I AM Jena 6
THERE'S A JENA IN EVERY STATE
THURSDAY, 5:30 A.M. AND IN INTO THE AFTERNOON, JENA, LOUISIANA
Driving into Jena is no easy task.
Interstate 20 goes directly into Louisiana, but a cadre of back roads and rickety, two-lane state highways are actually the meat of the more interesting part of the nine-hour trip from Atlanta.
The buses took a route through cotton fields that look like a long white sheet, backed by rows of trees. We get to Columbia, which is a typical small-town—modest, understated homes, quite a few manufactured homes, some mom-and-pop stores and a few traffic lights.
To make it even more interesting, it's not the most well-lit area--most of it under construction—to be driving on in the morning darkness.
"We really are in the cut," says Morehouse staffer Kevin Booker.
Suddenly there is a four-lane highway that merges into another two-lane road leading into Jena.
Again, small homes—many of them trailer homes—very close together. The neighborhoods are obviously quite old, but are nowhere near opulent.
Then out of nowhere there is downtown Jena. On the left, the courthouse area where Mychal Bell and the other members of the "Jena 6" have had their day in court, is surrounded by soon-to-be protestors. A few small businesses are on the right. A town square and then a funeral home. That's pretty much downtown Jena. Blink and you'll miss it, which is what happens to many of the sleeping students on the bus.
"Young men and young ladies, you are on your way to becoming freedom fighters," Morehouse's Malcolm Williams bellows into the bus's microphone, awaking the sleeping crew.
Crowds of people, buses and vehicles are already clogging the roads. They quickly put on their black attire and readied to leave the bus. Most wear some version of the many different "Free the Jena 6" T-shirts.
"I'm excited," says Morehouse freshman Daniel Edwards as he and classmate Lambert Rahming watch the steady traffic and heavy police presence along the roads.
"To be here—to know you're actually standing up for a cause and know you have an opportunity to make a change," Edwards says, "it's exciting."
People, mostly white, peek from their homes to see the caravan of buses and cars from all over the country. Daylight still hasn't broken, but the activity is very busy for the tiny town of 3,000 people.
Buses and vehicles are directed to Ward 10 Recreation Park, a group of poorly maintained baseball fields that are located in the black part of Jena, says 42-year-old Roy Beard, who has lived in Jena all his life.
"We stay over here and they stay over there," Beard says, pointing to an area of town opposite the park. "It's kinda divided. That's the way it's always been."
Before marchers begin their walk into Jena (where Beard says white merchants had mostly decided to shut down for the day -- "They were scared of all of this," he says), they receivedtheir marching orders from a bevy of speakers, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
"This struggle is not just another challenge," Jackson says. "There's a Jena in every state."
The thousands of marchers are lined up in rows of eight. The Atlanta University Center crew anchors the middle. To keep everyone together—a tough thing to do considering the thousands that were there—occasionally someone shouts "AUC!" to serve as an identifier.
It also shows how fervent and passionate AUC students are.
"You guys sure brought a lot of people up from Hotlanta," one woman says as she turned and looked at the smiling faces.
Through the back of the park, down a tree-lined road, back out onto La. 127, the marchers snake their way into downtown Jena.
"What do we want?" someone chants.
"Justice," the crowd answers.
"When do we want it?" Morehouse sophomore Broderick McBride screams.
"NOW!" the crowd answers, fists in the air.
"I see this march as being much bigger than Jena 6," says McBride as he marched with the group into downtown Jena. "This will be a movement that will liberate our people."
Residents, mostly black, but some whites in chairs on their lawns, watch and take pictures as the marchers make their way towards downtown. They are greeted by cheers and encouragement from the side of the road. Most merchants have closed their businesses for the day in anticipation of the scores of protestors taking over the town.
Quiet, yet friendly, Louisiana state troopers are posted on each block. Marchers from all over the nation head into town where they chant and cheer for awhile before turning around and making the hot, two-mile walk back to the recreation park and the waiting buses.
More...
THIS HAS BEEN A LESSON ABOUT LIFE
WE HAVE MADE HISTORY
THERE'S A JENA IN EVERY STATE
TO SEE YOUNG PEOPLE STARTING TO TAKE CHARGE, IT'S WONDERFUL
WE HAVE YOUNG ADULTS STANDING UP FOR YOUNG ADULTS
OUR GENERATION MUST START THE MOVEMENT
