Better Angels at the Bridge Reflection on Meacham’s Soul of America. Dr. Gary Straub Meadow @ St Matthews August 2018

Pettus Bridge was not the only obstacle encountered in summer ‘65. America’s embattled ‘better angels’ were in congressional recess while events turned ugly and MLK’s march became ‘Bloody Sunday.’ Amidst that brute battle, future Senator John Lewis nearly lost his life. He staggered under a severe concussion. While America awaited another ugly blow, a quiet caucus convened in the President’s office. This time, Gov. George Wallace was not met by a big ol’ Texas howdy from POTUS. This meeting— more a summons than an invitation— was arranged thru the good offices of another Southern Governor: Tennessee’s Buford Ellington; who leveraged his friendship with Wallace to cajole him into a private Presidential audience.  That Saturday afternoon, two famously stubborn personalities who did not achieve high office by ‘making nice’… made some! Like Nicodemus at night, a wary governor secretly met a wily president.

Wallace was ushered to  Oval Office couch, while LBJ took to his JFK rocking chair; which physically towered LBJ above the cowering Wallace. To his own flabbergast—Wallace left agreeing to call off the dawgs and hush the furies in Alabama so the Freedom March could conclude as peaceably as a hate spewing 60’s confrontation possibly could.Two days later, LBJ addressed a reconvened congress, and launched his now famous Voting Rights speech. His earnest words cost him reelection yet spared the Union even further grievous rending. To my surprise, Meacham credits this unheard of, intervention by Ellington for America’s reset to sanity..

That day, progress was artfully arranged by a governor unknown beyond Tennessee, who built a friendship bridge to broker an urgent civil conversation. Remember LBJ’s oft-repeated Civil Rights line? “I do not intend to cavil or compromise” He didn’t—nor did Wallace. While details remain lost, the outcome is worthy of recall.  Here is a case of persuasive reasoning bumping up against beleaguered & begrudged candor. Rare agreement was forged because both leaders trusted their friendship with Tennessee’s two-term governor. All Buford got for sticking his neck way out was golf course named @ Henry Horton Park. Oh… & parkway in Nashville. 

I judge it an awesome thing to hold the relational trust between two souls. When I look for examples of better angels among us who build bridges between critical relationships at crucial moments for higher purposes… Ellington comes to mind with Meacham’s help!

In recollecting this long ago August afternoon, “Soul of America” author Jon Meacham recaptures the quiet spirit of agreement among better angels, who believe—however dark the hour— its never too late to do the right thing again! So, on a sizzling summer weekend long ago, our better angels did double overtime building bridges—one in AL and another in DC. 

Back in TN, Gov. Ellington’s legacy paved much more than an obscure Nashville Parkway.