[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
Coalhouse Walker's strategy of vengeance seemed to some the final proof of his insanity. Only a madman would shift the focus of his rage from Willie Conklin, a common bigot, to J.P. Morgan, the most uncommon and powerful man of his time.
[Lightning flashes and thunder crashes. We now see the VIGIL WOMEN with candles.]
[WOMEN AT VIGIL]
A day of peace
A day of pride
A day of justice
We have been denied
Let the new day dawn
Oh, Lord, I pray!
[J.P. MORGAN tries to impress a flustered DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES S. WHITMAN of the gravity of the situation. Also present is WILLIE CONKLIN who is being made to repair COALHOUSE'S car, and FATHER.]
[CHARLES WHITMAN, spoken, through megaphone]
Mr. Walker. This is District Attorney Charles S. Whitman. Do you hear me? I have Fire Chief Willie Conklin with me. He is restoring your car. Will you come out, sir?
[WILLIE CONKLIN, spoken]
Are you gonna let me be a martyr?
[CHARLES WHITMAN, spoken]
Mr. Conklin will receive due process. You both will!
[J.P. MORGAN, spoken]
How much longer are you going to stand for this? Give him his car and then hang the savage!
[CHARLES WHITMAN, spoken]
I'm doing my best, Mr. Morgan.
[WILLIE CONKLIN, spoken]
This is a conspiracy of nigga lovers, that's all it is.
[FATHER, spoken]
Sir, if I might suggest—
[CHARLES WHITMAN, spoken]
Who the hell are you?
[FATHER, spoken]
You sent for me. I know Mr. Walker and I believe there's one man he will listen to: Mr. Booker T. Washington.
[VIGIL WOMEN]
Justice! Ah!
[WASHINGTON is admitted to the library.]
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, VIGIL WOMEN]
For the sum of my life
I have lived in hope
We might all be Christian brothers (Day of peace)
I have worked to persuade
Every white-skinned man
That he need not fear our race (Day of pride)
What has your selfish recklessness cost us? (Justice)
We who work so hard
To still the white man's hate (Justice)
Look what you've done
[CHARLES WHITMAN, spoken]
You are surrounded by militia. They are cutting off your water even as I speak.
[J.P. MORGAN, spoken]
Four Shakespeare folios! A Gutenberg Bible on vellum. The treasures of civilization are at stake!
[EMMA GOLDMAN, spoken]
I deplore the taking of human life, but I applaud Mr. Walker's capture of the Morgan library. His actions speak for all oppressed people. It is the cry of revolution.
[WILLIE CONKLIN, spoken]
White people should be grateful for what I done!
[J.P. MORGAN, spoken]
You've got to do something!
[VIGIL WOMEN]
Justice!
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
With guns and dynamite, you are destroying everything I have fought for, sir.
[COALHOUSE, spoken]
Despite the respect I have for you, Mr. Washington, you have come in vain.
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
Had you been ignorant of the tragic struggle of our people, I could have pitied you this adventure. But you're a trained musician, an educated man.
[COALHOUSE, spoken]
That is true, sir. But I would hope that might suggest to you the solemn calculation of my mind. We are both men of color who insist on the truth of our manhood, and the respect it demands!
[FATHER, MEN & WOMEN]
Hours passing by and
Not a sign from Coalhouse!
Hours passing by
The situation hopeless!
Hours passing by...
Hours passing by...
Hours passing by...
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
Your situation is hopeless. And you will be responsible for the death of these young men.
[COALHOUSE FOLLOWER #1, spoken]
Don't listen to him, Coalhouse.
[COALHOUSE FOLLOWER #2, spoken]
They're using him to get to you.
[COALHOUSE FOLLOWER #3, spoken]
We're not giving up.
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON]
And you dare to teach your lessons
To these wild, unthinking youths
Yet your own son, you abandon
To be raised on white men's truths
Look what you've done
Think of your son
[SARAH'S VOICE]
Ooh, ooh
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
Is this the legacy you would bestow upon him? Are these the shoulders you would have him stand upon? Let him be the son of a man who had the courage to tell the truth in a court of law. Make your case, and if the verdict is death, go to it proudly knowing that you've been heard. The truth is all. If you do this, you will have the thanks and respect of every decent man of color and of all those children of our race whose way is hard and whose journey is long.
(sung)
Think of your son
[COALHOUSE, spoken]
I would need a hostage and safe passage for my men.
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
It is done.
[YOUNGER BROTHER, spoken]
You can't change your demands. You are betraying us. You said we would all go free or we all would die!
[COALHOUSE, spoken]
And the promise of a fair trial.
[YOUNGER BROTHER, spoken]
No!
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
You have my word. I am their mediator, sir, not their fool.
[COALHOUSE, spoken]
Then they will see me come out with my hands raised, and no further harm will come to any man from Coalhouse Walker, Jr.
[BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, spoken]
God bless you, sir.
[WASHINGTON and COALHOUSE shake hands. WASHINGTON goes offstage. The FOLLOWERS and YOUNGER BROTHER surround COALHOUSE.]
[FOLLOWER #1, spoken]
You said we'd fight to the finish.
[FOLLOWER #2, spoken]
Yeah, you can go out there, man. We ain't.
[FOLLOWER #3, spoken]
We're all ready to die as Coalhouse.
[FOLLOWER, spoken, leaping toward the detonator]
Push the plunger! Blow it all up!
[FOLLOWERS, spoken]
No!
[FOLLOWER]
We're not going. You've lost, Coalhouse. We've all lost.
[COALHOUSE, spoken]
I don't believe that.
