summer school.
Uh, that ain't summer school, C.P.
They still trying to finish up from last year.
Yes, because of the split shifts after the fire,
the students are really only getting about three hours of schooling per day.
So they're still catching up.
Hey, how you doing? Did you get them shoes I sent you?
Mama! (CHUCKLES) Hey.
Oh, this your girl?
Hi. Hey.
Marilynn, this here is, uh, Mr. Ellis.
Oh.
Well, I better get to class.
Okay.
(EXHALES)
She looked at me like I was some kind of monster.
What'd you expect?
I don't know. I'm trying to do right by us,
make it all better.
And how's this gonna make it all better?
Hell, I'm... (SCOFFS)
They wanted to integrate restaurants. So we did.
Then came buses and bathrooms and playgrounds.
Look, I'm over there right now,
supporting more funding to make their schools better.
If they have nicer schools... (KICKS CABINET)
...then they'll stop pushing to integrate ours.
The one thing we have left.
Then maybe we'll all stop fighting.
Then what you gonna do?
What?
When everybody stops fighting, who you gonna fight?
(DOORBELL RINGS)
ANN: Okay. Coming.
Can I help you?
Hi, Ann. Um...
I'm Mary Ellis. Claiborne's wife.
Oh.
I'm sorry for just dropping by. I, um...
I wanted to thank you for, um, what you did
for our family, for our son Larry.
Please, come in.
Thanks. Go on in.
Hope you like sweet tea. I do.
So Larry is doing better, huh?
He is.
You know, sometimes it's hard
to keep him calm.
Mmm.
Well, has, uh“. Has Larry always been like that?
Yeah.
You know, when he was little, it just...
He started not to be able to do things.
(CHUCKLES)
Has C.P. always been like that?
Oh. (BOTH LAUGH)
Yes.
More or less.
You know, he used to be a really good baseball player.
Really? Showed a lot of promise.
Colleges came and looked at him, right over here, Liberty Park.
Where we met, actually.
Came up to me. He's so nervous.
Couldn't even talk. So handsome.
(LAUGHING)
What?
Oh. C.P." handsome?
He was.
Okay.
Mmm-hmm. Oh.
Thank you again.
You're welcome.
Yes? Ann.
Claiborne is, uh...
He's doing the best he can.
Goodbye, Miss Ellis. Bye.
(GUNFIRE)
Give me a minute with C.P., would you?
Sure thing, Floyd.
Hey. What do you say, Floyd?
Got one of those?
See the paper?
Nothing I could do about that. All part of the charrette business.
It don't look right.
It don't matter what it looks like, Floyd. Matters what it is.
Oh, Yeah?
Your wife making friends with Ann Atwater what it is?
What?
Couple of the boys saw them today.
How am I supposed to explain that?
She did something for Larry is all.
Mary was just probably thanking her.
Niggers is doing you favors now, C.P.?
Oh, stop with the bullshit, Floyd.
Mary's always gone her own way.
Has nothing to do with how I do my business. Never has.
Now you got something to say, say it.
Look around you, C.P.
All these guys, they look up to you.
They need you.
I don't know what you're talking about. I'm here, ain't I?
Are you? I'm doing everything I can.
Hey. Is Mr. Trombley in?
Uh, yes, sir. He's... Can I help you?
Mr. Trombley.
We're from Durham Fire and Life Safety Department. Uh...
We've got a random inspection order here.
On a Sunday?
We do them when they come in.
We'll need access to your breaker panels
and your hazardous materials storage area.
Yeah, all right. Sure.
Uh, come on back. Right this way.
So, Mr. Trombley, it, uh, seems
your circuit breaker panels are not up to code.
You need at least 30-inch clearance on both sides,
and you've got a little under two feet.
Oh... (STAMMERS)
They've been like that for 20 years, since I was a kid.
Nevertheless, that needs to be rectified before you can, uh, reopen.
Reopen? Yeah.
We got to shut you down indefinitely.
What? Oh, no. I... See, I can't shut down.
I got a business here. The...
(CHUCKLES) What are they supposed to do?
I'm gonna need them boys out of here.
Now.
Like I said,
if you fix things,
you'll be open again in no time.
You have a nice day, Mr. Trombley.
MY, my, my.
Aren't you a pretty little thing?
Who are you?
What do you want?
Take it easy, Maddy. We're just, uh,
(CHUCKLES)
friends.
Please don't.
Shh.
It's okay.
None of these pictures have niggers in them.
We heard you might be a friend of niggers.
