The Gregory March: Police Power and the Freedom of Assembly

Transcript (Download)

What happened here on the streets of Chicago last night is an indication of a mentality that is abroad in America today.

Now, just tell me a way to get rid of Richard Daly as the mayor of Chicago without the political process.

It's like the only way we can show the world that Richard Daly is not a reasonable authority.

I think I'd like to educate the people in another way and I think it can be done.

You see what's going on here? We just finished talking to the general.

They have their orders.

What we did right now was try to set up some ground rules.

They say we can go to 18 South Michigan and West on State.

Now when we get there, they are trying to reach their communication to find out if we're going to be stopped at this point.

Now, again I'm saying we have a legal right to go to my house.

Now if anybody gets arrested on their way to my house, that's a false arrest.

Now, we are going to pull out of here now.

We're going to stay on the left side of the street.

We've got to walk as slow as we can because the general has to let his troops know down the line that the art of Daly gave him earlier ain't no good no more.

Stay in the left.

More breath, more breath.

Keep moving, more breath, keep moving.

161, they are at 12 now.

You know what this is, it looks like.

It's a line of art.

Okay, let's get it.

All right, go, go.

Very slowly, that's good.

Right, right, peaceful and calm.

Peace, peace, we want peace.

Talk for peace.

Peace, baby, peace.

Going? Back into the line, turn around.

We are on the way to my house, up on the sidewalk.

We have met an arrest situation once we step off the corner.

Now we're going to move across the street and at that point we'll meet the confrontation.

Remember you're on your way to my house.

Let's move it, baby.

There's not going to be no gas because when we walk across the street legally, then they're going to arrest us legally.

And then I feel we got a false arrest of you are not on your way to a convention.

You're on your way as a tiny citizen to my house.

Now all of a sudden there's a whole bunch of people in front.

I don't know who that whole bunch of people is.

I think they ought to get away from in front because we're trying to do it so as to preserve head.

Everybody freeze on the idea of preserving head.

We're not out to get clobbered.

We're out to exercise our constitutional rights to protest.

All you stones, just be cool.

I'm not going to get it.

They kept the record back then.

All right, they kept this record as far as I know, huh? All who attempt to go any direction other than west will be subjected to arrest.

Any other direction besides that direction you go to jail.

Stand on the white line.

Please stand on the white line.

All stones, be cool.

This legally has been arrested.

All delegates please.

All delegates please.

We have been told as delegates of the Democratic National Convention, categorically, that we cannot walk on our present course where we are taking this evening's stroll.

We feel this is a violation of civil liberties.

It is a refusal to respect our right as citizens to the streets, to free movement, in this that is yet our America.

If we're going to go to jail, let's go to jail.

Identifier

F.2005-03-0030

Date Of Production

1968

Abstract

Documents the protests on Thursday, August 29th at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Comedian/activist Dick Gregory is arrested as he attempts to lead a march to break the police cordon around the Chicago Loop. This film is incorporated into the Film Group’s feature “American Revolution II”.

Description

This film is part of a seven part module or educational film series ("The Urban Crisis and the New Militants") produced by The Film Group that, "teach by raising questions rather than by attempting to answer them." The modules tell their story through editing rather than voice-over narration and show "real events, with real people acting spontaneously," as the Group explained to an educational film distributor.

Run Time

0:08:20

Format

16mm

Extent

300 feet

Color

B&W

Sound

Optical

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English

Element

Preservation answer print

Genre

Documentary
Educational

Form

Short

Subject

Chicago (Ill.)
Chicago (Ill.) Police Dept.
Democratic National Convention (1968: Chicago, Ill.)
Political Activists
Student movements
Politics and government
Political conventions
African Americans

Related Collections

SERIES: Urban Crisis and the New Militants

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago

Distributor

NewenhouseNovo

Main Credits

Film Group (is production company)

Participants And Performers

Gregory, Dick (is participant)

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