Transcripts For CSPAN3 1965 Voting Rights Rally 20150308

Petition to the honorable george c. Wallace issued of god, citizen of the United States and governor of the state of alabama. We, as citizens of alabama citizens of many states in our United States and citizens of several foreign countries, come praying the blessing of god upon you and we, many responsibilities that are yours to discharge. We come petitioning you to join us in spirit and in truth in what is historys and Americas Movement toward the great society. A nation of justice where none shall prey upon the weakness of other, a nation of plenty where greed and poverty shall be done away, a nation of brotherhood where success is founded upon service and honor given for nobleness alone. We have come to represent the negro citizens of alabama and freedom loving people from all over the United States and the world. We have come not only 65 days and 60 miles but we have come from three centuries of suffering and hardship. We have come to you, the governor of alabama, to declare that we must have our freedom now. We must have the right to vote. We must have equal protection under the law. An end to Police Brutality. When the course of human events denied citizens of this nation the right to vote, a right to adequate education, an opportunity to earn sufficient income and when legal channels for real change are slow and costly, a people must turn to the rights provided by the 1st constitution of the United States. We must appeal to the seat of government with nonviolence. Our physical appearance and the moral power of our souls thus, we present this petition. Produced the man who savagely attacked and killed the reverend james reed. We call upon you, governor wallace, to declare your faith in the american creed, to declare your believe in the ways of the declaration of independence that all men are created equal. We call upon you to establish democracy in alabama by taking the steps necessary to ensure the registration of every citizen of voting age and sound mind. By ending the poll tax, by opening the registration books at times when they are convenient to working people such as nights, and by encouraging the cooperation of county officials in the democratic process and by appointment of negro citizens to the boards and agencies of the state in policymaking positions. We call upon you to put an end to Police Brutality and to ensure the protection of the law of black and white citizens alike. We call upon you to end the climate of violence and hatred. Which persists in this state, by denouncing all who would use violence in the propagation of their beliefs and by avoiding the perpetration of racism through official statements and political addresses. [applause] can you hear me . I want to know because now i want to hear you. Do you approve of this petition . Audience yes do you approve that this will be the only petition that we will send to governor wallace . Audience yes those who favor, say aye. Those who oppose say nay. The ayes have it, and the motion is carried. [applause] dr. Martin luther king, our leader, has appointed the following persons to present this petition to the governor of the great sovereign state of alabama, with instructions that this petition comes from dr. King, it comes from you, it comes from the poor negroes, and of the black belt and negroes all over the state of alabama. The following persons are to compose the committee. As appointed by dr. King. The reverend joseph lowery, Vice President of the southern christian Leadership Conference of birmingham, alabama. The chairman. The reverend fred wreath, of selma, alabama dr. Cashin of huntsville, alabama, attorney fred d. Gray of montgomery, alabama, dr. Aji gatson, reverend rogers of tuscaloosa, alabama, bishop much inson of birmingham, alabama. Dr. Of tuskegee, alabama. And dr. Foster, the president of tuskeegee institute. [cheering and applause] the reverend fred shuttlesworth, reverend joseph winger, a white lutheran minister of birmingham, alabama, mrs. A. P. Boiling 10 of selma, alabama. Attorney billings of birmingham, alabama, mrs. Rufus lewis of montgomery, alabama, and mr. Dick drennons of the university of alabama, a white student. And the reverend Jesse Douglas of montgomery, alabama. If you approve of this committee, say aye. Audience aye. The committee is now instructed to meet for final instructions in the auditorium of the dexter avenue baptist church, just one block away here in the shadow of the capital with our leader, dr. King, has been pronounced. We will now return to our national leaders. Mr. James farmer could not be here today because of illness. But we do want mr. Jim pick to tell us whether core is behind the movement of freedom. Mr. Peck. I want to bring greetings from jim farmer. I want to tell you there are a lot of poor people in the march from all over the country from as far away as the west coast. As for myself, some of you know i have a little souvenir from alabama, 53 stitches in my head , which i got on the freedom ride. But at least i am alive. Where is my friend bill moore is dead. And it is appropriate today to talk about bill moore, because he is the first man who attempted a freedom walk across the highways of alabama and he was killed in the attempts. That was the post man who decided to personally cross alabama and mississippi two years ago and deliver a letter appealing to his conscience. But bill never reached jackson because he was shot down. And the core and sncc members who tried to complete his walk were met by state troopers and were promptly arrested. I came down here at that time to give a Memorial Service for bill moore at that point on the roadside where he was murdered. And i said at that time that i hope i would see the day in the nottoodistant future when it would be possible to conduct a freedom walk across the highways of alabama. That day has come. And all that i regret is that bill moore is not alive to see it and be with us today on this freedom walk. [applause] i am delighted to present to you one of the finest young men i have had the privilege of knowing in my life. Like myself, he is a product of alabama. He comes to the spotlight and has assumed leadership in this nation from just 50 miles away. Down in troy alabama troy alabama. Let us hear the courageous leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, mr. John lewis. [applause] my fellow Freedom Fighters. As ralph said, as a native of troy, alabama, just 50 miles from here, i am happy to be able to stand here and share this great moment in history. With men like Martin Luther king and other great men in this struggle for freedom. This is the greatest and perhaps the most significant demonstration in the history of the civil Rights Movement. Just a few weeks ago, governor wallace said there would be no march from selma to montgomery. He used troops to beat us down. On march 7, with billy clubs tear gas. But you, the freedom loving people of alabama, said that you have a constitutional right to march. And that you were determined to march and you did march. The president of the United States, Lyndon Baines johnson made it clear to the American People and he also made it Crystal Clear to governor george c. Wallace that the state of alabama is still a part of the union. [indiscernible] we need a doctor. Ok. Need a doctor . We, the negro people of alabama, have been exploited, and we have been dehumanized by this vicious system of Racial Discrimination and segregation. Hundreds and thousands of you have gone to jail over and over again in the black belt areas of alabama, in marion and selma. And you stand here as witness to the fact that you want to be free and you want to be free here and now. I think again the president of the United States made it clear by responding to your demands that we will get a voting lot based on one man, one vote. That is age and residents. All the negro people of alabama and mississippi will be able to register and vote. I know that many of you are tired. You are tired of being beaten, arrested, and jailed because you want to be free. Some of you right here have tilled the soil taken the track, picked the cotton, cooked food, and nursed the babies for low pay or no pay at all. But we are saying to the state of alabama, we are saying to governor wallace, that we are tired of being forceless. Within a system, the right of people to vote, it is demanding deny the people the right to vote, it is not asking just for a battle but it is demanding a war, and we are involved in a nonviolent war. We are involved in a nonviolent revolution. We do not have guns. We do not have billy clubs. We do not have tear gas. The only thing we have is our bodies, our tired feet. The same feat that brought us from selma to montgomery, and our weary bodies will take us to victory in the state of alabama, right in the heart of the black belt. [applause] as we lead this march, go down to the black belt corners, go down to the county courthouse and attempt to register and vote like we did in selma, and marion, and wilcox county. The state of alabama and the negro people of this state we will never be the same. For we are making it clear all over the world, not just in this state and in this nation, that our struggle is a struggle for freedom and liberation. It matters not whether it is selma, alabama or greenwood, mississippi or mozambique, johannesburg, south africa. The struggle is one and the same. The struggle is the struggle for freedom and human dignity. [applause] i think a lot of thise people across this country are saying we are tired. Were tired of civil rights murders. Too many people have been beaten, shot, and even killed. We have had enough of that. We are tired of confrontation. But now is the time for all of us to make some serious decisions. [applause] mr. Whitney young, the director of the National Urban league, will bring us greetings at this time. Let us listen now to the leader this scholarly civil rights leader who has done so much for our nation and people, mr. Whitney young. Reverend abernathy, friends of freedom, one question has been asked me repeatedly by reporters. Is this march better or more significant than the august 63 march . This type of question need not be answered yes or no. These are different types of marches. This march shows our ability to move from the general grievances that we express so magnificently in washington to the specific situations. In this case, the right to peacefully demonstrate and petition, for the right to vote. It also shows our ability to mobilize not just in washington, d. C. And to mobilize in a united , way, but it shows our ability to mobilize anywhere in this United States, where human beings are denied their basic rights. Make no mistake, this we will do. I would like to ask the citizens , the white citizens of alabama a question. I would like to ask the white citizens of alabama how long how long can you continue to afford the luxury of a political system and Public Officials who by their rigidity and vote, have today been responsible for bringing in federally controlled troops who today and even more so tomorrow will cost this state millions of dollars of federal funds from programs of education, agriculture highways, what have you, who have discouraged dozens of industries coming into the state and providing jobs for millions of black and white alabamans. How long, how long will you continue, white alabamians, to be the victims of this selfdefeating folly . I say you cannot afford this luxury. As sure as we have an old flag flying behind me, as sure as we have here courageous people gathered, as sure as we have an absent governor who does not have the guts to be here and faces citizens, i say [applause] i say to white alabamians, that as sure as these things are true, you cannot keep the negro a third class citizen without you being secondclass. [applause] finally, let me ask you three quick questions. People have said, why are we here . This march is to give a new courage to the silent white citizens of the state of alabama who for too long have allowed the worst and the most ignorant elements of their population to speak for them. [applause] secondly, we are here to give renewed courage and hope to negro alabamians that they walk not alone. You are not an island. Where other people are unconcerned. You are part of america, and we are part of you. This march will be meaningful, only if you march with the same enthusiasm after the leadership of the president of the United States will have given us a voting bill, will you march to the polls and vote . [cheering] will you furthermore, since the National Urban league has been engaged in the last two or three weeks in bringing poverty programs programs of retraining and education into this state we have had meetings in birmingham with leaders all over the state. Now when this programs come when these programs come here, if Public Officials are not stupid enough to defeat them, if, when they come, will you march with your children to the libraries . Will you march yourselves to Adult Education centers . Will you march and continue to march and follow the great leadership of dr. Martin luther king . Thank you. [applause] it is my pleasure to present to you the director of the Civil Rights Department of aflcio Rights Department of aflcio mr. Don slayman. Two and a half hours ago these marchers arrived at the state capital. The Capitol Steps in montgomery, alabama. The 20th person to arrive at this podium is now there. He is don slade and all the aflcio civil rights division. We are just about to reach the high point of todays occasion as far as the march is concerned, and that is the address by dr. Martin luther king, who is scheduled to be the next speaker. A few moments ago, and alabama and all a few minutes ago, an allalabama delegation was named from the speakers platform to take a petition to governor wallace. Governor wallace issued a statement which read, i have stated publicly before this nation that it is and has always been my policy to be when to see any group of alabama citizens when they present themselves in a proper and normal manner. I will receive a petition from any group of citizens of the state of alabama not to exceed 20 at any time after this demonstration and march has dispersed. I will not i repeat, i will not see any group of citizens whatsoever until after this demonstration has concluded and dispersed. Shortly after that, came from the governors office, the delegation was named all of them from the state of alabama. They were instructed to meet immediately following the benediction at this meeting. At a church one block away. They will confer with dr. Martin luther king, and then proceed to the capital with a petition that was read and adopted unanimously by those in attendance. Every major Civil Rights Organization in this country its leaders are here today. Each of them, with the exception of james farmer, of course, has spoken from the platform. It was pointed out that james farmer was ill and could not be here. Every other major Civil Rights Group has had a representative here, including dr. Ralph bunch a. Philip randolph, wilson, john lewis, james forman, whitney young, and dr. Martin luther king. He will begin in about two minutes. There has not been a great deal of sunshine. It has been it and been intermittent rains. 