Ellie Mae quietly moved around the dimly lit bedroom getting her final packing done. She didn't want to awake her sleeping baby boy. In the living room she heard the old grandfather clock chime 4 times signifying that it was 4 o'clock in the morning. She only had a half hour before she would have to depart for the bus station.

When Ellie Mae's travel preparations were finally done, she stood in the shadows of the room examining the bags she planned to take with her. She still had a few minutes to spare so she crept over to the sleeping baby. He was peacefully laying on his belly with his chubby balled fists above his head. His dark eyelashes fanned against the mahogony color of his high cheeks. Ellie Mae marveled at his beauty. Softly she landed a kiss on forehead and breathed the words, "I love you Elijah James, forever."

Ellie Mae left the bedroom and entered the living quarters where she was surprised to find her mother rocking in the rocker. Her mother motioned for Ellie Mae to sit down.

"Ellie Mae you know I'm against this trip. What about your son? Have you really thought about the dangers?" Ellie Mae's mother said trying to choke back tears.

Ellie Mae looked down at her hands that were clasped in her lap and shifted her position as she contemplated her mother's words.

"Today on the radio it was announced that many factories will fire any worker that abandons their job to go on this march. Ellie you have to think of your child's future!" Her mother continued as tears started running down her face.

"Baby, it's a dangerous trip." Her mother said choking on her words. "Members from the American Nazi party and the KKK are planning to attack anyone trying to leave the city for this march."

Ellie Mae began to reminince of the various horrors that had happened to other protestors because they dared to challenge civil injustices. Immediately, she mentally recounted how in 1955 a tired seamstress who merely wanted to get home on the bus was jailed because she refused to give her seat to a white man. Her mind pondered the "sit in" of 1960 when 4 black male students entered a restaurant for service and were subjected to abuse at the hands of white patrons and weren't allowed to be served. Eventually, police arrived and carted them off to jail.

Ellie Mae closed her eyes to stop the tears that threatened to come as she remembered earlier that year in May of 1963, when thousands of school children marched against discrimination in Birmingham. The police were ordered to use canines and fire hoses to spray the children. Images of children being viciously attached by dogs and being thrown across city streets by the force of the water, flooded her mind.

Slowly, Ellie Mae opened her eyes.

"Ma, I know the dangers are great, but the stakes are too high for me not to go. If we let them continue to silence our voice by threats of violence or even taking our lives we will never see the change we need. We must never give up our audacity of hope. Elijah James is the reason I must go on this march. I don't want him to have to go to substandard schools because he's a negro. I want him to aspire to be whatever he wants. I don't want him to slave away his life like Papa did making shoes for the white man. Nor do I want him to clean ditches like his Daddy did before he was killed. I want him to be brave enough to believe he can be a doctor, lawyer or the President of the United States. I want the sky to be the limit for him."

Ellie Mae rose from her seat and went to her mother's side where she kissed her tear stained cheek. She left her mother's home to go join the many marchers who would get on buses across the nation to go to Washington. She knew Dr. Martin Luther King and many other civil rights leaders would be there and she was inspired and strengthened by their tireless efforts.

"Nana Ellie, you went to Washington even though great-nana Lucy didn't want you to?" a young boy asked as he climbed down from his grandma's lap.

The young boy continued, "And tomorrow me and you and Daddy will get on the bus to Washington too? Will there be a march there again?"

"No my son, there will not be another march on Washington." A baritone voice responded as a tall 45 year old man entered the room and scoop up the young boy. "We are going to Washington to celebrate! We will get to see the first black president. This is what your Nana-Ellie hoped for when she went to Washington the first time. She wanted that every black boy and girl could dream of being president. And for you, my son, I want you to see that this dream has come true.