But I don't see none on this wall.
Just to be sure, though, we're gonna need to hear you say it.
Say it?
Yes.
Say it.
That you ain't a friend of niggers.
(HESITATING) I am not a friend of niggers.
Again.
(WHIMPERING) I'm not a friend of niggers.
(SCOFFS)
Well, then.
We must've got some bad information.
Guess there was no need for the visit after all.
Thanks for the beer, Maddy.
(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING ON JUKEBOX)
Hey. Beer, C.P.?
Yeah. Thanks, Doreen.
(BOTTLE OPENS)
(WILEY LAUGHING)
C.P.!
Hey, C.P.!
Hey. What do you say, boys?
Come on, sit down.
Nah.
Been a long week.
Just gonna have one beer and go.
Oh, come on, C.P. We celebrating.
Yeah. What... What are you celebrating, Wiley?
We celebrating you getting your votes, C.P.
Well, little early for that, don't you think?
(LAUGHS) But have fun.
What do you know about votes, Wiley?
(LAUGHING)
(DOOR OPENS)
You shut him down?
What are you doing here, C.P.?
You shut him down? What are you talking about?
Lee Trombley. Is that what this is about?
You didn't have to do that, Carvie.
You didn't have to do that.
This is not a good time to show up, C.P.
I got donors in there. You haven't answered my question.
We're just trying to give you a leg up is all.
Call it insurance, whatever you want.
You got a big vote tomorrow.
That man served ms country, Danna.
Two tours in Vietnam. He's a working man with a family.
Well... "Protect the white working man."
Isn't that what you always said, what we always talked about?
C.P., sometimes, there are necessary evils.
Necessary evils for the greater good.
And it's my job to make those kind of decisions.
You're just gonna have to trust me on this.
You should get back to your party.
C.P.? Are we good?
Hey, Floyd called. Said they want you at Klavern.
Klavern?
Mmm.
Something about a meeting at 8:30 or something.
What? You didn't know?
Oh.
You all right?
You look tired.
Yeah, I'm all right.
You all right? (CHUCKLES) Yeah, I'm all right.
(CROWD CHATTERING)
(CHATTERING STOPS)
(INDISTINCT WHISPERS) He's here.
Come on up, C.P..
Hey.
What's going on?
Distinguished Klansmen,
every now and again,
extraordinary things occur within our walls
that need to be addressed.
As your state leader, it is my job to address them.
In our fight against communism,
against integration, against mongrelism,
we turn to those among us
who can lead us into a pure, white future.
We have one such man here in North Carolina.
Your Exalted Cyclops, C.P. Ellis.
(APPLAUSE, CHEERING)
So, in recognition of this man's tireless effort,
for his forethought and vision
in establishing the UKA's first Youth Corps...
I guess I'll just read this.
It says, "The United Klans of America
"hereby bestow upon Mr. Claiborne Paul Ellis
"the honor of being named
"North Carolina's Exalted Cyclops of the Year, 1971
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
What do you mean, you're not the right person?
Baby, the vote is tonight.
Yeah, but there's got to be somebody else. There's nobody else, Maddy.
You heard everything. You've seen everything.
No one else can take your seat.
What brought this on, Maddy?
What happened?
Nothing. I just... (FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)
It's nothing. Um, it's fine. If you'll just excuse me.
ANN: Mmm-hmm.
Maddy Mays don't want to vote.
Just like that, out of the blue. (SNAPS FINGERS)
What'd you do to that girl? Now, Ann...
I saw the way she looked... Don't you "Now, Ann" me.
You coward.
I ain't no coward. Yeah, you a coward.
Couldn't do it in here. Too many people with they own thoughts.
You couldn't win in here, so you went, and you fixed it out there.
I don't have to listen to this. You're gonna listen today.
What you so afraid of, C.P.?
I ain't afraid of nothing. Yeah, you is. You're afraid.
You afraid you're gonna lose control.
You afraid you're gonna lose what you ain't even got, C.P.!
You're poor, just like the rest of us!
You ain't got nothing except problems.
Talking about you... You in control.
You ain't no more in control than the man in the moon!
You're a bigger coward than I thought you was.
(FOOTSTEPS DEPART)
MALE REPORTER: The five o'clock news hour.
With the highly anticipated charrette vote just a few hours away now,
we caught up with WDNC's Ken Meadows,
who was with some students
gathered outside the charrette site earlier today.
MEADOWS: Do you think it's gonna be okay?
CHILD 1: Well, it might be all right.
