IMINATION. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THE GOVERNOR'S AIDES CAME OUT AND SAID, "THE CAPITAL IS CLOSED TODAY." ABOUT THIS SAME TIME, THE TERM, "BLACK POWER" WAS COMING INTO USE. IT WAS MEANT TO INFER LONG-SUBMERGED RACIAL PRIDE IN NEGROES. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SPECIFICALLY SOUGHT TO REBUT THE EVANGELISTS OF BLACK POWER. "IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY FOR THE NEGRO TO GAIN POWER, BUT THE TERM BLACK POWER IS UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE IT TENDS TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF BLACK NATIONALISM. WE MUST NEVER SEEK POWER EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE NEGRO, BUT THE SHARING OF POWER WITH WHITE PEOPLE," HE SAID. (GARRATY 456)UNFORTUNATELY, THE THING THAT REALLY MOVED THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ALONG SIGNIFICANTLY WAS THE MURDER OF REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. IN LATE 1965. CRUELTY REPLACED HARMONY WITH NIGHTMARISH SUDDENNESS. RIOTING MOBS IN THE NEGRO SUBURB OF WATTS, CALIFORNIA, PILLAGED, BURNED AND KILLED, WHILE 500 POLICEMEN AND 5000 NATIONAL GUARDSMEN STRUGGLED IN VAIN TO CONTAIN THEIR FURY. HOUR AFTER HOUR, THE TOLL MOUNTED: 27 DEAD AT THE WEEK'S END, NEARLY 600 INJURED, 1700 ARRESTED, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE WELL OVER $100 MILLION. THE GOOD THAT CAME OUT OF ALL OF THIS, IS THAT THOUSANDS OF NEGROES WERE FLOCKING TO REGISTER IN THE NINE COUNTIES IN ALABAMA, LOUISIANA, AND MISSISSIPPI WHERE THE GOVERNMENT POSTED FEDERAL EXAMINERS TO UPHOLD THE VOTING LAW. IN FOUR DAYS, 6,998 NEGRO VOTERS WERE ADDED TO THE ROLLS IN COUNTIES WHERE THERE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ONLY 3,857. IN THAT TIME OF SORROW AND GUILT WHEN KING WAS MURDERED, THERE WAS AN OPENING FOR PEACE BETWEEN THE RACES THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE NEVER HAVE PRESENTED ITSELF. PRESIDENT JOHNSON PLEADED, "I ASK EVERY CITIZEN TO REJECT THE BLIND VIOLENCE THAT HAS STRUCK DR. KING." (WARRENP. 53) HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT TO BRING MEANING TO HIS DEATH, WE MUST BE DETERMINED TO STRIKE FORCEFULLY AT THE CONSCIENCES OF ALL AMERICANS IN ORDER TO WREST FROM TRAGEDY AND TRAUMA, THE WILL TO MAKE A BETTER SOCIETY. THE STUDENT MOVEMENT AMER...