30 minutes ago, the only times as the marchers arrived, there was some rainfall. At the moment, still just a rain gray overcast. The military presence still prevails here. That left to led to a silence a few moments ago as the chief of the United States marshals was allowed to proceed to the opposite side of the street. He was challenged by an mp that demanded identification. He showed the unification to the military police and then was allowed to proceed to the opposite side of the street. For over two hours, 40 minutes now, members of the alabama Conservation Service have been at the lower steps at the capitol. Various members of the alabama legislator has been on the steps here witnessing the activities down below. The master of ceremonies is the reverend ralph d. Abernathy. He has served as master of ceremonies. Most of the crowd has taken the opportunity from time to time to be seated. Many are seated at this time. The majority are still standing. This not out of desire, but more out of necessity. [coughs] excuse me. There has been not one single incident from the time this march started will you please add their names to the list . The reverend mclean of montgomery, alabama. The reverend nelson smith of birmingham, alabama. Attorney peter hall of birmingham, alabama. This is a committee of 20 persons who will meet in the church upstairs for final instructions from our leader dr. King. A gentleman from california has the purse of mrs. Corine watts. Please bring it to the speaker stand. Will the drivers of all the charter or shuttle buses begin moving quietly to your buses . I want everybody here to keep your position. If you are seated or if you are standing, until the benediction is pronounced. This is a nonviolent assembly. We came together and we will leave together. Someone has just passed to me a wallet which was found. If you can identify it, i will be happy to give it to you. This march is very costly. Whenever you come up against the state, where your tax money is being used to keep you down, we must give liberally if we are to give up. Please, if you have a contribution, at the close of the service, do not take it home, but give it to me. For i am the treasurer of the southern christian Leadership Conference. When you get home, make your checks to sclc and mail them to the southern christian Leadership Conference. 334 auburn avenue, atlanta georgia. Or you may send them to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at 8 raymond street nw in atlanta, georgia. Either way the movement will get it. I have one other introduction. And that is the first lady of the movement, who in 1965 on december 1 would not get up when everybody else was getting up and give her seat to a white man. Come here, mrs. Rosa parks. [applause] the first lady of the movement mrs. Rosa parks, raise your hand. Reverend abernathy and all of the distinguished leaders of this nation and all of you wonderful Freedom Fighters, my brothers and sisters i call you my children because i have been called the mother of this. As a very small child, i had to hide from the ku klux klan, to keep from getting killed. My family was driven off of our land after they worked and paid for it. I did not have the opportunity to attend school, as many have. And i am handicapped in every way. But i expect to be a firstclass citizen. I have struggled. I will always be thankful for the naacp for giving me some directly to channel my activities for a better way of life. I am very thankful for dr. Martin luther king, who came to montgomery with his nonviolent christian attitude of loving your enemies. I almost did not come here today because so many people told me not to come here, and i said that, seeing what happened in selma, i came here with hope and faith and you have given me back that faith today. I also want to say through the complement of someone we were given leaflets about this. That particular school has accused dr. King of being a student. Dr. King was not a student, but i was. I learned at that time and place that there are decent people of any race or color. Are not in a struggle of black we are not in a struggle of black against white, but wrong against right. Thank you. [applause] someone has suggested that we sing, but we are not going to sing. Someone has suggested that i acknowledge the presence of the people who are here from london and from canada and other foreign countries. I am not going to do that. Someone has suggested that i acknowledge the presence of so many outstanding dignitaries. I will not do that. I will only ask one to stand and represent the whole group. The great novelist, the great rights are the great writer, mr. James baldwin. [applause] in lieu of a song, i shall ask what do you want . I cant hear you. What do you want . Freedom. Window you want it . Now. How much do you want it . God never leaves his people without a leader. When they were down in egypt for a land when they were down in egypts land, they were caught up with a man who had fled and hid himself safely behind the hills and the mountains and was secure in the land of many. God sent him back to lead the people. One day they carried him on top of the mountain and summoned him. He called him away and said lead my people across the jordan. My good and abiding friends ralph abernathy, and to all of the distinguished americans seated here on the rostrum, my friends and coworkers of the state of alabama and to all the freedom loving people who have assembled here this afternoon from all over our nation and from all over the world last sunday, more than 8000 of us started from selma, alabama. We have walked through desolate valleys. And across charming hills. We have walked on meandering highways and rested our bodies on rocky byways. Some of us were burned from the outpouring of the sweltering sun. Some of us have literally slept in the mud. We have been drenched by the rain. Our bodies are tired. Our feet are somewhat sore. But today, as i stand before you and think back over that great march, i can say as sister pollock said, a 70yearold negro woman who lived in this community, who said while walking she did not want to ride. A person said, well, arent you tired . With profundity she said, my feet are tired, but my soul is rested. This afternoon we can say our feet are tired, but our souls are rested. They told us we would not get here. Now those who said we would get their only over their dead body. Today we are here. We are standing before the portals of power in the state of alabama, saying we would not let nobody turn us around. [applause] now, it is not an accident. One of the great marches of American History should terminate and montgomery, alabama in montgomery, alabama. Just 10 years ago in this very city, a new philosophy was born of the negro struggle. Montgomery was the first city in the south in which the entire Negro Community united to face ageold oppressions. Out of this struggle the war against segregation was one. A new idea more powerful than guns. Negroes took it and carried it across the south in epic battles that electrify the nation and the world. Yet strangely the climactic conflicts always were fought and won on alabamas soil. After montgomery, confrontations loomed up in mississippi arkansas, georgia, and elsewhere. Segregation was challenged in birmingham. White america was profoundly aroused by birmingham because it witnessed a whole community of negroes facing terror and brutality with majestic, strong and heroic courage. With that spirit the nation to write legislation in the hopes that it would eradicate birmingham. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave negroes some power of their rights and dignity, but without the vote, it was dignity without strength. Once more, the message of nonviolent resistance. Once again an entire community was mobilized to confront the adversary. Again the brutality of a dying order streaked across land. Yet selma, alabama became a shining moment across the land. The worst of American Life lurked in its dark streets. The depth of american instincts rose passionately from across the nation. More honorable and more inspiring and the pilgrimage of laymen of every race and faith pouring into selma to face danger. The confrontation of good and evil generated the massive power turned the nation to a new course. The president had the sensitivity to feel the will of the country. And one of the most passionate pleas for human rights ever made by the president of our nation. He said to our federal government, cast off the century old plight. For our part, we must pay our profound respect to the White Americans who cherished democratic traditions over custom and came forward to join hands with us, from a camry to birmingham from montgomery to birmingham, from birmingham to selma, from selma act to montgomery. It was a circle that was long and often bloody. Alabama has tried to defeat evil, but evil is choking to death in the dusty roads of this state. Segregation is on its deathbed. Our whole campaign in alabama has been centered around the right to vote. In focusing the attention of the nation and the world today on the flagrant denial of the right to vote, we are exposing the root cause of racial segregation in the southland. Racial segregation as a way of life did not come about as the natural resort result of hatred between the races immediately after the civil war. As the noted historian see them, in his book he clearly points out the segregation of the races was really political stratagem taught by the emerging interest in the south. You see, it was as simple thing that keeps the poor white masses working for years. Why, he became the plantation or mill owner with threatened to fire him and pay him even less. Thus the southern wage level was kept unbearably low. But toward the end of the reconstruction era something significant happened. The leaders of this Movement Began awaking the poor white masses, the farmers and the slaves. Not only that, they began uniting the masses into a voting block that threatened to deliver those interests from the south. The southern aristocracy began immediately to engineer the development of a segregated society. This is very important. To see the roots. The denial of the right to vote. Through their control of mass media. They revived the doctrine of White Supremacy. They saturated the poor white masses to it, that is their minds to the real issue. They then directed the placement on the books of the south laws that made it a crime for negroes and whites to come together as equals at any level and that did it. That crippled and eventually destroyed the populist movement of the 19th century. If it may be said of the slavery era that the white man took the world and gave the negro jesus then it may be said of the reconstruction era that the southern aristocracy took the world and gave the poor white man jim crow. He gave him jim crow, and when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide, he ate jim crow, a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was, at least he was a white man better than the black man. Yes, sir. And he ate jim crow. And when the children cried out for the necessities that his low wages could not provide, he showed them the jim crow signs on the buses and in the stores on the streets and in the public buildings. Yes, sir and his children too learned to feed upon jim crow. The last outpost to psychological oblivion. Yes, sir the free exercise of the blot by the ballot by the whites and negro alike. Resulted in the establishment of a segregated society. They segregated southern money from the poor whites. They segregated southern moras. Morays from the rich whites. They segregated southern minds from honest thinking. And they segregated the negro from everything. That is what happened. And when the negro and white masses threaten to unite and build a society, a society not built on the weakness of others a society in which poverty would be done away, a society in which every man would respect the dignity of the other we have come a long way since that travesty of justice was perpetrated on the american mind. James Weldon Johnson put it eloquently. He said we have come over the wave of tears that have been watered. We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughter out of the gloomy past. Till now we stand at last where the white gleam of our bright star is cast. Today i want to tell the city of selma. Tell them, doctor today i want to say to the state of alabama. Yes, sir today i want to say to the people of america and the nations of the world that we are not about to turn around. Yes, sir we are on the move now. Yes, were on the move and no wave of racism can stop us. Yes, sir we on the move now. And the burning of our churches will not deter us. Were on the move now the bombing of our homes will not dissuade us. Were on the move now. The killing of our young people will not deter us. Were on the move now. The release of known murderers will not discourage us. Were on the move now. Like an idea whose time has come, not even the marching of mighty armies can halt us. Were moving to the land of freedom. Yes, sir let us therefore continue our time to march to the realization of the american dream. Let us march on segregated housing until every ghetto of socioeconomic depression dissolve the negroes and whites live side by side in decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Yes, sir let us march on segregated schools until every vestige of segregated and inferior ed education becomes a thing of the past and negroes and whites standing sidebyside in the socially healing context of the classroom, let us march. Let us march until no american parent has to skip a meal so that their children may eat. Yes, sir march on poverty. Lets march until no starved man walks the streets of our cities and towns in search of jobs that do not exist. Let us march on poverty. Let us march until negro stomachs in mississippi are filled and the industries of