In this WSB newsfilm clip from a march held in Atlanta, Georgia on January 14, 1966, marchers protest the Georgia legislature's refusal to allow Julian Bond to serve in the House of Representatives, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaks to the demonstrators. Chanting "Freedom!" as they march, the crowd follows cars with headlights on; the marchers are bundled up in warm clothes. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King walk with the demonstrators who wave and cheer as they surround the capitol building. The group is also seen in front of Central Presbyterian Church, across the street from the capitol building. An African American man, seen from behind, appears to speak to state troopers. King's comments from a podium in front of the crowd are not completely recorded. He declares the participants "reaffirm the sacred right of freedom of speech and the right to dissent" before the clip breaks. He asserts that as people who love America, demonstrators will seek moral representatives in government and encourage morality in the country. The crowd cheers as he repeats the refrain "we love America." The clip returns to a silent section, showing crowds in front of the capitol building, people stepping over discarded handbills, and troopers lined up on the steps to keep people out of the building. Troopers in helmets watch as demonstrators cheer and walk into city hall. Julian Bond, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) communications director, was elected to the 136th district of the Georgia legislature in November 1965, one of ten African Americans elected to the legislature that year. After Bond publicly endorsed the SNCC anti-Vietnam statement and said he respected those who burned their draft cards, members of the House of Representatives voted one hundred eighty-four to twelve to not allow Bond to serve in the House on January 10, the first day of the legislative session. Later that year the United States Supreme Court ruled that Bond's statement was within his first amendment rights, and the Georgia legislature had to seat him. Bond served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1965 to 1975.

Title supplied by cataloger.

The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for digital conversion and description of the WSB-TV Newsfilm Collection.

1 clip (about 2 min.): black-and-white, sound ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WSB-TV newsfilm collection.

WSB-TV newsfilm clip of demonstrators protesting against the legislature for refusing to allow Julian Bond to serve as well as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking to the audience, Atlanta, Georgia, 1966 January 14, WSB-TV newsfilm collection, reel 1346, 22:06/24:31, Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Ga, as presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.

Forms part of: Civil Rights Digital Library.