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Updated 12/09/2021

ACTION

A play in three acts

Based on true events

Written by Colin McLaughlin

With Percy Green II

[email protected]
540-421-8964
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Setting:

Saint Louis, Missouri, 1964-1973.

Characters:

PERCY GREEN II
African American male, early 30s. St. Louis City native. Chairman of ACTION. Organizer,
agitator, social worker. A warrior for justice, a commanding general in the tradition of the
Freedom Riders.

GEORGE “JUDGE” JOHNSON

African American male, late 20s. St. Louis City native. Former firefighter and the organization’s
Vice-Chairman. Simultaneously comedic relief and a moral authority.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

A white woman, mid 30s. Midwest native. A nun, sister of the Marian Order. Detail oriented, a
listener. A fighter.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
A white man, early 40s, St. Louis native, county.
Absent-minded professor, teaches law at Saint Louis University.

JACQUELINE “JACKIE” BELL

African American woman, mid 20s, born in Memphis and grew up in St. Louis City. MSW
student with a history minor. Truth to power, “burn it down and build it back” revolution.

LENA LEE
African American woman, early 40s, St. Louis County native. Southwestern Bell telephone
company employee and part-time teacher. Religious, spiritual, poise, dignified.

GENA SCOTT
A white woman, mid to late 20s. St. Louis County native. Bell telephone company employee,
and an environmentalist. New to the civil rights struggle.

Notes:

A / before a line denotes overlapping dialogue. (ex: /JUDGE )

All characters, sans PERCY GREEN, also form the chorus. They portray members of the press,
the police, The Veiled Prophets, and the St. Louis community throughout the play. When they
portray the PRESS, they, the characters, are guiding us through the story (ex: PRESS // JACKIE
signifies the actor portraying Jackie summarizing news as Jackie).
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Introduction:

These four truths were written by Kazuaki Tanahashi, a painter, writer, translator, and peace
activist. He is a founding member of Plutonium Free Future.1

Four Truths
1. No situation is impossible to change.
2. A communal vision, outstanding strategy, and sustained effort can bring forth positive
change.
3. Everyone can help make a difference.
4. No one is free of responsibility.

1
Painting Peace: Art In A Time Of Global Crisis, Tanahashi, 2020.
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PROLOGUE

PERCY GREEN reflects. A voice over, accompanied by photos of the events described; the St.
Louis civil rights movement. Underscored by music in the vein of The Staple Singers (ex: Let Me
Ride, Freedom Highway).

The Jefferson Bank sit-ins. It wasn’t the start of the civil rights struggle in St. Louis, far from
it. But that’s where we all cut our teeth. August 28, 1963. CORE, Congress of Racial Equality,
made the Jefferson Bank protest happen. Blacks and whites protesting together shocked this city.
In the beginning, we were trying to secure four bank teller jobs for black workers. In 1963,
getting the bank to hire four black workers took a monumental effort.
Afterwards, there was a split in CORE over tactics. The more progressive membership wanted to
maintain the direct-action protest strategy; the more conservatives wanted to duplicate the
Chicago strategy of community organizing, Saul Alinsky’s methods. We progressives thought
that strategy was entirely too slow and quietly decided to form another direct-action protest
organization in April 1965: Action Council to Improve Opportunities for Negroes, or ACTION.
There was plenty of work to be had in St. Louis at that time, just not for us Black folks,
especially Black males. Due to the racist hiring practices of all the major employers in St. Louis.
If Black males were accepted into decent paying jobs it would allow for the development of a
strong family unit, and strong communities. We would never be treated equal, if Black males
couldn’t make a decent salary. With me?
So. The Gateway Arch was a multi-million dollar federally funded project in St. Louis. The
general contractor was McDonald Construction. Hundreds of good paying jobs were available,
but they only hired white workers. We said, “That won’t do.” CORE met with the McDonald
officials about their hiring practices. The company insisted that no qualified Blacks had applied.
We insisted that the company was not making a good faith effort to hire and contract with
Blacks; that it was their responsibility due to the project being funded with federal tax dollars.
The McDonald officials ignored us. After a few weeks of silence, CORE served notice that it
would be conducting protest demonstrations against McDonald and the National Park Service,
who gave them the contract to build the Arch.
Early 1964, I became a Research and Development Technician at McDonnell-Douglas, an
aerospace and defense manufacturing corporation. I’d been working there for seven years as a
Radio Electric Mechanic . At the time, McDonnell had a workforce of 42, 000 people. There
were only a few black workers that were in positions above sanitation. More on McDonnell-
Douglas later…
 5
The 1964 Civil Rights Act had just been passed by Congress. This was...July of ‘64.
“Mississippi Summer,” they call it now. Bus boycotts, thousands of arrests, beatings, killings.
Voters' rights campaigns, resistance to the draft, to the Vietnam war, women's rights protests. The
marching, the singing, the praying. We were busy alright. Here in St. Louis we were at work to
form a direct-action protest organization called “ACTION.” We figured we’d better start with
something big.

The company forms a chorus, acting out the stories, addressing the audience. Behind them, a
projector displays photos and headlines from the 60s. Music throughout.

PRESS // JACKIE
July 14th, 1964. “Two members of the St. Louis chapter of CORE climbed about 100 feet up the
north leg of the Gateway Arch today and refused to come down. Their climb was part of a
demonstration to protest against alleged discriminatory hiring practices by contractors and
unions working on the Arch.”

PRESS // LENA
“Percy Green contends that the Gateway Arch is paid for through city taxes, black and white, but
all the jobs generated by the project went to white workers.”

PERCY GREEN
“We ain’t coming down til you hire 1,000 black workers!”

PRESS // JUDGE
“After spending about four hours on a construction ladder, Green and Daley climbed down and
were immediately arrested.”

PRESS // FRANCIS
“Green was released on $100 bond about six hours after he was taken into custody.2”

PRESS // GENA
October 10th, 1964. “Police arrested five members of CORE today outside of McDonnell-
Douglas Aircraft Company. Morning traffic came to a standstill as nine CORE automobiles
blocked strategic entrances to the company. The “stall in” was in protest against what CORE
terms “the discriminatory layoff” and “racially discriminatory practices” at the company.”3

PRESS // CECILIA
Green was laid off in August from his job as a research and development technician at the
company. McDonnell-Douglas dismisses the claim that the layoff had anything to do with

2
“CORE Member Gets 30 Days, Fined $250 for Climbing Arch.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 15 July 1964.
3
Police Stop CORE’s McDonnell Stall-In.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 10 Oct. 1964
 6
Mr. Green’s participation in civil rights protests.

PERCY GREEN
“There are too few Negroes working at McDonnell for the company to be laying off any!”

PRESS // FRANCIS
CORE demands the reinstatement of Green, and McDonnell-Douglas initiate affirmative action
in the hiring and promotion of Negros at the company.”

PRESS // JACKIE
January 10th, 1965. “A new civil rights organization, Action Council to Improve Opportunities
For Negroes, has been organized by Percy Green, a militant civil rights organization here in St.
Louis.”4

PERCY GREEN
“I’m still an active member of CORE, as are the other 25 members that founded ACTION. We
will work alongside The Congress of Racial Equality. ACTION will concern itself with the
implementation of The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and improving the living conditions and job
opportunities for blacks in St. Louis. We are a nonviolent, direct action organization. You can
expect us in the streets.”

PRESS // JUDGE
April 1965.“Green and another ACTION member, Hamid Khalil, were each fined $500 and
sentenced to 45 days in The Workhouse last week for disrupting traffic, in a demonstration at the
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company building. The two lay in the street, interlocked arms, and
ignored orders by police to move.” 5

PRESS // LENA
May 1965. “Civil rights demonstrators used a new tactic yesterday, spraying insect repellent to
dramatize demands for more jobs for Negroes at Southwestern Bell Telephone Co and Laclede
Gas Co. Green led ACTION members into the lobby. As they sprayed repellent on the walls and
floors, some employees stopped in amusement or uncertainty and others hastened to leave the
building. 6

PERCY GREEN
We attempt to exterminate employment discriminatory practices against Black males.
The “spray in” was intended to show that “discrimination at Southwestern Bell and others is to
the Negro what insects are to humans- pests that must be eliminated.”

4
“Civil Rights ACTION Group Formed Here.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 10 Jan. 1965
5
“‘Paint In’ Demand For Negro Jobs.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 16 June 1966.
6
“Insecticide Sprayed On Buildings In Symbolic Job Bias Protest.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 25 May
1965
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PRESS // GENA
Green contends that Southwestern Bell has failed to hire enough Negroes as telephone installers,
linemen and repairmen, and that the demonstrations will
continue until the companies meet the demands of ACTION.”

PRESS // CECILIA
June 16th, 1966. “Civil rights demonstrators painted
whitewash lettering on the windows of The Union Electric
Co. building at 315 North 12th Blvd yesterday. The words
“Jobs For Negro Men” were painted in large letters on five
street level windows at Union Electric by members of
ACTION.”7

PERCY GREEN
“The ‘Paint In’ is intended to advertise for Negro employees
to help the company with our demand that they hire 550
Negroes. Apparently Union Electric is having difficulty
finding Negro men to hire. They claim an open and fair
employment policy, so ACTION is volunteering its
advertising services to the company.”

PRESS // FRANCIS
June, 1966. “Percy Green, leader of a militant civil rights organization, was sent to the city
workhouse today when he refused to pay $618 in fines and court costs that have grown out of his
demonstrations.”

PERCY GREEN
‘I have chosen not to pay any fines and stand ready for workhouse duties. I’m willing to decay in
jail if I am wrong for exposing big business and fighting for better paying jobs for Negroes
effectively.”

PRESS // LENA
The fines were imposed for five convictions (four for peace disturbance and one for disobeying a
police officer) in connection with the demonstrations at Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. and
Union Electric Co. Green could serve as much as a year in the workhouse.”8

PRESS // JUDGE
December 1966. “The doors at the main exits of The Laclede Gas Company offices, 1017 Olive,
were chained shut yesterday in a demonstration by a group protesting against alleged
discrimination in employment. Chains were locked to outside handles of doors on Olive and 11th

7
“‘Paint In’ Demand For Negro Jobs.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 16 June 1966.
8
“Percy Green In Workhouse In Lieu Of Fines.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 28 June 1966.
 8
street at 4:30pm, when employees were about to leave for the day. Percy Green, Chairman of
ACTION, described the incident as a ‘Lock In.’”9

PRESS // FRANCIS
June 1967. “Four persons were arrested yesterday at the offices of ACTION after drivers of
bread delivery trucks complained to police that the tires on their trucks had been deflated. Percy
Green, Clinton Lattimore, Fred Kelly and Gary Alt were taken to the Central district station.
Members of the organization had been passing out leaflets bearing the following message:

ACTION MEMBER // JACKIE (passing out leaflets)

“Designed to shake up the white man- Let the air out of the tires of all Wonder Bread trucks,
Southwestern Bell trucks, Laclede Gas trucks, Union Electric trucks and Krey Packing Co.
trucks. These companies just will not give Negroes decent paying jobs to provide for their
families.”10

PRESS // GENA
August 1967. “Four members of ACTION were convicted in police court yesterday. Green
testified that ACTION members and area residents had piled trash in the street, in an effort to
force the city to clean up the neighborhood. Green was sentenced to 90 days in the Workhouse
on a peace disturbance charge and 90 days on a resisting arrest charge. John McClain was given
a 30 day sentence for resisting arrest and peace disturbance. Green said he was arrested when he
inquired about the reason for McClain’s arrest. Both went limp when arrested.”11

The chorus members exit as the lights and music fade.

ACT ONE, SCENE ONE

North Newstead Avenue, St Louis Missouri. A Sunday night in early November, 1967.

ACTION headquarters is filled with books, pamphlets, political posters, pins and buttons, paper
and writing utensils. In sight, there is a well worn bullhorn, covered in campaign stickers.
Slogans like “End The War,” “Poor People’s Campaign” and “No More Jim Crow” are plainly
visible around the space, as are acronyms like NAACP, CORE, and of course ACTION. On a side
table, there is an ample spread of foods full of sugar and salt, and drinks, caffeine and alcohol.
Some of the members are smoking throughout the scene.

PERCY GREEN, JUDGE JOHNSON, and SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN are onstage. All three
are veterans of the ongoing civil rights movement; they have marched and been arrested,
roughed up by the police, and made sacrifices in their advocacy for freedom and equality.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN is new to the group. She is a nun, a sister of the Marian Order,
dressed in regular clothes. She carries a notebook and is looking around the space excitedly.
9
“Demonstrators Chain Doors At Laclede Gas.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 15 Dec 1966.
10
“Four Arrested In Deflating of Bread Truck Tires.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 6 Jun 1967.
11
“Four Members of Rights Group Are Convicted.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 18 Aug 1967.
 9
PERCY GREEN wears a black beret (and frequently wears sunglasses). He is a direct
communicator, detail oriented, and razor focused. JUDGE JOHNSON is “larger than life,”
joking and playful, but with an innate wisdom and presence. JUDGE and PERCY are proudly
showing CECILIA around their space.

PERCY GREEN
ACTION headquarters, where we hold most of our meetings. Most of our press conferences...if
we get separated in the field, come here and wait by that phone. And when you get arrested,
make sure you give your address as 2431 North Newstead Avenue.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Sister Goldman ain’t getting arrested. Who’s gonna throw a nun in jail?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Cecilia is fine, thank you. I’ve been arrested several times, but never charged.

JUDGE JOHNSON
I say we put you on paying the bail money, that’s what we should do. Those Irish Catholic cops
see you walk in, they’ll cut the bail in half, or drop the charges!

PERCY GREEN
Where have I seen you?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Anti war, interfaith, strike support...

PERCY GREEN
Yeah. I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you without your...what’d you call it?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

My habit. I prefer not to wear it, but it does help stir things up.

JUDGE JOHNSON
I met her last week at a march outside Christ Church Cathedral. We went to grab a bite, and
Percy, she took notes the whole time, and wouldn’t order anything more than the tomato soup!
It’s that vow of poverty!

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

There was too much to talk about.

JUDGE JOHNSON
She orders the cheapest thing on the menu, so I’ve got to mess with her. When she ordered I kept
saying “Don’t break the bank now, Sister, I ain’t made of money!”
 10

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (laughs, then)

What does ACTION need? Money, food? A safe space? I can wear my habit and walk in the
front line in a march. Stir up bad press. Shame the police. Just say the word.

PERCY GREEN
She’s a saint!

JUDGE JOHNSON
I knew you’d love her. But don’t be fooled, Green, this woman can take over a street corner.
She’s bad.

PERCY GREEN
Why were y'all protesting Christ Church Cathedral?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Weak stances on civil rights and the war. I don't see Christian values reflected in the actions of
the church today. There’s a battle going on for the soul of the church. In St. Louis, the rich
cardinals are trying to silence their women! Hypocrites. Hypocrites!

PERCY GREEN
The church protests are fine. But it’s all about jobs here, better paying jobs for black males. For
most of our community, males are still the chief breadwinners. By lifting them up, we strive to
lift up the whole community. That’s what ACTION is about. That, and a lot more.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

What’s your theory of change? When were you founded? Founded by the two of you?

PERCY GREEN
We’ll get there. Sister, what brings you to ACTION?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I’ve been to prayer meetings, interfaith panels, rallies and speeches...endless conversations. Idle
talk. I want to do something. Not just talk about ideas. I want to support you all in any way I can,
and learn as much as possible about direct action nonviolent protest.

PERCY GREEN
Have you ever worked under black leadership?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

No I have not. Not much black leadership in the Catholic church.
 11
PERCY GREEN
It’s important we remain an interracial organization. Whites members can head committees, be a
spokesperson and have equal voting rights. But the chief spokesperson for ACTON has to be
black.

JUDGE JOHNSON
We find black leadership to be therapeutic for everybody.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I’ll help any way I can. Judge said I’d be helping with the end of year newsletter.

PERCY GREEN
Yes ma’am. I’d like more support on picket lines and some on the administrative side. We’ll get
you into both...Shall we sit? Two years ago, a few of us split off from CORE, Congress for
Racial Equality, and founded ACTION. This year is our second anniversary. Our end of year
newsletter is longer, more of a summary of accomplishments. A little write up from all the
committees. Updates on ongoing boycotts and protests. We want to highlight the last two years,
show the community what we’re all about. And make a strong ask.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (taking notes)

An ask for…?

PERCY GREEN
Donations! Money and associate-memberships.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

How many active members do you all have?

PERCY GREEN
You ask a lot of questions. I typically wouldn’t give actual figures to someone I just met.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Right, sorry- I understand.

JUDGE JOHNSON
She’s good, Percy, I’m here vouching for her.

PERCY GREEN
I know that. I was gonna say that. Judge is vouching for you. ACTION has a few dozen members
coming in and out, and twenty or so active, steady members. All volunteers. A lot of our power
comes from our affiliates. Two hundred or so, who support us. Black, white, brown, rich,
poor...factory workers, teachers and students, lawyers, hippies from the anti-war crowd, union
folks, veterans...we’ve got members with PHDs, and members who never finished high school.
 12

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Wow. Are there many other white members?

PERCY GREEN
A few, yes. You’ll meet one tonight.

/JUDGE JOHNSON
Brother Frank!

/PERCY GREEN
Francis Sheridan is head of our Legal Support Outreach. SLU law professor. I’m thinking you’ll
be in charge of compiling the updates from the committees and writing them up for our
newsletter. You’ve got a typewriter?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I have access to one, yes. How many committees are in ACTION?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Hah! Hell of a question, numbers always changing...how can twenty people run fifty
committees?

PERCY GREEN
He’s joking, of course. We have an Employment Committee, our most active...a Finance
Committee, a Police Brutality Committee, a Church Committee, which I’m sure you’d be
interested in. Currently focused on the materialism surrounding Christmas. Poor folks spending
themselves into unnecessary debts. Consumerism is just another way to control people.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Wow, you’re speaking my language. I look at Christmas and I don’t see Christianity… and
Judge, what do you focus on?

JUDGE JOHNSON
I'm founder of our Police Brutality Task Force, and I’m vice-chairman of ACTION. I also work a
lot with the Church Committee, we’d love to have you. Frank, who you'll meet tonight, is in
charge of the Research Committee, partly because he can get us into the Saint Louis University
Library. Jacqueline Bell - she’ll be here any minute- is a student there too. Gonna get her masters
in social work. Jackie, or JB, is your typical Marxist. She reads and reads like her life depends on
it and is obsessed with history. She’s vice-chair of the Research Committee.

PERCY GREEN
Co-chair, actually.
 13
JUDGE JOHNSON
Right, right, She splintered off to form the Anti-Colonialist Re-Education, uh…

PERCY GREEN
Now known as the History of Liberation sub-committee. They scheduled a research update. I
figured it was a good time for you to meet the team.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Thank you for having me. What do they research, primarily?

PERCY GREEN
Hiring practices. Percentages, fact checking, so everything we put in our literature is entirely
accurate and up to date. You’ve got to understand, when you want to go after a company or
corporation for racist and exclusionary hiring practices...you have to be accurate with your data.
We use that support to attack their profit and their image.

JUDGE JOHNSON
And image relates to profit. Make them look bad, they’re bleeding money.

PERCY GREEN
Right. Hit ‘em in the pocket book. Where it hurts.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (writing)

...profit and image. Which companies are you focusing on now?

JUDGE JOHNSON
McDonnell-Douglas, ITT (which includes WonderBread and Hostess), Southwestern Bell
Telephone, Laclede Gas, and Union Electric. Five big employers in St Louis. And all of ‘em
either hire zero black workers or exceptionally few.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (writing)

I’ve read about the protests, but I didn't know it was those five employers specifically...

PERCY GREEN
Exposing wrongful immoral practices is a powerful weapon. We can mobilize the black
community and some elements in the white community to halt their purchases. That always gets
their attention. When their racist employment practices become a liability rather than an asset to
their profit margin, changes come about.

JUDGE JOHNSON
If we can’t hurt their profits that way, we do some digging. Find out what they don’t want the
public to know, and take it to the streets.
 14
PERCY GREEN
What sets ACTION apart from other groups in St Louis is that we are proactive as opposed to
reactive. We don’t just wait until a company does something wrong publically. We investigate
the hiring practices of large companies. If we find a pattern of discrimination, we attempt to
resolve it by discussion with the company. If unsuccessful, we then give notice of direct action
protest. We notify them the protest will continue until the discrimination stops. Follow me?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Proactive, direct action...Percy, you worked for McDonnell-Douglas, yes? One of the five
companies you mentioned?

PERCY GREEN
Until I was fired, mhm. You see, you work eight hours for the enemy, eight hours against the
enemy, leaving you eight hours to rest to do it all over again.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Damn! I’m sorry for swearing, but you hear this man? Percy’s the only man I know who should
drink more.

PERCY GREEN
I’ve got nothing against drinking when the moment calls for it!

JUDGE JOHNSON
Raising hell all week tires me out. I’ve earned a few beers. I’m supposed to deal with the white
man’s oppression and degradation...and not drink? C’mon now, that ain’t me! Nope. That ain’t
us. Nation of Islam is next door!

PERCY GREEN
Judge has lost it, Sister, pay him no mind.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Percy thinks because I’m not serious all the time, I ain’t as militant as the other ACTION
members. I’m laughing now, Cecilia, but wait til we’re on the street together- I’ll be ice cold to
anyone walking by.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I don’t doubt it. I look forward to marching together.

PERCY GREEN
We do more picketing than marching. But thank you, and welcome.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN and JACKIE BELL enter.

He carries a briefcase and a bottle of bourbon, she carries an armful of papers and books.
 15
FRANCIS is a law professor at Saint Louis University; his love of truth and justice brought him
to the movement. JACKIE BELL is a social work student and history buff who always speaks her
mind; she has an intense stare but smiles a lot.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Frank, my man! How you livin’?

JACKIE BELL
Sorry we’re late, couldn’t mobilize the old man here…

JUDGE JOHNSON
Well he doesn't like to be rushed, ain't that right?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Hello everyone, sorry we’re...we got a little held up at the library.

PERCY GREEN
Welcome, sit- Jacqueline, Francis, this is Sister Cecilia Goldman. We met her through the church
protests. This lady is trouble, she’s gonna fit right in.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Hi, how are ya? Just Cecilia.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
What order?

JACKIE BELL
Goldman? That ain’t Catholic, is it?

SISTER CECILIA
Uh- Marian Order. My father was Jewish, mom’s Catholic.

JUDGE JOHNSON
What kind of a hello is that, Jackie?

JACKIE BELL
I want to know about her people, is all. Welcome, sister, welcome!

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I grew up Catholic, so I...I’ve known many sisters.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Oh, where, what parish?
 16

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
St. Pete’s, in Kirkwood.

JACKIE BELL
Where you from? How long have you been here?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Minnesota, twin cities. I was transferred here two years ago. I’ve mostly been in the city.

JACKIE BELL
I’m from Memphis but I grew up here. Getting my masters from the Jesuits, Saint Louis
University. It’s a real good school, with an incredible set of libraries, but they aren’t used to
black faces in there, that’s for sure. We tell them I’m Frank’s assistant, and they let me read
whatever I want. So Percy says you’ll be in charge of the end of year newsletter?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Um- yes, sure. In charge in an editing capacity, maybe. You two are Research, and Legal?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
That’s right...The newsletter should include legal reforms, big wins. A write-up about Loving v.
Virginia. Scholars posit that it will go down as the seminal case of 1967. The Supreme Court
establishes that states cannot outlaw interracial marraige, it’s unconstitutional.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Love is love is love.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
And the name of the couple, the family, is Loving. Richard and Mildred Loving. That is pure
poetry.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Let’s do that. We could also write a little something about Thurgood Marshall…

PERCY GREEN
Real fine, real fine. I’m sorry to cut the intros short, but we are pretty well over time already.
Why don’t we get started and pick up the introductions after. All in favor to start?

/JACKIE BELL
Aye.

/JUDGE JOHNSON
Aye.
 17

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Aye.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
You get started, I’m goin’ to fix a drink here…

JUDGE JOHNSON
What’ve you got there?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
This? Oh, just a little bourbon.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Alright, Frank, alright, you drink that bourbon like a man.

JACKIE BELL
Oh please…

PERCY GREEN
I’ll keep minutes. Ok, first on the agenda, welcomes, did that...second, introduce Sister Cecilia,
check...let’s skip the pledge to save time...I’m gonna hand it right over to our Research
Committee. Jacqueline?

JACKIE BELL
What do you have on the agenda there?

PERCY GREEN
...update on St. Louis native people’s history. You said you wanted a leaflet ready to be
distributed on and around Thanksgiving Day.

JACKIE BELL
We are far behind on that item.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Not as crucial as last week, to know the history of the land?

JACKIE BELL
Judge, you can it. The fate of native tribes and the fate of blacks has always been connected. I’ve
got a Choctaw grandmother still living in Mississippi, and odds are one of you has native blood,
too. And even if you don’t, these people were here first, centuries and millennia before the
Europeans, and now we’re on their land, and they’re currently being subjugated and abused on
desolate infertile reservations…
 18

JUDGE JOHNSON
You know I’m down with my red brothers, and sister-brothers of all colors.

PERCY GREEN
Alright, thank you Jacqueline, put that on the page and a pamphlet, and we’ll gladly get the word
out.

JACKIE BELL
I surely will Percy, thank you.

PERCY GREEN
If you haven’t started that write-up, why’d you call a meeting?

JACKIE BELL
y'all are gonna love this, you ready? Ooooh. Francis and I went down a rabbit hole this week,
didn’t we?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Yes we did.

JACKIE BELL
Ok. Last week, Francis got me talking to one of his labor law buddies, he defends unions and
striking workers, and he told me to read about The Railroad Strike of 1877, which led to The St
Louis General Strike of 1877. Over 20,000 workers of all trades shut down the city for three
days. Ran these streets. Blacks and whites together, in 1877! Ok. So. The factory owners got
together to break the strike. Hire a militia and pay the feds for use of the state armory. They
name themselves The Committee for Public Safety. The strike ends. This “Committee for Public
Safety” decides to have a yearly show of force. To keep the workers in line. A parade, with floats
and marching bands, fireworks...a show of strength to the working class to stay in their place.
The rich strike breakers, the industry owners of the city...their group keeps growing. Former
generals and supporters of the Confederacy, the fat cats who run the railroads and factories, they
all buy in...Eventually they rename themselves...The Veiled Prophets!

JUDGE JOHNSON
That’s them, really?

PERCY GREEN
I remember hearing that.

JACKIE BELL
You knew that?
 19
PERCY GREEN
Vaguely, it’s not well known.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

What’s The Veiled Prophets?

JUDGE JOHNSON
They do a public parade and then a big party every year. Bunch of WASPs.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
WASPs?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Yeah. White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Rich whities.

JACKIE BELL
I knew they were elitist and exclusionary, I didn’t know they were founded by a bunch of
strike-breaking Confederate Klansmen!

PERCY GREEN
Slow down, back up.

JACKIE BELL (to Sister Cecilia)

This is a St Louis thing. So I didn’t know much about them, and you wouldn’t either, Sister.
They have a “Veiled Prophet Parade” every Fall and a “Veiled Prophet Ball” around the winter.
All white, all rich.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

The parade or the ball?

PERCY GREEN
The Ball is whites only, fancy tuxedos and Southern gentile bullshit. The parade starts downtown
and loops through the center of the city. North city, too. The rich parading through the poorest
neighborhood.

JUDGE JOHNSON
People come from all over the city and surrounding areas to watch the parade. Watching as a kid,
I remember the people up on the floats were all white. People like me would be dressed in funny
looking uniforms walking behind the horses scooping up the horse poop. Remember when they
used horses? All trucks now. The kids in my neighborhood used to go to the parade with our
peashooters.
 20
SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN
So you knew what it was?

JUDGE JOHNSON
All I knew was it was a big parade put on by white people every year. They were just there. A
fact of St. Louis.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Hidden in plain sight.

JACKIE BELL
Insidious. Poisonous.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Out in Ladue, people talk about it like it’s a group of wealthy business owners. I didn’t realize it
was formally segregated. In fact, I didn’t think of it much at all. It’s just there. How did you say
it, Judge?

PERCY GREEN
A fact of St Louis.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Never heard of them in Minnesota. This is all new...a strike, a parade, a ball. I’m lost.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Take it away, Jackie.

JACKIE BELL
Ok. So you know the strike. Now. “The Committee for Public Safety” becomes “The Veiled
Prophets.” The members are industry owners, railroads, steel mills, coal, oil, you get it...a lot of
ex-Confederate soldiers including a few Confederate officers. This is 1877, after all. Like
Colonel Alonzo Slayback, he and brother Charles were founders. They incorporate Southern
imagery, like a New Orleans Mardi Gra, almost… The VP membership is always secret,
especially the VP King himself. But the first year it was public. The first Veiled Prophet King
was Police Commissioner John G. Priest, the man who broke the 1877 strike by violence and
intimidation.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Of course. Damn.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

The Veiled Prophet King?
 21
JACKIE BELL
The “King of Khorassan.” Here- look at this picture and tell me what you see.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

...A Klansman. With a gun. Two guns...

JUDGE JOHNSON
A wizard in a white robe with a mask...where have I seen that before?

PERCY GREEN
They ain’t too creative, are they?

JACKIE BELL
The KKK outfit was adopted to intimidate the working class black and white attendees at the
first Veiled Prophet parade. The message…stay in your place. Never again try to organize
another strike against big business. I see it this way. The strike scared them. But the black and
white worker solidarity? That terrified them.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

The strike, The Veiled Prophets, secret membership, and the yearly parade...What about the ball?

PERCY GREEN
The ball is always held at the Kiel Auditorium, a public building. Your tax dollars.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Wealthy families dress up, and, you know...mingle and celebrate…

JACKIE BELL
Celebrate what? Their victory of wealth over the working class?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Show off their diamonds and pearls.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Yes. That. And the daughters get dolled up and kind of...process by the VP himself.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Have you been?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
No, but I know people who have. The VP sits on a throne, in his mask, and the debutantes parade
by, one by one. This goes on for hours. And then the VP crowns one of them “The Queen of
Love and Beauty.”
 22

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Based on what?

JACKIE BELL
The one who’s family donates the most money. It’s like an auction. Fathers auction off their
daughters as debutants to the sons of other members of the upper class. This is how these
families consolidate power, generation to generation. Racist, elitist, sexist.

PERCY GREEN
Alright, that’s all good and well. Important to understanding the political and economic
landscape of St Louis. And this Veiled Prophet stuff...clearly racist as hell. But we’ve got to stay
on task. ACTION has a specific focus on employment. More and better paying jobs for black
men.

JACKIE BELL
Talk to him, Francis.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
As you all know, I practiced law for a number of years. I teach at Saint Louis University and
accept a few cases...intermittently. Much like doctors, lawyers tend to congregate on golf
courses. It’s where they network, maintain professional relationships. That’s why I have kept up
a country club membership.

JUDGE JOHNSON
You don’t have to justify that, Frank.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I know country clubs have long been exclusionary, segregated by race and class. So I feel the
need to offer some context.

JACKIE BELL
You’re not like them, it’s alright.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I don’t bring it up to fish for compliments, either, or...be absolved, I…

JACKIE BELL
You’re different, you’re a GI Bill lawyer.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
A what?
 23
JACKIE BELL
You got to law school on the GI Bill. Different than old money uppity lawyers.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
A GI Bill lawyer...yes, I suppose I am.

PERCY GREEN
The Veiled Prophets?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
As yes, sorry gang…

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

It’s alright, this is interesting.

JUDGE JOHNSON
The man’s a tortoise, I love it.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
The Veiled Prophets. I hear their mention every now and then. I am not, as Jackie points out, old
money, so though I may come into contact with their membership, it’s not discussed. My
Catholisicm may exclude me further. But I’ve heard whispers. Especially from young women
excited about evening gowns and dressing up as...what is it, Jackie?

JACKIE BELL
Debutantes.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Precisely, thank you. Jackie brought her research to me last week. We discussed the Veiled
Prophets, and everything she’s related to you tonight. It was on my mind… I was on the golf
course with an old classmate who teaches law. We’re with his party, I’d never met any of them.
One member of the group works for Laclede Gas. One of the big five we at ACTION stand
against, for a myriad of reasons, all of them racist. This man brings up the VP Ball, which is a
few months away. He thinks his daughter may be the next Queen of Love and Beauty, because
his boss, the CEO of Laclede Gas, is a Veiled Prophet member.

PERCY GREEN
Is that right?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Of course.
 24
FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Not just that. A member of influence, he says. So I press the topic further, with discretion, mind
you. I’m thinking of the other four companies you all have been protesting these years. On a
hunch, I mention McDonnell-Douglas. A white lie, that I may work with them to settle some
contract dispute. And the man, the one with VP connections, says “Oh yeah, is that right? I’ll be
seeing so-and-so and so-and-so at the VP Ball.” he drops names, including the regional director
of McDonnell-Douglas. All Veiled Prophet members.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Wow.

JACKIE BELL
I know.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

How can we expect them to hire any black workers if they’re all meeting in this secret racist
organization?

JACKIE BELL
That’s what I’ve been wondering all week.

PERCY GREEN
What else did he say? The big-shot lawyer?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I said...sounds like a real who’s who of St Louis. He says oh yeah. Rattles off even more names.
A couple I recognize from… all of the major universities in the region. And some higher-ups in
the church, because there’s a few “fathers” in there, and lots of “doctor so-and-so.” But mostly
business men. Unless I’m mistaken, some ties to Southwestern Bell.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Do you think they’d let you join? Get more names?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Join the Veiled…? I’m not cut out for that level of deception, I’m sorry to say. Can’t stomach it. I
thought I’d have a heart attack on the golf course.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Can you play with this man again?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Yes. Yes, I will be.
 25
PERCY GREEN
What’s his name?

JACKIE BELL
It’s not about one or two names, or even a dozen. These people are everywhere. Dig this...the VP
himself has a secret identity, but the Queens and the debutants are public knowledge. All over the
papers every year. I found a few lists...it’s still incomplete, but this is what I’ve got so far. Most
of the Queens from the last one hundred years…

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Spooky.

JACKIE BELL
See how family names repeat, over generations?

JUDGE JOHNSON
...Busch...Schnuck...Danforth, Webster, Ford...Lambert...I’m gettin’ chills, y’all.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Who are these people?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Owners of big business. The St Louis elite.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Old money.

JACKIE BELL
It’s the white power structure. The white power structure has a name.

PERCY GREEN
Mighty fine work, you two. Real fine.

(A pause. The moment settles.)

PERCY GREEN
You two get back to the library. Double check and triple check every single one of these facts,
and find sources. If we’re goin’ to poke the bear, we’d better know for sure the truth is on our
side. Next Sunday, we call a full membership meeting. Put this to a vote.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Put what to a vote?
 26
PERCY GREEN
If we’re taking on The Veiled Prophets for direct action protest.

JACKIE BELL
C’mon now Percy. You got the chair and vice-chair of ACTION right here. This is happening!

PERCY GREEN
My mind’s pretty well set on it. But we’ll vote on it next Sunday. That will determine if we begin
to protest and disrupt each and every Veiled Prophet event going forward.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Right on.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

We go after their image and their profit. Follow the money.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
That will be complicated. They operate in the shadows.

PERCY GREEN
Item one is to accrue all public information. Comb the libraries, the archives downtown,
whatever we can find. Item two is to secure the support of a VP insider. Based on the golf course
story, we know they’ll be eager to talk.

JUDGE JOHNSON
And item three, raise hell.

JACKIE BELL
Item four, five, six and seven- raise hell!

PERCY GREEN
We’re gonna be a thorn in their behind.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Thought you wanted to vote on it, Percy?

PERCY GREEN
We will. This way, we’ll be ready if the vote passes.

JACKIE BELL
The next VP Ball is in six weeks.
 27
JUDGE JOHNSON
Y'all hit the library, I’ll go hit the corner store.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
What for?

JUDGE JOHNSON
A sixer and some Pall Malls. Percy’s got that look. It’s gonna be a long meeting.

The group laughs as JUDGE JOHNSON exits. PERCY GREEN calls after him.

PERCY GREEN
No Busch, and nothing from Hostess, Judge.

JUDGE JOHNSON
I know, I know…

End of Act One.

ACT TWO, SCENE ONE

PERCY GREEN, SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN and JACKIE BELL protesting the 1967 VP Ball.

PERCY GREEN
Down with the VP! Down with racist St. Louis!

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Racist St. Louis must go! The Veiled Prophets must go!

PERCY GREEN
The Kiel Auditorium is a public building! They are having a racist function in a public building.

JACKIE BELL
You, sir and madam, are attending this racist event! Don’t walk away- look at us! The racist
Veiled Prophets must go!

PRESS // GENA
October 7th, 1967. “Civil rights demonstrators were barred by police from entering Kiel
Auditorium last night at the start of The Veiled Prophet Ball. ACTION led more than 50
demonstrators in a march across the street from the auditorium. Arrested and booked for peace
disturbance and disobeying a police order were the Rev. Walter W. Witte, rector of the St.
Stephen’s Episcopal Church; Precious Barnes, and Mrs. Ester Davis.”12
12
“Police Bar Protesters At Auditorium.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 7 Oct. 1967.
 28

Scene 1 continued.
Beaumont High School, North St. Louis, spring of 1968.

JACKIE BELL13
Hello Beaumont High. My name is Jacqueline Bell. I am the Chair of ACTION’s Research
Committee. For those of you who don’t know us, ACTION is The Action Council to Improve
Opportunities for Negroes. I see a few nods. I’m a proud member.
I want to thank the Parent-Teachers Organization for allowing me to present ACTION’s
upcoming demands on the Saint Louis Board of Education. ACTION will propose that
predominantly black Beaumont, Soldan, and Central high schools have their names changed to
Malcolm X, Robert Curtis and Dr. Martin Luther King, respectively. The proposal was one of
several demands listed by ACTION. We have completed an in-depth study of the Saint Louis
Public School system. Our chairman Percy Green would like me to pass on that it is expected all
demands be met within seven days. Upon failure to adhere, direct-action protests will follow
without further notice.
Think of all the high schools in St. Louis city and county. Who are they named after? The current
roster includes George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry...you get
the picture. Not allowing black and white students to identify with black people in the struggle
for human rights is psychological racism. It breeds an inferiority complex among blacks students
and a superiority complex among white students. This is overt racist brainwashing. It says, in
essence, that the white male is who we shall revere and remember, the white man is the only
credible warrior who has fought for justice. And the “justice” they fought for was slavery, Jim
Crow, colonialism, imperialism... what about the black men and women who fought and died for
freedom from America's racism? These are the names we should lift up. Don’t they deserve
major school buildings named after them?
You're all parents, right? We need your children to accept their roles as positive change agents.
We need the next generation. To pressure elected officials, strengthen communities, and embrace
their political education. Because St. Louis is racist as hell, top to bottom. City, state, House
Reps, Senators, you name it. They will not do the right thing out of the kindness of their hearts.
We have to apply pressure. We have to disrupt. I know some of y’all feel a certain way about
Percy Green and ACTION. Decide for yourself. I have some flyers here, more about ACTION.

13
“ACTION Demand.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 2 Sept. 1970.
 29
And if you’d like to discuss the history of any of the names I mentioned, please come find me.
I’m sticking around if anyone has any questions. Alright, I’ll let y'all be. Thank you.

A moment later, LENA LEE walks up to JACKIE BELL. LENA carries a purse and is wearing a
beautiful scarf; she is a broad thinker, poised and graceful, and has a deep well of strength.

LENA LEE
Hello Miss Bell, may I take some of these?

JACKIE BELL
Please do, here...I go by Jackie or JB. Nice to meet you.

LENA LEE
Lena Lee. I have two girls, freshman and junior year.

JACKIE BELL
I love that scarf.

LENA LEE
Thank you. There’s a little shop on Jefferson... Jackie. I very much enjoyed hearing what you had
to say, and I want to thank you for your energy and all you do.

JACKIE BELL
Thanks for having me. Wonder how they took it...looks like I bothered a few parents.

LENA LEE
They need to be bothered, then. I have been reading about ACTION and Mr. Percy Green for
years now. I think God sent him to wake up St. Louis. He sent you here to wake us up.

JACKIE BELL
Oh, I- wow, thank you...? That’s sweet, Ms. Lee.

LENA LEE
You’re not from here, I can tell. St. Louis is the sleeping city, Miss Jackie. It’ll take many years
to change. It is difficult for people to fight back when the quality of life is so low. Everyone is so
focused on surviving, how can they join the struggle? I believe things are getting worse here. The
poverty.

JACKIE BELL
Yes ma’am. I agree. We need more young people, and just more people of all sorts if we’re going
to wake up this whole town.

LENA LEE
 30
Well I’d like to be a part of that.

JACKIE BELL
Do you protest?

LENA LEE
I little. I march. A few protests. I saw some of the Jefferson Bank demonstrations, when was that,
almost five years ago now...

JACKIE BELL
Beautiful. What do you do for work?

LENA LEE
I teach part time and I work in communications. What do you do? Are you a teacher?

JACKIE BELL
I’m gonna be a social worker, and I have a history minor.

LENA LEE
That’s an interesting combination.

JACKIE BELL
Our future liberation is inextricable from the history of oppression and resistance. Lena, if you’re
not busy this Sunday evening, why don’t you come to our next meeting? We need more people
like you, a kindred spirit with a good understanding of the issues.

LENA LEE
Ooh I’d love that. Yes. Sunday. Yes, I’ll be there. And my daughters will be with me. And if you
need more people, I know a few gals from Southwestern Bell that may be interested in joining
too.

JACKIE BELL
Southwestern Bell?

LENA LEE
The telephone company, yes, that’s where I work. Is that...alright?

JACKIE BELL
Yes, it’s excellent. (intensely, intensional) Lena, I welcome you.

LENA LEE (nervous laughter)

Thank you, Jackie.
 31
They exit.

Scene 2. Summer of 1968, ACTION headquarters.

PERCY GREEN sitting, LENA LEE is guiding him through muscle relaxations and inspecting his
shoulder. They are mid conversation. JUDGE JOHNSON, JACKIE BELL, SISTER CECILIA and
FRANCIS SHERIDAN are also on stage.

LENA LEE
And when did it begin to feel this way?

PERCY GREEN
Maybe two years ago. I got a little roughed up at a protest, could be from that.

LENA LEE
Yes, that could be it. Repeat these exercises daily, loosen up the muscle. You can’t leave old
injuries unaddressed or they get worse.

PERCY GREEN (playful)

Now you’re a new member you’re gonna boss me around? Is that how it goes?

LENA LEE (playful)

Did you vote against my membership? Tell the truth now!

JUDGE JOHNSON
Are you a nurse too? A nurse and a teacher?

LENA LEE
You don’t have to be a nurse to be informed about human anatomy. When I was in night school I
took a first aid class. It’s the one I’ve used the most as a teacher and a mother! Now I brought a
few first aid kits with me, basic ones. We should get a few of you trained in basic procedures, for
common injuries that may happen at a demonstration.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I’d love to be trained, count me in.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Miss Lena Lee. Is Lena short for something?

LENA LEE
It’s missus, actually. And yes, it’s short for Magdalena.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Like Mary Magdalen? That’s beautiful.
 32

LENA LEE
Thank you, Francis- like Saint Francis!

JACKIE BELL
I’m here with the God squad…

JUDGE JOHNSON
Come on back to the church, JB.

JACKIE BELL
I’m good.

JUDGE JOHNSON
God is good. You the religious type, Lena? I’m a churchgoer myself.

JACKIE BELL (whispering)

...system of control, reinforcing patriarchy...

PERCY GREEN
Alright, that’s enough. Let’s cool it with the religion talk.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

You know I’m a nun, right?

PERCY GREEN (laughing)

I need you to agitate the powers that be, not each other!

JUDGE JOHNSON
We’ve got some sweet tea, you want some?

LENA LEE
Yes, thank you.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’d love a glass, it’s a scorcher today. Here, I’ll go get it...

JACKIE BELL
Thanks, Frank. What are you two working on?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Let me just say first, I’m not talking about my personal religious beliefs. This is about the church
in Saint Louis, and the part they play in local discrimination. Sister Cecilia found some dirt.
 33

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Hypocrites.

PERCY GREEN
Sure, let’s take on organized religion while we’re at it. What’d you find?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

It appears the Catholic church in St. Louis owns a lot of residential property. Rundown
tenements with high rent, little to no utilities, unsanitary conditions…

JACKIE BELL
The church people are slumlords?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

You could say that, yes. It’s despicable.

PERCY GREEN
Bring us some data. If that information is credible and provable, I say let’s do it.

LENA LEE
Just like that, huh?

JACKIE BELL
Just like that.

JUDGE JOHNSON
ACTION better not get sued by the diocese.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
It’s all a matter of public record. No defamation case to be made.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (to Percy and Judge)

I heard you two met with a few debutantes. How’d that go?

JACKIE BELL
Oooh damn, yeah, how’d that go over?

JUDGE JOHNSON
About how you’d expect. They said even if the VP has questionable roots, they do some good
now. They give to charity and host, you know, community events, community service. But if in a
hundred years, the KKK or the Nazi party started building hospitals and giving back, would you
want their support? Would you accept it? I think not.
 34
SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN
They didn’t like that, I bet.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Now that's a crackerjack argument. Pull them into a moral debate they could never win. In their
hearts they know the VP is indefensible.

LENA LEE
Did they agree to boycott?

PERCY GREEN
No, they’re all going to the ball. But we got some good points in, building ground.

JACKIE BELL
Speaking of debutantes and the VP, Lena and I had an idea. We were talking about pulling in
more young people, how to expand our community...hear us out, let us finish before you say
anything.

LENA LEE
It may sound juvenile, but we think we ought to throw our own VP Ball.

JACKIE BELL
“The Black Veiled Prophet Ball.”

LENA LEE
It would make a mockery of the pomp and circumstance of their ball. But ours would be all
inclusive, of course.

JACKIE BELL
Open to the public. A celebration of African culture, a festival, a huge party...

LENA LEE
Perhaps a fundraising opportunity as well.

JACKIE BELL
Right. A celebration of black St. Louis, black culture, lifting up people rich in spirit, you know?
Social workers, organizers, nurses- people in the struggle.

LENA LEE
It would be great press. The papers would go wild that we were throwing our own ball.

JACKIE BELL
And you know the VP would be fired up.
 35

LENA LEE
It would be a wonderful way to involve St. Louis youth, particularly young women. It would not
be a beauty pageant. Our debutantes would be young women studying public health, the
sciences, and medicine. Service to others. And, we could crown our own Black Veiled Prophet
King, based on the same merits.

JACKIE BELL
What do y’all think? What do you think, Judge?

They look at JUDGE JOHNSON, who’s look of reflection shifts to excitement and joy, straight
into a monologue. He is onstage at the first Black VP Ball.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Welcome to the first annual Black Veiled Prophet Ball! We are gonna get the music goin’ in just
a minute, don’t you worry. We’re all gonna cut some rug, but first please check out the raffle and
our sales table. Remember, all funds accrued go directly to the ACTION Legal Defense Fund. So
get your checkbooks out. Later on we’ll hear from our eligible debutantes, who will share their
acts of community service, areas of study, and core values. One lucky debutante will be crowned
the very first Queen of Human Justice by the Black Veiled Prophet himself! Thank you for
coming! Long live ACTION, and long live the Black Veiled Prophets!

PRESS // GENA
September 22nd, 1968. “Miss Mildred Banks Shelton was crowned queen of the Black Veiled
Prophets Ball Sunday night. There were several dances before the VP was revealed to be Major
William Brown of ACTION’s guerrilla force.”

PERCY GREEN
‘We want to make sure everyone knows the identity of our Veiled Prophet. We’re proud to do
this. We don’t have anything to hide.’”14

PRESS // JUDGE
December 5th, 1968. “Sister Cecilia Goldman, a member of the Maryknoll Sisters, handcuffed
herself to a revolving door at the Famous-Barr downtown store last night. Police used bolt cutters
to remove Sister Cecilia’s handcuffs. She was arrested and booked for peace disturbance.”15

PRESS // CECILIA
“A member of ACTION, Action Council to Improve Opportunities for Negroes, she was one of
32 demonstrators, including Percy Green, Precious Barnes, and The Rev. William Matheus.
ACTION has been picketing downtown department stores this week to protest against what it
contends is the exploitation of the poor in holiday sales.”

14
“Black Veiled Prophet Ball.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 22 Sep. 1968.
15
“Nun Arrested in Disturbance At Store.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 5 Dec. 1968.
 36

Scene 2 continued.
ACTION protest of 1968 VP Ball.
As we hear from the press, PERCY GREEN, JUDGE JOHNSON, and JACKIE BELL sit and
block an entrance way, singing, clapping.

PRESS // GENA
December 19th, 1968. “Percy Green and four others were fined $50 each today for charges
resulting from their participation in protests against the Veiled Prophet ball and parade. Green,
William Brown and William Mitchell were arrested September 27th outside the 15th Street
entrance to the Kiel Auditorium after they allegedly blocked the entrance to the hall where the
VP Ball was being held and refused to move.”

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN and LENA LEE are seen “chaining themselves to a float.”

PRESS // LENA
“Mrs. Sarah Jones and Mrs. Barbara Jean Saper were fined $50 each after pleading guilty to
charges of peace disturbance. Police told the court that the women had chained themselves to a
float in the VP parade September 28th.” 16

Scene 3.
Clayton, Missouri, St. Louis county. ACTION members are protesting. JACKIE BELL and
PERCY GREEN speak to the press.

PRESS // FRANCIS
Mr. Green! Is ACTION at all responsible for the Pruit-Igoe rent strike?

PERCY GREEN
The answer to that question is NO! ACTION is only supporting the tenants who have decided to
conduct a rent strike because the Housing Authority refused to address their grievances
adequately. The strike is citywide now!

JACKIE BELL
It’s been organized by a whole team of fearless razor-sharp tenants in public housing, mostly
women. Track down Jean King and Loretta Hall for starters, get the story straight. They are the
chair and co-chair of The Citywide Rent Strike Committee. Do your damn job!

PERCY GREEN
ACTION stands in solidarity with all striking tenants withholding rent. I know for a fact that the
conditions in Pruitt-Igoe are abysmal. The Public Housing Authority Agency should be ashamed
of itself.

16
“Percy Green, 4 Others Fined.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 19 Dec. 1968.
 37
PRESS // FRANCIS
What brings you all to Clayton?

JACKIE BELL
Folks in the county have got to realize that everything happening in the city affects them directly.
They need reminding. And this man (points to the house behind them), Irving Dagen, could make
the change. I’ll bet he’s about to have a fit by now. He should not be allowed to cause a multitude
of problems for the working class by his decision making from his Saint Louis city office and
then go to a peaceful environment in the county. The problems he causes us in the city must
follow him in the county, and his neighbors must know what kind of a person is living in their
mist. That’s why ACTION is here.

PRESS // FRANCIS
Do you think it wise to harass elected officials outside their homes?

JACKIE BELL
Picketing in front of his home is not harassing him. We are trying to appeal to his better
judgment, to do right regarding the striking tenants. Furthermore, we are on public property.

PERCY GREEN
In that house there is the Executive Director of the Housing Authority. We are within our rights
as citizens to hold him accountable. You tell Mr. Dagen, and all your readers, that anyone evicted
by the city for withholding rent until conditions improve...if any of those tenants are evicted due
to strike activities, ACTION is prepared to provide tents and camping supplies, so they can camp
out nice and comfortable, right here in sunny old Clayton, on the front lawn of his home.

They return to chanting and picketing.

JACKIE BELL
Support the rent strike! Power to the people! All the power to all the people!

PRESS // GENA
April 14th, 1969. “About 15 Members of ACTION, a militant civil rights group, yesterday
picketed the home of Irvin Dagen, executive director of the Housing Authority, at 8338
University Drive, Clayton, in support of the rent strike. Percy Green, leader of the pickets, said
ACTION would provide tents in the Clayton-University City area for any public housing tenants
evicted for withholding rents.”17

PRESS // FRANCIS
July 7th, 1969. “A scuffle that stopped just short of a first fight broke out inside St. Louis
Cathedral yesterday between white members of the congregation and three young black

17
“Church Support For Rent Strike.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 14 Apr. 1969.
 38
demonstrators from ACTION. ACTION members passed out copies of a report charging the St.
Louis Archdiocese owns several pieces of slum property.” 18

JUDGE JOHNSON
Carbery makes a mockery of the real church!

PRESS // LENA
The three walked slowly down the main aisle, reached the communion rail, and turned to face the
congregation. As they walked slowly back down the aisle, they began chanting.

JUDGE JOHNSON and LENA LEE

“Racists, racists, white Christian racists!”

PRESS // LENA
“Members shouted from the pews, and a small chorus of boos rose swiftly. Police arrested the
three from ACTION. No whites in the congregation were arrested. The encounter was one of
seven Sundays of church confrontation here.”

PRESS // CECILIA
July 23rd, 1969. “US District Judge James H. Merideth extended until October 1st a temporary
restraining order barring ACTION and The Black Liberation Front from disrupting services at
the St. Louis Cathedral. Merideth’s action came after a request by The Archdiocese to grant an
injunction against such disturbances.”19

PRESS // JACKIE
October 29th, 1969. “A new Housing Authority Board of Commissioners signed an agreement
ending the city’s nine month rent strike!”20 Since February, it is estimated that over twenty-four
hundred tenants from the eight public housing projects withheld well over $600,000.21

Scene 4
St. Peter's Catholic Church, Kirkwood, fall of 1969.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Hello everyone. We’re going to go ahead and get started here…First and foremost, thank you for
coming and listening to us tonight. Now I’m a Kirkwood native myself, like most of you. I know
living in the county is something of a… an insulated experience, from St. Louis City. Maybe
some of you rarely visit the city and don’t feel connected to, or- or aware of, rather, the plight of
the city dweller. What does it have to do with us, and all that...the city is the way it is because the

18
“Scuffle Inside Church.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 7 July 1969.
19
“Bar on Disrupting Worship Extended” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 23 July 1969.
20
“Agreement Is Signed For Ending Rent Strike.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 29 Oct. 1969.
21
Today’s equivalent of $4.5 million.The strike brought the St. Louis Housing Authority to the brink of bankruptcy.
 39
county is the way it is. It’s as simple as that. Percy and I have talked at length about how if you
had the economic situation, out here, that they have in North City, well…you’d have the same
kind of activity. Mr. Green calls it “the culture of poverty.” If you believe the papers, Mr. Green
here is a dangerous radical, and a criminal mastermind...radical, yes, if justice is radical, if justice
and truth are radical, then yes, absolutely. Criminal, dangerous, simply not true...mastermind,
perhaps! I’m going too long here. What I’m saying is thank you all for coming, and don’t believe
everything you read in the Globe-Democrat about Percy Green and ACTION. You’ve come to
listen for yourselves, which is grand...alright.

PERCY GREEN
Thank you, Francis. Mr. Sheridan here has been instrumental in helping to build our legal
defense. ACTION now has a network of volunteer lawyers that make our work possible. I see
some of you here tonight. ACTION is a nonviolent direct action protest organization. We fight
racism and exclusion, and yes, we are disruptors. Civil disobedience is our tried and true method.
Racism is a profitable business. Extremely profitable. While that remains true, racism will not
cease. You don’t just vote on election day. You cast an economic vote every time you spend a
dollar. Every time a business gets your money, you’re voting yes to whatever they do. However
they operate. You’re saying- right on, keep it up, there you go. Of course, there are some
exceptions to this rule. Because there are businesses we are forced to use whether we want to or
not, like utility companies...but there are many that can be easily avoided. Currently, ACTION is
conducting acts of civil disobedience protest demonstration against Southwestern Bell, Union
Electric, Laclede Gas, McDonnell Aircraft, and McDonald Construction. That last one are the
folks who built the Arch. ACTION will continue our series of boycotts, picketing, and direct
action protest until they hire black males into better paying positions at their companies.
If you are here tonight, if Francis got you to come, you must believe in supporting civil rights. If
you want to support our work, don’t give money to anyone on that list. Help with ACTION’s
boycotts of racist St. Louis. Or you can make a donation to ACTION’s legal defense fund. We
are a one hundred percent volunteer organization. Your money would pay for bail and fines for
our protesters. You’re here because of shared beliefs. Okie dokie, real fine. I’m asking you to act
on them. It ain't just money. If you can’t give, ask yourself, how am I going to be a part of
making a change? How am I going to act on those beliefs? What am I gonna do? I leave you with
that question. Thank you.
 40
Scene 4 continued.
ACTION headquarters. SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN, LENA LEE, PERCY GREEN and
JUDGE JOHNSON are interviewing/initiating a potential new member, GENA SCOTT. GENA is
a budding activist, authentic and honest, an open person. She is nervous and a little star struck
but strong in her answers to the group's questions.

JUDGE JOHNSON
So you first heard of us through Lena?

GENA SCOTT
Lena and I work together and I heard she works with you all. But no, I’d heard of you much
earlier.

PERCY GREEN
What had you heard?

GENA SCOTT
Um...direct action protest. Civil rights.

PERCY GREEN
And jobs, employment, especially for black males.

GENA SCOTT
Yes, I heard that too. I came to your talk last week at St. Pete’s in Kirkwood.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Lena, what had you heard about Ms. Gena Scott?

LENA LEE
I heard she’s not afraid to protest. Big in the green movement, so I assumed she’d be more of a
hippie.

GENA SCOTT
I’m an environmentalist, yes. And I’ve been involved in the peace movement. We’ve got to get
out of Vietnam.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Have you ever been arrested?

GENA SCOTT
I’ve been chased and pushed around by the police but never arrested.
 41
SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN
But you’re willing to be arrested?

GENA SCOTT
For a good cause, yes. Absolutely.

JUDGE JOHNSON
How long have you worked at Southwestern Bell telephone company?

GENA SCOTT
About three years.

PERCY GREEN
Are you aware of their racist and exclusionary hiring practices?

GENA SCOTT
I am now and I’d like to help.

PERCY GREEN
That’s no small thing, protesting your own employer. Are you willing to put your livelihood on
the line? Your job, your peaceful life?

GENA SCOTT
I...yes.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Have you ever worked in a black environment?

GENA SCOTT
Have I worked in a…?

JUDGE JOHNSON
A black environment. Black leadership.

GENA SCOTT
In some artist spaces, a little, yes.

JUDGE JOHNSON
But not in this context. Protest.

GENA SCOTT
No. I haven’t.
 42
LENA LEE
Why do you want to join ACTION?

GENA SCOTT
Um. Percy, it’s like you said the other night. Beliefs versus actions. I have things I believe that I
need to act on. That I’m not acting on. I know I want to help in any way I can. I…

LENA LEE
Go on.

GENA SCOTT
I’m happy to answer as many questions as you like. But they’re just words, aren’t they? These
are things I hope to show you all through my actions. That I’m willing to accept blackleadership,
get arrested, or whatever helps. It takes time to show that.

PERCY GREEN
That’s true. It takes time to show through actions, but we’re inquiring about your core values and
what you’re willing to do. Let’s end there. Keep coming to meetings and if your attendance is
high enough, we can hold a vote to decide on membership status. Then and only then can you
join us in the field. We’ve got too much riding on each and every demonstration.

GENA SCOTT
Sounds good. Thank you. Anything I can...prepare in the meantime? Anything I can bring, or
read?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

How much do you know about the Veiled Prophets?

End of scene.
Scene 4 continued. JACKIE BELL, JUDGE JOHNSON and LENA LEE interact with the press.

PRESS // FRANCIS22
September 25th, 1969. The Vashon High School marching band has decided not to participate in
this year’s Veiled Prophet parade. After receiving threatening letters from ACTION, the 96
members of the band voted not to participate, with only two opposed.

JACKIE BELL
If school officials take our letters as a threat, that’s their problem. ACTION protests the racist VP
parade every year, and we are consistently met with violence from the police. That was our
concern. The youth need to be protected from those animals in uniform.

22
“Vashon Out of Parade.” St Louis Post-Dispatch [St. Louis, Missouri], 25 Sep. 1969. (quotes paraphrased and redistributed)
 43
JUDGE JOHNSON
I too fear for the safety of the students, knowing the mentality and emotionalism of the police
department. ACTION is not threatening the participants, we only warned against a police
reaction.

LENA LEE
This city does not need a flashy parade. What are The Veiled Prophets celebrating? There is
nothing to celebrate but the further exploitation of people, both black and white, by the rich. The
money could be better spent to meet the basic needs of the poor.

Scene 5
ACTION members recite content from letters to VP debutantes.

PERCY GREEN
Dear madam. I am writing to you today in regards to the upcoming Veiled Prophet Ball. Your
name was featured on a public guest list, published in The Ladue Times. To you, I assume the
ball is merely a high society party, an innocent pageant, in the tradition of the Old South.
ACTION views it differently.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I assure you, to all St. Louisans who are not rich Anglo-Saxons, the Veiled Prophets represent
oppression, exclusion, classism and sexism, and a corrosive organization that perpetuates
inequality in the entire state of Missouri.

JUDGE JOHNSON
The fat cats who sponsor and support the White VP are the same people responsible for racial
discrimination being practiced in their companies and organizations all across the city. The VP
excludes poor working-class whites and all black St. Louisans, yet they use the Kiel Auditorium,
a public building paid for by the St. Louis taxpayers.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
The time for these segregated Jim-Crow era events has long since passed. While such events and
organizations exist in St. Louis, we cannot and will not achieve equality among blacks and
whites.

GENA SCOTT
We all must sacrifice something old for something new. Your sacrifice is quite simple; do not
attend the Veiled Prophet Ball. It degrades black people, non Christians, women, and working
people in general.

JACKIE BELL
It’s a matter of self respect. Don’t let yourself be paraded around like some dolled-up jewel,
auctioning yourself off to the VP.
 44

GENA SCOTT (to JACKIE)

Is “auction” the right word?

JACKIE BELL (to GENA)

Oh yeah. It’ll touch a nerve.

LENA LEE
At this very moment, St. Louisans both black and white are suffering from hunger, poor housing,
and joblessness, while you use St. Louis taxes and resources for segregated aristocratic fanfare. I
am attaching our exhaustively researched history of the Veiled Prophets, and our contact
information. In closing, I again urge you not to attend the ball, or any other VP events.

PERCY GREEN
Young people all across the country are rebelling against their parents, in numbers never before
seen. Your generation must wake up and join the revolution. Abandon your parents racist
backwoods ways, and join us in the struggle for justice.
Sincerely, The Action Council To Improve Opportunities for Negroes.
4154 North Newstead Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri.

Scene 5 continued.
ACTION disrupting the 1969 VP parade. PERCY GREEN and JUDGE JOHNSON reenact
discreetly running down the street.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Is this the right street? Where are we…?

PERCY GREEN
This is it, yeah, Shhh...here, and here. Drop ‘em and run.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Should we place them, all facing up?

PERCY GREEN
No time, let’s move. I’ve got three other spots we can hit...

They drop a bunch of tacks in the street and run away laughing.

PRESS // GENA
September 28th, 1969. “Four members of ACTION were arrested by St. Louis police yesterday
in connection with alleged incidents intended to disrupt the VP Parade. ACTION members were
taken into custody when police said they saw the pair throwing tacks on the parade route.
 45
Mrs. Jane Simon and Mrs. Sarah Jones were arrested by police when they climbed aboard one of
the floats as it passed 12th Blvd and Olive and began waving placards reading “People Power.”23

Scene 5 continued.
SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN and LENA LEE are leaving after disrupting a VP parade.

LENA LEE
Hey Cecilia, hang back, c’mere….

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (still riding an adrenaline rush)

Whew. That was a lot of people, how many do you think?

LENA LEE
Yeah, parade’s always packed-

/SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

For a moment there, I heard more people cheering us than booing.

LENA LEE
Sister, listen. I know things are heating up with you and the church, but that can’t distract from
what we’re out here doing.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

The Post-Dispatch asked me if I was leaving the order. I had to answer. And it brought them over
to us.

LENA LEE
They talked to you instead of Lois, Carol, Jackie, or me. And nothing about the VP.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN (a little defensive)

I don’t see how attracting more press is a bad thing for ACTION.

LENA LEE
Honey...the press is always going to straight up to you, and the police are always going to go
straight to me, and any other black face on the line. You’ve seen it. That's the way it is. We’ve
got to work against that.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I’m out here with you, putting myself on the line, aren’t I?

23
“4 Seized In Parade Incidents.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 28 Sept. 1969.
 46
LENA LEE
You know you’re my sister in the trenches. That’s forever. But that means I can tell you what I’m
seeing. Keep talking about the church, raising hell. That’s your mission, and I support it. But if
we’re out here about the VP, if that’s the “why,” don’t lose that.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I-I’m sorry Lena.

LENA LEE
The press doesn't see me. You do, so pass the mic a little more, that’s all I’m saying.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I’ll cool it with the church stuff.

LENA LEE
No, no, use it.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

What a rookie mistake. This is the kind of thing we went over again and again in my initiation.

LENA LEE
Training is important, but it’s ongoing. It’s everyday out here.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

That’s true…the press hasn’t quoted you once, have they?

LENA LEE
IT’s not all about me, that’s now what I’m saying either.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

But credit where credit is due…Lena, thank you for spending your energy on this. On me.

LENA LEE
This is the work right here. It’s what we signed up for. Alright, let’s get downtown.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Who’ve they got?

LENA LEE
Judge, Carl Jackson, Carol, and Lois.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Let’s go. I’m parked up here.
 47

The two exit.

PRESS // JUDGE
October 4th, 1969. “Four members of ACTION were arrested last night on charges of peace
disturbance at the entrance to the Veiled Prophet Ball. Carl Jackson, the Black VP, his queen,
Miss Madame Carol, Mrs. Lois Greer, Queen of Human Justice, and George “Judge” Johnson.
They were booked on suspicion of peace disturbance.24

PRESS // GENA
December 12th, 1969. “Two members of The Guerillas, the youth arm of ACTION, were
arrested last night for climbing the city’s Christmas tree in Kiener Plaza and dropping leaflets
urging people not to buy Christmas presents. The two were dressed as Santa Claus and a helper.
The leaflets urged passers-by to “rid themselves of senseless debts and remove commercialism
from Christmas” by refusing to buy gifts. The two youths were arrested after the Black Santa
Claus had climbed more than halfway up the tree.”25

Scene Six.
Early 1970, ACTION headquarters. A brief transition, perhaps some pictures and music, before
the next moment. FRANCIS SHERIDAN sits with JACKIE BELL. He is focused, taking notes. She
is shaken, perhaps smoking, somewhere between laughing and crying.26

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Did anyone see a badge number or the names of the officers?

JACKIE BELL
No, they weren't wearing their name tags. Or badges.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Were they wearing their uniforms?

JACKIE BELL
Yes, just without the- their...

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Hats, caps.

JACKIE BELL
That’s right. Melvin Carr wrote down their license plate. He was outside. He radioed up to me
that there were two of them. Guns drawn, coming up the stairs.

24
“Black VP and Queen Arrested.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 4 Oct. 1969.
25
“Protest By ACTION.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 12 Dec. 1969.
26
“ACTION Lists Latest Acts of Provocation By White Police Upon Their Members.” St Louis Argus [St. Louis, Missouri], 20
Nov. 1970.
 48

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Guns drawn, no knock...

JACKIE BELL
Yes.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Who were the two little girls?

JACKIE BELL
Just neighborhood kids, asked to use the bathroom. There’s always kids coming in and out. Some
of them are ACTION members’ children, but a lot of them just wander in to help out.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Do we know their names?

JACKIE BELL
No. I forget. But I can find them. I just know they’re seven and eight years old. The cops kick
open the door, start screaming and yelling at us to shut up. Before I could tell them there were
kids around, one of them kicks open the bathroom, had his shotgun pointed at the two girls.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Jesus Christ.

JACKIE BELL
The other had a .38, pointed at me, Mayetta and Alice.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Mayetta Williams and Alice Jones. And the police left shortly thereafter?

JACKIE BELL
Pretty much. Gave some bullshit excuse and left.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Can you remember what they said? Anything specific?

JACKIE BELL
Frank, no one's gonna read this anyway…

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
They will, they will, let’s just get it down on paper now while it’s fresh.
 49
JACKIE BELL
Alright. We followed them downstairs and outside. Yelling about injustice, and the children they
endangered. Before getting in the car, guns still aimed right at us, mind you, they said something
like… “I ought to blow your damn heads off, and the next time I come here, I’ll come shooting.”

FRANCIS finishes writing and puts the pen down. He sighs. They look at the paper and each
other.

JACKIE BELL
I’m not going down to the station. No statements.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Of course not. I’d advise against it, even if you wanted to.

JACKIE BELL
And I don’t have anything snappy to say to the press, I’m not talking to them.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
You won’t have to.

Another beat.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
C’mon Jackie. Let’s take a walk around campus, it’ll do you good.

JACKIE BELL
It’s too damn cold, Frank.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Oh, a breath of fresh air never hurt anyone. I’ll get you a coffee. C’mon now.

JACKIE BELL
Alright, old man...

They both exit. End of scene.

PRESS // GENA
March 6th, 1970. “Sister Cecilia Goldman, a member of the black rights group ACTION, has
been dismissed from the Roman Catholic Order of Sisters of the Maryknoll order. The nun had
been disciplined previously by the Order for taking part in ACTION activities and protests.” 27

27
“Sister Cecilia Dismissed From Order.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 6 Mar. 1970.
 50
SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN
They said they could not uphold my renouncing the vow of poverty. I renounced the vow as a
symbolic act. It was to say to the church that we cannot be hypocrites in our commitment. Men
do not like being called hypocrites. Women’s role in the church is very limited. It is controlled by
men- priests, bishops, and cardinals. How can the church profess poverty when it is a
multimillion dollar institution? The men and women of the church have three meals a day and a
roof over their heads. They are not in poverty. I say to the church that I am in a struggle to
change Christianity. The Catholic Church will not support the elimination of poverty and racism
in any way...I will continue to use the title “Sister.” My title will be a witness to the real Christian
community, those dedicated to eliminating poverty and racism in this country. I think this
dismissal will be a good example for all priests and sisters that we cannot challenge the Church,
especially when our challenge demands that the Church live up to Christianity.28

PRESS // JACKIE
July 8th, 1970. “Two members of ACTION were arrested Tuesday after a “stick in” at
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, after a protest against alleged discrimination in hiring.
Police say the two entered the office at 2:45pm and began pouring what appeared to be molasses
over desks, furniture and the floor. Glenn Easterling and Judge Johnson were booked, suspected
of malicious destruction of property and general peace disturbance.” 29

The press interacts with JUDGE JOHNSON, who is handcuffed.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Southwestern Bell Telephone must understand that ACTION is sticking with our direct-action
protest against them until the company starts hiring and promoting Black males into better
paying employment positions.

PRESS // JACKIE
Molasses?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Right, ‘cause racism is sticky.

Scene 7
ACTION headquarters, North St. Louis, December 15th, 1970.30
PERCY GREEN is writing. LENA LEE enters.

28
“Sister Cecilia Berates Vatican’s ‘Weak Decision.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 24 Jan. 1970.
29
“Gooey Protest At Bell Brings Arrest For 2.” St. Louis Globe-Democrat [Saint Louis, Missouri], 8 Jul. 1970.
30
“Two Activists Get Threats.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 17 Dec. 1970.
 51
LENA LEE
...oh thank God you’re here.

PERCY GREEN
Miss Lee, what’s up?

LENA LEE
Why don’t you pick up the damn phone?

PERCY GREEN
Line’s down. Think Southwestern Bell maybe cut it? Messing with us?

LENA LEE
Percy- Sister Cecilia’s car got shot up last night.

PERCY GREEN
What?

LENA LEE
She’s ok. Safe. Says they called her in the middle of the night and threatened her life. She hung
up, and a bit later heard shots outside. They destroyed her car.

PERCY GREEN
Is she alright?

LENA LEE
Yes, just scared. How’d they know where she lived?

PERCY GREEN
Who does she think did it? The VP? Or would the church do something like that? They’ve got
people. She’s been talking a lot about ITT’s profits going straight to the war in Vietnam, could be
them. I bet they retaliated now she’s got their dirt out in public.

LENA LEE
She thinks it’s the “Black Christmas” protests you all have been doing downtown.

PERCY GREEN
Yeah, that checks out. I’ve been getting calls, too.

LENA LEE
How bad?
 52
PERCY GREEN
They call my house and tell my wife I’m dead. Last week I picked up and they told me I had four
hours to live.

LENA LEE
...too much.

PERCY GREEN
I thought I recognized the voice. Remember those two cops who roughed me up in ‘66? I told
you about that. I think it was one of them.

LENA LEE
Percy, this is too much.

PERCY GREEN
It ain't enough, that’s the problem!

LENA LEE
We’ve been getting tons of press. Our message is getting out...but it’s a lot of heat. We’re super
visible. Exposed.

PERCY GREEN
That’s why we’ve got to stay focused.

LENA LEE
This is the part where we all get a little glory. And the part where we’ve all got to give up a lot.
We all do. I know that. But how’d they know where she lived? Our Cecilia?

PERCY GREEN
I want to see her.

LENA LEE
Dinner at mine tonight. Bring the missus and come hungry.

PERCY GREEN
That’s an ACTION expense. Here...we’ve got…twenty two dollars in the till.

LENA LEE
I can make a full New Orleans spread with twelve. It’s a talent.

PERCY GREEN
Right on, here you go. Lemme finish this paper, and I’m there.
 53
LENA LEE
I think somebody should stay with her tonight.

PERCY GREEN
They won’t come back so soon.

LENA LEE
Yeah, but...for her.

PERCY GREEN
Sure. I’ll call Judge, or Melvin. Hell, I’ll stay if need be.

LENA LEE
Can we get a white man to stay over? I’m sorry to say that might be safer right now.

PERCY GREEN
...I’m with you. I’ll make some calls.

LENA LEE
Alright. Be safe.

PERCY GREEN
I’ll see you there, I’m right behind you…

LENA LEE exits and PERCY GREEN keeps writing.

End of scene.
A press conference a week later. SISTER CECILIA speaks to the press, JUDGE JOHNSON and
LENA LEE are sitting on either side, PERCY GREEN and JACKIE BELL are standing behind.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

....ready to start? Thank you all for being here. ACTION has called this press conference to
address some of the stories you have been publishing about me. Yes, I was kicked out of my
religious order for my ongoing support of civil rights, and for challenging the value system of the
church. I am not surprised I was removed. One racist organization will always protect another.
And yes, my car was shot up. I was not hurt, no one was. It was an act of terror designed to
intimidate me and my fellow members of ACTION. It did not work. We are steadfast. We
support each other. I am not interested in the individual who did this. We are committed to
challenging the culture of the city, and the negligence of the St. Louis police department, that
allows such a thing to happen. Which leads me to our reason for gathering today. Judge?
 54

JUDGE JOHNSON
Thank you Sister Cecilia. And shame on whoever perpetrated this act of terror on a lady of the
cloth. Today we’re here to address-

/PRESS // FRANCIS (interrupting)

Sister Goldman, is it true you are starting your own religious order?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

You will listen to my associates until we open the floor for questions. Thank you.

JUDGE JOHNSON
We are here to announce the release of our “blue paper.” It is an exhaustively researched report
on The St. Louis Police Department, documenting 35 police killings, 23 instances in which a
person was shot but not killed, and 52 severe beatings. All events transpired between 1965 and
1970. The vast majority of those harmed and killed were unarmed blacks, legally innocent until
proven guilty. All of the cases went unreported or underreported, and were misconstrued by
members of the news media. They- you report what those lying police allege as facts to serve
your own best interest. Today, we set the record straight. The so-called “justice system” is
nothing more than a white racist establishment.

PRESS // FRANCIS
With all due respect, what does this have to do with the church, and the sister’s car being
bombed?

JACKIE BELL
You are not listening. We are talking about the political and economic landscape of this city. The
police, the press, the church, the universities, the factories, the city government. All of it. Racism
and poverty, violence, massive profits for the few. The political design of St. Louis. It doesn’t
just happen, it’s people.

PERCY GREEN
After all the deceit and deceptive reporting that the so-called justice system has used with the
news media support against blacks and working class whites, years and years of BS...it still
expects our trust. How can you trust a source if it keeps lying and you know it’s lying? Trust is
not given, it is earned. Our local justice system, especially the police department, are still using
public relations stunts like “hot-spot” policing and lying on police reports about their committed
crimes and abuse of authority.
For your information, the white racist police establishment includes local mayors, prosecuting
attorneys and judges, all who stand to benefit politically, economically, and socially from police
officers’ criminal acts against blacks, especially black males.
 55
As I see it, the only effective way to get blacks and fair-minded white people to trust this white
racist police establishment is when we see white police officers are consistently terminated,
charged, indicted, convicted, and jailed for murdering unarmed black males, and held
accountable for any crimes they commit against us. Which never happens. That immunity is the
political glue that prevents this racist establishment from being held accountable. Police officers
have limited immunity. Prosecuting attorneys have… prosecutorial immunity. Judges have
judicial immunity. Black folk’s know without doubt that the white occupiers of these positions
have abused this absolute authority against them, agaist us, since slavery. Who do you think was
the beneficiary of these abuses? Certainly was not black folks!

LENA LEE
That’s right. We know that’s right. As Co-chair of ACTION’s Police Brutality Committee, I will
now read an excerpt from our “blue paper.” Our research covers five years, and we’ve prepared a
little piece of it for today. The following headlines were all from one year. A single year. Listen
well, and think about that:
“Fleeing Youth Shot To Death By Policeman.”
“Youth, 19, Shot and Killed by Policeman.”
“Suspect Wounded By Police Charged With Armed Robbery.”
“Patrolman Shoots Youth Dismantling An Auto.”
“Policeman Shoots Boy, 16, During Store Burglary.”
“Killing of Youth by Police Held Justifiable.”
“Police Shoot Pete Herron Five Times.”
Nice of them to mention a name…
“Woman Is Shot in Melee over Arrest of Sons.”
“Man Shot by Policeman at Depot Dies.”
“Witnesses Say Police Lied About Killing, Never Saw Nightstick In Victims' Hand.”
“Boy, 16, Shot By Patrolman During Chase.”
“Police Shoot Youth Found In Shop.”
“Charge of Beating Denied By Officers.”
“Officer Shoots, Wounds Fleeing Robbery Suspect.”
“Suspect Shot In Chase.”
(a breath.) From your headlines. One year. This is how our city regards human life, the dignity
and worth of all...of every…

JUDGE JOHNSON (quietly)

You want me to…

LENA LEE
No, no, no...ACTION recognizes the sanctity of all human life, each one of these stories.
 56
But we have chosen one as a representation, a summation. This is from “Policeman Shoots Boy,
16, During Store Burglary.” “A sixteen year old boy was shot and seriously wounded Sunday
night when police reported catching him in an attempted burglary at The Goldstar Market, 2633
Glasgow Avenue. Upon returning to the store, police discovered that nothing had been taken.”

JACKIE BELL
Further detailed in the report are a series of recommendations from ACTION, also based on
years of research. They include but are not limited to forbidding police from shooting fleeing
suspects, requiring police to live in the neighborhoods they patrol. We have also discovered that
the St. Louis police department uses “hollow-point bullets,” which are designed to maximize
damage to bone, skin, and tissue. St. Louis is one of the few departments in the nation to use
these bullets, because they were effectively outlawed by the US military in a treaty signed at The
Hague. In 1907.

LENA LEE
We have copies of the report here for each and every one of you.

JUDGE JOHNSON
The name of the report is “Thugs In Blue Uniforms.” Thank you for attending, we will not be
taking questions.

Transitions into ACTION protesting 1970 VP Ball.

PERCY GREEN
The Veiled Prophets….

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
The Veiled Prophets….

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
Richard Nixon…

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
Mayor Cervantes…
 57

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
Cardinal John Carberry…

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
Commissioner Bronstron...

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
Attorney General Danforth…

CHORUS
MUST GO!

PERCY GREEN
Down with the VP!

ALL
Down with the VP! Down with the VP!

Scene 8.
January, 1971. FRANCIS SHERIDAN is presenting to one of his classes at The Saint Louis
University School of Law.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Listen up, class. This afternoon, I’m illustrating a crucial aspect of the law that is lost on
many of you, based on some of the essays I’ve been receiving. When a law is passed, enters the
books, it is essentially useless until it has been applied, a precedent set, understand? That is when
the ink is dry. Before that happens, yes it’s the law of the land, but it’s incredibly difficult to
apply to one's case in a court of law, you see? It is critical that you understand this point. As an
example, I have here a timeline of a pivotal case unfolding right here in St. Louis. Title VII of
the Civil Right Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion,
 58
sex, or national origin. Seminal, yes? A milestone? It is next to no help. It’s not hyperbolic to
claim it collects dust on the shelf. It’s never been applied. But the moment rapidly approaches!
In 1964, Percy Green, a Black man and St. Louis native, was working as a research and
development technician at McDonnell-Douglas, a military aircraft and aerospace company, for
those of you not from St. Louis. Green was active in the civil rights movement. In 1964, Percy
Green was laid off by McDonnell-Douglas shortly after he climbed the Gateway Arch to protest
racial discrimination. Green took his questionable termination case before the new 1964 Civil
Rights Act charging racial bias and discrimination. For six years now, it has been struck down by
city and state courts, and now awaits consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court. However the
high courts rule, they know this is the moment this piece of legislation has needed since 1964. St.
Louis, on the forefront of legal history, as it often has been… Gaines v Canada, 1938, Shelly v
Kraemer, of course the Dred Scott case, and just last year, Jones v Mayer. All civil rights cases,
seminal cases, spanning from this city. And perhaps another in the works…Percy Green, a
dedicated activist, and an experienced technician, has been fighting this fight for six years now.
In the hopes that his struggle will set the legal precedent the Civil Rights Act so desperately
needs. Perhaps then, finally, and far too late, it will begin to protect and defend the rights of the
people it claims to. It will become more than lofty words, an unmet promise.
If any of you are looking for volunteer hours to fill up those resumes, before you rush off to
join massive corporate law firms...see me after class. Think of Green and those like him. Instead
of dreaming of that corner office with a view, think of putting your skills to the service of the
vulnerable and those subjected to discrimination. They are tireless and will not rest, but I assure
you, they need all the help they can get.

PRESS // JACKIE
December 22nd, 1970. “Police arrested three members of ACTION when they attempted to enter
the VP Ball at Kiel Auditorium. They were Judge G. Johnson, ACTION’s Black VP, Ms. Sharon
Hall, and Mrs. Rita Scott. They were charged with public disturbance of the peace.”31

PRESS // CECILIA
December 23rd, 1970. ACTION, Action Counsel To Improve Opportunities for Negroes, hosted
their fourth annual Black Veiled Prophet Afro Festival. Miss Junelle Edwards was announced as
the 1971 Queen of Human Justice! Proceeds from this year’s Afro Festival will augment the
defense fund, used to post bond for jailed demonstrators.”32

31
“3 From ACTION Seized Trying To Enter VP Ball.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 12 Dec. 1970.
32
“Fourth Annual Black VP Afro Festival.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 23 Dec. 1970.
 59
JACKIE BELL
“At the Black Veiled Prophet Ball, we allow people of all economic levels and all colors to enter.
In another four or five years, we’ll see whether or not the white Veiled Prophet organization has
learned the concept of humaneness from the Black Veiled Prophets.”33 We hope to raise the
standards and set an example of truth and justice.

Scene 8 continued.
May, 1971. 10pm. PERCY GREEN and GENA SCOTT are sitting on a bench in the police
station. FRANCIS SHERIDAN enters out of breath.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Hey gang, sorry I...whew. Sorry I’m late.

GENA SCOTT
You’re not late.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
What’s our status?

PERCY GREEN
Gena and I made bond, and they’ve been paid. But they still haven’t set bond for Margaret
Phillips. It’s a waiting game.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Did they give a reason?

GENA SCOTT
I think she said something to one of the cops. The look on his face...

PERCY GREEN
That was the look of seeing the two of you with us.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’m on it.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN exits hurriedly, straightening his tie.

PERCY GREEN
We can have a full debrief later, but how’d it go in there? How far did you get?

GENA SCOTT
Really far in. Like, doors that said “classified” far. How’d you get two badges?
33
Verbatim quote from article, reassigned
 60

PERCY GREEN
I worked at McDonnell-Douglas for seven years. Got connects. If it wasn’t the badges, why’d
they grab you?

GENA SCOTT
Well the pamphlets said “Fuck the establishment,” and that caught their eye. When they dragged
me out of there, I started screaming about the global war machine.

PERCY GREEN
Gena, c’mon now...

GENA SCOTT
It’s military tech, the business of mass murder.

PERCY GREEN
This ain’t about that, we’re pressuring them to hire more black workers.

GENA SCOTT
Those pigs are raining down terror upon poor black and brown people-

/PERCY GREEN
That’s not what this is about.

/GENA SCOTT
In Vietnam, and all over the world, and raking in massive profits while doing it...

PERCY GREEN
ACTION is not an antiwar organization. This is about the black economy, jobs for black St.
Louis. I know they’re the global war machine, and I know there’s good working people in this
city that desperately need jobs.

GENA SCOTT
Our tax dollars are paying for the wholesale murder of Vietnamese peasants, including women
and children.

PERCY GREEN
I hear you. But you’ve got to stay focused, stay in our lane. You can protest the war on your own
time.

GENA SCOTT
I will.
 61
PERCY GREEN
Good. But stay on message with us, hear?

GENA SCOTT
Ok. You’re right, I get it.

PERCY GREEN
Can I trust you to do that?

GENA SCOTT
Yes.

PERCY GREEN
Cuz ACTION has some big stuff cookin’, we could use you.

GENA SCOTT
Just say the word.

PERCY GREEN
You ain't even going to ask what it is? Aren’t you scared?

GENA SCOTT
I’m scared but I’ll sleep soundly tonight. I joined ACTION because I wanted to help, wanted to
do the right thing. I didn't know it would be this fun.

PERCY GREEN
Oh it’s the best, there’s nothing like it.

GENA SCOTT
Is that bad?

PERCY GREEN
No! We have a good time raising hell.

JUDGE JOHNSON and LENA LEE enter, carrying coffee. PERCY and GENA stand up to hug
and greet them.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Hey party people!

PERCY GREEN
Look who it is...
 62
JUDGE JOHNSON
Cream and sugar for the lady, and Percy, you take it black as memory serves…

GENA SCOTT
You two are so sweet. What are you doing here? Go to bed!

LENA LEE
We were up anyways. Chair and co-chair of the Church Committee, getting ready for a bid
presentation Tuesday morning. Prayer breakfast.

PERCY GREEN
So have you two taken down the church yet?

LENA LEE
We’re not “taking it down” Percy, we are saving it. What’s the word here?

PERCY GREEN
Still waiting. Francis is giving them a little hell.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Ah, my specialty. I shall assist him.

JUDGE JOHNSON exits.

LENA LEE
How’s the court case? Francis says it’ll go to the Supreme Court.

PERCY GREEN
If they take it.

GENA SCOTT
The Supreme Court?

PERCY GREEN
Don’t get excited. We’ll see.

GENA SCOTT
Is that what you’re most proud of? The case?

PERCY GREEN
Most proud of?
 63
GENA SCOTT
Yeah. All these moving parts, demonstrations, court cases, boycotts... what is the
accomplishment you’re most proud of?

PERCY GREEN
What are you, writing a book? Sure, if the case has the potential to help the most people, that’s
big. But I’m most proud of the community, that’s what I’d point to, the people that make this
work possible. You can see that now, that I couldn’t do anything without a committed focused
group that I can trust. I’ve got the best people.

GENA SCOTT
It’s an incredible group.

LENA LEE
Including you.

GENA SCOTT
I’m not here because I’m the best at anything. Most qualified, most prepared- I’m none of those
things. I felt morally compelled to join the struggle, and you all...you're part of the solution. A
big part.

LENA LEE
Lord give us strength...

FRANCIS SHERIDAN and JUDGE JOHNSON enter.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Success!

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Come pay the bond? Margaret will be out directly after.

PERCY GREEN
Good work.

LENA LEE
Bed time!

The group exits.

Scene 9. JUDGE JOHNSON at a press conference.34

34
ACTION Press Statement, “ACTION’s TET OFFENSES,” May 24th, 1971.
 64
JUDGE JOHNSON
Today's demonstration inside McDonnell-Douglas’ highly classified area at the plant marks the
beginning of many. The purpose of this sophisticated demonstration is to show “Daddy Mac,” as
we call him, that ACTION can maneuver within his security at will, just as he has been able to
maneuver within the government with its racist employment practices and still get government
contracts.

PRESS // CECILIA
How was ACTION able to infiltrate the high level security of McDonnell-Douglas?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Know-how, dedication and self discipline, that’s how! ACTION is major league. You tell them
that some of their fair-minded white security guards are also ACTION members. They allowed
our demonstration to enter the building. They will not be identified, as we dont want them fired
for combatting racial discrimination.

PRESS // CECILIA
“ACTION’s testimony at the US Civil Rights Commission 1970 hearing regarding
McDonnell-Douglas employment practices brought about a brief stoppage to the 7.7 billion
dollar F-15 contract. ACTION say’s they are still fighting for the cancellation of the federal
contract, on the grounds that McDonnell-Douglas must end discrimination against blacks, per
federal policy, before the contract is awarded.”35

Scene 9 continued.
FRANCIS SHERIDAN is contesting an arrest of Percy at the front desk of the police department.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Yes, I am his council and legal representative and you will let me back to speak to my client. I
will not wait, no. You will not be sending him anywhere tonight, that is egregious. That charge is
seven months old and was never settled, you cannot simply drop a sentence out of the clear blue
sky, can you? Come now, son. Let me speak to him. You expect me to believe it just so happens
that Percy Green is being swept away to The Workhouse on the eve of the VP Parade?
Coincidence, is it, divine intervention, on behalf of the Veiled Prophets? I’ll tell you this much,
you all have no shame and you have no intelligence. This will not hold in any courtroom I know
of. This is a mockery of the rule of law. No, I’m not leaving, I’ll wait right here.

PRESS // GENA
September 9th, 1971. “Meanwhile, Percy Green, ACTION leader, was in the City Workhouse.
He was sent there yesterday on a 30-day sentence for peace disturbance during the 1969
35
ACTION Press Statement, “ACTION’s TET OFFENSES,” May 24th, 1971.
 65
36
VP Ball.” “Court officials said that the jailing of Green and Mitchell on the eve of the parade
was coincidental.”37

PRESS // JACKIE
December 23rd, 1971. True to form, ACTION and Percy Green protested last night's VP Ball.
“This year the picketing was directed towards both the ball and Wonder Bread Baking Co.
ACTION alleges discrimination in hiring and upgrading of blacks. One sign read “The VP Eats
Racist Wonder Bread 12 Ways.”

PRESS // FRANCIS
The group chanted “White racism must go, white VP must go.” Booked and charged with
general peace disturbance were Melvin Carr, Miss Florence Jarrett, ACTION’s Queen of Human
Justice, Ralph Brown, ACTION’s Black VP, and Miss Gena Scott. Green was also arrested on
the charge of nonpayment of 14 traffic tickets.”38

Scene 9, continued.
The phone booth across the street from the city jail, downtown St. Louis City.

PERCY GREEN
Hey Cecilia. Yeah. I’m there now. Yeah. Florence, Gena, Ralph Brown, and General Melvin
Carr were all arrested. Melvin Carr used to work with Precious Barnes. Right, that’s the guy.
Peace disturbance, resisting arrest, and traffic obstruction. They also hit me with 14 traffic
tickets. This morning when I woke up I had zero. Oh we’ll contest all of it, but I’ve got to get
them out first. Yeah, bring the checkbook, we’re good for it. I am positive. Don’t tell the crew,
but we’ve got a family in Florissant that put up their house for the bond. I know, it’s really
something. I don’t want them to feel bad about it. They don’t got to know. Point is, we’re good
for it. Look, I got to go. I’m using the payphone by the city jail, which must be the busiest phone
in St. Louis. Okie dokie, real fine. I’m here. Thank you Sister.

Scene 10. Early 1972. The street in front of the city jail.
JUDGE JOHNSON is waiting. GENA SCOTT and LENA LEE enter, having just been released
after a few hours in lock-up and a brief interrogation. It is a cold winter night.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Hey, hey! My favorite trouble makers!

GENA SCOTT
Hey, Judge!
36
“VP Parade.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 9 Sep. 1971.
37
“Green Seeks To Void Conviction.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 28 Sep. 1971.
38
“ACTION Pickets VP, Green and 4 Others Arrested.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 23 Dec. 1971.
 66

LENA LEE
Where are the others?

JUDGE JOHNSON
They made bond a half hour ago. And they got us a table at Hank’s, late night breakfast haunt
two blocks from here. Percy says we can conduct our debriefing there, but we’re also celebrating
your first real arrest!

LENA LEE
This is my third.

GENA SCOTT
And my second.

JUDGE JOHNSON
For real? How’d I miss- damn. What’d they get you for?

LENA LEE
Peace disturbance, traffic obstruction and “disobeying an officer.”

JUDGE JOHNSON
Gena, what was your first?

GENA SCOTT
Trespassing at McDonnell-Douglas. Walking through an unlocked door! That was last May.
Tonight was peace disturbance and resisting arrest.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Resisting arrest, always. I never got trespassing, though.

LENA LEE
She’s got a court date in March. We were just talking about it in holding.

GENA SCOTT
Do you know Margaret Phillips? They got us both.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Yeah, Communist Latin teacher from the county. She’s bad.

LENA LEE
Percy wants Margaret to give her testimony in Latin and demand a translator!
 67
GENA SCOTT
Francis says to represent myself, so I can grill the jury.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Two court cases, wow. Okay. Well, sorry I missed that, but let’s take a load off, cup of coffee,
pancakes and waffles, sausage, and we’ll talk through all your respective crimes. You warm
enough?

LENA LEE
Fresh air’s good after a few hours in there. Filthy.

JUDGE JOHNSON
You’ve done real good, both of you. Alright, we’re movin’...

All three exit.

PRESS // JACKIE
March 2nd, 1972. “Ms Margaret Phillips and Ms Gena Scott acted as their own attorneys and
convinced one of the 12 jurors of their innocence. As a result, their case in St. Louis County
Circuit Court on charges of trespassing ended with a hung jury yesterday.”39

GENA SCOTT
“We were at McDonnell-Douglas to combat racist discrimination in its hiring practices in a
nonviolent way.” If McDonnell-Douglas is to be awarded billions of dollars in federal contracts,
they must adhere to federal law pertaining to hiring practices and anti discrimination.

PRESS // FRANCIS
“The two members of ACTION had been charged with violating a ‘No Trespassing’ sign during
a demonstration last May at McDonnell-Douglas corporation. Miss Scott and Miss Phillips had
been convicted and sentenced to 30 days in jail each, but appealed the conviction to circuit
court.”

PRESS // LENA
March 15th, 1972. “The prosecutor addressed one of the defendants as ‘Your Majesty’ and the
judge warned against ‘shouting and pyrotechnics’ during a trial in City Court #2 Tuesday. The
case concerned a protest demonstration on Dec. 22nd against the Veiled Prophet Ball, when four
members of ACTION were arrested for attempting to enter the Kiel Auditorium.” 40

39
“Amateur Lawyers Win.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 2 Mar. 1972.
40
“Trial of VP Protesters Erupts Into Fireworks.” St. Louis Globe Democrat [Saint Louis, Missouri], 15 Mar. 1972.
 68
PRESS // JUDGE
“The protesters were Ralph Brown, who said he was the Black Veiled Prophet: Miss Florence
Jarrett, the Black Veiled Prophet Queen; Melvin Carr, a “general” in ACTION, and Gena Scott.”

GENA SCOTT
Your Honor. My black companions were immediately stopped at the doors of the Kiel
Auditorium. They were told they didn’t have proper identification and were arrested. I was
asked for no identification. In fact, I was able to enter the ball unquestioned.
When I returned and explained this to a police officer, I was arrested for allegedly interfering
with a police officer. Can you see the ridiculousness of this situation as clearly as I can? This is
racism, abuse of power, and intimidation, plain and simple.

PRESS // CECILIA
“Judge Young chided a demonstrator for her unfamiliarity with the history of The Veiled Prophet
celebration. He then found all defendants guilty and levied fines of $50 against Brown, Carr and
Miss Jarrett. He fined Miss Scott $25. All defendants said they would appeal.”

PRESS // GENA
November 2nd, 1972. “Mayor Alfonso J. Cervantes has rejected an invitation by Percy Green to
debate the merits of the proposed convention center bond issue, to be voted on next Tuesday.
Green, in a letter to Cervantes Monday, told the Mayor that “a position or idea is not worth a
damn if it cannot survive a challenge.” Green suggested a radio or television debate.”41

Scene 10 continued.
The Sixth Annual Black VP Festival.

PERCY GREEN
It is my great honor to present to you, a proud ACTION member and the 1972 Queen of Human
Justice...Lena Lee!

LENA LEE
Thank you so much… I thank you for this prestigious award. I accept it with pride and purpose,
and I thank God for his loving grace. I have loved my work with ACTION, whether we’re
collecting data or taking to the streets and holding the city accountable for crimes and misdeeds
against all it’s poor and non-white residents. I have lived in St. Louis all my life, and have seen
it’s beauty and it’s profound suffering. Amidst this abuse from the white power structure, I see
your dignity, your pride. Your resistance.
In my time as Queen of Human Justice, I will have three main priorities. One, involve more
young people in ACTION. Young people in this city are ready to bind together and demand

41
“Mayor Won’t Debate” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 2 Nov. 1972.
 69
change. Two, do everything in my power to keep Richard Nixon from being re-elected. He has
ingratiated himself to southern racists, turning his back on the civil rights movement. And three,
address the health crisis that is police brutality. And it is a health crisis. I have been re-elected
co-chair of ACTION’s Police Brutality Committee, a role I take very seriously. We are currently
planning a series of actions against the St. Louis Police Department to hold them accountable for
their crimes and misdeeds. I thank you for this honor. It warms my heart to look out at your
smiling faces. We gather in community, togetherness, and pride. We unite in struggle, but I feel
so much hope in this room...Let’s get back to the music! Please be generous tonight. Every last
penny you can spare will be used to further the social mission of ACTION, as Percy calls it,
“raising hell.” Thank you, thank you!

Scene Ten continued.

PRESS // JACKIE
December 5th, 1972. “Percy Green, head of ACTION, a militant civil rights organization, said
last night that he would not pay the $175 in traffic and parking fines levied against him in the
Court of Criminal Correction.”

PERCY GREEN
I was targeted by city officials because ACTION strongly opposed the convention center bond
issue on the November 3rd ballot, demanded a boycott of Wonder Bread & Hostess Cakes, and is
calling for the abolishment of the racist, sexist, and elitist Veiled Prophet Organization. I have
every reason to believe that these traffic tickets are politically fabricated in an effort to discredit
my character. I will not pay.

PRESS // CECILIA
“Green said he would rather go to jail than pay or have another pay for such fabrication. He also
said he would work off the fines in The Workhouse if necessary.” 42

Scene 11
ACTION headquarters, North St. Louis, September of 1972. JUDGE JOHNSON, JACKIE
BELL, GENA SCOTT, LENA LEE, and FRANCIS SHERIDAN are mid discussion.

JUDGE JOHNSON
We should’ve done jazz this year. I’m tellin’ ya.

JACKIE BELL
I’m out here trying to actually sell tickets, Judge. It’s 1972, jazz died with the sixties.

42
“Percy Green Refuses To Pay Traffic Fines.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch [Saint Louis, Missouri], 5 Dec. 1972.
 70
JUDGE JOHNSON
Demonstrably false. Jazz is alive, and it’s perfect for the Black VP.

JACKIE BELL
The last five years we’ve had the perfect combo; African drummers, and then a bluesey rock
band. Don’t mess with the formula. Young people will not show up for jazz.

GENA SCOTT
What about jazz fusion? Compromise?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Yeah, like Bitches Brew.

LENA LEE
Excuse me?

GENA SCOTT
It’s a Miles Davis album.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Miles is from East Saint Louis. Could we get him to play at the event?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Next year, we’ll get him! It’ll be the best Black Veiled Prophet yet! My favorite night of the year.

JACKIE BELL
You listen to Miles?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I do. I love the old ballads. And Milestones.

LENA LEE
Now he would get young people to buy tickets.

JACKIE BELL
Let’s have a listening party and give them a tour of the greats.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Right on. I told Gena to listen to What’s Going On? everyday for a month. That’s her white lady
homework!

JACKIE BELL
I lent her Maggot Brain. You all know Funkadelic? Black joy, apart from the struggle. Playful.
 71
Very important to witness. And Afro-futurism.

LENA LEE (laughing)

Funkadelic? What about Aretha, or The Staple Singers? Y’all are a mess!

GENA SCOTT
It’s been beautiful.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’d love to borrow those, too, if I may.

JACKIE BELL
If your wife finds you listening to Funkadelic, she’ll have a heart attack.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Better to start him on Marvin Gaye. Al Green.

JACKIE BELL
Nina Simone.

LENA LEE
Oh my goodness, yes.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN and PERCY GREEN enter.

JACKIE BELL
There he is! Hey Cecilia honey.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Straighten up, here comes the boss.

PERCY GREEN
No boss here, you know that. Hey gang. Francis. Jackie. Gena, good you’re here. Ms Lena Lee,
our Queen of Human Justice! Alright, gather round. I’ve got something big, real big. Got a call a
few days ago. Didn't want to announce anything to the group, in case it fell through. We just got
ourselves two tickets to the VP Ball.

PERCY GREEN pulls out two tickets and shows them to the group.

/LENA LEE
What?
 72
/JUDGE JOHNSON
No way.

/JACKIE BELL
Let me see those.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Percy, how did you get these?

PERCY GREEN
An anonymous source from the inside. A VP member grew a conscience.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Who was it?

PERCY GREEN
They insisted I keep that information private. But it don’t matter. Point is we’ve got them. We’re
in.

GENA SCOTT
We’ve been protesting for years. Why’d they help us now?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

We’ve been watching them, and they’ve been watching us. Not just hatefully. We have slowly
gained some credibility even in their eyes. Maybe even something close to begrudged respect.

PERCY GREEN
And our persistence wore them down. They know we aren’t going away.

JUDGE JOHNSON
That’s five years work right there.

JACKIE BELL
Five years of protest.

LENA LEE
You all earned this.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Lena , you got locked up twice for fighting the VP. We earned this.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
What do we do with them?
 73

PERCY GREEN
Two of us can enter the Ball.

LENA LEE
Two whites, that is.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Give ‘em here. I can blend in.

JACKIE BELL (laughing)

No problem!

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Percy thinks I’ve been in the papers too much, and could be recognized.

JACKIE BELL
Our Cecilia is famous! The Rebel Nun!

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Francis would be recognized, too. There’ll be some lawyers there that know him, and a lot of
university people.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Plus Frank has made it clear he’s not cut out for undercover work.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’m afraid I’d surely...crack like an egg. Squander the opportunity.

GENA SCOTT
I’ll do it. I look innocent.

JACKIE BELL
That’s true.

LENA LEE
I’ve always thought you look like Joni Mitchell.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
You’re our Kirkwood girl. You’ll blend in.

GENA SCOTT
Last year I was able to walk straight inside without a ticket.
 74

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

With a ticket, you can walk all the way into the auditorium.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Wear a hat, low. Shades, or somethin’.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
When’s the ball?

LENA LEE
A little less than two months.

PERCY GREEN
We need another white member of ACTION to go in with you, preferably female. Someone who
can handle the pressure. I have some ideas. We’ll discuss.

A pause. They all look at the envelope with two tickets inside. Excitement and wonder bloom into
caution and fear.

GENA SCOTT
...What do we do when we’re inside?

Black out. End of ACT TWO.

ACT THREE, SCENE ONE

December 1972, Kiel Auditorium, Central West End, St. Louis

GENA SCOTT’S inner monologue is delivered straight to the audience.

GENA SCOTT
They don’t even ask our names… Jane and I prepared these elaborate back stories about who we
are, fake identities, quizzing each other for weeks on every tiny detail. They don’t care who we
are. A fancy dress and a white face is good enough for them. They barely look at the tickets. I
hate being dolled up. I can’t remember the last time I wore heels. This crowd makes me miss the
bra burners of the world. If my feminist sisters saw me now, they wouldn’t recognize me.

Three speak, facing the audience, GENA SCOTT’s flashback.

JACKIE BELL
Wear something nice but not too nice. It should look like this is a big night for you, but don’t
look rich.
 75

LENA LEE
You should put on a little too much makeup, you know?

PERCY GREEN
Jane Suaer will be going in with you.

GENA SCOTT
Jane and I walk up the ramp, blinking in the bright lights. Hundreds of people, maybe a
thousand, and more still coming in. A sea of tuxedos, mink coats, diamonds, pearls…
A string quartet, bowing waiters everywhere. It’s...cartoonish. Exaggerated. Wealth to the point
of obscenity, I think that’s the word for it. It’s gross. The whole scene is kind of creepy, eerie. I
get chills. Jane pulls on my elbow. She’s memorized the floor plans. I pull back, signaling for
her to slow down. It can’t look like we’re in a rush, but if the front row of the balcony is full...a
front row balcony seat is integral to the mission.
It’s mostly empty. This section is for maids, the help, nannies. Jane nods and winks. I squeeze
her hand. She goes to the southeast side, at the back, and I go sit on the northwest side, to the left
of the stage. We’re in place. That’s phase one. I can feel my heart rate going down again. Our
synchronized watches say 7:30. That means two hours of waiting in the lion's den. I have to look
excited, star struck, blend in. But nobody’s up here yet...in through the nose, out through the
mouth…

Outside, in front of The Kiel Auditorium. LENA LEE and JUDGE enter, in regal dress.

LENA LEE
Good evening ma'am, how do you do? My name is Lena Lee, and I am the Black Veiled Prophet
Queen, also referred to as The Queen of Human Justice. Perhaps you've heard of me. I was
crowned by my esteemed colleague here, The Black Veiled Prophet himself…

JUDGE JOHNSON
Asante and Salam. Name’s George Johnson, and by God’s grace and majesty I am The Black
Veiled Prophet King. We attend tonight's ball at the behest of The White Veiled Prophet, as his
most honored guests. If you could kindly direct us to the front row, insha Allah.

TICKET TAKER // CECILIA

...this is a private affair. If you don’t have tickets, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.
 76
LENA LEE
As his majesty the Black VP King mentioned, we are distinguished guests. There’s no need to
fiddle with tickets and permissions, we are royalty, madam. I’d love to speak with a
representative of the Veiled Prophets, they’ll clear this right up.

/TICKET TAKER // CECILIA

You’re not dressed properly. You don’t meet the standards of the event. So clear off.

JUDGE JOHNSON
These are the standards of The Black Veiled Prophets, and they represent the rich and varied
tapestry of African culture.

TICKET TAKER // CECILIA

Now you’re holding up the line. I’ve asked nice. If you don’t leave, we’ve got police on every
corner. You’ll be under arrest.

LENA LEE
Let the record show we are refusing to leave. We’ll wait right here until a cruiser can take us to
the station. King?

JUDGE JOHNSON (projecting grandly to the crowd)

The Queen of Human Justice has spoken! The King and Queen of The Black Veiled Prophets
have been denied admittance to the segregated fat-cat affair, and will peacefully await the St.
Louis police. One racist organization will always protect another racist organization!

Inside on the balcony, 9:00pm.

GENA SCOTT
The debutantes start coming in…They blink in the spotlights while their “escorts” parade them
around the stage, in their floor length gowns. If we sold all those dresses, I bet you could set up a
free health clinic for a year… Here come the “Ladies of Honor,” whatever that means. Hundreds
of names, everyone claps politely. This would bore me to sleep if I wasn’t in the middle of an
adrenaline rush. The names repeat, like Jackie said. Names I’ve heard all my life, in school and
church, on college campuses and street signs, names of hospital wings, playgrounds, and parks.
All these women have middle names that are old family names, too, asserting legacy, dominance.
They are all sitting down now and the orchestra starts “The Star Spangled Banner.” My stomach
lurches forward- that’s the cue. Suddenly I’m out of breath, sweating. I look over to Jane. She
touches her nose twice- phase two; assess.
I stand up and move to the seats closer to the stage. Everyone is watching the orchestra and
saluting the flag. I notice this thick cable along the wall, to the side of the stage and fastened to
 77
the wall near the balcony...it reaches the floor, connected to a black box. Is this thing a light
cable? Will the lights go out if I mess with it? That’d ruin the plan. I’m thirty feet up. Maybe
forty feet from the stage. Lots of guards carrying spears. Are the spears real? The “Bengal
Lancers,” they call themselves. White men in turbans, with darkened faces. This whole thing is
racist, top to bottom. Too many of them. I’d never make it through on the ground.
The cable is smooth black rubber. I take my gloves off, don’t want to lose traction. Jane has her
eyebrows raised, “Which?” I nod. Aerial. It’s settled. She waits for the signal. The anthem
finishes and everyone claps.

Outside, in front of The Kiel Auditorium, PERCY GREEN and JACKIE BELL are raising hell.
JACKIE holds a megaphone, GREEN paces and yells to the crowd.

JACKIE BELL
Racism and poverty by political design.

PERCY GREEN
Their design!

JACKIE BELL
Racism and poverty, bought and paid for.

PERCY GREEN
Their money!

JACKIE BELL
The VP has well documented roots in The Confederacy. The Kiel Auditorium and all these
police- that’s your city tax dollars, right there!

PERCY GREEN
VP is KKK! VP is KKK! Do not be pacified! Do not be mystified!

JACKIE BELL
The VP must disband immediately if this city is to heal. It’s a Jim Crow relic!

PERCY GREEN
St. Louis Jim Crow! St. Louis Jim Crow!

JACKIE BELL
We urge you to boycott all VP events and associated organizations. Do not give them your
money! These fat cats want your money!
 78
PERCY GREEN
Wake up St. Louis, St. Louis wake up! Wake up St. Louis, St. Louis wake up!

PERCY GREEN and JACKIE BELL

Wake up St. Louis, St Louis wake up!

Horns honking and flashing blue lights.

Inside on the balcony, 9:30pm.

GENA SCOTT
The Veiled Prophet King walks out on stage. The crowd cheers and claps. He circles the
stage, waves, long white robes and a pointed hat. Crown, staff…I don’t understand how anyone
can look at this and not see a Klansman.
The last maid of honor walks out. Last year's Queen, Beatrice Alice Busch. My heart
slows down. I breathe. I’m calm. I get up and walk over to the cable. On the opposite side of the
balcony, I hear Jane yelling “Down with the VP!” and pitching hundreds of leaflets down on the
audience. Everyone will be looking at her. I take off my heels. I grab the cable, climb over the
railing, and start sliding down. I haven’t gone far when I feel a definite jerk. The cable comes
loose. I blink, and I’ve landed on the steps by the stage. The wind is knocked out of me. My
body feels hot all over. A man is asking me something. “Don’t touch me, I’m really hurt!”
There’s a side curtain going backstage. Behind the curtain, I run right into another man.
“Someone’s really hurt out there!” He rushes past the curtain to check out the commotion. I want
to come out behind the VP, but it’s all boarded up back here, blocked by the big stands all the
debutantes are sitting on. I’m running around front again. I enter stage left.
A man looks super surprised to see me. “Important telephone message!” There’s eight or
ten people between me and the VP now. They’re all completely still, mouths open, reacting in
slow motion. I walk right past them.
The Veiled Prophet has on a helmet type crown with a silky veil hanging on it. Is the veil
fastened to the crown, on tight? I grab the veil and give it a hard jerk. It comes right off. I hear
gasps and flashing cameras. The Veiled Prophet and I are looking right at each other. He’s a bald
old white man with thick glasses. I don’t recognize him. The VP doesn’t say a word. But his
face, well...the expression on his face makes everything worthwhile.

Blackout.
The following lines are delivered in rapid succession, in the dark, accompanied by the sounds of
slamming doors, dragging chairs, and general chaos.
 79

ONE // FRANCIS: Grab her! Get her! Grab her arm!

TWO // CECILIA: I didn’t know she was- how did she-

THREE // JACKIE: Drag her then, get her off the damn stage!

ONE // FRANCIS: In here, sit her there. Who the fuck are you?

THREE // JACKIE: Close the door, now, no reporters.

ONE // FRANCIS: Talk! Start talking!

FOUR // JUDGE: Let me through, I’m a doctor.

THREE // JACKIE: Keep things running normally. How many people saw?

TWO // CECILIA: What kind of a person-

FOUR // JUDGE: She needs a doctor, let me…

ONE // FRANCIS:: Who was the other bitch? On the balcony?

FOUR // JUDGE: Broken ribs, bruised arm, possible sprain, and I don’t like the look of that
ankle.

THREE // JACKIE: Can we sneak her out the back?

TWO // CECILIA: Why did you do it??

THREE // JACKIE: No police yet! Keep attention on stage!

FOUR // JUDGE: Take her to Barnes, the cops will wait.

ONE // FRANCIS: Alright, up. Up, girl.

TWO // CECILIA: Out the back door, quick…

THREE // JACKIE: No press, no cameras…

ONE // FRANCIS: Out, now, out!

End of scene.
 80
ACT THREE, SCENE TWO

3:00am, Barnes Hospital, Central West End, St. Louis, later that night. GENA SCOTT is
reclining, injured. PERCY GREEN and LENA LEE rush in.

LENA LEE
There you are!

GENA SCOTT
Percy! Lena!

LENA LEE
We’ve been looking for you. Are you alright? What’d they say?

GENA SCOTT
Nothing’s broken. Cracked ribs. The rest’ll just bruise real bad.

PERCY GREEN
Damn. Must’ve hurt awful.

GENA SCOTT
Not in the moment, only after. The VP- I didn't recognize him.

PERCY GREEN
Sliding down that cable, what were you thinking...

GENA SCOTT
It was an adrenaline rush.

PERCY GREEN
I never asked you all to do that!

GENA SCOTT
Jane and I hadn’t ruled it out.

PERCY GREEN
You could’ve died!

LENA LEE
We were scared, honey. I’m so glad you’re alright. God is good.

GENA SCOTT
Where’s Jane?
 81
PERCY GREEN
She already made bail. She’s ok.

GENA SCOTT
One of his guards put the hood back on. I barely saw his face.

PERCY GREEN
You’re alright. You’re ok.

GENA SCOTT
I’m sorry Percy, I didn’t see who he was. I pulled off his hood and then all the guards were
dragging me across the floor.

LENA LEE
Gena, you did good. Beyond good, incredible!

GENA SCOTT
All that work, years, and I just...I didn’t even...they grabbed my neck.

PERCY GREEN
Hey, hey- breathe. Just breathe for a minute. Then we’ll talk. In through your nose...good. Out
through your mouth. You know the drill. Keep that going. Feet on the ground. In through the
nose, out through the mouth. Good. Drink that water and I’ll tell you what I know. You ok?

GENA SCOTT
...yeah.

PERCY GREEN
His name is Tom K. Smith. Managing Director of The Monsanto Organization.

GENA SCOTT
Monsanto?

PERCY GREEN
Yeah, them. The folks currently reigning down terror on poor peasants in Vietnam. And God
knows who else. That Monsanto. We knew he was a member, so he was on a short list. Now we
know he’s The Veiled Prophet himself.

GENA SCOTT
We did it.

LENA LEE
We did it. You did it.
 82
PERCY GREEN
With some crazy James Bond level stunt. Damn I wish I could’ve seen that.

GENA SCOTT
Ow. Don’t make me laugh.

PERCY GREEN hands her a PayDay candy bar.

PERCY GREEN
Eat this. A little sugar and protein. You’ll need it. Your nurse just cleared you for release, so the
cops will be here any minute.

GENA SCOTT
Ok. What time is it?

PERCY GREEN
0300, Sunday morning. Don’t tell ‘em anything. Like we practiced.

GENA SCOTT
Nothing without the presence of my lawyer.

PERCY GREEN
Yes ma'am. They’ll keep you til six or seven to scare you. We’ll be waiting there when they let
you out, or to pay bail if they charge you with something. You’ve done real good, Ms. Scott.
Almost done. Can’t...I can’t possibly thank you enough.

GENA SCOTT
No need. It was incredible.

PERCY GREEN
I’ll wait with you til they come.

GENA SCOTT
Maybe you shouldn’t, right?

LENA LEE
You sure?

GENA SCOTT
I’m good. Thank you both so much.

PERCY GREEN
Ok.
 83
LENA LEE
Do you mind if I pray for you?

GENA SCOTT
If you pray?

LENA LEE
I’d like to say a prayer.

GENA SCOTT
That’s...so kind. Sure, thank you.

LENA LEE folds her hands and prays aloud for Gena. Percy bows his head.

LENA LEE
Lord God, heavenly father. I humbly ask you to keep your servant Gena in mind tonight. Hold
her in the palm of your hand, Lord. Heal her body, which is weary from the struggle, your
struggle, our struggle for justice and righteousness. Heal her mind, which is surely weary from
the fight. Hold us close oh Lord, give us the strength and the faith to march on. This struggle is
holy, it bears your name. Keep us patient and forgiving of each other, help us form a loving
community, to keep up our strength for the journey. In Jesus’s holy name, Amen.

PERCY GREEN and LENA LEE exit as GENA SCOTT waits for the police to arrive.
Fade to Black.

ACT THREE, SCENE THREE

Late January, 1973. ACTION Headquarters, North St. Louis.
PERCY GREEN, JUDGE JOHNSON, JACKIE BELL and FRANCIS SHERIDAN are mid
conversation.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Where would these flyers be placed?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Restaurants, churches, libraries, bus stops, all over North City.

PERCY GREEN
Hundreds of ‘em.

JACKIE BELL
Could we be held legally responsible?
 84
PERCY GREEN
It’s a joke, to make a point. It’s not literal.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
But it could be interpreted as such in a court of law. If some crime or misdeed is linked back to
them, well...it’s a gray area. I can’t promise one way or another.

JACKIE BELL
It’s a laugh, I’ll give you that, but I wonder if it’s worth the risk.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN enters. She finds a chair and places it just so.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Hey gang. Gena’s back.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Back from where?

PERCY GREEN
She’s been laying low for a few weeks.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
How’s her health? Is she alright?

JACKIE BELL
Physically, she’s fine. Shaken, though. Her car got bombed.

JUDGE JOHNSON
What? When?

Cecilia and Percy motion for them to be quiet as LENA LEE and GENA SCOTT enter. Gena’s
wearing sunglasses and a scarf tied around her hair, and is leaning slightly on Lena.

GENA SCOTT
I feel fine, really.

LENA LEE
Your ribs are still healing.

GENA SCOTT
The doctor said after a month they’d be completely healed.
 85
LENA LEE
Alright, just take some love, then…

A moment. Gena takes off her scarf/shades and smiles weakly. The group eases into a slow clap,
thanking her, welcoming her.

GENA SCOTT
Thank you, I’m good.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Welcome. Welcome back.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Frank, you gettin’ misty?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Well, I mean- she…

JUDGE JOHNSON
Me too, man. I know.

JACKIE BELL
You hungry? Cecilia made us some pound cake.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

It’s a little dry, but if you have it with a glass of milk it’s pretty good.

GENA SCOTT
No thank you. Good to see everybody.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Nice to have you back here with us.

GENA SCOTT
What’s the agenda tonight?

PERCY GREEN
The agenda?

GENA SCOTT
Yeah, what’re we working on?
 86
PERCY GREEN
We don’t have one. Just figured we should…(clears throat) Well alright, sure, we’ve got some
updates for you.

GENA SCOTT
How many papers have published his name? Tom K. Smith?

JUDGE JOHNSON
We’re still working on it. Applying pressure on our contacts in the press. They’ve been resistant.

GENA SCOTT
Has anyone published his name?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Yes. The St. Louis Journalism Review.

JACKIE BELL
The what? Who the hell reads that?

FRANK SHERIDAN
I hadn’t heard of it either, but it’s something.

PERCY GREEN
They’re small enough to have no VP sponsors.

GENA SCOTT
What about The Globe-Democrat? The Post Dispatch?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Nothing yet.

JACKIE BELL
So the press just closed ranks around their Monsanto buddy?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

One racist organization will always protect another.

PERCY GREEN
Pressure is mounting. They’ll cave. It’s only been three weeks.

GENA SCOTT
Almost four. When this goes to court, they’ll have to report it then. The press will be all over it.
 87
JUDGE JOHNSON
Frank?

LENA LEE
What is it?

PERCY GREEN
Let him explain…

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
We’ve been preparing for your defense all month. We figured maybe a few counts of trespassing,
even though it’s a public building. And certainly peace disturbance, a catch-all favorite of the St.
Louis police department. At worst, I thought they may try and frame it as some kind of
aggravated assault, like there was some threat of injury or harm. What I did not account
for...what I did not expect was that they’d simply drop all charges.

GENA SCOTT
No charges.

FRANCIS
That’s right.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

But that’s good, isn't it?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Yes and no. Good for Gena, she’s out of the woods legally, in terms of this demonstration. More
time to prepare for her other case, the McDonnell-Douglas charge of trespassing. But bad for
ACTION, because it means The VP King won’t have to appear in court.

GENA SCOTT
Nothing?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
That’s it.

GENA SCOTT
Is there anything we can do?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’m afraid not. The Veiled Prophets and Tom K. Smith decided to retreat. No trouble for you, this
way, no punishment or recompense for your actions, but none for them either. Back into the
shadows.
 88
GENA SCOTT
His name’s not in the paper and there won’t be a court case.

JUDGE JOHNSON
His name’s in one paper, and we’re working on more.

GENA SCOTT
Then he’s not. It’s like I didn’t even…

LENA LEE
Gena, you did well.

JACKIE BELL
...didn’t even unveil him.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Jackie, c’mon.

JACKIE BELL
What? She’s right. This isn’t good enough. Years and years of work, and her jumping off
the goodman balcony, and what did it come to?

JUDGE JOHNSON
It’s something.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Not much pay off.

JACKIE BELL
What do we have to show for it?

After a moment, PERCY GREEN realizes they are all looking at him and waiting for him to
speak, so he complies.

PERCY GREEN
Alright, here it is. First off, since we began disrupting the VP, there has been a series of tactical
retreats on their part. First the Veiled Prophet himself stopped riding in the parade. Then the
debutantes stayed away too. Next they changed the route, after eighty years, no more going
through North City. See? That’s called a retreat, plain and simple. But more important than that,
much more important, we didn’t…
 89
I never thought the VP would disband, or just roll over and die. We didn't set out against them to
fix everything, we did it ‘cause it was the right thing to do. Because they’re racist, class-ist,
sexist, elitist, anti-Semetic, you name it. That’s the why of it. If all we ever became was a burr in
their ass, I’d’ve been satisfied. I’m serious. It feels good to piss them off and rain on their parade
and ball, best we can. You’re not going to hire black workers, respect our humanity? Fine. We’ll
ruin your little party. But we did more than that. We got them. We got them good, and they know
it. Thanks to this woman right here, the whole city saw the emperor has no clothes. Thanks to all
of you, she was able to do it. They may be back in the shadows, but I promise you, they’ll never
forget how good we got ‘em, at their own party!
Look, I know this can be exhausting. We're goal oriented, we focus on one little piece of the
problem at a time, but we’re not here to...eradicate racism. Poverty. Greed and hate. I act like I
don’t know that, but I do. The struggle is constant, we’d do well to accept that.

LENA LEE
Those who believe in freedom shall not rest.

PERCY GREEN
That’s right. This room looks mighty weary right now. We talk a lot about “political design.”
Racism and poverty by design, right? But the despair you are feeling right now, the loss of
hope...that’s by political design, too. The power structure as it now stands depends on the little
guy feeling hopeless, like they can’t change anything, so why fight back? Tell me. In this
country, in this profoundly sick society with our broken value system, what could be more
countercultural than hope? More revolutionary?
But feel what you’ve got to feel. I mean it. You’re not wrong, I’m just not where you are, I’m
simply somewhere else. I’m not there with you. Everyday for a month, I’ve been waking up with
a grin on my face, ear to ear, thinking about what happened. It’s been a month and I still can’t
believe it.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
It’s remarkable.

PERCY GREEN
I just wish I could’ve seen his face. I’d give anything.

JACKIE BELL does a goofy impression of over the top surprise. The group laughs.
 90
GENA SCOTT
You’re not far off.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Keep the faith. All of you.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN (to PERCY)

Did you tell them about the case?

PERCY GREEN
Sounds like I’ll be heading to DC. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear my case.

LENA LEE
Percy, that’s amazing!

JUDGE JOHNSON
That’ll help you keep the faith.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

When’s the court date?

PERCY GREEN
Soon. This year. In the meantime, plenty of work to do here.

GENA SCOTT
Congrats, Percy, this is big. What work here? What are we doing next?

JUDGE JOHNSON
We’ve got some ideas.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Let’s hear ‘em!

JUDGE JOHNSON
We were talking about crime in North City. People in poverty, desperate, taking from other
people in poverty. Meanwhile everything’s peachy out in the county, the land of plenty, and they
could care less what happens to us here.

LENA LEE
How do we make them care?

JUDGE JOHNSON
I don’t know if this’ll make them care as much and piss them off and get their attention.
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PERCY GREEN
It’s a joke. Social commentary.

JUDGE JOHNSON
We’re writing up this kind of advertisement. Like, “Dear North city criminals. If you have to
steal to survive, don’t rob your fellow poor. Go out to Clayton, Ladue, City and County, and take
from the people who have more to spare.”

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Oooooh.

LENA LEE
Y'all are bad.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

They’ll be livid.

GENA SCOTT
Won’t that lead to legal trouble?

JACKIE BELL
See? That’s what I said.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
The short answer is yes, I suppose it will.

GENA SCOTT
It’s hilarious.

LENA LEE
Bold. It packs a punch.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Media attention, for sure. They’ll go wild.

PERCY GREEN
No doubt.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

But it could be expensive.

JUDGE JOHNSON
After last month’s caper, and the biggest Black VP we’ve ever had, our legal defense fund is
 92
overflowing. It’s burning a hole in my pocket. Plus, Frank, you’ll weasel us out of any trouble
we get into, won’t you?

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
My associates and I will do our best.

JACKIE BELL
Did you tell anybody yet about the Laclede Gas idea?

PERCY GREEN
You helped come up with that one, Jackie.

JACKIE BELL
I had nothing to do with it and I want no credit.

GENA SCOTT
We haven’t hit Laclede Gas in a while.

JUDGE JOHNSON
They bought time with a lot of empty promises.

LENA LEE
What’s the plan?

PERCY GREEN
It’s currently in the idea stage. Jackie and I were talking about the “Stick In” at Southwestern
Bell, when Judge poured molasses all over their lobby. Because, you know...racism is sticky, it’s
a mess.

JUDGE (bowing)
Thank you, thank you.

PERCY GREEN
We were brainstorming, saying “racism is blank.” Jackie said “racism stinks, it’s rotten. Racism
is bullshit.”

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
...oh no.

PERCY GREEN
So we wondered. How would it be to gather a stockpile of...manure, animal leavings, and maybe
cover the front lawn of The Laclede Gas Company.
 93
LENA LEE
That’s disgusting.

PERCY GREEN
I’m thinking mostly cow, but also horse, dog, cat, whatever.

GENA SCOTT
Is this a real idea?

JACKIE BELL
Oh, they’re serious. I’m calling it “The Shit In.”

JUDGE JOHNSON
Nah, “The Stink In,” it’s gotta be something the papers will actually print.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

How would it start? Where would we begin?

PERCY GREEN
We’d need to build relationships with farmers in the county, or anyone with livestock. Or gain
trust at some kind of...doggie daycare, or like a dog park.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Maybe a pet store?

JUDGE JOHNSON
Excellent idea.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

I have some contacts in Maplewood. I’ll inquire.

JACKIE BELL
Cecilia, I love how immediately serious you are about this shit gathering job.

GENA SCOTT (laughing)

Stop, I cant…

LENA LEE
It’s a depraved, juvenile idea.

JUDGE JOHNSON
...but?
 94
LENA LEE
That’s what gives it impact. The fact that it’s so crass. There’s something to it.

JACKIE BELL
I hereby submit that we form a committee, responsible for acquiring the necessary materials for
this action.

JUDGE JOHNSON
I second. Ayes?

/PERCY GREEN
Aye.

/SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Aye.

/LENA LEE
Aye.

JUDGE JOHNSON
The ayes have it.

PERCY GREEN
What’s the name of the committee?

JACKIE BELL
Waste Management. I’d already picked the name.

PERCY GREEN
Will you chair the Waste Management Committee?

JACKIE BELL
What about you, Francis? You’ve been awfully quiet.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’m wracking my brain for any kind of legal context. A city ordinance, or restrictions… perhaps
some obscure agricultural policy.

LENA LEE
I’m trying not to lose my lunch, picturing this…

JACKIE BELL
Frank, we could use more Caucasians in Waste Management. Join my committee?
 95
FRANCIS SHERIDAN
I’m not- I - I don’t know where I’d start. We have one dog, Ruby, but she’s a lap dog, very small.
She doesn’t...produce much waste. It’d take a long time to acquire.

JUDGE JOHNSON
No, no, it’s got to be fresh, it’ll smell much worse.

LENA LEE
Can we please…? That’s quite enough. May we please move on?

PERCY GREEN
Yes, let’s table that. I leave the particulars to our new Waste Management Committee.

The group laughs. A brief silence.

FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Gena, did you report your, um...the car, the business with your car. Did you file a report?

GENA SCOTT
Yes. They said they’d look into it.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Yeah, right.

GENA SCOTT
What about the VP? Can we start planning?

PERCY GREEN
It’s a long way to the parade. We’ll start a discussion soon. In the meantime, we’ll keep raising
hell. And making sure they don’t forget what happened.

FRANK SHERIDAN (raising a glass)

Here, here.

PERCY GREEN
Matter of fact, let’s all have a drink. A toast. Our most pressing VP related business is to
celebrate the unveiling of The King of Khorasan.

GENA SCOTT
Down with that Monsanto war profiteer!

JACKIE BELL
I’ll drink to that! Cheers!
 96
JUDGE JOHNSON
Drinks all around…

General hubbub, overlapping dialogue as everyone gets a drink.

/JUDGE JOHNSON
We got beer, whiskey, lemonade…

/PERCY GREEN
Check up top, Judge…

/FRANCIS SHERIDAN
Can I fix you a little something?

GENA SCOTT
Sure, whatever you’re having, thanks.

JUDGE JOHNSON
Sister, you’re a free woman now. Drink?

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Always was, Judge, but no I’ll stick to lemonade.

Everyone settles.

PERCY GREEN
Alright now. Here’s to the unveiling.

SISTER CECILIA GOLDMAN

Here’s to truth.

JACKIE BELL
To all those in the struggle.

LENA LEE
Love and faith.

JUDGE JOHNSON
To The Black Veiled Prophets!

GENA SCOTT
To hope for change.
 97
FRANCIS SHERIDAN (misty-eyed)
Here’s to Percy Green.

Overlapping dialogue as they all toast and have a drink.

Fade to black.

END OF PLAY