appalachia are revitalized and broken lives and sweltering ghettos are mended and remolded. Let us march on ballot proxies boxes until race baiters disappear from the political arena. Let us march on ballot boxes until the misdeeds will be transformed into the calculated good deeds of ordinary citizens. Let us march on ballot box until the wallace iss of our nation tremble away. Let us march on the ballot box until brotherhood becomes more than a meaningless word and an opening prayer but there is a order of the day on every legislative agenda. Let us march on ballot boxes until all over alabama gods children will be able to walk the earth in decency and honor. There is nothing wrong with marching in this sense. The bible tells us that the mighty men of joshua walked about the walled city of jericho and the barriers of freedom came tumbling down. I like that old negro spiritual joshua fit the battle of jericho. Its depiction of that moment in biblical history that tells us that joshua fit the battle of jericho, joshua fit the battle of jericho, the walls come tumbling down. Up to the walls of jericho, they marched. With spears in hand. Go blow them ram horns, joshua cried, because the battle am in my hands. Yes, sir these words i have given you just as they were given us by the long dead dark skinned man. Some long dead black barred, who some long dead black bard, who bequeathed to posterity these words in ungrammatical form. All of us today, the bible is in our hands and we can answer with battle is in our hand and the call to Higher Ground to which the new direction of our struggle summons us. The road ahead is not altogether smooth. There are no broad highways that lead us easily and inevitably to quick solutions, but we must keep going. In the glow of the lamp light on my desk a few nights ago, i gazed again upon the won andrus wondrous sign of our time full of hope and promise of the , future, and i smiled to see in the newspaper photographs of nearly a decade ago, the faces so bright, so proud of our so solemn of our valiant heroes, the people of montgomery. To this list may be added the names of all of those who have fought and, yes, died in the nonviolate army of our days, medgar evers. Precivil rights workers in mississippi last summer. William moore, as has already been mentioned, the reverend james reed. Jimmy lee jackson. The four little girls in the church of god in birmingham on sunday morning in spite of this, we must go on and be sure that they did not die in vain. The pattern of their feet, as they walked through jim crow barriers and the great stride toward freedom, the thunder of the marching men of joshua and the world rocks beneath their tread. My people, my people listen. The battle is in our hands, the battle is in our hands in mississippi and alabama and all over the United States. I know there is a cry today in alabama. We see it in numerous editorials. When will Martin Luther king sclc, sncc and all these civil rights agitators and all the labor leaders and students and others get out of our community and let alabama return to normalcy . I have a message that i would like to leave with alabama this evening. Tell it, tell it doctor that is exactly what we dont want and we will not allow it to happen. Yes, sir we know that it was normalcy in marion that led to the brutal murder of jimmy lee jackson. Yes it was normalcy in birmingham that led to the murder on sunday morning of four beautiful unascending innocent girls. On defending unoffending innocent girls. It was normalcy on highway 80 that led state troopers to use tear gas and billy clubs against unarmed human beings who were simply marching for justice. It was normalcy by a cafe in selma, alabama, that led to the brutal beating of reverend james it is normalcy all over our country that leaves the negro perishing along the island of poverty amid a vast ocean of prosperity. It is normalcy all over alabama that presents the negro from becoming a registered voter. No, we will not allow alabama to return to normalcy. [applause] the only normalcy we will settle for is the normalcy that recognizes the dignity and worth of all gods children. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that allows judgment to run down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy of brotherhood, the normalcy of true peace, the normalcy of justice, and so as we go away this afternoon, let us go away more than ever before, committed to this struggle and committed to nonviolence. I must admit to you that there are still some difficult days ahead. We are still in for a season of suffering and many of the black belt counties of alabama, many areas of mississippi, many areas of louisiana, i must admit to you theres still jail cells waiting for us. And dark and difficult moments. We will go on with the faith that nonviolence and its power can transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. We will be able to change all of these conditions. And so i plead with you this afternoon as we go ahead, remain committed to nonviolence. Our aim must never be to defeat and humiliate the white man but to win his friendship and understanding. We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscious itss conscience, and that will be a day not of the white man, not of the black man, that will be the day of man as man. And i know youre asking today how long will it take . Somebodys asking how long will prejudice blind the visions of men and darken their understanding and drive out wisdom from a sacred throne. Somebodys asking when will wounded justice lie prostrate on the streets of selma and birmingham and all over the south, be lifted from this dust of shame. Somebodys asking when the radiant start of hope be plunged against the bosom of its lonely night. Speak speak, speak. Weary souls of fear how long will justice be crucified . I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment however frustrating the it will not be long. Hourtruth will rise again. How long . Not long. Because no lie can live forever. Yes, sir how long . Not long because you shall reap what you sow. How long . Not long. How long . Not long. Because the moral universe is yet that scaffold sways the future behind which god stands in the shadow keeping watch. How long . Not long. Because the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. How long . Not long. Because mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord, hes trampling out the vented where the grapes of wrath are stored. Hes loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword. His truth is marching on. He has sounded forth a trumpet that shall never call retreat. He has looked into the hearts of men before his judgment seat. His truth is marching on. Glory, hallelujah. Glory, hallelujah. Glory, hallelujah. His truth is marching on. [applause] who is our leader . Dr. King who is our leader . Dr. King who is our leader . Dr. King god bless you. Dr. Martin luther kings address to the march on montgomery. This is reverend aston wahl reporting from the state capitol. We are going to sing now we shall overcome, and following the singing, dr. Edwin teller, the executive secretary of the American Baptist convention who is the official representative of the National Council of churches here today will pronounce the benediction. Let us now stop in our tracks and let us join our hands. The 300 people who march, stay where you are. We have transportation for you back to selma. We shall over come. We shall overcome we shall overcome we shall overcome someday oh, deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome someday god is on our side god is on our side god is on our side today oh deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome someday black and white together. Black and white together black and white together black and white together now oh, deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome someday we are not afraid. We are not afraid we are not afraid we are not afraid today oh, deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome someday we shall overcome. We shall overcome we shall overcome we shall overcome someday oh deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome someday and now may the lord bless us and keep us. May the lord cause his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the lord give us peace both now and forever more, amen. Deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome someday let us go back home and arrange a mass meeting when we will come, dr. King and i will come and make the report to you from the governor. Arrange a mass meeting and wait to hear from governor wallace. Let us leave singing we shall overcome. Wow. You did a great job. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Oh, yes, i do. We shall overcome someday [indistinct chatter] are you not ready yet . Jer . Ok. Im ready. Today in a negative sort of way has been a grand day for the state of alabama in view of the fact that thousands of marchers descended upon the state capital in montgomery and the officialdom of this state was maligned and talked about and yet there wasnt a single incident that took place on the route of the march, a 50mile march from selma to montgomery and not a single incident happened as far as alabamians are concerned that would reflect discredit upon this state. And i want to thank alabama of both races for their commendable restrain in this regard and i hope they will continue that restraint tonight and tomorrow and now on throughout the state of alabama. These people did not have to come here today in the manner in which they did. It has always been my policy to talk with any of our citizens about the problems and affairs of State Government. I have constantly stated my views of voting and that is that any citizen who is entitled to vote is eligible. And i have also said that i was against discrimination in the matter of voting, not only in this state but any state of the union because of color. I would like to point out again for the American People that the matter of Voter Registration in dallas county, alabama and every county in this state is now pending in a federal court suit. I regret, of course, to hear and am dismayed that the attorney general of this nation said the other day that the courts are too slow. Of course i think this is something that the American People should reflect upon. That the courts are too slow, he said, to handle any grievance by this country. In effect he was inviting mob demonstrations and mob violence. Today in our capitol city of alabama, people of this country have witnessed a demonstration which included many known subversives, convicted felons, communists and communist sympathizers, members of the fairplay Cuba Committee activists and other revolutionaries. We have seen beatniks, wayfarers, and misguided and misled people who have been used by the professionals who organized this mob. This weeks long march has required the use of all the alabama Highway Police as well as over 4000 federalized National Guardsmen. It has cost at least 1 million. Today you have seen a prostitution of lawful process and the capital on lawfully immobilized yununlawfully immobilized. In the word of an activist and revolutionaries are not mine. But those of the jewish rabbi from pittsburgh, pennsylvania. He said they wanted dead bodies, our bodies. The acceptance of a petition is no issue. A petition will be accepted by any group of people in the normal and orderly process and without surrender to mobocrasy. We have seen. If an orderly and Lawful Society is to be preserved in this nation, such demonstrations must not be allowed to continue and of course, as you know, they said today that these type demonstrations would be carried on no matter housing and employment throughout every state in the nation. No nation in history has been able to survive where recognized authority has been flaunted by activists and revolutionaries who say they will obey only those laws of which they approve and only those laws they consider to be just. I would like to ask this question of the American People. The National Press and news media has misled the people of this nation. As i pointed out the other day on a nationwide program about selma and about alabama, this jewish rabbi, he was misled. I wonder, is the news media misleading the American People about vietnam . Are they misleading people about things happening in washington . If they are, then of course this is a sad commentary on the affairs in our country. I see where ralph bunch, the United Nations man was here today, supposed to be defending us from time he nests instead he was consorting with known members of the communist party. A member of the Young Communist League, a former member of the Young Communist League and a man who served 28 months in a federal prison camp for having failed to register for the draft during world war ii and who refused to fight for this country and also as a convict as a convicted sex pervert. The media didnt report, for instance, that a man convicted of sedition in the state of kentucky and served a year of contempt of congress because, i believe, he refused to answer the question, are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party . Let me point out to the American Public that we had a group of students here today who raised money and clothing for the veit for the vietcong. The people who are taking american lives. If this is the sort of people today that are leading demonstration for right and justice and i hope this demonstration is a warning to the people of this country because, of course, you are next. The committee that was appointed to present a petition to me contains people who belong to organizations cited as subversive by the house on Unamerican Activities Committee and the Senate Internal committee and they are also convicted felons on this committee and even nonresidents. I sincerely hope that all the people of this state will continue to exercise patience and restraint but i hope the American People knows this is not so much, alabama or montgomery, alabama. This issue is whether the United States shall be preserved and whether we shall surrender to mobocracy as has been demonstrated today in the city of montgomery, alabama. I would also like to point out and make this statement, that the president of the United States himself said the other day and its widely quoted in the press, that he would not see people who came and laid down in the white house and of course we have taken the same position in our state and i think, of course, that is a good position. I again want to say, this is my Statement Given today that i will be happy to see a