“Believe me, Dad, its right. I did my research. It gets worse.” Jorden thought of Justin. He probably would have thought the restrictions were necessary. She couldn’t understand his reasoning. Putting her opinions aside, she read on.

‘“There were only two days per month citizens could go to the courthouse and apply to register to vote. One of those days, October 7, 1963, was called, Freedom Day. Over 300 Black people from Dallas County organized and stood in line all day in the hot sun to apply at the registration office. Individuals were arrested for trying to give them water. At the end of the day, only a small number were allowed to fill out the voter registration applications. Most were turned down because they had to pass a literacy test to prove they could read and write. Other pressures were applied, even threats of violence to stop the Black people from voting.’”

“Oh, I remember Brother talking about that day,” Jorden’s mother spoke up. “He wrote a long letter describing it. One of Brother’s customers, Etta May, had been there. He described her as a large colored woman with four children. She took her oldest son to stand in line with her. The day proved brutal. She told Brother she wished she hadn’t brought him along to witness such unbelievable behavior. She never made it to the courthouse door—but the event ignited a fire of determination in Etta May.”

Grant glanced at his wife. “I’ve never heard of Etta May. Are you making this up?”

“No! You just don’t listen to me. I’m sure I mentioned her to you. I may even have Brother’s letter. Go on Jorden.”

Jorden glanced at her mother and continued.

“‘The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made segregation illegal, but it was difficult to enforce in Selma. By January of 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. had officially started the Selma Voting Rights movement. A plan was set up to march from Selma to Montgomery, the State Capital, to ask Governor Wallace to protect Black registrants. The Governor denounced the march and called it a threat to public safety. Governor Wallace said they would take all measures necessary to prevent the march.’”

Grant glanced toward his daughter. “Quite a long march. I know I saw it on the news, but how many days did it take?”

“Grant, keep your eyes on the road; you’re going to kill us!” Jorden could hear her mother call out to her dad.

“I’m not going to kill anyone!” Grant barked back. “I’m just curious. A march from Selma to Montgomery is quite a hike. Don’t you think?”

Jorden felt the car accelerate.

“We don’t need to pass the car ahead of us,” her mother yelled.