It is said that music speaks to us. In the March Trilogy Books written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, there are bits and pieces of songs mentioned that are influential. The idea the authors had in using layers with musical lyrics throughout the pages was to present a timeline with meaning. A timeline that speaks to us through music. The way the authors swiftly bring you in and out of the years is fascinating. On one page you are in the present time, and the next you are in the past, reliving history. By writing a story that goes back and forth between the times, I believe, is a way of adding tension, thought, and prediction. It seems to put you right there, in the moment. This moment happens to be during a time of movement towards…show more content… The idea behind the sit-ins was to enter an establishment in hopes to be allowed to order food and eat at the lunch counter just as the white people do. By sitting at lunch counters, while being respectful and non-violent, they were making their presence known. The owners of the establishments did not want them there, and they would tell them to leave or threaten to call the police. As Powell shows us in Figure 1, the police were called and they are being lined up and separated into police wagons by race. While the wagons are driving away, you notice the lyrics "We shall overcome", "We shall overcome", "We shall overcome someday" spilling out of the cars. [Figure 2] That was Lewis' first arrest. "The first of many". (Lewis 1:103) Personally, I can understand the meaning this song must have had with them on that day. I can also understand their determination and will to keep pressing, and holding their ground. These lyrics are sending a message that they will not give up until they reach their goal. Even while being driven off to jail, they sang loud and proud. I believe this could have been for the sake of the White people listening, saying we won't give up, as it was for their African-American brothers and sisters, to keep…show more content… “Our Fathers’ God to thee, author of Liberty, to thee we sing. Long may our land be bright, with Freedom’s Holy Light, protect us by thy might, oh let Freedom ring! Let it ring! From the red clay in Georgia all the way to the Allegheny mountains…let it ring”! Once again, on this page, there are pictures symbolizing events that have taken place between the protesters and law enforcement. Specifically, a photo of a law enforcement agent, a white man, who seems unimpressed and lighting up a cigarette. Another one of these small photo inserts is showing what appears to be a man who has been ran over by a car. All you detect is the body lying face down, coming out from under the car. The song continues to its end on the next page, as “Oh let Freedom ring” bleeds out across the top of a black filled page, as we examine a white hand throwing a firebomb. Leading us back in time, to Montgomery, Alabama, May 21, 1961. Without looking onto the next page, your mind is already starting to anticipate what is going to happen next. The authors are getting you geared up, for the coming moments and events that are about to take