group of representative citizens of this state and receive any petition from them provided, of course, that they come in an orderly manner. The office of the governor was closed today . Yes, the office was closed when they came today to present the petition and, of course, i believe that they said that they would ask for a further an appointment with the governor, which is the thing that anyone does who wants to see the governor of any state. Would you consider this a normal and appropriate manner of seeking an appointment in the normal fashion, will you see them then . Im going to do exactly as i said i would do in my statement that was given to the news media but which was widely distorted in its quoting. I said that i had publicly stated that i would always like to have a copy of it here. I can read it to you. I said that i publicly stated before this nation that it is and has always been my policy to see any group of Representative Group of alabama citizens when they present themselves in a proper and normal matter. Ill receive any petition of any citizens of the state of alabama, not to exceed 20 at any time after this march has disbursed. I will not see any citizens whatsoever until after this march has completed. I would not be a party of seeing anyone as a result of intimidation by any 25,000 mob of people assembled in front of the state capital maligning and talking about the people of this state and the governor of this state. And i might say that a very small percentage of this group today was alabamians and i would say that were going to continue to work to try to improve the lot of every citizen in this state, regardless of their race, color, creed, or origin. And i say again that it has been my prayer and it is my prayer yet as stated in my inaugural dress that god will bless all the peoples of this state regardless of their color, both white and black. Will you see them tomorrow, sir . If they come back, make an appointment with you tomorrow . I will of course do exactly what i said in the statement that was issued this morning. Thank you. Now we continue with our coverage marking the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday when Voting Rights activists on aim on eight march from montgomery to selma, alabama were met with violence by state troopers. We were joined by the author of peace and freedom the journey of selma and another guest. They provided context and fielded your calls. Reverend lafayette, take us back 50 years ago today. Set the scene for us. What led up to the march on montgomery in the first place . It was a very extraordinary period in our history because what we were doing was basically giving a voice to the people who were voiceless. What all these movements are about. Helping to give people a voice who otherwise would not be heard. We feel that if the voices of the poor, the voices of the disenfranchised, the voices of the suffering people are heard other people will respond. So, selma, alabama is that example of where people around the country and around the world heard the voices crying out for people not being treated equally as human beings. Now, the reason we were going to my comic alabama i want to make it there is because that is the state capital of alabama. We did not have much is there before from selma, but the reason we had this particular march is because of what happened to jackson in marion, alabama. Your shot by a state trooper. He was shot by a state trooper. Earlier, we had people marching to the courthouse to attempt to register to vote. But the reason why the march was decided to go to montgomery, alabama it was actually jim bevel who asked jacksons grandfather would you be willing to march and continue to march. He said, yes. Jim said he wanted to Say Something to wallace. And he wanted to take his time and put his thoughts together. And he wanted to walk, so he would have time. So he said he was going to walk. And then he said, do you think anybody would walk with me . I said, well, i dont know, i will walk with you. That night, he asked the audience. He said, i have to take a message to governor wallace in montgomery, alabama. And im going to walk. And that he said, well, would anyone here in this church walk with me to echo the walk with me . The entire congregation stood up. He looked at me and said, we have ourselves a march. That was the genesis of the march to montgomery. And the march was about getting the government to recognize the fact that we did not have a right to vote. You could only register in one place. At that time, people were not allowed to vote for president of the United States. Because if you couldnt get registered in your own county, or your city, you couldnt participate in government. So, therefore, these people had no voice in the government. So the march was about giving people a voice. And we were absolutely right in our assumption and nonviolent. We take the position that you could only bring about significant change if you are able to win the sympathy, the active support of the majority. And the majority of the people who can make those decisions were in congress. And the supreme court. So, therefore, we had to make an appeal. So once they marched across that ridge bridge, we decided that what we were going to do was continue. Because if someone tries to stifle your voice, the most important response you can have is to get louder. So that is why our decision, after jackson, was to have a longer march and a larger march. The appeal to the public after bloody sunday, people started coming down from everywhere. Churches and religions, they all, ok, joined in. See, we believe in the American People. And we believed if we speak out and they understand what we are saying, they understand our suffering. They understand the feeling we have that we are being denied. Certain basic rights. And they were not only talking about rights of citizens, we are talking about rights as human beings. Because we are human beings first. And that march was all about respecting humanity. Respecting lives. Yes, black lives, white lives ok, all human life. If you recall, the large number of people who were killed in the Selma Movement were not blacks. They were whites. Yes. And, therefore, people believed that this was the important thing about this march. Today, the commemoration. 50 years ago today bloody sunday. Going to take some calls for reverend yet lafayette, who is one of the leaders. Edward in trenton, new jersey has been very patient on the line for a while. Go ahead. Caller dr. Lafayette, i have seen you come to trenton, new jersey. Do you know of any Younger Generation activists stepping up to the plate . Reverend lafayette from trenton, new jersey . Do i know any young people that were activists . I dont know any in particular ones because i have not spent that much time there. I was to therefore visit. But there are some there, i am sure. But we have 40 different organizations. Including those abroad. I am on a Conference Call every week with the leaders of these organizations of young people. And we know for fact that they are not going to allow this movement to stop. So the voice that we are talking about is the voices that were cut off by ropes when they were hanging people. They didnt want to hear their voices. These young people have picked up. We talk about trade on margin treyvon martin, they cut off his voice. In new york, i cant breathe, i cant breathe. He was actually breathing. That is why the tro cold continue to be applied because they did not want to hear the fact that the person cannot breathe. So i am excited about these young people. And i know that they are going to make this lasting movement. Each of our movements are in the names of cities. The montgomery movement, birmingham movement, ok . Selma movement. Voters rights. Now, it is going to be ferguson, missouri. That is our next movement. Lets go back to the phones. Rochelle in providence, rhode island. Caller yes. Go ahead. Caller dr. Lafayette, do you see todays commemoration of the sum of march bloody sunday more of a celebration of past civil rights accomplishments . Or should it or is it more of a protest against recent judicial compromises in the Voting Rights act . Reverend lafayette yes, the movement in selma today. This is a celebration. Commemoration. But also a continuation. A continuation of the same movement that we have experienced all along. That movement will not stop. King made his last speech in memphis, tennessee. He said, i have been to the mountaintop, i have looked over and i have seen the Promised Land. I may not get there, but i believe that we come as a people, well get to the Promised Land. So we look at the movement and the young people who are working to help her about that change that we are convinced that this is more than simply a protest did it is simply a protest. It is simply not complaining about the problems, but it is moving with a strategy determination, and continuation until we are able to make some basic changes. Eugene is on the phone from stone mountain, georgia. Go ahead eugene. Caller yes, i would like to ask reverend yet. Does he think america has come far enough in its promises to to yes. I would like to ask reverend e at left it lafayette. Has america come far enough to renew its promises . And you see that we need to galvanize all the energy that has come to make sure that the young people should be included in this protest . How far have we come . Reverend lafayette we have come a long ways. Dont make any mistake about it. We have come a long ways. There was a time when you look at what is behind me and you dont see two sidewalks. Here in selma, alabama when i first came in 1962 to start the board of Registration Campaign there were two sidewalks. And that is white have such a wide sidewalk now because it was a lower sidewalk and an upper sidewalk. And we knew who the lower sidewalk was four. Right across the street, i went into a barber stop shop. They were all black barbers. I took a seat, thinking i could get a haircut trade and these black barbers turned the other way. One of them finally came over and said, this barbershop is for whites only. Black barbers only cut white hair. I didnt believe it. When i look at the progress weve made, even in our economic development, we have a long way to go, but we do have some measures of success. Not to mention, the president of the United States 50 years ago, it could not have happened. 50 years later, i am amazed that we have a twoterm president who is africanamerican. We have made an important statement as a country. We have to continue to work at this thing. If we dont continue to step forward, we will go backwards. Because the world is moving. To stand still is to go back. We have to keep moving forward. Thats what the movement is about. Moving forward, recognizing those changes we still have to make. Host a commemoration today on the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday. Call American History tv at reverend lafayette, you were in selma, alabama several years right or to the marches, the events that happened in march of 1965. Tell us how you ended up in selma, alabama p we heard the story about the x on the map marking selma off. You went anyway. What is the story there . What happened is those of us from asheville had decided that since we had the sit in movement and we continued the freedom rides, once we started the freedom rides, we decided if we would give a fulltime for a couple of years, it would be like the peace corps, boots on the ground, so to speak. Community service. We started to go to work on boat registration as part of our response ability for committee service. We went to the rural areas where you had a large number of blacks who were not registered to vote even though they might have had the majority of the population. I decided i would drop out of school for a couple of years. I came down to atlanta, georgia and decided i would become director james forman had decided he was going to give me directorship. But, when we went to get the directorship, he said i have an urgent need to get people out of jail in louisiana. Need to raise money. I went to detroit and chicago to raise money. I returned and he said im sorry, there are no more directorships. What do you mean . We looked on the wall, the map and there was an x through selma. He said we are not sending anybody to selma. Why not . He said, we already sent two teams of six workers to selma and they came back with the same conclusion. What was that . They decided nothing can happen in selma alabama because the white people were two main and the black people were too afraid. Too mean. Nothing will happen. I began to remember, when did i first hear about selma . One of the first places first times i heard about selma was when we were on a freedom ride the bus was coming from Montgomery Alabama and was going to jackson mississippi. The National Guard, Alabama National guard were armed and they said we could not go through selma. Because there was a mob of 2000 people working waiting at the bus station here in selma. The National Guard did not want to go through selma. We bypassed selma on a decoy bus and we carried on to mississippi. Thats what i remember first about selma. When i took on this project, i said im curious how about we go to alabama . If you want to take a look, you can take a look at it and see what you think. I dont want to take a look at it. I will take it. If possible, that is my assignment. I took it on and i did Extensive Research on selma, alabama and the county before i went in. I needed to find out what was hoping kelly are about selma. What was so peculiar about selma. It was not the same as birmingham or montgomery. One of the characteristics was that selma was smaller and everybody knew everybody. There was a close relationship. There were no homes or churches bombed in selma. They had mortgages on the church. If you bond the church you did not have that. The other thing that was very peculiar was that people had generations of family that were close to each other, black and white. The black families were not they developed these relationships. They went to each others funerals. That was the only time they came together, the church. People were very loyal. They had instilled so much fear into the black people until the black people themselves participated in helping other black people stay in their place. That was the attitude and the climate i found when i came to selma, alabama. Host he mentioned the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. One of the Voting Rights activists in alabama and organizers of the selma to montgomery marches. Today, the commemoration, 