The films goes through a series of events and attempts by black leaders to build an effective civil rights coalition between local leaders like Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and national leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., and James Bevel. But the forces of the older black population slowly digressed as white leaders, like "Bull" Connor, Police Commissioner, strode around through black neighborhoods in his white army tank. The struggle moved on to the younger generation. Police men were even arresting them and placing them in jail cell's. The quick inclusion of students into the movement allowed for a massive amount of young people to come together and protest full strength. It began first with the high school students, then junior high, and finally grade school students. When a younger child had been asked by her mother where she had been that day, the child proudly said, "In jail." "In jail? What were you doin in jail?", asked her astonished mother. The child answered, "For freedom." Testimonies from the black citizens of Birmingham were intertwined coherently. Hope as well as fear spoke from their words as they invested courage into the populace's young people who proudly marched to jail. Subtle encouragement of the young was the way the black community supported their role in the movement. One teacher had said that when she told her class about the protests and demonstrations that were attracting students to the streets, she told them, "I hope that when I turn my back to write on the blackboard that I don't turn around and find all you gone." The whole class was gone when she turned back around. There is a scent of pride in her voice when she remarks about the empty classroom. Birmingham had history of bombs being used to make political points. The existence of the steel mills, industry, and foundries, made accessibility to dynamite quite efficient and easy. When black families began to build substantial homes on a hill, the homes were destroyed by "honkies" that felt that they did not deserve to live too well.
