In the days leading up to the inauguration of Barack Obama, The Story talks with some of the people who fought, sang, and marched along this nation's long road to racial equality.

Find out more about the music in the series here.

January 14, 2009: Freedom Summer

Bob Moses helped organize Freedom Summer, 1964, when thousands of northerners traveled to the South for voter registration. At the start of that summer, three volunteers were killed.

January 14, 2009: Reflections on Old Mississippi

Bill Ready represented African Americans in Mississippi as a civil rights lawyer, back when lynchings were common and he felt it necessary to carry a gun.

January 15, 2009: Surviving Orangeburg

Dr. Cleveland Sellers was shot by police in the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre - he was blamed for the incident and served time in prison. He's now a university president.

Noel Paul Stookey, best known as Paul of the musical group Peter, Paul and Mary, will never forget performing at the March on Washington in August, 1963.

January 16, 2009: Beyond Civil Rights

Gloria Richardson's name was on the program of the 1963 March on Washington, but she never got to speak. She says her views were too confrontational for other civil rights leaders at the time.

January 16, 2009: His Own March

Avon Rollins was one of the organizers of the March on Washington, and stood near King when he delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech. He also has more intimate memories of Dr. King - the two used to arm wrestle.

January 19, 2009: One Woman Sings

Bernice Johnson-Reagon learned about the extraordinary partnership between music and protest when she first went to jail. She performed at the March on Washington, and she's been singing ever since.

January 19, 2009: One Story from the Crowd

Donna Perkins-Potts was just 17 when she went to the March on Washington. She returned home committed to making change - helped integrate a beach - and eventually found her way to education.

January 20, 2009: A Summer with the King Family

Gurdon Brewster spent the summer of 1961 in Atlanta, training to be a minister. He stayed with Dr. King's father, Daddy King. He's been thinking about that extraordinary time on this inauguration day.

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