Transcripts For CSPAN3 400th Anniversary Ceremony - First Africans In Virginia 20240713

Test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test test. Icss you you zblempblts. Good morning, everyone. I want to thank the great people of the state of virginia for organizing a series of events commemorating the 400year anniversary of the arrival of enslaved africans. I want to thank all of the community and elected leaders here to participate on behalf of the 55 member strong Congressional Black Caucus. This is the largest number of africanamericans ever elected to congress. And in congress, bbc members hold major positions of leadership and have accomplished significant change through legislative victory. One of the most significant legislative victories of the year was accomplished by your own representatives, representative bobby scott, who, by the way, i know you are aware is the chair of what is the most important committees in congress, the committee governing the nations education system. He led and is leading the effort to raise the Nations National minimum wage. Let me acknowledge another member of the Congressional Black Caucus who was in the audience with us today, representative lacy clays from the great state of missouri. [ applause ] so today we commemorate the anniversary of the arrival here of africans, but early in this month, a delegation of members of the Congressional Black Caucus led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled to ghana, west affect, to pay ohomage to our ancestors and to visit where they were held captive before they ban the their journey. Before they were captured, they lived in villages with sophisticated levels of organization. Many were skilled craftsmen, farmers, healers, leaders. They were first taken from villages and forced to walk hundreds of miles to dungeons. Our delegation visited these dungeons that looked like the old european forts common in many parts of the world the two dungeons we visited are called elena and cape coast. Ironically, they are in a beautiful part of the country right on the beach. It was a solemn and Emotional Experience to enter the dungeon, to close our eyes and imagine what our ancestors experienced. An added challenge we all faced was the mystery of knowing that our ancestors were held captive there, but that we had no knowledge of who they were. Captured africans were stripped of their languages, ethnic identities, tribal and family ties. We saw the areas of the dungeons that were large enough to hold about 50 to 100 people but where hundreds were held, rooms without sunlight, forced to lay in their own excrement, no access to water to bathe. Only given enough food and watt to keep them alive but deliberately kept in a weakened state so they could not organize or resist. Those that did attempt to resist were mutilated and left if separate rooms and slowly starved to death. Females were routinely made to stand in line while their captors would choose one of them. She was then washed and led up a sparecase to a bedroom, where she was raped and then returned back. The men, women and children were held in the dungeons for months, awaiting the time they would be forced on the boat to begin a journey that lasted for months. We have all seen the drawings of hundreds of people stuffed on to ships and heard the stories of what happened during their journey,. When individual became too sick or died women gave birth they were then thrown overboard on the ships to the sharks who followed along. The ones who survived here only to live out the rest of their lives as property in captivity. It is difficult to believe that this level of brutality lasted for hundreds of years and affected millions of africans. But when we stood in the dungeons filled with sadness, our heads lowered, reliving our or trying to imagine what they went through, at the very same time, we lifted our head and our chests were filled with pride and amazement at the strength and resilience of our ancestors. [ applause ] and here we are today on what can be described as Hallowed Ground in our nations history, but i would guess that most of the nation doesnt even know the story of the Hallowed Ground we stand on today, that we would arrive here first and generations later would escape enslavement and seek protection right here, that the nations first africanamerican president would make fort monroe his first designation for a national monume monument. From enslaved ancestors to mayor cupp and vice mayor grey, that in spite of 250 years of enslavement, there would be 57 africanamericans in congress representing all of america. I only wish the entire nation could witness what you are doing here today, the history of fort monroe, how you have honestly acknowledged all of our nations history, not just the parts that make us feel good, but the difficult parts as well. And i cant tell you what it feels like for know sit here. This is my first time here, but the emotion that i feel in listening to the speakers tell the truth, tell the truth, the sad thing about our nation and why we continue to have the issues we do is because we have denied parts of our history. And i believe that if the entire nation could experience, could learn and understand our true and nul history, we might not be witnessing the resurrection of hate. Thank you so much for the honor of speaking to you today. Now please welcome the honorable robert c. Scott United States house of representatives for the 3rd Congressional District of virginia. [ applause ] good morning. Im honored to join all of you here at the fleet of the fortress on this historic and solemn day. I want to thank everyone here who made this commemoration possible and who traveled with us today, especially my distinguished colleague from california, karen bass. [ applause ] it is you cant imagine ones that came here 400 years ago could not imagine representative representing a caucus with 55 members speaking at the recognition of this phase, so i want to give karen bass another round of applause for being with us today. [ applause ] i also want to welcome the member, the commissioners on the 400 years of the africanamerican commission. Senator kaine was very generous at giving everyone credit but himself, of course, it was his vision and leadership. Give senator kaine another round of applause f. Slavery first arrived on our shores right here 400 years ago, the 4th labor of enslaved africans and their descend ants built this nation and a part of the complicated history with which we continue to wres him. Over the past 400 years descendants and others followed the first 20 odd africanamericans continue in American History. As we continue to work in addressing inequality and education, incarceration and criminal justice system, income inequality and attacks on Voting Rights, we also pause to celebrate the incredible resiliency of those arkins and their descendants. S in that experience i have been asked to describe one individual who fights for justice as much to teach us today. And when im introduced at poker gatherings, its often mentioned i am the first africanamerican to represent the virginia and the u. S. House of representatives since reconstruction. And only the second in the history of the commonwealth. The first was john mursa langston who after successfully contesting his election in 1988 was finally seated as a representative in 1890. 