supposed to scare you to death. during the civil rights movement in baker county, he had a sign up at his service station saying, we want white people s business only. yes, i grew up knowing we were powerless. reporter: yet, at an early age, shirley witnessed blacks fighting for power. it was the fall of 1961. she was just 14. albany, georgia, a negro fight against segregation is led by the reverend martin luther king. and if necessary, we must be willing to fill up the jails all over the state of georgia. reporter: civil rights leaders descended on nearby albany, georgia, fighting for desegregation through nonviolent protest meetings and marches. it was called the albany movement, and it lasted nearly a year. more than 1,000 protesters ended up in jail.
willing to fill up the jails all over the state of georgia. reporter: civil rights leaders descended on nearby albany, georgia, fighting for desegregation through nonviolent protest meetings and marches. it was called the albany movement, and it lasted nearly a year. more than 1,000 protesters ended up in jail. it was unsuccessful, yet it made an impression on young shirley. you were 14 years old. we were supportive of the albany movement. we were raising money to support the albany movement. reporter: it was a tough time to live. and even tougher time to grow up. i didn t want to live in the south. i planned to get out of the south forever. you wanted to leave? yes. but that all changed. one spring day in 1965. they called me to the principal s office.
reporter: sherrod remembers that sheriff. he loved being called a gator. and he could do i don t know i never heard an alligator make a sound myself, but the sound that an alligator makes, is the sound that he would make. and it was supposed to scare you to death. during the civil rights movement in baker county, he had a sign up at his service station saying we want white people business only. yes, i grew up knowing we were powerless. reporter: yet, at an early age, shirley witnessed blacks fighting for power. it was the fall of 1961. she was just 14. albany, georgia, a negro fight against segregation is led by the reverend martin luther king. and if necessary, we must be willing to fill up the jails all over the state of georgia. reporter: civil rights
reporter: civil rights leaders descended on nearby albany, georgia, through protest marches. it was called the albany movement and it lasted nearly a year. more than 1,000 protesters ended up in jail. it was unsuccessful, yet it made an impression on young shirley. you were 14 years old. we were supportive of the albany movement. we were raising money to support the albany movement. reporter: it was a tough time to live, and even tougher time to grow up. i didn t want to live in the south. i planned to get out of the south forever. reporter: you wanted to leave. yes. reporter: but that all a changed one spring day in 1965. they called me to the princip
during the civil rights movement in baker county, he had a sign up at his service station saying we want white people business only. yes, i grew up knowing we were powerless. reporter: yet, at an early age, shirley witnessed blacks fighting for power. it was the fall of 1961. she was just 14. albany, georgia, a negro fight is led by the reverend martin luther king. and if necessary, we must be willing to fill up the jails all over the state of georgia. reporter: civil rights leaders descended on nearby, albany, georgia, fighting for desegregation through nonviolent protest meetings and marches. it was called the albany movement and it lasted nearly a year. more than 1,000 protesters ended