When the Rev. James Orange passed away on Feb. 16, America lost one of its greatest advocates for social justice.
During the 1960s and 1970s, he was a key field organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference—but more than that, he was a member of the inner circle of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He joined King during the Birmingham struggle, where he organized the demonstrations of school children who were firehosed and attacked by police dogs. Those images, which were broadcast across the nation, showed the true face of racism and helped turn public opinion to support the civil rights movement. Over the years, Orange played an important role in civil rights actions ranging from Selma and Memphis to Chicago, as well as in King's last campaign, the Poor People's Movement.In 1977, Orange joined the AFL-CIO and became a union organizer. In our movement, he led pickets and rallies, marches and protests. He organized social justice efforts from the ground up. Workers in poultry plants, sewing factories and shipyards throughout the South all marched with him for justice. For decades, he took part in nearly every major effort by southern working women and men to form unions and seek a voice in the workplace.
Many years ago, a sheriff in Alabama told James Orange, "Sing one more freedom song and you're under arrest." Not only did he keep on singing, some 500 students followed him to jail, singing all the way. It was that incredible ability to inspire hope and courage in the face of fear that he brought to our movement, and we are stronger for his contribution.
We mourn the death of the Rev. James Orange, and we will honor him by taking up his song for freedom and continuing to march for social and economic justice.