The turnout for the Detroit premiere of American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs was amazing. All 1000 seats at the DIA were filled.

Some people were turned away.

Listening to the comments of viewers, Barbara Jones (whose father worked at the Chrysler-Jefferson plant and knew Jimmy) observed:

“Grace's life and her contributions have connected people culturally and spiritually.The film reveals the desire we all have to discover and fulfill our life's purpose. I'm grateful and blessed that I have strong role models like my grandmother and Grace Lee Boggs.”

Vincent Harding, my old friend who had worked closely with MLK in the 60s and was in the audience, created a movement atmosphere by leading the audience in singing several verses of the 60's spiritual.

“We are building up a new world; builders must be strong!” (to the tune of We are climbing Jacob’s ladder)

Among the tributes I received was a stunning 25” x 12” wooden plaque from Charlie Brolin, inscribed with several stanzas of “We are the children of Martin and Malcolm.”

John Gruchala, Ilaseo Lewis and I co-authored this poem for the June 10,1982 Million People March through New York’s Central Park calling for nuclear disarmament . The March was so massive that it encouraged Gorbachev to declare glasnost and perestroika, the “Moscow Spring” which led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991.

“We are the children of Martin and Malcolm

Black, brown, yellow and white.

And so we cannot be silent

As we witness the weapons assembled

To blister our souls and incinerate our planet.

“We are the children of Martin and Malcolm,

and when bombs push the sun from the sky

and threaten to fill the air with blood and screams

of the dead and dying

We cannot be silent.

“We are the children of Martin and Malcolm

Our birthright is to be creators of history.

You shall know our names as you know theirs.

Sojourner and Douglas, John Brown and Garrison,

Our Right, Our Duty

To shake the world with a new dream!”