History & Hope: Maine civil rights pioneer shares experiences with racism, renewed faith Hearst Television FacebookTwitterEmail This month, Hearst Television is celebrating Black history by having courageous conversations. The fight for civil rights and justice goes back generations and has looked different each decade. We’re speaking with community leaders, elders – those who have lived through victories and troubled times, to talk about their experiences, and compare them with what we still struggle with today. Maine civil rights pioneer Gerald Talbot shares his story of hope and renewed faith. Talbot, 89, participated in the March on Washington in 1963 and became the president of the Portland chapter of the NAACP in 1964.