Freedom Summer, Scene Three
Sixty-four pages. Over 14,000 words. Six scenes to go. Here is the third scene.
SCENE THREE
(Lighting change. CASEY removes the YWCA banner and exits. SNCC WORKERS enter with chairs. They move the table and chair to center stage. We are in the Atlanta SNCC headquarters. The SNCC Workers bustle in and out throughout the scene.)
SNCC WORKER:
You heard about Charles Sherrod dressing down Robert Kennedy?
SNCC WORKER:
You’re kidding.
SNCC WORKER:
Told him to his face where he could put his “cooling down period.”
SNCC WORKER:
No joke?
SNCC WORKER:
No joke. I heard he’s a wild man, Sherrod.
(ELLA enters, takes a seat. She is a black woman in her mid-30s. She is warm, authoritative, the person people look to.)
ELLA:
Careful about believing too much of what you hear, now. Let’s see. Where is everyone?
(JIM FORMAN strides in, takes a seat. CASEY follows behind, laboriously lugging a heavy cast-iron typewriter.)
JIM:
Sorry I’m late, Ella. There’s a car parked across the street, some white guy sitting there watching the office. I had to drive around the back way.
ELLA:
Probably smart, Jim. Casey? Your excuse?
CASEY:
(drops the typewriter on the table)
This is heavy.
(Ella laughs. Casey takes notes on the typewriter during the following exchange.)
ELLA:
Right! Okay. Now that we’re all here, what’s going on? What are we doing right now?
JIM:
Stokely’s in jail again.
ELLA:
Where this time?
JIM:
Parchman. With Diane Nash, Charles Sherrod, John Lewis, Ruby Smith. All picked up when their Freedom Ride arrived in Jackson.
ELLA:
Parchman, of course. How are they? Any news?
JIM:
No injuries, as far as we know. They wouldn’t stop singing, so the guards took their mattresses.
ELLA:
Well, at least they’re having a good time.
JIM:
I wish they’d act a litte more seriously.
ELLA:
Who said singing’s not serious? They’re in jail in the most racist state in the country. Something’s got to get them through.
JIM:
Either way, we’ll need to find money for bail.
ELLA:
You’re right about that. Casey, you’ve got some university connections. How would you feel about working out some kind of fundraising initiative?
CASEY:
I can make a few calls this afternoon, see if there’s anyone willing to put out some pamphlets or organize a seminar.
(SNCC WORKER enters, holding a letter.)
ELLA:
Good. Good. What’ve you got, Chuck?
SNCC WORKER:
Letter for Casey.
CASEY:
From?
SNCC WORKER:
(handing it over)
Tom Hayden. Hold on, there’s more.
(He exits.)
ELLA:
More? That’s already the third one this week! Goodness, Casey. What did you do to that poor boy?
CASEY:
Apparently he admires my passion.
(JIM coughs. SNCC WORKER returns carrying a large box, which he places on the table.)
SNCC WORKER:
Also from Tom.
(SNCC WORKER exits. CASEY opens the box – it’s full of books.)
ELLA:
(gently)
The time may have come to give the boy your personal address, Casey. There’s already enough attention on our office as it is.
CASEY:
I know, I know. I’m sorry, Ella. I’ll get these out of here.
(CASEY picks up the box of books. ELLA and JIM move the table stage left and exit. Lighting change.)