About AFSCME

The Mason Temple Meeting

Far more than 5,000 people, all but a tiny fraction of them Negroes, gathered later that afternoon in the Mason Temple of the Church of God in Christ. The multitude rippled with the movement of life and vibrated with its sound.

They heard Jerry Wurf, International President of the striking union, tell them that "if it has to go on for a week or a month or a year, these men are prepared to go on!"

They heard Tommy Powell declare that he had been dissuaded, by some of "supposedly goodwill," from saying something he had wanted to say at the "Memphis Cares" meeting. They had admonished him that it would be "too political." "But I want to ask you here to join the Memphis Labor Council in calling for the resignation of Mayor Loeb!" In an instant the people were on their feet and cheering.

They heard and loved the inimitable Dr. Ralph Jackson:

"I'm sick and tired of white people trying to ease their consciences by calling in a few of us to talk to them . . . It's time for them to spit -- I said spit -- or get off the pot!"

He told the people that, if Dr. King could give up his life, they could give up a day's work to make the march the next day. "We want everybody on that march. We want everybody! We want everybody. Everybody! Everybody! Everybody! Get on the telephone and tell everybody! Tell everybody to tell everybody! Tell everybody to tell everybody to tell everybody!"

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