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They signed their names, each one of the members of Congress elected to enact laws,

and in this case, civil rights laws that they knew to be right.

And they knew had a majority of the House of Representatives.

They were blocked by just a few people.

Committee heads, one in particular, powerful congressmen who could defy even a majority of House members unless they signed. It. Hello, this is Matt from the Explorers podcast.

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House leadership wouldn't be happy. It never is. It's not the way things are done.

They'd be signing a visible document subject to scrutiny and retribution, yet here at this

time in 1960, these congresspersons, such as Melvman Price of St. Louis, hawk on defense, liberal

on everything else, Ralph Rivers' first voting representative in Congress from the new state of Alaska,

Dan Rostankowski, an obscure Illinois deputy sheriff, the new congressman

at this time, soon to have a rise and a fall in the House of Representatives.

These members felt civil rights needed a hearing. So they signed, so did August Freeman Hawkins,

backroom achiever, who had passed 300 bills in his lifetime, a California representative

who dreamed of an America

with no unemployment. He signs. And as I look at this petition, bleeding through in ballpoint

pen ink, future President Gerald Ford, at this time, a Michigan congressman. He signs the petition.

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