103 years before i began my first term in congress. Now my service in congress and that of so many other would not have been possible if it would not have been those who were forced to pave the way. The first black senators and representatives, elected Dwight Langston after the civil war during reconstruction as well as those who put their lives on the lines to advance civil rights and defend Voting Rights for africanamericans. But even before becoming virginia action first black congress anne, John Langston left a mark on our commonwealth and a nation as a student, abolitionist, patriot, lawyer, educated diplomat and public official. In 1829, langston was born a free man in louise county and later moved to ohio. Langstons brother ensured he received a good education and he graduated from Overland College and became one of our nations first black attorneys and first black elected official. As he was the town clerk in ohio. As an abolitionist, langston risked his life to risk those escaping slavery along the underground railroad. As a patriot, he joined Frederick Douglas and abolitionists to recruit black men to fight for the union and turn the tide of the civil war. As an educator, he helped establish Howard University law school, the nations first black law school and alma mater and two of virginia rights civil rights attorneys, Thurgood Marshall and oliver hill who have heard about as well as virginias first africanamerican governor l. Douglas wilder. Langston served as the first president of what is today Virginia State university in petersburg. Langston was encouraged by both white and blacks to run for the u. S. House of representatives in 1888. Initially it appeared he had lost. But he contested the results due to obvious voter intimidation and fraud. The u. S. House of representatives eventually declared him the winner and he took his seat on september 23rd, 1890 and was only able to serve the few remaining months in his term. He lost his bid for reelection, but he had already left an indelible mark on the cause of freedom. A portrait of John Langston hangs in my office. A avilesible reminder of one of the many visionary black virginians equity helps shape a more perfect union. We may never know all of the names and stories of the men and women who are brought here for comfort in 1816, as we mourn and honor them, lets remember the trail players like john mursa langston who believed in and fought for a nation to live up to its creed. I hope reflecting our nations complicated history reminds us of our responsibility to work to achieve liberty and justice for all. Thank you. [ applause ] please welcome the honorable elaine g. Lureia, United States house of representatives for the second Congressional District of virginia. Good morning. 400 years ago, our commonwealth was a pivotal historical first. For example, we recently celebrated the 400th anniversary of the first legislative session in jamestown. This event led to Representative Democracy in america and continues to influence our society for the better. But American History isnt all uplifting and convenient. In fact, its messy and its complicated. Our task contains difficult truths that we must learn from, so is that we can be empowered and equipped to correct todays injustices. One of those difficult truths is that our commonwealth, specifically fort monroe, the land were standing on now, is the site of where the first enslaved africans in british north america arrived 400 years ago. Today we remember this history that continues to shape our nation. We also honor the bravery of those who escaped slavery here. Frank baker, shepherd mallory and james townsend, all of whom paved the way for thousands more. As one of the subtle representatives here in Hampton Rhodes, im proud that fort monroe serves as a symbol of the courage and heroism that emerged from americas original since of slavery. From a military community perspective, we know the fight for freedom has been raised with great costs, including many thousands of africanamericans from virginia who have contributed to the safety, security and freedom of this nation president many came from or fought in Hampton Rhodes community. We are reminded of men like William Harvey carney, born into slavery in norfolk. He joined the civil army during the civil war and made his remark during the 1863 assault on fort wagner in charleston, south carolina. As a Soldier Holding the union flag was killed, mr. Carney ran to catch the falling flag, raised it high and kept marching despite his own multiple wounds. He made it back to the union side never once dropping the flag. His actions were an inspiration to hills fellow soldiers. Unfortunately, mr. Carney had to wait until 1,900, 37 years to receive recognition for his efforts. By then, other africanamericans had received medals of honor, because his actions had occurred first, mr. Carney is considered to be the first africanamerican medal of honor recipient. [ applause ] africanamericans who fought for American Freedom must be remembered, in part, because they, themselves, were not free. Nor did they benefit from the liberties given to other americans. Clearly, their sacrifice went above and beyond. As president obama once said, fort monroe played an Important Role in some of the darkest and some of the most heroic moments in American History. We have the power to transform symbols of injustice into past bastions of hope and knowledge. Thats why fort monroe is so important. As we listen to todays speakers and reflect on the complex history of our community, let us remember the past so we can pave the way to a brighter future. Above all, lets recommit together towards a better america. Thank you. [ applause ] please welcome to the podium, the 73rd governor of virginia the honorable ralph s northam. [ applause ] please be seated. Good morning. What a beautiful setting this is. I thank you for the privilege of speaking to you at fort monroe today. As a former member and vice chairman of the fort Monroe Authority, its always a pleasure to be here at this site. Thank you all for being here today to commemorate 400 years of American History. For those of you from out of state, welcome to virginia. Its great to be here are senators mark warper, tim kaine, former governors mcdonald and blough. I want to recognize lt. Gov. Fairfax, attorney general markering. Congresswoman elaine luria, House Speaker curt cox, members of our legislative black caucus and other elected officials. I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make this commemoration a reality. Fort Monroe Authority director glen otis. Fort Monroe Authority board of trustees chairman jim moran. Members of the fort Monroe Authority board, Fort Monroe National minement superintendent terry graham. The National Park service. Kathy spangler, Nancy Rodriguez and the team from american evolution. [ applause ] id also like to thank the hampton 2019 commemorative commission for all the hard work they have done around these events in their home city. [ applause ] we are here today for a commemoration and a reckoning. Today is a time to reckon with the fact that 400 years ago enslaved arkins arrived for the first time on virginia shofrs. Like you and me on virginia shores. Like you and me, they