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26 on our Way now the flurry of action begins. Locate campsites, because the trip cannot be made in one day. find the black-owned land along the road between Selma and Montgomery, where marchers can rest and eat along the way. Secure portable toilets; set up transportation for the supplies the marchers would need: water, food. We had to check weather forecasts carefully, as they would be vital to the success of the march; we did not have the Weather Channelavailablethen .ShouldSnCCbecountedinthenumbersofmarch supporters? How long will the march take? Who will walk all the way to Montgomery and who will ride? These were some of the issues that had to be figured out. We really need people now! if we ever needed bodies at all, now is the time! We need persons from all walks of life, all races, all creeds, all professions, high- and low-profile people. We need people to leave with us from Selma, then more to join in Montgomery. The press has to be notified immediately. We need a firm commitment from at least two of the major television stations out of Montgomery that they will send a crew to accompany the march all the way—every step of this march must be documented. We also needed money to fund such a huge campaign; where would it come from? on our Way / 123 Assignments were divided up among staff and off they went. Calls were pouring in from everywhere. Correct information had to be given to reporters; staff were coming in with new information, then there were additional problems popping up to be dealt with. every one was busy. i did not know if i was coming or going, probably doing both. At the same time beds had to be changed, food had to be prepared, bathrooms cleaned, towels washed and folded. And on it went. We had less than a week to prepare—we were to march on Sunday,March21. ThankGodforDoraMcDonaldand bernardLee. i could not have made it without them. While the plans were being made security was the top priority, so i could not bring anyone from the outside into the house to help me in my work. We all just had to pitch in and get it done the best way we could. Andy was told to get on the phone and report to the major supporters and organizations on the injunction that allowed the march, and the nationalization of the Alabama national Guard and the dispatch of federal marshals to protect the marchers. This would help reduce some of the fears outsiders might have about coming to Alabama . Somewhere along the way in the midst of all the planning, a thought came to my mind. Are these calls and this information goingouttotherightpeople ?Willthewrongearsalsohear?Thewrong ears could then try to stop the march before it starts. i really felt uneasy about brown Chapel and about whether this historic place to worship would be a target or if Martin Luther King Jr. would be in danger as head of the movement. When there is evil in a man’s heart there is no telling what that man may do. How do people protect themselves from evildoers? Dr. King, Reverend Abernathy, and SCLC staff were in and out of the house. Quickly, church after church, organization after organization was notified and came onboard for the second march. People 124 / Chapter 26 begantoplantocomebyplane,train,bus,car,andfoot.Wordreached one of this country’s most eminent black scholars and historians, Dr. John Hope franklin. nothing took place in this country regarding blackAmericanswithoutDr. franklin’sinput.Knowingthestruggle so well, he came to Selma and convinced a large group of fellow historians from all over the country to join him. Peter Hall and orzell billingsley, attorneys from birmingham, Alabama, who had been in the house on many previous occasions, put out the call for lawyers to join us as a “must do in support of the movement,” and attorneys from all over the country heeded the call and converged on Selma. black, white, brown, and yellow Americans from all over this land descended on our small city in the hope of fulfilling a dream that would benefit everyone. ...

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