Students urged to ‘make their voices heard’ for civil rights

Rev. C.T. Vivian, left, and Rev. James Lawson take part in a discussion at Middle Tennessee State University about the Voting Rights Act Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The two legends of the Civil Rights Movement say they're encouraged by efforts to maintain equality at the polls amid what they see as attempts to thwart it. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) Rev. C.T. Vivian, left, and Rev. James Lawson take part in a discussion at Middle Tennessee State University about the Voting Rights Act Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The two legends of the Civil Rights Movement say they're encouraged by efforts to maintain equality at the polls amid what they see as attempts to thwart it. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

By Associated Press September 17, 2015 4 min read

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) – Two leading figures of the American civil rights movement urged university students Thursday to “make their voices heard” on issues of justice and equality, 50 years after the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.

The Rev. James Lawson and the Rev. C.T. Vivian spoke at Middle Tennessee State University about the challenges that remain a half-century after the landmark legislation was signed in 1965.

“What we’re talking about is how you make it possible that your voice is really heard,” said Vivian, told an audience in a packed auditorium, still speaking with the fiery passion he was known for during the civil rights movement. “This is what made the movement; our voice was really heard. But it didn’t happen by accident, we made certain it was heard.”

Lawson said the movement five decades ago had cohesiveness and strove to speak with one voice. He and Vivian encouraged the students to do likewise.

“The 21st century needs similar campaigns to correct the horrible things that are happening to fellow Americans across our land,” Lawson said.