had lives and families. Lives and families they would never see again. Just up the river in jamestown, a few weeks earlier, white landowning men had come together to establish a system of representative government. But that system did not represent all of the people who arrived here at old point custard, people whose skin looked different than mine. That government did not represent them during 246 years of slavery. It did not represent them through nearly 100 years of reconstruction and jim crowe terror and discrimination. And in many ways, it struggles to represent them today. That is the truth. And that is what we must reckon with as we move forward. How do we tell the full and true story of our past 400 years . How do we do so with honor and dignity for people whose honor and dignity were taken away from them. Who should tell the story . And how do we learn from those lessons as we move forward. Ida b. Wells wrote the way to turn wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them. If we are going to begin to truly right the wrongs of our four centuries of history, if we are going to turn the light of truth upon them, we have to start with ourselves. Over the past several months, as i have met with people around the state and listened to their views on disparities and inequities that still exist today, ive had to confront some painful truths. Among those truths was my own incomplete understanding regarding race, and equity. I have learned a great deal from those discussions and i have more to learn. But i also learned that the more i know the more i can do. You see, for too long, the burden has been on individuals and communities of color to lead these discussions. But if more of us had these hard conversations and truly listened and learned from them, well be better able to shine that light of truth. [ applause ] because the eyes cant see what the mind doesnt know. We can start those conversations at places like this, fort monroe, the ground where the first enslaved africans landed. This is also the same ground where the end of slavery began. It was here where enslaved people sought refuge and were granted it. A decision that eventually led to emancipation. General butlers contraband decision has been hailed by ed ayers, a nationally known historian of the american south. And a member of the fort Monroe Authority as the greatest moment in American History. [ applause ] virginia is the place where enslaved africans first landed and where american Representative Democracy was born. Virginia is the place where emancipation began and the confederate capital was located. Virginia is the place where schools were closed under massive resistance rather than desegregate and allow black children to attend and it is the state that elected the nations first africanamerican governor. [ applause ] virginia is a place of contradictions and complexities. We take a step forward, and often a step backwards. And we have to acknowledge that. We have to teach that our complexity to our children and often to our adults. We are a state that for too long have showed a false story of ourselves. The story we tell is insufficient and inadequate. Especially when it comes to black history. We must remember that black history, we must remember that black history is American History. Thats why earlier today i signed a director to establish a commission on africanAmerican History education in our commonwealth. [ applause ] you all needed to stretch your leg, didnt you . Yes. But this commission will review our educational standards, instructional practices, content and resources currently used to teach africanAmerican History in our commonwealth. We want to make sure our students develop a full and comprehensive understanding of the africanamerican voices that contribute to our story. But that is not the only thing that we can do. When we look back at events of 1619 or 1861 or 1964, when the Civil Rights Act was signed, we often look at them as history, frozen if team, or locked in a book, relic of the past. We memorize dates, but not connections. We dont teach the themes that appear in our history over and over again. The we often fail to draw the connecting lines from those past events to our present day. But to move forward that is what we must do. We know that racism and discrimination arent locked in the past. They werent solved with the Civil Rights Act. They didnt disappear. They merely evolved. Theyre still with us in the disparities we see in education attainment and School Suspension rates in maternal and neonatal mortality for plaques and white mothers, in our prisons and in our business practices. Through 400 years of American History starting with the enslavement of africans through jim crowe, massive resistance and now mass incarceration, black oppression has always existed in this country just in different forms [ applause ]. The legacy of racism continues not just in isolated incidents but as a part of a system that touches every person and every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not. And if were serious about righting the wrong that began here at this place, we need to do more than talk. We need to take action. The commission i mentioned earlier is just one action. My administration is taking bold steps to write historic am inequities in education, in our Health System and in access to business opportunities. We established a commission to examine racial inequities in virginia law. We have set a goal to eliminate Racial Disparities and maternal and neonatal mortalitys by 2025. I signed an executive order to advance equity for our small women, minority and veteranowned businesses including a statewide disparity study and we are working to reduce evictions. A few weeks ago, i was here at ft. Monroe to announce the removal of letters from the arch that once celebrated the president of the confederacy. [ applause ] Jefferson Davis was charged with treason and was imprisoned here at ft. Monroe, a traitor to his country and i believe it is no coincidence that in the same year that virginia enacted massive resistance as official state policy, that arch went up in his honor p. To have a monument glorifying a person who worked to maintain slavery on the same state on which enslaved africans first arrived here and were later freed is not just inappropriate, it is offensive and it is wrong. [ applause ] removing that monument is one way we can act to better tell the true story here in virginia. And i am pleased and proud to announce today another important step in how we represent the full and true story of our commonwealth. Last year, i requested and the General Assembly agreed to allocate 500,000 towards the first african landing memorial art project here at ft. Monroe p. [ applause ] since that time, the ft. Monroe authority and the Virginia Commission for the arts in partnership with the National Park service, the ft. Monroe foundation and project 1619, led a National Search for an artist who could korcre create this memorial art project. The art project will be dedicated to the first landing of African People here on these shores. Importantly, the artists will engage with the public to ensure that the community has the chance to express their opinions on what this memorial project means to them and what experiences should be included in the