50 years later selma bloody sunday at the bridge are president obama will be speaking later today and we will have that for you live. At 2 00 p. M. Eastern time. Lets take a few more calls. Joyce is on the line in inglewood, california. What is your question . Caller my question for him is, after 50 years or 400 years why is it that we are citizens of this United States, pay taxes, do what we do and we still have a hard time voting . People can come from other countries and get drivers license. I dont understand that. What we experienced is a Third Generation syndrome. Its not enough to understand that there is a problem. Its important to understand the genesis of the problem. What things have allowed the problem to exist . You can have a headache, but unless we understand the cause of the headache, we have not solved the problem. We have to find the cause and the care. The question is, how do we care this problem cure this problem . The Third Generation syndrome the first generation simply want to come and continue to have their religion, have their culture, have their dress code their food and music, all those characteristics. The second generation, they simply want to assimilate. The Third Generation is that generation that goes back and looks at the roots. Look at the origin, which child we came from, what was slavery like . What did people experience there and slavery . Then, we have people we experienced that Third Generation wearing he keys and having afros and changing names of our children. We wanted to go back to our roots. The white people in many cases want to go back to the roots of their cofounders. They remember when they were in charge of black folks. They remember when black folks were not considered human beings. They also believed that black folks did not have souls because they were slaves. Many of them are going back to those days when their own family members were actively involved in the ku klux klan. Once we understand that, then we get to the root of the problem. We need a massive Reeducation Program across the board. It needs to be in our School Systems and every institution and also needs to be in our media. We have to train our young people that this is not acceptable. We have to get people to learn how to stand up and stand together. That is how we are able to accomplish these things we did in the movement in the 1960s. We stood together. Went to jail together, die together. If they dont understand they are brothers and sisters we either have to become brothers and sisters in the together and live together or we live separately and die as fools. That educational part is extremely important. Not just to sit down in different sections of the bus or restaurant. We have to have some meaningful dialogue. Thats why this program is so important. Host we are live in selma, alabama today at the foot of the admin prentice bridge, the site of bloody sunday. The first attempted march from selma to Montgomery Alabama. Joining us today is reverend Bernard Lafayette, one of the Voting Rights activists and organizers in alabama. One of the organizers of this march. Isaiah in fayetteville, georgia appeare. Caller what do you think the root of this evil has come from european people where they hate black people after we built this country on our back . I am a spiritual man myself. Do you think god has sent us a prophet like you sent the children of israel to get out of this hell hole of north america . I have to search my mind and be able to understand those whites who harbor that hate. Why is it that they hate us . I know that we did not decide which race we were going to be born in. We did not decide which country, we did not decide the times and we will not decide the time we want to die. I could have been born white. I could have been born in rural georgia or alabama. I have to look into the soul and heart of the mind of these people who behave that way towards us. Then i have to say, what does it take to bring about changes. I have embraced nonviolence what Martin Luther king taught it we have to shortt. We have to show them how to love one another. We have to teach people to love one another. We have seen this kind of hatred. We have seen the results of it. We say to the silent majority of people who stand by and do nothing but when we see injustice towards one person its a threat to all of us. We have to see ourselves as being affected by these kinds of conditions that exist. We have to stand up against that hatred. They have to see the hatred will not succeed in a couples and their goals. Accomplishing their goals. Thats when we can make a difference. Its true that some people will die with hatred in their hearts. I have lived long enough to see some change. I have seen people who hated other folks and i see them turn around. We have to continue to be convinced that the Promised Land is going to come. And we have to do everything we can do with our lives to make it come soon and not later. Host another call for Bernard Lafayette from maria in washington, d. C. Caller thank you. Why do you continue to perpetuate the randomness of racism when the challenge of blacks is the immorality in music and videos, not teaching kids to respect the tradition of our lossaws, not insisting their kids use proper english or teaching them that giving back is important . Im a teacher. I have an africanAmerican History project. Guess who did the project . The white kids and one black. Why cant we teach these kids to Love Learning instead of perpetuating the randomness of racism and holding up signs . Thats what i mean by education. It can only happen when people learn how to educate other people. And share that. Education means not beating something in some of his head or criticizing them or their actions. Education means bringing the best out of others. The question has to be asked are we educating our young people . Are we bringing the best out of them . One of the important things is people need to learn that they can live together and work together. If you find black children are not volunteering in community projects, ask the question, why . Why they dont participate. Dont stop there in terms of why. You have to begin to find something that is interesting and exciting that they can participate in. One of the projects we started is we are going to have a Birthday Party for young people under 18. When they turn 18, we will celebrate. We will celebrate when they get their Voter Registration cards and theyre going to have a once a month Birthday Party for all those who turned 18 that month. Not only turn 18 and get a Voter Registration card, we will set up Voter Education projects so they can learn how to participate in government. Its not enough to just register to vote. They have to be able to know who was running for office and not just vote for somebody because they have the same family name. We are voting for people because of their commitment, the record and their proven and tried efforts to bring about change. Education is the key thing. Host reverend Bernard Lafayette joining us from selma, alabama today. President obama speaking there. We will hear from john lewis introducing the president. John lewis beaten on bloody sunday as the marchers attempted to go from selma to Montgomery Alabama. 50 years ago today, what was known as bloody sunday. Local Police Stopped the marchers. There was another subsequent march called turnaround tuesday and then some days later, march 21, the actual march successfully completed over. You were part of the organization. Tell us about that sequence. Bloody sunday occurred. What was turnaround tuesday . What was that about . Im so glad you asked that question. There has been some criticism of Martin Luther king because he ledhost from 1965 in Montgomery Alabama. A live look here in selma the ri. You have to have a strategy. What is a strategy . It is a plan of action that can accomplish the goals you are trying to reach. Protest is simply complaining about the problem. Strategy is helping to solve the problem. Turnaround tuesday, once you have bloody sunday, Martin Luther king appeals to people all around the country to come and join so we can continue the march to montgomery from selma. While people are in route, there was an injunction in federal court. Judge johnson. Whenever an injunction is issued , you have to wait until that Court Hearing to determine whether or not the courts are going to uphold that. Therefore, as Martin Luther king continued this march across that bridge one of the reasons why they got across the bridge is because of the city of selma is on the other side of the bridge. You are in the county. Therefore, you get the sheraton involved and you have state police involved. The sheriffs involved. He decided he would not violate that federal injunction because the march was about getting the federal government to protect the march is because the State Government was the ones attacking the people. Therefore, when he turned around , he refused to violate the federal injunction. And he waited. We can always march later. You dont want to violate a federal injunction. The other strategy was this. You can never successfully defeat a revolution unless you split the army. You have to split the army of your opponents. The federal government could provide federal troops. Usually when federal troops come in, they come into backup the state troopers and the county police and city police and all the other Law Enforcement officials. We were appealing to the federal government to bring troops in to protect us from those who were in Law Enforcement. We could see this because we continued that march with the protection of federal troops all the way to the capital of alabama. Host another call. Jillian in long beach, california. Caller hello, reverend Bernard Lafayette im interested in your strategy that you guys are enacting or that you should be in acting to make sure that the states with the voter id laws make sure that people get the necessary documentation they need to get this voter id. What are you guys going to do . First of all, we must understand that our United States constitution does not provide a standard for people to be able to register to vote. It is decided by the state. We live in different states or we have different drivers licenses and tests. What we are same with our butter registration act is the federal government has the responsibility to make sure that whatever standard or whatever requirements the states have cannot be discriminatory against other people based on race or economic condition or whatever. It must be equally applied. That is the issue, whether they are equally applied. We have an amendment to the constitution that changed the constitution. It was a regulation that the states have. What we have to do is make sure the voter rights act stays in place until the problem is solved. An act is temporary. Thats why we have to vote every 10 years or five years to renew the voter rights act because the act is not a permanent part of the constitution. We have to make sure that people are not being discriminated against, women are not being discriminate against, people of color are not being this committed against. Being discriminated against. You hadeven the age difference in the states. We had to come together to say this is discriminatory to let people of one age and then in another state, another age. We must look carefully at the conditions that now exist as it relates to the criteria of foreboding and gerrymandering four votinr voting and gerrymandering and make sure the Voting Rights act has teeth and it. In it. If there is no enforcement, the act doesnt mean anything. Host we are live in selma, alabama. What do you hope to hear from the president today when he speaks . I hope that the president will speak in a way to give confidence to our young people who have been involved in this struggle. They need to hear from the president that our office of the president is concerned about their condition and their plight. I want to hear him say he is going to use the power of his office to ensure that every one of us, black, white, young, old is going to get the best support from the federal government. I want the president to say that this movement is not just about crossing a bridge and making a historic statement, but a statement for the future that not only will we cross this bridge, we are going to cross every bridge and every barrier and every obstacle that keeps us from reaching our goals. Host Bernard Lafayette was one of the leaders of the Voting Rights movement in alabama. The march was 50 years ago. He is the coauthor of in peace and freedom. Thank you for joining us today on American History tv. My pleasure. Host john lewis one of the key organizers of the selma to montgomery Voting Rights march in 1965. We will be back to selma shortly. We will show you abc News Coverage of his remarks and a rally at the Alabama State capital in montgomery on march 25. I am delighted to present to you now, one of the finest young men i have had the privilege of knowing in my life. Like myself, he is a product of alabama. He comes to the spotlight and has assumed leadership in this nation from just 50 miles away down in troy alabama. Let us hear the leader of the courageous students of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, mr. John lewis. [applause] my fellow Freedom Fighters as a native of troy, alabama just 50 miles from here, i am happy to be able to stand here and share this great moment in history. With men like Martin Luther king and other great men in this great march and struggle for freedom. This is the greatest and perhaps most significant demonstration in the history of the civil Rights Movement. Just a few weeks ago governor wallace said there would be no march. He used our troops to be dust down on march 7. Beat us down on march 7. You headacyou said you had a constitutional right to march and you did march. The president of the United States made it clear to the American People and also made it Crystal Clear to the governor that the state of alabama is still a part of the union. We the negro people of alabama have been denied, and dehumanized by the vicious system of racial segregation and discrimination. Thousands of you have gone to jail over and over again in marion and selma. Today, you stand here as a living witness to the fact that you are to be free and you are to be free here and now. The president of the United States made it clear that we will get a voting law based on one man, one vote. All the negro people of alabama will be able to register and vote. I know that many of you have tried. You are tired of being beaten, arrested and jailed