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15

ain't I a woman

( The civil rights worker of the 1960s is in a Southern jail and is speaking with a defense lawyer. )

ME AND MRS ROGERS GO IN THIS BUS STATION TO USE THE REST ROOM. [[strikethrough]] [[WHEN?]] [[/strikethrough]] THESE TWO POLICEMENS TOLD US [[strikethrough]] TO [[/strikethrough]] "GIT OUT." [[strikethrough]] BOTH OF THEM [[/strikethrough]] THEY FOLLOWED US OUTSIDE AND ONE OF THEM SAID, "THESE [[strikethrough]] ARE THEM [[/strikethrough]] TWO WOMEN [[strikethrough]] WHO IS [[/strikethrough]] ARE TRYING TO GET THE NIGGERS VOTEING." THEN HE SLAPPED ME REAL HARD AND I FELL AGAINST HIS PATROL CAR. I SAID," WHY YOU HITTING ME LIKE THAT?" WHEN MRS ROGERS TURNS TO TAKE DOWN THE CAR [[strikethrough]] THE [[/strikethrough]] NUMBER. [[strikethrough]] OF THE PATROL CAR AND THAT'S WHEN [[/strikethrough]] THEY GRAPPED [[strikethrough]] BOTH OF [[/strikethrough]] US [[strikethrough]] AND [[/strikethrough]] PUSHED US IN [[strikethrough]] BACK OF THE SHED [[/strikethrough]] BACK AND TOOK US ON TO THIS JAIL. [[strikethrough]] FORTHEM TO SAY [[/strikethrough]] WE DISTURBING THE PEACE AND ATTACKIN' AN OFFICER? [[strikethrough]] IS [[/strikethrough]] "THAT'S RIDICULOUS. [[strikethrough]] THEY KNOWED WELL WE WAS HELPING WITH VOTER REGISTRATION [[/strikethrough]]  LOOK AT THESE BRUISES ON MY ARMS. [[strikethrough]] AND THEY IS [[/strikethrough]] WANNA SEE THE WELTS ON MY BACK, WHERE THEY BEAT ME WITH THEIR BELTS. [[strikethrough]] I THOUGHT [[/strikethrough]] MRS ROGERS [[strikethrough]] WOULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK. SHE [[/strikethrough]] FAINTED WHEN THEY STARTED HITTING HER SO THEY LEFT HER ALONE.  I GUESS THEY TOOK THEIR HATE OUT ON ME.

BUT WHEN I GET OUT I'M GOING RIGHT BACK TO THE VOTER REGISTRATION. [[strikethrough]] IT'S [[/strikethrough]] TOO LATE TO STOP NOW.  LAST YEAR I WENT ONE NITE TO A CHURCH [[strikethrough]] TO A [[/strikethrough]] MEETING ABOUT THIS CIVIL RIGHTS SITUATION. ON [[ONE]] OF THE MEN SPEAKING TOLD THIS STORY. HE SAID THAT THE LORD CALLED THIS BLACK PREACHER WHO HAD A BIG CHURCH; A BIG CONGREGATION; A BIG HOUSE; AND A BIG CAR AND HE SAID REVERAND [[REVEREND]] I WANT YOU TO GO DOWN SOUTH AND HELP YOUR PEOPLE.  THE PREACHER SAY, " LORD THAT'S A GREAT DISTANCE CAN I THINK ABOUT IT?" THE LORD SAY, "I'LL CALL YOU BACK IN A FEW DAYS." THE LORD CALLED BACK IN A COUPLE OF DAYS AND HE ASKS THE REVERAND [[REVEREND]] IF HE'S READY.  THE REVERAND [[REVEREND]] SAID, "YES LORD I'LL GO IF YOU GO WITH ME. THE LORD SAID LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT. FINALLY THE LORD [[strikethrough]] ME [[/strikethrough]] CALLED THE REVERAND [[REVEREND]] AND HE SAID? "REVERAND [[REVEREND]] I'LL GO WITH YOU

Transcription Notes:
- unsure what the upward arrow on the bottom left side of the first paragraph is indicating. The current transcription is written with no change to the original text's sentence order.