design. I am delighted that the artist for the ft. Monroe african landing memorial art project is here with us today. Please welcome mr. Brian owens. Would you please stand, sir . Fp [ applause ] fp i look forward to seeing mr. Owens project and how it will contribute to this site and the telling of this important american story. On this very day last year, i was at the Tucker Family cemetery. A cemetery named after the first documented child of african dissent born in English Speaking north america. William tuckers parents anthony and isabel were among those who were brought here to Old Point Comfort in 1619. Like too many africanamerican cemeteries, the Tucker Family cemetery had fallen victim to neglect. But it is also a testament to revival and restoration. Family members and interested groups are working to restore that cemetery and i want to recognize and thank delegate dolores mcguinn for her work on these issues. Delegate mcguinn. [ applause ] in that restoration work and in the events here this weekend, i see steps forward. I see us working to acknowledge the wrongs and the evils done in the past and in the present. Because while we cannot change the past, we can use it and learn from it. When we know more, we can do more. I know more and as your governor, i will do more. [ applause ] and as we reckon with the pain. Legacy of virginias racist path and acknowledge that it continues to shape up further we can and must continue to act to improve the future. We must all work to tell our full and true story. It is our job, all of us, that make up this Diverse Society to ensure that when the next generation looks back, a generation that is hopefully more inclusive than we have been, they see a more accurate narrative, one that tells the truth and that includes everyone. May god bless ft. Monroe. May good bless our commonwealth of virginia, our United States of america and may good bless all of you. Thank you all so much. [ applause ] announcer due to a family illness, Nikki Giovani is unable to to be here today to read her original poem for this occasion welcome jacqueline e. Stone, 29 commemoration first african to english north american committe committee. A poem by Nikki Giovani. 1619 jamestown, but not only. An answer to the new york times. There may be a time limit, but there is no time limit to change that does not, will not, cannot change. No matter what the color the people or language they speak, no matter which god is hers, no matter which food is eaten or forbidden, which clothes are worn or not, no matter the hair covered or shaved, no matter how we look at it, there have been slaves. Every civilization or rather most reach a point where slavery is recognized as wrong or in some cases simply a bad idea. Or perhaps more accurately, those who used to sell slaves now no longer have the currencies or strengths to control the lives of human beings so they create a lie on a Supreme Court for the same purpose. I have often wondered when i think of the murder of jesus what he inspired and ciprion as they gave jesus some relief with getting the cross to cavalry. We have a bit of an idea what so crates was drink hemlock n. Our time, we know Martin Luther king wanted to hear music at dinner, play it beautifully for me, before the shot took his life. And there would be many others who were hanged, beaten to death, fought in wars, for the right or wrong side. But i have wondered as a person living in virginia how the peanuts got here. We know europeans didnt go into communities to find west africans, africans did. We know when communities recognize defeat, they were lined up and brought to shore to be sold. But we dont, we also see a grandmother trying to defend her grandson and failing, reaching to put in his hand a peanut. Dont forget me, she says. He holds tightly to what will be called america, where he is sold. He plants that charge for a promise to keep. And he stays to watch it grow. Others would escape and think him cowardly, but he had promises to keep. Others did not understand the strength it takes to wipe spit from your hanging brother, to cradle your daughter after a rape, to lovingly put your wife into the ground, but he had promises to keep. And he kept them. Virginia is not the peanut state. Virginia is the state of promises. The only question is, will we keep them . Announcer sharing remarks from the National Park service, please welcome mr. P. Daniel smith Deputy Director. Good morning. When youre the 11th speaker, especially following these distinguished individuals, and then a poet laureat and then to be followed by a young man who will steal all of our hearts, its a pretty rough assignment. But as the Deputy Director of the National Park service, i take that responsibility. But i will try to be brief. Welcome to all of you today who are distinguished guests. We are grateful for so many for helping to make ft. Monroe one of the 419 National Parks in the National Park system. We recognize the important responsibility we have as stew wards of ft. Monroe National Monuments and its role in so many facets of our history. Since the creation of the National Park service in 1916, 103 years ago tomorrow, if our duty has been to care for americas extraordinary places and the stories they harbor. Certainly, many of our parks are beautiful landscapes, but they are also places where challenging events took place. National parks provide spaces for discussion, for reflexion and our shared american narrative. As we are doing here at ft. Monroe today, tomorrow and into the future. The 400th anniversary is a yearlong commemoration and conservation conversation to recognize the highlight of 400 years of africanAmerican History and accomplishments. The work of the 400 years of the africanAmerican History commission established by congress and signed into law by President Trump last year is administered by the National Park service. It will extend through july of 2020. Civic, historic am, educational, artistic, religious and other organizations are invited to coordinate and participate in activities designed to expand the collective understanding and appreciation of an africanamerican contributions to the american experience. Tomorrow, National Parks across the country will join with us here at ft. Monroe as we ring bells to remember the africans who were brought here in bondage 400 years ago. And the generations of africanamericans who struggled, overcame and continue to strive for civil and social justice today. Just imagine, tomorrow at the statue of liberty at independence hall, at acadia National Park in maine, the everglades in florida, denali and alaska at the uss arizona memorial in hawaii. At Martin Luther Kings National Historic Site in atlanta, at brown versus board of education, at tuskegee National Historic site, at selma in birmingham, at Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad, all of us will be in spirit and in strength as we go forward. [ applause ] we are grateful to our many partners who have made this weekend possible, inincluding the commonwealth of virginia, american evolution 2019, the city of hampton, the grass roots organizations project 1619 and Hampton Rhodes community, the ft. Monroe authority and the United States armed forces who are supporting this event. Id like all representatives of the National Park