simply because you want to be free. Some of you have laid the tracks , picked the cotton, cook the food and nursed the babies for low pay or no pain at all. No pay at all we will stand up to governor wallace that we are tired of being voiceless and tired of being invisible in the political arena. We want to participate in this government and we want to do that right here and now. [applause] within a system when any system denies a people the right to vote, it is not asking for a battle but demanding a war. We are involved in a nonviolent war. We are involved in a nonviolent revolution. We dont have guns. We dont have billy clubs. We dont have to guess. The only thing we have is our bodies. Our tired feet. We dont have teargas. Our weary bodies will take us to victory right here in the state of alabama right in the heart of the as we lead this march today, we must go back to the county courthouse and attempt to register to vote. The state of alabama and the negro people of this state will never be the same. We are making it clear all over the world, not just in this state and in this nation, that our struggle is a struggle for freedom and liberation. Matter not whether its in selma or greenwood or mozambique or johannesburg the struggle is the same as a struggle for human dignity. A lot of people across this country are saying that we are tired. Too many people have been beaten , too many people have been shot and even killed. We have had enough of that. We have had a confrontation but now is the time for us to make some serious decisions. [applause] host from 1965 in Montgomery Alabama. A live look here in selma the ri bridge the march attempting to cross this bridge 50 years ago today was met headon by Alabama State police and local Police Officers who stopped the march. Bloody sunday took place. The march did eventually occur later. You heard john lewis who spoke at the end of the march. That speech you just a was from abc News Coverage of that day and of the events surrounding the selma to montgomery march. We will show you at the end of our live Coverage Today three plus hours of abc News Coverage from 1965. Coverage of bloody sunday. The site seen around the country. Teargas, clubbings of marchers. Here we are 50 years later in selma, live from selma, alabama. The president of the United States will be speaking this afternoon at about 2 00 eastern time. John lewis will be introducing him. Yesterday, Debbie Wasserman schultz tweeted out a picture of herself and congressman lewis along with Andrew Goodman of the Andrew Goodman foundation gi. Again, eight week from Debbie Wasserman schultz a tweet. Coming up in 10 minutes, we expect to start hearing some of the speaking program in selma. We will bring that live. In the meantime, we would like to get your comments. You can join us at 2027488900. If you live in the pacific time zone 202748 8901. Patricia, you are on the air. Caller i signed a petition recently online for a change name this bridge was originally named after the alabama grand dragon of the kkk. This name change would help heal psychological wounds from injustices met on this bridge. Thank you very much. Host thanks for the call. Rodney in california. Go ahead. Caller hello . Host you are on the air. Caller good morning. I was curious, the great divide we still have been this nation with the police departmentss misconduct etc. , everyone seems to be worried about what barack obama will be speaking about this morning. What about the rest of our leaders . They have the time to host other prime ministers Like Netanyahu but they dont have time to show up in selma. How come they dont show up to help pull us together more . This would be great if they would show up and help destroy this great divide in our country. Thats all im saying. They have time to host other folks. Why not come and help us out here . Host the previous caller was referring to the admin pettis bridge Edmund Pettus bridge. It was named after a former confederate Brigadier General and the grand dragon of the alabama ku klux klan. An article from politico referring to what our last caller was talking about. Gop leaders skip selma event. Scores of u. S. Lawmakers are converging in tiny selma alabama for a large gathering renee is next in florida. You are on the air. Go ahead. Caller thank you, cspan. I love watching you guys. It is very educational. Why cant the president or the Congress Just an act aenact a law where the voters dont have to keep being renewed . The governors in all of the states need to reinstate the Voting Rights act for felons who have done their time and want to come out of prison and live a productive life. They should be able to vote when they are registered to vote. Thank you very much. Host president Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights act a few months after bloody sunday. The signing of the Voting Rights act taking place on august 6 1965. Taking a few more phone calls while we wait for the speaking program to begin life in selma. Ryan on the line from fredericksburg, virginia. Caller i want to make a comment about i think it is great whats going on. It makes me proud to be an american. Thank you. Host mark in pasadena, california. Caller hello there. Thank you for taking my call. I want to make a comment i lived through this era. I was only 15 years old at the time but i remember it well. We have come quite a ways but there is still so much more to do, especially now that we have a Republicancontrolled Congress intent on keeping down voting amongst the minority population in the young people and students. They will not accept a student but they will accept membership within the National Rifle association. That is clearly the demographic they are targeting, but to keep down student voting. Because they vote more democratic. Of course, the voter id to keep down the black voting. There are videos i saw on some shows where they should politicians bragging about how it has kept down the black voting by at least 5 . Where is the Justice Department in all of this . We have a long ways to go. Host thanks for calling, mark. Another picture from usa u. S. News. Landmark bridge at center of obama visit. We are live today in selma alabama. President obama will be speaking at the commemoration, the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday when Voting Rights marchers attempted to cross the bridge in your picture now. Attempting a march from selma to Montgomery Alabama 50 years ago and were met headon by state troopers and local police and were not able to make the march. It did eventually take place march 21 through the 25th. Taking your calls while we wait for the speaking portion of the program to get underway. You will have live coverage of that in the president s remarks coming up at 2 00 p. M. Eastern time. The numbers on your screen we go to utah, salt lake city, susan, you are on the air. Caller i would like to see the bridges name changed to Martin Luther king bridge. Host jamaica, new york. Go ahead. Caller thank you for taking my call. Im so surprised that i got through. I wanted to call because i just turned 72 years old. I was part of all the changes in the 1960s. I am from the south, north carolina. The reason i wanted to make a statement is that Charity Begins at home. We need love right here. We need to love the jewish people and everything we are not going to let anything happen to them. We want our Congress People to participate in our emotional feelings here in the country. The black people who suffered so much. We want healing here and we would like for them to show more love and respect for our situation. Particularly about this 50th anniversary. The march on the bridge. Thank you so much. Host william in eureka california. Go ahead. Caller good morning. Im surprised i got on your dime 71 years old. Im 71 years old. I was in sixth grade and my best friend was a black girl. That would have made me 10, 11 12 . I asked if she wanted to see my chickens at my dads and she said yes so she came home with me and played with the chickens and as we were leaving, my parents came home and my dad got out of the car and called her all kinds of bad words and i stood there shocked. I did not have a clue. She went home crying and i went in the house and my parents never said a word to me except my dad. He said dont you ever, blah blah blah. I have had to live with that. I drove a greyhound for 50 years. A lot of the drivers are black. Some of them are my best friends. All im trying to say is that this stuff is inbred in people. Im so ashamed of my own parents. Thank you. Host talking about the coverage from selma, alabama from 50 years ago. We will be showing that to you after our live Coverage Today of this 50 year commemorative event with the president and other speakers in selma. Three plus hours of abc News Television coverage from 1965 in selma, alabama. Other newspersons returning today as pbs News Reporter bill pla returns to selma 50 years after covering the civil rights marches. Bill plante is returning to alabama for the weekends commemoration. He was a 27yearold reporter in 1965 who bore witness to police tear gassing and beating demonstrators on the bridge in selma. He later interviewed Martin Luther king in a separate march. A number of dignitaries in selma today, as are dozens of members of the house and senate. We will hear from john lewis congressman from georgia who was part of the march. The organizer of the march, who was been on this day 50 years ago. He will introduce president obama this afternoon. That program is set to get underway at 2 00 p. M. Eastern. Back to your phone calls comments about this commemoration and the event 50 years ago. Kiki in new york. Go ahead. Caller i have a remark. It is a shame that the bridge is not named for selma because it is a historic thing. It should go back to selma. That is the proper name. When i heard about selma, it is very historic. All those who are not there its a shame. They have been suffering for so many years. When i saw the documentary, i was crying so much. It is very, very sad. Especially the congress. I guess they feel bad about themselves. Thats why they are not there. Host stephen in west palm beach, florida. Caller thank you very much. Im a 70yearold who was most upset with the use of the congress by the israeli prime minister. I am ashamed that the leadership of the congress is not in selma for this truly historic american experience. They should be ashamed. Host jean in york, pennsylvania. What is on your mind . Caller i would like to say that i am glad we are celebrating this historical event in our lives. I would like to say because of that, if we would have exercised our right to vote properly, we would not be experiencing some of the pitfalls we are having with congress and their representatives. Our presented its. I hope this day will remind people that we as African Americans have to treasure our right to vote and we need to be more involved with not only the president ial race but every form of government. We need to voice our opinion and let our vote count. Host a bit of history about selma, 50 miles west of montgomery. The city of selma incorporated back in the year 1820, was named by a future Vice President of the United States. Selma was a main Confederate Military Manufacturing Center during the civil war. Produced the confederate iron union forces captured and burn much of the city in 1865. The bridge built in 1940. Robert, you are on the line with us on American History tv. Caller thank you so much for taking my call. I agree with the prior caller. I feel the gop, john boehner and his crew should certainly be here on this day. If we are going to have a foreign leader from israel, which we do support fully, at least they could have showed the same respect for this day in selma. Thank you for taking my call. Host tosha in macon, georgia. Caller thank you for accepting my call. The name on the bridge, they were saying change the name. That name that i see on the Television Screen is like a banner to me that we the people that crossed that bridge overcame the bridge name itself. That should be a monument to show that we overcame every time you look at that bridge coming you will think about the name anyway. Changing the name to me is not a big deal. Changing the opinion of the people is the most important thing. Host darlene in newport news virginia. Caller thank you for taking my call and thank you for the supporters i have a question. It is quite disturbing to me i want to know why White America has such disdain for black america. We have been in this country together for eons. There is still no peace, no respect, not even for our president. I have heard Public Comments that would never be made it he were a white president if you were a white president. Whatever grudge they have against black america we live together in this country in peace and love and respect. There isnt any. Just as our children are being publicly killed this is crazy. It is crazy to me. I pray to god that there be peace in north america and all over the world where there are problems like this. It doesnt make any sense. Host selma, 50 years later. We are live in selma, alabama on cspan3s American History tv. Seeing the sights and sounds as we await the music prior to president obama who will be addressing the crowd at the foot of the Edmund Pettus bridge. We will have that for you live on cspan3, American History tv continues. Some of the historic coverage from abc news back in 1965 with three plus hours of coverage of the selma to montgomery march from abc. Lets go back to the phones. Lisa in louisiana. You are on American History tv. What is on your mind . Caller good afternoon. I was calling because i heard a teacher earlier talking about that black kids dont have respect. Host are you there . Sounds like we have i apologize. Your call was dropped. Here are the sights and sounds in selma alabama as we wait for the program to begin. Commemoration, 50 years later of bloody sunday. Todays date, march 7 1965, Voting Rights marchers attending to make a march from selma to the state capital in montgomery, alabama, met by state troopers and police. Many were beaten, tear gas canisters were fired. The march came to an end. On tuesday, there was the famous on tuesday, there was the famous turnaround tuesday where they turned around and prayed, waiting for a federal injunction to take place. And then the successful march finally on march 20th through the 25th escorted by army troops and federalized Alabama National guard from march 21 through the 25th, 1965. While we wait for the program to begin, more calls. Barbara in bridgeport, connecticut. Caller hi, im just