A MAN TO BE REMEMBERED
By Sofia
On February 18, 1965, Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot twice in the abdomen, rushed to the hospital and died eight days later. Just prior to his brutal death, Jackson took part in a peaceful night march to protest the arrest of James Orange. According to police, Orange was arrested for disorderly conduct, when really he was just encouraging students to participate in voting rights marches. Jackson marched along with his elderly mother and 82 year old grandfather.
The march took place in Marion, Alabama at the courthouse steps. The police told them to disperse, but instead they knelt down to pray. The police quickly rushed into the crowd, beating people with billy clubs. Jimmie Lee Jackson and his family fled to a nearby cafe in an attempt to blend in. Unfortunately, the state troopers followed them into the cafe and started to beat Jackson’s mother and grandfather. Jackson rushed to try and protect them. He was shot twice by the police. After getting shot, Jackson and his family rushed out of the cafe and ran to a nearby bus stop where Jimmie collapsed. He was taken the Good Samaritan Hospital where he died eight days later. After his death a memo was distributed by Betty Garman, a civil rights organizer, to those involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or SNCC. It stated,
The march took place in Marion, Alabama at the courthouse steps. The police told them to disperse, but instead they knelt down to pray. The police quickly rushed into the crowd, beating people with billy clubs. Jimmie Lee Jackson and his family fled to a nearby cafe in an attempt to blend in. Unfortunately, the state troopers followed them into the cafe and started to beat Jackson’s mother and grandfather. Jackson rushed to try and protect them. He was shot twice by the police. After getting shot, Jackson and his family rushed out of the cafe and ran to a nearby bus stop where Jimmie collapsed. He was taken the Good Samaritan Hospital where he died eight days later. After his death a memo was distributed by Betty Garman, a civil rights organizer, to those involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or SNCC. It stated,
At this moment we do not know when his funeral will be held. But we want to encourage all groups to hold some kind of a memorial or demonstration for Jimmy Jackson and to protest the brutal manner in which he was killed. If nothing else each of you should prepare a leaflet with the above information and distribute it as widely as possible to people in your community. WE MUST NOT LET AMERICA FORGET THAT RACIST CRIMINALS ARE STILL AT LARGE TODAY. (Garman, 1965)
While many peaceful protests were already underway for voting rights, the events surrounding Jackson’s death directly impacted Martin Luther King Jr.’s decision to help lead the marches from Selma to Montgomery. It is said to be the “catalyst” that brought much needed attention to Selma to help in the fight for African American voting rights. King delivered the eulogy at Jackson’s funeral. He said, ”We must be concerned not merely about who murdered him but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy which produced the murderer.” (Selma to Montgomery March, 1965). This was the event that would help change that system.