CHILD 2: I think the same thing, too.
CHILD 3; Uh-uh. I don't. MEADOWS: Why not?
I don't. Because, see, our first day that I went out there
where we had to scramble, you know.
But it was okay.
GIRL: It doesn't matter what school you go to, it's gonna be the same.
You get your education just the same.
I'm fixing to enroll now, and it'll be my school.
MEADOWS: Are you concerned for your daughter, or is she concerned?
WOMAN: Well, I'm concerned for her,
and I think she's concerned for her education.
MEADOWS: Laverne, I just talked to your mother.
She said you're a little concerned. Are you?
LAVERNE: I'm very much concerned. MEADOWS: Why?
Oh, because I wanna... I wanna be very sure about this year,
and I want to really know what they're doing,
and I think that it will work out if everybody cooperates together
because, I mean, this is not the, probably, first time...
(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)
(BREATH QUAVERS)
(LOUD CHATTERING)
You did great work, Ann. No.
The one thing those people came here for, we didn't get it for them.
Not true. Some of them will be delighted.
You know, I never really thought you was an Uncle Tom.
Yes, you did.
(BOTH CHUCKLING)
"Roughhouse Annie," huh?
Don't you forget it.
Welcome, welcome.
(APPLAUSE)
Well, what a journey it's been, folks.
You've all shown such dedication these past two weeks.
And regardless of the outcome, you should be proud.
(APPLAUSE)
The resolution you've put before this senate is clear.
It is thoughtful, and, above all, it is brave.
This resolution is in three parts.
After I read out each one,
I will call the senate members up to cast their votes.
Each part requires a two-thirds majority to pass.
That's eight votes.
Part one.
Two students, one black, one white,
to be appointed every year to the Durham school board.
I vote yes.
Mr. Watford.
I'm a no.
I vote yes. (APPLAUSE)
BILL: Part one passes with eight votes.
Part two.
This calls the summer classes be included in the school board budget,
so the black students become level with their white peers.
Mr. Weeks.
I vote no. (SCATTERED APPLAUSE)
BILL: Mr. Cox.
COX: I vote yes.
I vote yes.
BILL: Part two passes with eight votes.
(APPLAUSE)
Part three.
Public school integration.
In summary,
this calls for full and immediate integration
starting in the fall semester of this school year.
The resolution defines full integration by setting a race ratio
of no less than 25% of any race at each school.
And further, that busing be made available to students
to aid in the implementation of this ratio.
We'll start the vote on this side with Miss Wilson.
(PEOPLE WHISPERING)
I vote yes.
BILL: Mr. Watford?
I vote no.
(APPLAUSE)
BILL: Mr. Mose.
I vote yes.
(APPLAUSE)
BILL: Mr. Weeks.
I vote "hell no."
(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)
BILL: Mr. Cox?
I vote "hell yes."
(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)
Mr. Trombley.
Thank you, Mr. Riddick.
I believe in school integration, and I vote yes.
(APPLAUSE)
It's not gonna matter.
BILL: Reverend.
With the good Lord as my guide, I proudly vote yes.
BILL: Miss Mays.
Although I think it should be considered in the future, I...
I don't believe right now is the time for integration.
Respectfully, I vote no.
(APPLAUSE) Hey.
(APPLAUSE QUIETS)
Mr. Clement.
I am honored to have had the chance to get to know most of you
these past few weeks,
to work on these vital issues.
And while I fear that my vote will be in vain,
I'm still gonna vote.
And I vote yes on school integration.
BILL: Mr. Keith.
No.
Miss Atwater.
Yes.
(APPLAUSE)
Looks like we finally shut her up.
BILL: Mr. Ellis.
(APPLAUSE) All right.
Thank you.
(WHISTLING)
I... I... I...
Thank you.
Uh... (APPLAUSE QUIETS)
I guess I'd first echo what Mr. Clement said.
It was good to get to know some of you, and I...
I know many of you will be disappointed with our outcome here.
I, uh...
You know, before I go on, (CLEARS THROAT)
I'd like to show you all something.
This is my Klan membership card.
(SCATTERED LAUGHTER)
I was given this card 12 years ago.
It's been in my wallet ever since.
In fact, I cried when they gave me this card.
And I grew up in a house where I was taught men don't cry.
But I cried anyway.
I cried because it was the first time in my life I didn't feel alone.
Sure, I was married with a family.
That's not the kind of alone I'm talking about.
As a man, you're expected to take care of that family.
And I was having a hard time doing that.
