Joseph Roeske

College Writing R1A

Revising for a Revolution

Andrew Aydin, John Lewis and Nate Powell’s 2015 ‘March: Book 2’ is a graphic text
and autobiography covering two major events that occurred during the civil rights movement:
the so-called ‘Freedom Rides’ and the ‘March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom’ which
took place on August 28th, 1963. It follows the young activist John Lewis on his journey from
student protestor in the Southern United States to becoming one of the most prominent civil
rights leaders of his generation. We witness how the March on DC, at which the then 23-year
old gave his now famous speech, gathers momentum, defying repeated attempts by its
opponents to stop it. Lewis, scarred by his experiences as a Freedom Rider, believes that the
time for ‘change is now’; he feels strongly that the civil rights bill proposed by the Kennedy
administration a couple of months earlier does not go nearly far enough and only reluctantly
agrees to join the March, initially filled with doubt that it will be effective. However, the
‘toned down’ version of the speech he ends up delivering after much discussion and revision,
not only successfully strengthens the March but ultimately becomes one of the rallying cries
for the civil rights movement as a whole.

The following essay will discuss the controversies that emerged while Lewis was
writing his speech, as shown in ‘March : Book 2’, and analyse some of the most prominent
revisions between the original draft and the final speech. In doing so, it will also shed light on
key themes discussed by key characters in the book such as empowerment, education,
inclusion, equality, ideology and religion. In addition, Powell’s illustrations will be discussed
with a view to their effectiveness in promoting these themes and capturing the essence of
the March: human emotion and the desire for change.

When writing the speech, Lewis, who had recently been appointed director of the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), worked tirelessly with other members
of the movement who wanted to give younger African-Americans a voice. On pp. 154 we see
Lewis embarking on the first draft with the assistance of the SNCC’s inner circle, executive
secretary Jim Forman, communications director Courtland Cox and staffer Nancy Stern. The

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team is deeply immersed in the task - overflowing ash trays, endless cups of coffee and reams
of draft paper littering the office. A newspaper article about protests in Rhodesia prompts
Lewis to make further revisions before completing the first draft with the help of SNCC
members Courtland Cox and Joyce Ladner in New York. We see the drafting committee
engaged in lively discussion, each member contributing their own point of view. The writing
process advances smoothly as all of the activists involved appear to share similar objectives.

When Lewis arrives in Washington the day before the March the dynamic begins to
shift dramatically. The atmosphere in the city is tense, everyone is on edge and Lewis begins
to sense that not everyone agrees with the March. In the hotel lobby he overhears Malcolm
X telling a reporter that “whatever black folks do, maybe I don’t support it, but I am going to
be there…” (p. 155). A note slipped under the door of his hotel room and a late-night call from
Banyard Rustin, the co-organizer of the March, alert Lewis to the fact that his draft speech
(which had just been leaked to the press) is now facing serious objections. Lewis is cornered
by members of the clergy who vehemently object to talking about the proposed bill as ‘Too
Little, Too Late’. We see a religious conservative shouting at Lewis, questioning how anyone
could dare to utter the words ”you tell us to wait, you tell us to be patient, but for many of us
patience is a dirty and nasty word” (p. 157). Lewis’ phrasing is criticized as contradicting
Catholic doctrine which traditionally regards patience as a virtue; and although the SNCC was
generally committed to peaceful protest, it had previously stated that they ”would not slow
down because of the possibility [of violence]“ (p.152), leading others to argue that urging
impatience could have been misinterpreted by more radical protesters as an invitation to
violence.

After much debate, Lewis agrees to remove the phrase ‘Too Little, Too Late’ but
refuses to change his use of the word ‘patience’ (p.169). We can deduct that he came to
realize that ‘too late’ may lead people to believe that any further changes to JFK’s proposed
bill were impossible. So rather than lamenting that it was too late for change, Lewis decided
to use his final speech to outline more clearly which sections of the proposed bill were
inadequate, thereby creating an opening for further re-negotiation of the law. He also
reaffirmed the non-violent character of the movement by stating that the March is built with

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the ‘spirit of love and with the spirit of dignity’ (p.170) and included a mention of ‘God’s’
approval to appease those who may have objected on religious grounds.

One thing Lewis never compromised on was his sense of urgency. He points out that
there should be ‘no cooling-off period’ (p. 186) and exclaims: “To those who have said ‘Be
patient and wait,’ we have long said that we cannot be patient. We do not want our freedom
gradually, but we want to be free now!” (p. 187), urging his fellow Americans to take
immediate action as the wrongdoing has lasted too long. We can, therefore, surmise that
Lewis regarded the risk of a full-scale riot as low, perhaps suspecting the argument to be little
more than a ploy by politicians under pressure to derail the speech.