service who are here to please stand brie y briefly. [ applause ] and now id like superintendent jerry brown to remain standing. [ applause ] terry, this is a hallmark day for the National Park service. This is what our mission is about. And you as the superintendent of the ft. Monroe National Monument have brought us to this day and i commend you for your efforts and leader scholarship to bring us to where we are today. I salute you, superintendent brown. [ applause ] he represents the best of the National Park service and, governor, id like to say that the National Park service accepts your challenge to tell these stories as we move towards the 250th i was in of our declaration in 2026 and that we tell the stories as you say we need to with truth and the knowledge of our past. Thank you all very much. [ applause ] announcer with a voice towards our future, please welcome mr. Bryson bildi student at Larkspur Middle School in virginia beach. [ applause ] good morning, everyone if my name is bryson dildy and today i am honored and delighted to be a youthful voice to help celebrate this occasion f. [ applause ] when the first africans landed here at ft. Monroe 400 years ago, they may not have known how their sacrifices and contributions would help shape our community and nation. As the years and generations passed, there are also local africanamericans who continue to give contributions to society, such as katherine johnson, a resident of hampton. A mathematician who is known for calculating trajectories for many of nasas crew missions. We should also recognize mary jackson, who [ applause ] fp who in 1958 became nasas first black female engineer. [ applause ] and who was born and educated right here at hampton, virginia. [ applause ] i am sure the first africans would be proud of their accomplishments. However, there is another way that we can all give back to our community. We can sim mr. I start with how we treat one another. [ applause ] are you kind to others daily . Im not just talking about being kind to friends and family, how about being kind to people you barely know . Or do not know at all . I want to share a personal st y story. Earlier this year, my teacher was battling cancer. So i wanted to do something to let her know she wasnt on this journey alone. With the help of others, i collected 551 cards to encourage her and brighten her most difficult days ahead. [ applause ] we can all find ways to show kindness to one another. For example, hold the door opened for someone walking behind you. [ applause ] or walk around with a smile on your face. Your smile may brighten up someone elses day. Be helpful to the elderly and disabled. Pray for our country and others during times of tragedy. Create ways to volunteer and help others. Why do all of this, you may ask . Well, in my 11 years of being on this earth, i realize that mia angelos quote is true. She said, people may not remember what you say or do, but they never forget how you make them feel [ applause ] imagine the problems that would be solved if all people were kind and felt cared for. It doesnt matter or religion may be. We all deserve kindness. And we all should show kindness. And as we commemorate 400 years of the first africans landing here at ft. Monroe, lets make them proud. This is more than just a speech. I challenge you to let today also be a celebration of your commitment to become a more caring and kind individual to all. Thank you, and god bless you all. [ applause ] please welcome the honorable mamie locke for remarks and introduction. So i get to follow brycen. Good morning, and welcome to the Second Senate district. Education and the news media are two critically important institutions that have been involved in the Freedom Movement here in america. It is with great pride that i stand here today, first as an educator, which was and is my role before i became a legislator. As a professor, i have long believed that knowledge is power. Power can be productive, but also destructive. When we educate ourselves with the truth and commit to living out that truth, we can change our communities for the better. As a student and product of the southern Freedom Movement, i know intimately that the truth shall indeed set us free. As a legislator, i believe that establishing laws that are rooted in truth is crucial in guaranteeing freedom and justice for all. The responsibility of the General Assembly is to confront this important principle during each session. And the news media is equally responsible. The press has often been a Guiding Light toward helping the legislative branch of government achieve this important goal. President Thomas Jefferson was correct to champion the role of the press as a pillar of democracy. As an africanamerican, the news media, particularly the black press, has been vital to the process of educating and inspiring africanamericans to persevere toward freedom. From its very beginning, the black press advocated passionately for freedom, education and selfempowerment. In 1827, freedoms journal, americas first black newspaper, launched with these powerful words, and i quote, we wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations and things which concern us dearly. These words defined the desire and willingness of black people to fight for their freedom, to determine their own fate. And regarding the importance of education, freedoms journal looked toward future generations of africanamericans. The editorial continued, and i again quote. Education being an object of the highest importance to the welfare of society, we shall endeavor to present just and adequate views of it. It is surely time that we should awake from this lethargy of years and make a concentrated effort for the education of our youth. Deliberate miseducation was why the institution of slavery stood for so many generations. This wrong, yet very real belief, that black people were less than human prevailed among many well educated white men and women. It was not only perpetuated in schools, but through writings and images published in the white press. But the black press from freedoms journal on through other black publications such as norfolks journal and guide here locally presented the america that was being deliberately omitted. Real facts held by black journalists pushed all media to be more balanced, more accurate, to become better at telling the truth. Now in 2019, as news is consumed in new ways, we face the challenge of inaccurate information spread across the internet and the air waves. Lies have threatened our knowledge of each other as americans. We are more educated, yet we seem to have less understanding of the truth. Today more than ever, we need voices of truth in the media, such as our speaker today. Media personalities who are dedicated to advocacy that ed kates and moves americans to positive action. It is my honor to introduce van jones, a graduate of the university of tennessee and Yale Law School, he has worked for Economic Justice both as a civil rights attorney and environmental activist and is known for his bestselling book, the green collar economy. He served as special advisor for green jobs for president obama, is now a host and commentator on cnn. Please join me in welcoming van jones. [ applause ] im relieved, because nobody is going to remember anything that happened