Recall

Jesse Jackson gave a speech at Alabama when I was in grad school.   I think it was a campaign stop as he ran for president.  The room was packed;  I got there early enough to claim a chair.  The scene is crystal clear in my memory.  Jackson was bigger than I expected, in a lot of ways.  His speech was electrifying.  I don't remember the exact topics he covered, but I remember the hair on my arms standing up again and again.  He led the "I Am Somebody" chant.  One of the work-study students from the Sociology department was also there, and he and I walked back to ten Hoor Hall, talking about what we'd just seen.  I have a lot of memories from Tuscaloosa --- this is one of the clearest.


Looking at this picture takes me back to how that building smelled, the department's office (oooh --- I had my own mail cubby!)  I can hear Don Muir whistling as he walked the hall where all the offices were.  Very good memories.




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