help. We want Federal legislation 

granting Negroes the right to vote 

unencumbered. We want Federal 

protocol to eliminate the decades-

long dismissal, intimidation and 

illegal denial of blacks seeking to 

vote, by local registrars who seek 

to withhold this right. And... we 

want robust enforcement of that 

protocol." [...]
"there’ve been thousands of racially-motivated murders in the 

South, including those four little 

girls, and [...] you know the 

astounding fact that not one of those criminals, who murder us when and why they want, has ever  been convicted. [...]

Not one conviction. Because they're protected by white officials chosen by an all-white electorate. And on the rare occasions they face trial, they're freed by all-white juries. All-white because you can't serve on a jury unless you're registered to vote."

The president's denial to support them at that time of their meeting, King decides on going to Selma.
Vote is difficult for black people in Alabama: "They say it is unacceptable that more than 50% of Selma is Negro and less than 2% of Negros here can vote."

"But what we do primarily is raise white consciousness. In particular the consciousness of whichever white man happens to be sitting in the Oval Office. Kennedy ignored us in Albany - because he could - because the press and the TV ignored us. 

He’s Bull Connor."

Exactly. Now I know, we all understand, that you young people believe in working in the community long-term. Doing the good work to raise black consciousness. Going door to door. Educating people about government and history. Being in the trenches for years if necessary. It’s good grassroots work. I can't tell you how much I admire that. But what we do primarily is raise white consciousness."