except for brycen. Give that young man my goodness. Everybody was wiping away tears listening to that young man. I will save time by just echoing and amening all of the great words of appreciation and all the honors to the people who are here and just say a few words. Im a ninth generation american. Im a ninth generation american. And im the first person in my family who was born with all my rights recognized by this government. Im a ninth generation american and im the first person in my family. So when people say why do you guys keep talking about these issues . Im not talking about my great, great, great, great grandparents, though i could and should. My mother and my father were born under segregation. My father, Willie Anthony jones, was born in poverty in segregation in memphis, tennessee. He put himself he joined the military. When everybody was running out of the military, my father ran in so he could put himself through college. He went to a little black college in jackson, tennessee, called lane college. And he married the College President s daughter, because my father had it like that. My dad had it like that. He knew what he was doing. And after he got out, he and my mother put my uncle milton through college, his little brother, and a cousin through college. And my entire family got out of poverty on this bridge called my fathers back. And when my father died, the picture they put of my father on the Funeral Program was my father standing in front of Yale Law School the day i graduated with his hands in the air saying, we did it. We did it. We showed them. In one generation we showed them. Just take the boot off our neck a little bit, we can go anywhere and compete with anybody. My one great pain is that my father lost his battle with cancer before being able to see barack obama enter the white house. And yet in some ways, maybe its good. Because my father was not the kind of man who would have taken it easy on me or easy on us. As we look to the future, my father would have asked me, son, how can you be happy to have one black man in the white house and almost a million black men in the jailhouse and not doing enough about it . He wouldnt be easy on me. He wouldnt be easy on us. How can he be happy to celebrate a few black billionaires, when the average wealth of the black family is going down and down and down to almost zero. He would be tough on us. And he would not accept the answer that there are racists in the country, that there are opponents in the country. You know, when i would come home from school and talk about racism at yale, my father would say, well, did they put any dogs on you, son . Well, go on and get your lesson. So, yes, he would say we have to deal with those issues, but my father would also Say Something which i want to share with you. That when you have the right strategy, its hard to hurt you. And when you have the wrong strategy, its hard to help you. And when your enemy downgrades, youve got to upgrade your approach. And as we now look to the next 400 years, we often have black History Month. And i love black History Month. And we need more black history. It shouldnt just be a month. But i would sometimes feel tempted to trade at least one black History Month for a black future weekend. Can we talk about the black future . Can we talk about where were going . And can we talk about what is necessary to get there . As we look at the next 400 years. We learned a tough lesson in the obama white house. We believe that we had gotten to the mountaintop that dr. King talked about. But when we got to that mountaintop, we realized that our sisters and brothers in haiti who had been dropped off by other boats were correct when they say behind the mountain is another mountain. That achievement in 2008 was not the end, it was the beginning of a new journey. And behind the mountain of washington, d. C. , there are other mountains of power. There are four centers of power in our country and we did not know that until we got to washington, d. C. We spent most of the last century trying to get to washington, d. C. Frederick douglass went to d. C. To talk to lincoln. Dr. King, a young preacher, marched on washington, d. C. , hoping a new president would do better. Barack and Michelle Obama went to the white house and our entire strategy focused on washington, d. C. When we got to that corner of power, it turned out there were three others that we didnt know anything about. If were going to be honest, theres work left to be done in washington, d. C. I am proud to be under the leadership and the tutelage of bobby scott doing that work to deal with mass incarceration, to deal with the prison industrial complex. Im proud that in washington, d. C. , bobby scott is bringing conservatives and liberals together to do something about incarceration. Because conservatives believe in liberty and liberals believe in justice, and our incarceration industry denies liberty and justice to too many people. Thats why bobby scott is such a champion for liberty and justice for all. I love this brother and he is my leader. But d. C. Is only one corner of a fourcorner power system. If you leave washington, d. C. And get on the train and go north just a few hours, you are in new york city. Wall street, finance, big capital. Very few africanamericans there. I want to make sure that the next generation sitting in our classrooms will study robert smith, the africanamerican who was beginning to dominate wall street as much as we study anybody else. Big money, big power, wall street. If you leave wall street, take a uber or a lyft or a taxi and you go to the airport, jfk, you can fly across the country and within five hours youre in the bay area, Northern California, silicon valley. Where you have google, apple, facebook, amazon, the people who are building the future. We used to write the future in laws in washington, d. C. Now the future is being written in computer code in silicon valley. Theyre changing your phone right now and didnt ask your permission. The power to write and to dictate the future is in silicon valley. Very few africanamericans in silicon valley. Our children are happy to be given the opportunity to download apps, not being taught how to write their own and upload apps. We need a generation of uploaders, not just downloaders for the next generation if were going to get anywhere. Its another corner of power. Lastly, you can take a leisurely drive from Northern California to southern california. And youll very quickly be in a place called hollywood. And you can see stars, not just in the sky but on the sidewalks. Another place of power where too often where the stars dont own the studios. Media ownership in an information age, another mountain to climb. I say this to you because the way we got here was because africanamericans and our allies were willing to look coldly, clearly, and honestly at the challenges that they faced. And with less than we have, with less technology, with less money, with less support, with less understanding, they met every single challenge up to this day. They understood that sometimes you have to have an evolution in the revolution. Sometimes you have to have an evolution in the revolution, when your enemy downgrades, sometimes you have to upgrade. And we are now at that moment. And i am confident that we can