The controversy surrounding the draft reached a crescendo on the day of the March.
As a legendary line-up of musicians performs to a massive crowd assembled in front of the
Lincoln Memorial, a different kind of ‘drama’ unfolds behind the scenes. Roy Wilkins, leader
of the NAACP, accuses Lewis of “always want(ing) to be different”, prompting Lewis to
counter that he is “not just speaking for [him]self… [but] for the people of the delta and the
black belt” (p.163) who suffered in ways Wilkins had never experienced. The next blow is
delivered by Archbishop O’ Boyle who argues that the use of the terms ‘masses’ and
‘revolution’ is synonymous with ‘Communist talk’. Randolph, primary organizer of the March,
responds that, in his many years as an activist, he has “used (these words) many times
(him)self” (p. 164). The exchange persuades Lewis’ to retain the terms as markers of
inclusiveness and equality - the very ‘raison d’etre’ for the March. Throughout the final speech
there are further examples of inclusive language, such as Lewis equating ‘all’ (p.168,169,171)
people, regardless of creed or colour, in an effort to enrol everyone in the greater cause. The
pronouns ‘we’ and ‘us’ appear several times to refer to all ordinary citizens, whilst political
leaders are often framed as ‘they’ and ‘them’.

In ‘March: Book 2’, Powell cleverly depicts the process involved in drafting Lewis’
speech through a combination of graphic illustrations and text, using both mediums to
maximum effect in order to showcase the author’s motives and the evolving character of the
movement. Powell’s use of varying font sizes is a case in point: small font in cloud shaped text
boxes are indicative of whispered conversations or thoughts, while large, bold text in clearly

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delineated speech bubbles emphasises words spoken loudly, such as the forceful tone and
emotion in Lewis’ voice when arguing with his opponents. The exaggerated font in ‘WAKE UP
AMERICA!!!’ (p.171) further amplifies Lewis’ voice as the speech reaches its conclusion.

Similarly, the illustrations feature different frame sizes and border styles, thereby
effectively breaking the story into individual scenes and helping the reader experience
different viewpoints. In earlier parts of the book, frequent, smaller images are used to display
the emotions of Lewis and the people surrounding him which range from deeply concerned
to ecstatic. As Lewis embarks on his speech, the frames become more panoramic to take in
the massive crowds and expansive vistas. Visuals are connected via elongated speech
bubbles, insinuating that Lewis’ passionate delivery has the power to unite everyone across
the nation. Lightly shaded scenes with fine detail alternate with, darker, more dramatic and
roughly drawn close-ups during heated discussions such as those between Lewis and Bayard
(p.157) or Randolph (p. 164). The overall effect is an intense and deeply engaging depiction
of the March, enabling readers to share the presence of Lewis and his contemporaries as if
they were standing right beside them.

In the final draft, Lewis also includes important details that help his audience relate
better to the plight of the disadvantaged, such as in his descriptions of raising up the
‘homeless’ and ‘farmers’ (p.166) to the same status as better off Americans – stressing what
equality should look like and including people of all backgrounds in the narrative. By sharing
an anecdote about the ‘unseen equality of the maid’ (p.168) who is paid unfairly and treated
terribly, he is able to elevate the voice of black women, while denouncing the mistreatment
of African-Americans in white households. The impact of Lewis’ words is artfully captured in
Powell’s illustrations which reflect the emotions displayed by the men and women in the
crowd who are rapt, hanging on Lewis’ every word.

By the end of the drafting process, Lewis has taken on board some of the changes
sought by his associates, whilst cleverly maintaining most of the original content and thrust
of his speech. Despite the heated last-minute debates, Lewis states that ”when we were
finished, I was still satisfied with the speech, as were Forman and Cox.“ (p.165). During
revisions, Lewis makes a conscious effort to change specific words, cut or add sentences and

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balance the tone of his speech whilst maintaining its original structure and sense of urgency.
He is prepared to listen to criticism and compromises with those who argue that being too
aggressive could be counter-productive. He tones down the harshness of his accusations and
avoids the demonization of political leaders by mentioning ‘exceptions’, removing his attacks
on the Jim Crow laws and the term ‘conspiracy’ from his final speech. He also avoids attacking
the government directly, for example, by deleting his original question: “what side… [IS] the
federal government on?” (p.188). In doing so Lewis is able to maintain the peaceful nature of
the protests, while, at the same time, securing the cooperation of the government and the
silent majority of Americans in amending the bill.

By providing us with key insights into the revision process and through its visually
striking illustrations, ‘March; Book 2’ allows us to relive this key moment in history and
experience the lasting influence Lewis was able to exert through his landmark speech. What
becomes evident is that the revisions were the result of a tortuous process, but one that
ultimately led to unprecedented success. The key themes of change, such as increased
equality and reduced poverty, united the African-American community and persuaded the
nation that a better future was, indeed, possible. A substantially revised civil rights bill was
passed the following year which alleviated many of the grievances felt by the protesters and
established a more just society, marking US history forever.

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College Writing R1A

References

Cohen, J., & Solomon, N. (1995, January 4). The Martin Luther King You Don't See On TV. Retrieved
from Media Beat http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/003.html

Lewis, J., Aydin, A., Powell, N., & Ross, C. (2015). March 2. Marietta, GA: Top Shelf Productions.