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about
It is easy to forget what good work is done by investigative journalists in a climate where a certain world leader is branding everything as fake news. Jerry Mitchell, a reporter from Jackson, Mississippi having been inspired by the film Mississippi Burning, spent many years investigating old civil rights cases, and his work led to the arrest of several Klansmen and prompted authorities to re-examine numerous killings during the civil rights era. This song reflects the story of the killing of the civil rights activists Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andew Goodman during the Freedom Summer campaign in June 1964. Jerry Mitchell’s work helped to convict Klansman Edgar Ray Killen who orchestrated the murders. The sentencing occurred on June 21st 2005, the 41st anniversary of the crime.
lyrics
Long Hard Road
It’s been a long hard road, half a life time passing
Long hard road, to see this day
Long hard road, half a life time passing
Long hard road, to see this day
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, but some truth has been revealed
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, an open wound can heal
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, two score years and one
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, to right this grevious wrong
There is no repentance or conscience from this man
A preacher for the devil with bloodstains on his hands
Long hard road, half a life time passing
Long hard road, to see this day
Long hard road, half a life time passing
Long hard road, to see this day
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, a ghost was laid to rest
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, an injustice was addressed
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, atoning for the past
It’s been a long time, a long time coming, are we nearer ‘Free at Last’?
Evil came to slaughter the sacrificial lambs
And bury Freedom Summer into an earthen dam
Dialogue
June 23rd 1964 3.59pm
President Lyndon B Johnson to Senator James Eastland Mississippi
President Johnson: Jim, we’ve got three kids missing down there. What can I do about it?
Eastland: Well, I don’t know. I don’t believe there’s . . . I don’t believe there’s three missing. I believe it’s a publicity stunt.
June 23rd 1964 4.05pm
FBI Director J Edgar Hoover to LBJ
J. Edgar Hoover: Mr. President?
President Johnson: Yeah.
Hoover : I wanted to let you know we found the car.
President Johnson: Yeah?
Hoover : Apparently what’s happened, these men have been killed.
President Johnson: Well, now, what would make you think they’d been killed?
Hoover : It is merely an assumption that probably they were burned in the car. On the other hand, they may have been taken out and killed on the outside.
President Johnson: Or maybe kidnapped and locked up.
Hoover : How’s that?
President Johnson: Or maybe kidnapped and locked up.
Hoover : Well, I would doubt whether those people down there would even give them that much of a break.
August 4th 1964
Cartha “Deke” DeLoach, Assistant Director of the FBI to LBJ
De Loach: Mr President?
LBJ: Yeah
De Loach: Mr Hoover wanted me to call you sir immediately and tell you that the FBI have found three bodies, six miles south west of Philadelphia Mississippi. We have every reason to believe they are the three missing men. They were at the side of a dam that had been constructed near Philadelphia Mississippi. Want to let you know right away sir
Storm clouds now have broken the skies are clear and calm
The soil is in renewal down on Old Jolly Farm
Long hard road, half a life time passing
Long hard road, to see this day
Long hard road, half a life time passing
Long hard road, to see this day
Court sentencing of Edgar Ray Killen on June 23, 2005, by Circuit Judge Marcus Gordon to the maximum sentence of 60 years in prison, 20 years for each count of manslaughter, to be served consecutively.
credits
from Strange Device,
released April 1, 2019
Song written by John Davies & Nick James
Lead Vocals: Nick James
Bright and skipping songs that foreground the sound of the banjo and fingerstyle guitar in music that feels timeless. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 5, 2020
