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Preferred citation:
Interview with
Mary-Jane Jackson
, conducted by Blackside, Inc. on Eyes on the Prize II: America at the Racial Crossroads, 1965-mid 1980s. Washington University Libraries, Film and Media Archive, Henry Hampton Collection.
Note: Note: These transcripts contain material that did not appear in the final program. Only text appearing in bold italics was used in the final version of Eyes on the Prize II.
Mrs. Jackson, I want you to tell me about registering to vote in Lowndes County.
Registering?
Yes, ma’am.
Then lemme tell you, because it’s a mess. It was, really. It was worse than mess. In Lowndes County didn’t want you to vote. No.
Why not?
Why not?
Yes, ma’am.
Because they pay you
What happened when you went down to vote? How were you treated?
Treated?
Yes, ma’am.
Treated like dog. Talked, talked to ya like you wasn’t human. I wake, and my husband had boosted me up. He said, I’m gonna vote and you gonna vote before I leave here and vote for us both. Plenty folks was scared to vote. I wasn’t scared, but I didn’t vote unless he told me. He dead now, but lotta folks lef' and wouldn’t vote.
Why were you not afraid to vote?
I wasn’t scared o' no White folks. I wasn’t scared of ‘em, but my husband told me to stay and vote, and I stayed home and vote. Always would do what he say.
Now, they told me that you went to mass— to big meetin’s, and that one time you had your gun in your purse.
I did. I carried it everywhere I went.
Tell me what happened at that meetin’.
What you— What, now? What meetin’?
The one that you said that you’d take your gun out.
You talkin' about in Lowndesboro?
Yes, ma’am.
What happened in Lowndesboro—
What happened?
Nothin’.
You wanna tell me about it?
What you wanna know about it?
When you went to the meetin’ and you had your gun in your purse, what did you say?
What did I say? You don’t wanna hear what I said.
OK. Let’s stop for a minute.
OK, Miss Jackson. What happened that day?
That night.
That night.
Didn’t nothin’ happen to us, but other folks was— Different varieties, I heard they got beat up, but we didn’t because every one of us had us a gun, and I had mine in my lap. Me, John Jackson was together. He said to make one fire, said, Let’s make two, and I was ready with it, but we didn’t hafta shoot. But I carried my husband’s gun— I’ve got it right now.
So what did you say?
Huh?
What did you say when you had your gun in your lap?
You gonna tell me?
Huh?
You gonna tell me?
Lemme ask you this: when you and John would go out to where you were born, you’d tell people about registerin’ to vote. Can you tell me about that?
They didn’t wanna vote. Uh-uh. They were scared to vote. I never have been scared to go. I never have. Neither have John Jackson. Me and him got together. I said, Nah. Well, I said, You want to go, I’ll go witcha, and I went with him. I went with him. He said, You ain’t scared? I said, Scared of what? I ain’t scared of nothin’. And I voted. Yeah, me and John Jackson were together.
What was it like for you to vote?
Huh?
What was it like for you to vote?
Who?
Your first time voting.
To what was I like?
What was it like for you to vote? How did you feel?
Did you feel like you had done something important?
I knowed I had.
What did you do?
What did I do?
Yes, ma’am.
OK, then. Hold off just a minute.
OK, now you tellin’ me about Stokely and Bob Mants and what happened.
Botha dem was my bes’ friend. Stokely and Bob Mants. Stokely left me here, and I wished for him back a many time. Many time, but when he left he said, I won’t be back. But Bob Mants—he is here. He comes ‘round. I talks with him.
What did Stokely and Bob Mants do to help you in Lowndes County?
What did they do? They made me a brave woman. That’s what they done. Made me a brave woman. I was already brave with
How did they do that?
By talkin’. They telled me what to say.
What did they tell you?
Tell me, don’t dodge. Tol’ me, don’t dodge.
I didn’t hear you.
You done heard it.
Thank you. OK.
Mark it
Miss Jackson. Do you remember the Black Panther and the Black Panther Party?
Black Panther?
Mm-hmm. You’d vote the Black Panther and then go home? Do you remember that? The Black Panther.
Black Panther— Wha’ ‘bout ‘im?
In Lowndes County. Do you remember, Vote the Black Panther and then go home?
Did I go home?
Do you remember, Vote the Black Panther and go home?
Uh-uh.
You don’t?
No.
You remember the Independent Party that you were all formed in Lowndes County? The party.
Party—
Yes, ma’am.
Where ‘bout in Lowndes County?
The Black Panther Party in Lowndes County.
Do I remember?
Mm-hmm.
I remember everything was done in Lowndes County, just about. What part of Lowndes County?
The Black Panther Party. No? Do you remember the State Troopers coming to the mass meeting?
Yeah.
What happened?
Nothin’.
Why not?
They’s scared. They was— They didn’t have— Didn’t happen to us ‘t’all, but they were there.
OK, thank you.
That’s it.