You can count them one by one, it could be your son.

[marym625]

Last edited Sun Dec 28, 2014, 10:20 AM - Edit history (1)

In The Mississippi River

With all these young black men, black teenage boys and the young black boy, Tamir Rice, being murdered by cops, and the prosecutors protecting them; with the trumped up charges used on protesters and the insane charges against Tiny Doo, I can't get this song out of my mind.

Back in 1964 when the FBI was searching for the bodies of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner, they dragged the Mississippi and Pearl Rivers. Though they didn't find those three Freedom Fighters in the river, they did find others. One was just a 14 year old boy with a C.O.R.E. t-shirt on. Seventeen bodies were found altogether, all were black males, at least 3 of which were Freedom Fighters. One was never identified, his head was missing. All were murdered.

No one was ever charged in any of those murders.

The only thing that has changed is how the murders of black men in America are executed.

Mavis Staples made the song famous but it was written by Marshall Jones in 1964. It is about the bodies found when the rivers were dragged. Mr. Jones was one of The SNCC Freedom Singers. They performed it in Chicago in 2007 for a reunion concert, which is where this video was recorded.


In The Mississippi River (SNCC Freedom Singers, C…:

Some of the lyrics:

Well you can count them one by one.
It could be your son.
Count them two by two.
Could be me or you.

And you can count them eight by eight
And they are gone in because of hate.
And you can count them nine by nine
In Mississippi this ain’t no crime.
And you can count them ten by ten
And we wonder when the right will win.

[heaven05]

1. quite revealing

the number, for that era, that area. Not surprising. How many, really? Indeed. Thank You.

[marym625]

2. That was just one small area

In a huge river, in a very large, racist area. I'm positive if these rivers were dragged today, they would find many, many more.

[heaven05]

3. no doubt here

in the truth of your words.....

[2naSalit]

4. Tip of an ancient, dark iceberg. n/t

[marym625]

5. No doubt. just not so ancient I don't think. n/t

[2naSalit]

6. I dunno...

racism's been around for a really loooong time, never seems to go away. All the trappings of racism... murders, cover up, secret societies who have gone underground when outlawed in particular locations... it's all the same thing. Power over others to satisfy some inner insecurity...?

[marym625]

7. oh, I thought you meant

It was only ancient. Not continuously buried since ancient times. Well, as ancient as you can get in the USA while including the worst offenders.

That I agree with.