Childrens crusade

May second, nineteen-sixty three

The height of the civil rights movement

While our friends

Their parents, grandparents

Were fighting

Fighting, without raising a fist

Fighting, for the right to exist

Fighting, against the unjust laws holding them down

Like the chains on those before them

Fighting, for a better life

A future they wanted to see come into fruition

People my age

Kids even younger

Some as young as seven and eight

Were marching alongside

Fighting, fighting with their

Mothers and fathers

Brothers and sisters

Meeting resistance at every turn

Hoses, strong enough to break our iphones to break bone

Then dogs

Threat after threat

Hundreds of children arrested

Their friends

They kept on fighting

Fighting to save them

Fighting to save themselves

Reverend James Bevel lead this revolt

A revolt against unjust laws

He was

Making them feel

Helping them feel

Letting them feel

Hope

When all was said and done

Thousands of kids

Drenched in water, blood, sweat, and tears

They struggled but kept their guards up

To bring change

To bring justice

To bring a world without chains

The chains holding them down

Holding families down

Holding our world down

Bringing forth the day

The day their suffering will mean something

May third, nineteen-sixty three

Was the day

The day it all started to make a difference