very saddened. I was 16 years old. Im 66 now. I think this is very sad that we are still going through this. I thought all of this would actually be behind us. I went through malcolm x. , when he was assassinated. It was on television. Im a member watching that life, his funeral. I can remember when kennedy got shot. I can remember the night that Martin Luther king got killed. And all of this stuff, i thought was behind us. And now, my grandchildren, it is sad to say that they have to go through this and im just very saddened that we are still biting fighting to vote . Writing to vote. This is ridiculous. Host you obviously feel there is not enough progress that has been made. What do you think are the next steps . Caller frankly, i just dont know what in the world its going to take. What gives the white race the right that we have to fight to vote . Who knows better than we are what makes them think we have to go through this marching and begging and pleading all over again . I will tell you what i actually do think. I think its going to take an actual civil war between the black and the white, thats what i think, to stop this nonsense. We are going to have to have a war. You think isis is something, but we are having our own problems right here. We cannot solve the problems in other countries until we can solve our own problems right here. Host all right, thanks for the call. We will go back to philadelphia, pennsylvania, patrice, youre on the air. Caller thank you for taking my call. I wanted to comment on the Historical Context of today and bring it to where we are now in america. A lot of people talk about how they are surprised that none of the gop is attending and how they are surprised by how some members of congress are behaving. It really shouldnt be much of a surprise, given hostility in america against blacks and given the fact that after obama was elected, all of hostilities started to resurface, similar to what happened in the 1960s. People should not be said that the gop is not there. Right now, the gop, they are trying to hold onto the old good old days, according to them, what america was, when black people kind of state in their place. They are playing to that base. The fact that they are not in attendance should not be a surprise to people. I think what we need to focus on is the overall picture and the fact that the world is changing. Its becoming more black and brown. More diverse. And its maybe scaring some white people but america is a diverse nation and we will have to live learn how to live with each other. Nothing is changing. These are moving forward. Things are progressing. Obama pretty much symbolizes that the world is becoming more diverse, more black and brown more day, more equal in regards to womens rights. We are not going to go back to the good old days. Host thanks for your call. On your screen, you have been watching some of the historic footage of the selma to montgomery, alabama march of 1965. Today is the anniversary of bloody sunday in selma. We are live today for the commemoration of that event and we will hear from president obama shortly at about 2 00. The speaking program with the president will get underway and we will have that here for you on American History tv. John lewis, who was part of the march, and now congressman john lewis, will be introducing the president. More of your calls, sheila on the line in norfolk, virginia. Caller im calling just to voice my opinion that the struggle does not just stop. It has always been placed in our hands. When our fathers and mothers sat with us and showed us the things that happen on the tv in the 1960s, i can remember my greatgrandmother explaining all of this to me. I feel like we as society, we need to pick up with our grandchildren come our children, and let somebody know. Just like the jews, they dont stop generic is about holocaust. Dont stop teaching their kids about the holocaust. We need to teach our family, and extended family about black history, and not just black History Month to month but everything will day. And it continues until we all appreciate each other and learn to come together like they did for civil rights. That is just my opinion, one black woman, trying to raise her family properly. I challenge you, step up and be the leader that these people were for us in the 1960s. Host thank you. Ted in penrose, colorado, what are your thoughts . Caller yes, i would like to see the president and some of the leaders take advantage of this generation this situation with all of them being together at that site, and call for everyone to get together again and get people off their couches and onto the street and work together. It is not just a thing of color. It is an economic problem. There are poor wife of latinos there are poor whites, or latinos, for indians who were latinos, or indians, and we need to get together and have a renewal of the spirit that existed in 1960s. Everyone has gotten too complacent. Everyone is pretty much just happy to go about the day today and they will comment on stuff but when it gets comes to getting out and doing something about it, you know, if we would all vote, we would not have these tuitions. These situations. I just want everyone together as people, not necessarily as blacks or white or latinos but joined together as people who want to have a voice in the way this country is run. That is all i have to say. Host makes very much for calling. We are alive and elma, alabama we are live in selma, alabama, on the 50th anniversary of what came to be known as bloody sunday. Clayborne carson is the director of the Martin Luther king jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University and also author of Martin Stream martins dream. We invite you to call and ask questions of professor Clayborne Carson. We heard part of the speech that Lyndon Johnson made shortly after bloody sunday. He addressed congress on Voting Rights. What was lbj thinking on Voting Rights prior to event in selma . Guest he wanted Voting Rights no question. For him, it was a question of timing. That is what brought it there. Martin is a king met with him and it was not the right time. The young people in the Voting Rights campaign made sure it was time. They reminded johnson that they were setting the timetable, not the president. Host where were you on bloody sunday . And when you heard about bloody sunday, what was your reaction . Guest i was in los angeles going to ucla at the time. I remember the reaction myself, and many of the people i knew, was anger. We wanted to do something. We wanted to come and protest. Instead, we decided to protest at the Federal Building in los angeles. We basically shut the Federal Building down for a short time in order to make it clear that the federal government had to react on behalf of the Voting Rights marches in selma. Host mark luther, where was he 50 years ago today . Martin luther king, where was he 50 years ago today . With his role in the marches . What was his role in the marches . Guest Martin Luther king decided to make it an issue after getting the nobel peace prize. The Voting Rights campaign was already underway. Of course, what happened on bloody sunday was, Martin Luther king was in atlanta dealing with the affairs of his church, while a group of marchers left selma over the bridge, and of course that was the famous confrontation on the other side of the bridge. And Martin Luther king was somewhat embarrassed that he was not here, but he promised to come back and lead another march the following tuesday. Host tell us about that. That was turnaround tuesday. What was Martin Luther kings idea for turnaround tuesday after four tuesday . Guest first, he thought he could lead a march, and after negotiations with the federal government they commit sin that if they waited until the following tuesday, they would be able to they convinced him that if they waited until the following tuesday, they would be able to march with the authority of the federal judge. He decided not to trust the troopers on tuesday, and that led him to make that decision to turn back and go back to selma. That upset a lot of people. That was one of kings crucial decisions, and it was very controversial. I remember in his own memoir, the autobiography of Martin Luther king, gathering together all of his autobiographical writings, he spends a lot of the chapter defending that action. Because some people charge that it was of a trail of the march to turn around. But i think he made a somewhat convinced that it was a betrayal of the march to drive around. But i made a somewhat convinced case convincing case. The next march ended up to be much more successful. We will just never know what happened on the tuesday march. Host professor Clayborne Carson is joining us on American History tv today. I would like to invite the viewers to join us. The numbers are on the screen. And you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter as well. Lets go to the phone lines. Maddie has been holding on from macon, georgia. Do you have a question or Clayborne Carson . Caller for Clayborne Carson . Caller actually, i dont. I just wanted to say the irony of bloody sunday on that bridge is inescapable. And i also want to say that although we try to cover it up, history cannot be erased, no matter whose history or no matter how ugly. I think my auntie lou said it best when she said history cannot be unlit, but a face if faced with courage, will not have to be lived again. Host thanks for the call. Guest this bridge is not famous for edmund pettis, but what happened here 50 years ago. I hope that a name change is in the works. Host lets go back to the calls. Louisiana, doc is joining us for Clayborne Carson. Caller good day to you and have a Beautiful Day out there. Being a retired navy man of the 1960s and a vietnam veteran, my contribution to be a part of the Human Relations Program for the navy was my commitment to help the program that Martin Luther king was a part of. I also want to make a statement that i want to commend the 71yearold man from vallejo about the family that treated the young black girl with racism. It took a lot of strength and intestinal fortitude to Say Something like that about their family. Have a good day down there. Host naked for the comment. Thank you for the comment. Clayborne carson joining us. Johnny from decatur, alabama. Go ahead. Caller i just want to ask you, professor, do you think there is more that could begun instead of just once a year, once a month that could be done instead of just once a year, once a month . Guest well, i think the greatest commemoration we could stage would be to increase the number of voters. Black americans and young americans, and a lot of americans who favor social change would vote in larger proportion. Maybe bring it up to 80 or 90 as close to 100 as we could get. We could change the face of american politics. A lot of the politics is not decided by those who go invoke but those who stay home. Host how has selma changed in the last 50 years . Guest it has changed a lot even from the first time i was here in the 1970s. The Voting Rights museum, the commemorations that have previously taken place i think we have almost reached the point and i dont know that we are there yet, that americans on the whole can take pride in these kinds of commemorations. It is not just a predominately black crowd. When i came here today i was driving down with another person and the traffic got so bad, i had to get out of the car and start walking. And when i did that, some students on a bus recognized me. I guess they had been studying one of my books. And they came out of the bus and we started our own march. Even today, and these were people of various races who were studying the Voting Rights movement in their classes and wanted to be here. And they were brought by some of their teachers from Butler University Butler University. I called the march from nowhere into selma to commemorate the selma to montgomery march. Host professor Clayborne Carson joining us live today in selma, alabama. This 50th anniversary of bloody sunday. Our live coverage continuing here on American History tv on cspan3 and simulcast on cspan radio across the country on xm satellite radio. Back to the calls jenny in south windsor, connecticut, go ahead for professor carson. Caller good afternoon. I just want to commend you. And im greatly appreciate that you are having this on tv. I would like to be more active in this elevation as well. I was wondering in this celebration as well. What do i need to do to find out information of what is going on right now . Guest well, one of the things that any person can do is, instead of taking the next vacation going to europe or going to a National Historic part site. Just yesterday i was in atlanta at keansburg home kings birth home. Come to montgomery and dexter Avenue Church working where k ing preached. Come to birmingham to the Civil Rights Museum there. Come to the national Civil Rights Museum. There are lots of ways. Also just read books. There is a wealth of literature about this. John lewis and so many others have written their stories. To me, it is one of the great freedom movements in Human History. And as i said before, the best way to commemorate it is to take an active role in determining the of this nation. In other words, be a citizen in the full sense of that word. Vote, take an active part in changing america for the better. And i think, that more than even commemorating an event, would honor king. Host so many people have connected to selma through the motion pictures, through the movie selma. Did the movie makers get it right . Guest i applaud the film makers. I applaud the fact that they made it. Yes, i think there were some things that were not exactly historically accurate, but that happens in all hollywood movies. The controversy shouldnt distract us from seeing the film. I told my students though, that if you can get your history from going to a movie for two hours i would tell my students to leave class and go to the movies for two hours. If you want to get a deeper view of history, read about it. Take a class in it. Right now, im developing an online class about Martin Luther king. Within a few years, it will be possible for people throughout the world to take the kind of glad that you would have to come to Stanford University to take. You can get access to this material wherever you are in the world. Host lets go back to the phone lines for professor clayborne cart Clayborne Carson. Neil is on the line from colorado. Caller hello, professor. Its changed so much in the United States, k12 and College Education should not be so involved in the push