meet this moment and meet this challenge and climb the mountain of policy in d. C. , finance in wall street, technology in silicon valley, media ownership in hollywood, and any other mountains that are revealed to us, because africanamerican people and our close allies have been the driving force for progress and democracy on these shores, lo these 400 years. And do not forget the original fake news was told in 1776, when they said, and maybe even believed, that we had created, that we had founded a democratic republic on these shores on one day in 1776. Fake news. We hadnt yet founded a democratic republic. We had begun the process. But Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman standing up to end slavery were founders too of a democratic republic. They too were founders. The suffragettes demanding that women have the right to vote, that they be included, were a part of founding a democratic republic. They were founders too. Ella jo baker, fanny lou, dr. Martin luther king, challenging segregation, demanding that we live up to these principles, they were founders too. The folks who stood up at stonewall and said stop mistreating us because of who we love, they were founders too. The process of founding a truly multi racial, multi class, democratic republic, the toughest job ever taken on by any people in the world, to have one country with every kind of human being ever born living within it, one country with every race, with every faith, with every gender presentation, every sexuality, every kind of human being ever born in one place living as a democracy, as a democratic republic, the toughest challenge taken on ever by any people on earth, that challenge is a challenge that was taken on centuries ago and we will be working to develop it centuries from now. But what that challenge means for us today is that you are a founder. You are a founder. The people on this stage are founding the republic that the brycens of the world will live in. And we have to take our charge and our time as seriously as the people before us did so that some day, some day when we put our hands on our heart, we will have a democratic republic with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. [ applause ] please welcome the honorable justin e. Fairfax, Lieutenant Governor of virginia. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. I am deeply honored to be here with you all today with this distinguished array of wonderful public servants. I thank you all for your leadership, for your inspiration, for all that you do on behalf of the commonwealth of virginia and on behalf of this nation. I recognize all those who previously had been recognized here in the audience. Thank you all for your service. I also wanted to especially recognize a couple of dear friends who have been instrumental in this commemoration weekend and have given their heart and soul to making this so successful, to the cochairman of the hampton commemoration commission, Lieutenant Colonel claude van iii and dr. Coleta nichols fairfax. I want to recognize them. If you would take a stand and take a bow, thank you for all your tremendous leadership for what you have done. Im also very grateful to be joined here by my wonderful family, my wife, our two young children, my motherinlaw. Thank you all. The Ashton Branch of the fairfax family, we are grateful that you made the trip to be with us here. But there is also a group here at ft. Monroe that i wanted to recognize who has not yet been, i believe, properly recognized. If you anywhere on this fort are the descendant of anyone whos been enslaved, whether you know their name or not, i would be honored if you are able to please stand and be recognized by all of us. We are grateful. You are the legacy that we are here to commemorate and to celebrate. Let us please recognize all of those who represent the best of who we are in virginia and in this nation, the foundational part of why we are here today. Weve heard a lot this morning, rightfully so, about truth. Theres power in the truth. Theres power in knowing our history. There is power in knowing from whence we came. During the week of our inauguration in january of 2018, i learned how my family got the last name fairfax. It was discovered that week in the old Fairfax County courthouse a document that had freed my great, great, great grandfather, simon fairfax, from slavery in Fairfax County, virginia, on june the 5th, 1798. He was freed by a man named thomas fairfax, who was the ninth lord fairfax. My father got a copy of that document two days before our inauguration. He gave a copy of it to me, and i saw it for the very first time in my life 20 minutes before i walked up the steps of the capitol on Inauguration Day to take the oath of office as the 41st Lieutenant Governor of the commonwealth of virginia. I had that document in my breast pocket. And so 220 years later, simon fairfaxs great, great, great grandson was being sworn in as the number two in command of the very same state where he had been enslaved. God is good and the arc of moral universe is long, but it ultimately bends towards justice. And today we mark this commemoration to ensure that the world will always remember how the United States of america got its start and the enslaved africans whose labor and lives are foundational to the success of our nation. We stand today on sacred and hallow ground, from which sprang the foundation of america. We also stand at the aweinspiring intersection of 400 years of a very complex history. A history filled with the dual strands of darkness and light that have run through the veins of the commonwealth of virginia and through our nation for centuries. A history of tragedy and triumph, of pain and promise, of slavery and salvation, of opposition and opportunity. A history of heartbreak and hope. At this intersection we must decide what the next 400 years will look like in this land that we love. We must decide whether we finally abandon the racism, sexism, dehumanization, unequal treatment under the law, and racial and economic subjugation that met the 20 some odd africaning as they were forced to land on this very spot 400 years ago. We must decide whether in the next 400 years we will rise to the better angels of our nature. Theres power in the truth. For generations, americans have been taught that the first enslaved africans arrived in jamestown in 1619. Today, however, we raise up the truth that they in fact were forced to land right here 40 miles southeast in Point Comfort modern day hampton, virginia. The truth is that among that small band of brave surviving souls on the white lion were antony and isabela who would later find love, even in the midst of enslavement to produce william tucker, the first named African Child born in english north america. Yesterday eight miles up the road, we commemorated the 400year milestone that the Tucker Family cemetery with the beautiful descendants of that great legacy. As i stood there on those Hallowed Grounds at a cemetery that represented life more than it represented death, i thought about the famous quote, they tried to bury us, but they didnt know we were seeds. The Tucker Family story is the africanamerican story. But it is also the american story. We as a people have triumphed over obstacles no others have, and we will do it again and again. We built this country. Do not tell us to go back where we came from. We have found victory over systematic subjugation and seen our way through. We have prevailed over lies and succeeded against all odds. No one can stop us. We have made a way out of no way. We should be proud of it all. We stand on the shoulders of the strongest ancestors in world history. Ancestors whose faith, resilience, perseverance and love have allowed us to rise in spite of all the many obstacles created to stop our progress. In the famous and immortal words of the great maya angelou, out of the huts of history shame, i rise. Up from a past thats rooted in pain, i rise. Im a black ocean leaping and wide, welling and swelling i bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear, i rise, into a daybreak thats wondrously clear, i rise. Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, i am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise, i rise, i rise. It is said that antony, isabela, and the 20 someodd africans came here with nothing. But thats not quite true either. Having nothing would not have allowed them to survive the brutal monthslong journey from angola to where we stand today in the bows of wooden ships. Having nothing would not have permitted their spirits to believe in the capacity of love, even as hate and degradation was their daily reality. Having nothing would not have allowed them to continue to burn the flame of hope in the seemingly unending midnight of slavery. What they had was spiritual wealth, the faith, the values, the compassion, the love of others and the belief that tomorrow could be brighter than today. You see, the truth is for centuries we have sailed masterfully in rough seas over alternating waves of progress and high tides of adversity, powered by the unflagging winds of faith and hope, and ever steered in the direction of liberation and uplift. We have carried each successive generation to lands of opportunity hoped and prayed for by prior ones. The pace of our progress is sometimes painfully slow and at other times breathtakingly rapid. But in the broad sweep of our collective journey, because our moral compass remains true, we always make progress, we always rise together. That is the nature of our story in america. It is the hallmark of who we are. And now it is our time to write another chapter in the great story of america. I believe it will be a chapter where we continue to see the best of who we are because i have an unwavering belief in the fundamental decency, good will and humanity of the people of virginia and america. Comforted by the god of our weary years and the god of our silent tears and with our eyes focused firmly on the promised land, we will rise to the clariant call of history and to the better angels of our nature together. God bless you all. God bless antony, isa bechbela, twejtodd enslaved africans, william tucker, the commonwealth of virginia and the United States of america. We will rise together. God bless you all. Thank you. [ applause ] to deliver todays benediction, please welcome Walter Barrett jr. My sisters and brothers, let us bow our heads in prayer, invoking the presence of god. God of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far on the way, thou who has by thy might led us into the light keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places our god where we met thee, lest our heart drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee, shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand true to our god, true to our native land. May god protect us and bless us and keep us all from evil. Amen, amen, amen. Please join me in thanking all of our presenters today as we welcome back to the stage the i. C. Norcum High School Choir under the direction of joe harman for the final performance of lift every voice and sing. Lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring ring with the harmonies of liberty let our rejoices rise high as the listening skies let it resound loud as the rolling sea sing a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day begun let us march on till victory is won stony the road we trod bitter the chastening rod felt in the day that hope unborn had died yet with a steady beat have not our weary feet come to the place on which our fathers sighed we have come over a way that with tears has been watered we have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered out from the gloomy past till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our star is cast god of our weary years god of our silent tears thou who has brought us thus far on the way thou who has by thy might led us into the light keep us forever in the path we pray lest our feet stray from the places our god where we met thee lest our hearts drunk with the wine of the world we forget thee shadowed beneath the hand may we forever stand true to our god true to our native land [ applause ] all week were featuring American History tv programs as a preview of whats available every weekend on cspan 3. Lectures in history, american artifacts, real america, the civil war, oral histories, the presidency, and special event coverage about our nations history. Enjoy American History tv now and every weekend on cspan 3. During this holiday week, American History tv is on cspan 3 every day with prime time features each night at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Tonight a discussion on aviation with Paul Glenshaw on the first u. S. Military airplane, the 1909 wright flyer. Tuesday, the year 1969, with woodstock, free speech and the gay rights movement. New years day, wednesday, the 30th anniversary of the fall of the berlin wall. Thursday, the forgotten battles of the civil war. And friday, the 75th anniversary of the battle of the bulge, where adolf hitler launched a surprise counteroffensive against allied forces. All American History tv all this week and every weekend on cspan3. American history tv products are now available at the new cspan online store. Go to cspanstore. Org to see whats new for American History tv and check out all of the cspan products. For 40 years cspan has been providing america unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the Supreme Court and Public Policy events from washington, d. C. And around the country so you can make up your own mind, created by cable in 1979. Cspan is brought to you by your local cable or satellite provider. Cspan, your unfiltered view of government. 2019 marked the 400th anniversary of the start of forced migration of africans into slavery in whats now known as the United States. In commemoration the association for the study of africanamerican life and history hosted a discussion on the theme of 400 years of perseverance. A group of scholars talk about the importance of slave site preservation, a color line theory, civil rights and the criminal justice system. From earlier this year, this is about two hours. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Thank you again for joining us here for black History Month. Now, the association for the study of africanamerican life and history was founded by dr. Carter godwin woodson. It started as negro history week and now of course has been expanded to black History Month. We would like to thank our sponsors. They include the prince george