Fighting for something greater than yourself

I have many white friends. My mother is white. Blacks are outsiders to the power structure of America and most of the world, but it is undeniable that whites are outsiders in the Civil Rights Movement. Many good-hearted people feel like it is not their place to join the struggle, because it is not theirs.

In the International Civil Rights Museum, we walked past an exhibit called "the Hall of Shame." One particular image captivated me. It was a white man, Jim Zwerg. Jim Zwerg was one of the Freedom Riders, and one day he offered to get off the bus first, where the group was immediately beaten brutally by attackers. His face is covered in blood, along with his suit. But what captivated me was his expression. It almost looks like he's smiling, and honestly I believe he was. I empathized with Jim Zwerg in that moment. He knew he was doing what was right. He knew he had a purpose. In that moment he was pure, selfless.

The Civil Rights Movement is for everyone. Every white man or woman who stands alongside us in the ongoing Civil Rights Movement is as much of a brother or sister as those who share our skin color. One day I hope to have the same facial expression as Jim Zwerg. I could do without the beating, but if it comes to that I'll smile all the same, because I will be immortalized in something so much greater than myself.

Nick Reed
12th Grade, City College