We were struggling, so...
There I was. I was a part of something now,
something much, much bigger than me.
And then, when they made me president, boy, I was over the moon.
Poor old C.P. Ellis, president of something.
Whoa. (CHUCKLES)
And it's a real brotherhood. It is.
In the Klan, you look out for one another.
Nobody is left behind. Everybody does for everybody else.
In fact, it says it right here on this card.
It says, "Non silba, sed anthar,"
which means, "Not for oneself, but for others."
That's our motto.
But, see, now I got a problem.
There's a problem
'cause there's a lot of that going around right here in this room.
People doing for others.
Last two weeks have been full of people just doing...
Doing for others.
And they're not just white people. There's a...
There's a lot of black folk doing for others, too.
But I'm the president of the Klan.
I'm supposed to hate black folk.
I teach people to hate black folk.
They're supposed to be inferior to us.
Now, if I don't believe that,
then I have no business being president of the Klan.
Well, I don't believe it.
So my problem is,
I don't have no need for this anymore.
Mr. Riddick, I vote yes.
Jesus!
(CHEERING)
(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)
I just don't believe it.
ANN: C.P.?
C.P.?
(PHONE RINGS)
Yeah?
JEB: Where's the key?
Where's the key?
Call the fire department!
Come on. (BOTH STRAINING)
WOMAN: Thank you.
Next on the agenda is delivery of the charrette resolution.
The council recognizes Miss Atwater.
(PHONE RINGS)
Yeah. Hello?
(LINE DISCONNECTS, DIAL TONE)
Okay, Mr. Ellis.
How many?
Well, you lost about 650 gallons.
You're lucky the thing didn't explode.
Yeah, okay.
You want to replace the loss? Loan have a truck here tomorrow.
No. Let's see how the rest of the month goes.
All right.
What's this? Would you sign both pages?
Thank you, Mr. Ellis.
Change your mind, give us a call.
Mmm-hmm? Mr. Ellis.
If you need to let me go, it's okay.
You know, until things pick up again.
I appreciate that, Jeb, but we're not there yet, okay?
So for now, go ahead. Take your lunch break.
Okay, Mr. Ellis.
All right.
(VEHICLE APPROACHES) (BELL DINGS)
I hope you didn't come here to ask me to co-chair something else.
Nah. I just came to say goodbye, is all.
Back to Raleigh, huh? Back to Raleigh.
What trouble you been causing?
Just organizing. You know me. (CHUCKLES)
It's what you do, right? It's just what I do.
Well, I sure wish you could've been there when we handed in our resolution. Mmm.
Old Carvie Oldham didn't even show up.
(SCOFFS)
Wish I'd seen that.
How are you doing, C.P.?
Oh, had a little trouble here.
Just trying to put it back together.
Yeah, we heard.
I'm so sorry, C.P..
It's okay, although not sure it matters much.
Nobody stopping to buy gas from me these days.
(HORNS HONKING IN DISTANCE)
Well, maybe things will pick up for you.
What you smiling at?
(CHUCKLING) (HONKING CONTINUES)
That's just what I do, C.P.
You know that. That's just what I do.
(BELL DINGS) Hey, Jeb. We got customers.
Gas? (CHUCKLES)
JEB: All right, sir. Gas?
C.P.: You want gas?
JEB: Yeah, no problem. C.P.: All right.
She can upset the world with her mouth if she wants to.
But everywhere I go, every time I pick up a newspaper,
Ann Atwater's been before the city council, the county commission,
or she was at some shopping center boycotting,
or she was downtown at Woolworths.
And he was woofing and going on,
and the place was packed with Klansmen.
This particular night, C.P. was up raging and ranting.
That's when I wanted to cut his head off.
And after that first meeting,
I actually went home saying, "This is crazy.
"This is absolutely crazy. I don't think I wanna do this.
"I mean, I can make a living easier than this."
The story was picked up in The Washington Post.
"Black man calls Klansman 'brother."'
And, of course, my father, when he read the story in The Washington Post,
he thought I had lost my mind.
In becoming my friend, C.P. has lost a lot.
Look, you do not make those changes without having to pay for them.
I mean, I know damn well, you know.
You have to pay for it eventually.
We bonded, and we are still bonding
until I get mad with him at times.
But we've made it through these years, together 30 years,
and we're still friends.
'Cause there are C.P. Ellises and Ann Atwaters in almost every community.
They just need to be brought together
and experience what we experienced in Durham with that charrette.
(INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE)