What we are in on Earth as humans is a protracted struggle.

That just simply means that it's something that goes on over a long period of time.

When I was young, I saw between 60 and 70, so much change in 10 years, years, one decade.

1960 to 1970.

1970.

In one decade I saw going from segregation to openness.

Signs telling you not here, only here, only then.

All of that disappeared in 10 years.

And when I was young, I actually thought

that it was on that work that took place in that decade.

But there were some sustaining moments,

perhaps from 1890, here in Mississippi, up until 1960, every day people woke up, is this going to be today? But they, whether it was going to be today or not, people say either consciously or unconsciously, I'm going to do what I can, with

what I have, where I am, in order to make a better life and a fair deal.

The voice you just heard is Frank Figures, a local activist in Jackson, Mississippi, now in his 70s.

Franks considered manner of speaking resonated deeply inside me.

His is the voice I heard. speaking resonated resonated deeply inside me.

His is the voice I heard from many of my older male relatives

when I was growing up.

Their cadence, their word choice,

the way they reflected on and survived history. His

delivery was heavy with the wisdom he wanted to impart. There was a phrase Frank kept returning to, one that clearly is at the core of his philosophy

in all areas of his life.

...