related to this issue. Do you think a graduation requirement should be a cultural proficiency, having the skills necessary to live among different people . Host neil broke up on a there. Broke up on us there. Guest what i got from it was what we need to do to educate people to help understand American History. Because i dont see the answer being pictures or an elective course on civil rights history or Something Like that. Its fine if you want to do it but i think American History on the whole if it was top of it should be taught, every american would know the importance of what happened here. It was not be something it would not be something that requires specialized study. All of this should be part of our common understanding that americans have of the long route to create the principles that were enunciated in the declaration of independence and make them real. If you look at the civil war you see that as a war, as lincoln said, to have a new birth of freedom in this country. And when king is talking at the microphone in washington and he says, its now time for us to make real, the promise make real the promise of democracy. That is what is happening protecting the union. If people understand it this way, then they understand is this is essential knowledge for any american. Host we have been watching some of the arrivals in selma alabama as he have been talking with professor Clayborne Carson. We will hear from the president later on today. You saw a few moments ago on the screen that attorney general eric holder. That reminds me to ask you about the significance of selma alabama to recent events in ferguson, missouri. Your thoughts . Guest well, i think if king were here, he would be reminding us that his dream is unfinished, it is unrealized. It will take more struggle to bring about that understanding that human rights is a global issue, and its an ongoing issue. We have achieved a great victory back in the 1960s. The fact that for the first time in Human History most people on earth, most of humanity had basic citizenship rights. We should celebrate that. Last summer, i went to zambia and they were salivating their independence. Throughout the world, you have people who have never practiced. It should ship practiced full citizenship. And in the decades after world war ii, that was a challenge. But now we face a different challenge. What are our rights as human beings . We should have rights that, as jefferson said in the declaration of independence he didnt say all americans are entitled to life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He meant all of humanity. We have to take that ideal which of course, was not true especially in jeffersons time when there was slavery. But we have to make that a reality and it will take more decades of struggle. But i think ferguson, the events there, or us of that. And i applaud the young people who have taken the incident, and all of the incidents, just like the one in wisconsin recently, all of these incidents have been lips on the media screen blips on the media screen. 99 of americans would have gone on the next day without giving it another thought. But because young people now dont allow them to do that combination is forced to confront the fact that we have not achieved these ideals. Host Clayborne Carson is joining us from the foot of the Edmund Pettus bridge. Back to the phones. George in brooklyn, new york your question for professor carson. Caller professor carson, thank you for being on cspan3 and thanks to cspan for having this program. As a professor in an institution as esteemed as stanford and being in a program where you are studying Martin Luther king, what do you think dr. King would be thinking today about the apathy of young people not involved in the political process or even simple civic duties in their community . And i speak to the high numbers of incarceration. Is it because their parents are absent and not teaching in the homes these values . Because we cannot continue like this. We can march a thousand marches. We could petition congress. The respect that we so need will not come to us just by simply marching. We have to do studies. And at stanford, i would really suggest that you linked with other institutions to study the effect on the disenfranchisement of minorities. Because we are heading for disaster. Someone made mention before you came on about the only way we will control the result is to have a civil war with white people. And that is a pandoras box. If you open that box, whos going to close it back on long will it take to close . Who is going to close it and how long will it take to close . Host professor . Guest its a big question, and what youre getting at is the fundamental question. Because to me, democracy is not a reality. Its an experiment. And we have to treat it that way. One of the things that happen in the 1960s was they were Voter Registration Voter Education classes being taught. Maybe we need citizenship education, or Democracy Education in order to get us out of this rut that we are in. I dont think weve made progress. I would agree with you that Martin Luther king would look forward because we achieved the Voting Rights act of 1964 and 1955, many people would say now we are full citizens and we can move ahead. But what we find is that simply open up the possibility. It was a piece of legislation doesnt change anything necessarily unless you use that as an opportunity to move forward. And i think we realize that and i think many of the young people realize now that this is not the promise land. This is simply a step along the way and we still need some strong leadership that is going to get us there. We still need more people to get more educated about the response abilities we have. We need to have people who understand that now the problems are global rather than local. And i hope that as i mentioned before that people in my position, you know i teach at a very elite university and it costs many tens of thousands of dollars to go there. What we are hoping to do is take that kind of education and make it available to everyone within with an internet connection. But that will still be simply a possibility unless people use those resources. Right now, you can go on the web and find information that was only available to maybe a dozen scholars when i began editing my mr. Kings papers 30 years ago. Now we can use that to provide Education Opportunities to vast numbers throughout the world. Host gloria joining us in diamond bar, california. What is your question for professor Clayborne Carson. Caller hello, professor garson. Im 80 years old and im africanamerican. My husband was military and we were stationed in england when all of this was going on. And if worse, what and of course when we came back to the country it was amazing to see what was happening. The buzz across the south and the reaction of most of the southerners that were there with us, they were so angry that the blacks were doing anything to help themselves. But i just want to pose this question. All of the Education Needs to confront the strongest entity in this country, and that is, the church. The church is standing for israel, but the church should also be standing for the rights of this country, and sending in they have to realize standing in such a way that they have to realize they are so frightened and if we dont stand for israel, there is judgment of god. What about our country here . They should have ministers crossing this country, preaching that we need to change the very conscience of this nation toward one another, and until we begin to put the civil Rights Movement along with the church just as Martin Luther king did when he knelt and he prayed, we have to put together god with this. Because the conscience has to be changed. There is a fight here and the spiritual wickedness is in high places. We need god to do with this. So the civil Rights Movement cannot just be of talking cannot just be dealing with history. But with us together with god, with the strongest entity in this country, the church. Guest i think the way i would respond to that is, if Martin Luther king was here, he was the type of minister that was pushing the church of his day to be a picking be a beacon for social justice, for human rights. And not just for black americans, and not just americans, but people around the world. That is what Martin Luther kings good for. What Martin Luther king stood for. I think the church has become complacent and has forgotten that message of the social gospel that king represented. And instead, we have sort of the gospel of prosperity. I think you are right in terms of emphasizing that this is the strongest institution that africanamericans control. And if that institution is not on the side of social justice then we have a problem. Host professor Clayborne Carson live with us in selma, alabama. Help us understand some of that history. The southern christian Leadership Conference, Martin Luther king, the others involved, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, how were those groups involved . How to they coordinate their activities . And was there tension between them . Guest as some people know, i wrote a book about the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. It was an organization is always pushing king. One of the misconceptions you might get from the film if you just look at it superficially about someselma, is that king is this sort of unchallenged leader. But the way in which the young people were challenging him they were not following dr. King. They thought he was the one following them because they were those they were the first to initiate the freedom rides and to initiate the Voting Rights campaign several years before king came here. It is important for us to understand that the movement was not just a single leader. It was a number of people who were taking the initiative. One thing i like to point out is that rosa parks made it possible for Martin Luther king to emerge. Martin luther king did not make it possible for rosa parks to emerge as she did. If she had not taken the reaction that she did in montgomery, Martin Luther king would never have had the platform that he had to become prominent as a leader during the 1950s. I hear people saying well, we need another Martin Luther king. We need a lot more rosa parks. We need a lot more people like the Young Students who initiated these events. These are the people that are also essential. Host we have twitter questions. Guest i know there is a lot of controversy in reaction to the actions of the family concerning marlee the kings legacy. But i want to point out, there are more publications today of all of Martin Luther kings writing, far more than existed during his lifetime. And the work im doing could not have been done without the support of the family. You can have all kinds of questions about who profits from that, but i dont want there to be the misconception that it is stopping the information of Martin Luther king from getting out. That information is more available today than it has ever been in the past including when my mr. King was alive. All you have to do is a Google Search and you will see what im saying is true. You can look and find all the books that have been written about Martin Luther king. There are more books of Martin Luther kings writings and ideas today than there were at the time of his death. Host professor Clayborne Carson, thanks for doing battle there with some of the music in the background and for staying with us today. Clayborne carson is the director of the Martin Luther king jr. Research and Education Institute at stanford, and the author screeria nigeria. Good morning. I am the regional director of the National Capital region of the National Park service. It is my great pleasure to welcome you this chilly march morning to the Lincoln Memorial as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincolns second inauguration as president of the United States. Abraham lincolns first inauguration was held beneath the gathering clouds of war. A tense standoff at fort sumter continued, both the north and south anxiously looked to the inauguration. For signs of what was to come. His inaugural address was filled with ominous warnings against secession and promises to meet the use of arms by the seceded Southern States with force on the part of the United States. Four years later on march 4 1865, despite for terrible years of civil war, president lincoln viewed his second inauguration as a cause for optimism with high hopes for the future, he opened before outlining how to plant treat his fellow countrymen in the wars aftermath. With malice towards none, with charity for all. We are excited today about the lineup of political scientist historians and musicians who have joined us this morning to help us reflect upon and john relevancy upon the 150th anniversary of the watershed event in American History. These lessons are made that much more poignant today as our nation also observes the 50th anniversary of selmas bloody sunday, a landmark event in the civil Rights Movement. My heartfelt thanks for all of our participants and partners who made todays program possible come in particular i would like to extend my thanks to the Lincoln Group of the district of columbia, our cosponsor of todays program who shared our vision for properly marking this very important anniversary. Now, it is my pleasure to introduce the president of the Lincoln Group of the district of columbia. [applause] good morning, everybody. It is 50 degrees here. Tomorrow. I talked to the lord a lot this week and he managed to get us a Beautiful Day. Lincoln was walking from the white house when a gentleman walked up to him, pulled out a pistol and pointed it at him and said he was going to shoot him. Lincoln quietly asked him what he had done to offend him. The gentleman said i always swore if i saw a man uglier than i was, i would shoot him. Lincoln scratched his whiskers and then said sir, if i truly am uglier than you, shoot me. The man was so flabbergasted, he put the pistol back in his pocket and walked away. Lincoln was accused of being twofaced. He looked at him and said, if i were twofaced, would i be wearing the space . This face . We love his humor, his ability to tell a story and make a point. We love lincoln for his humor especially those stories that quietly had a point to be made. We love the father, whose love and sorrow touches our hearts. We admire lincoln the president who was determined to protect and defend the United States of america. And to finally eliminate the peculiar institution of slavery with the 13th amendment. I encourage the Younger Generation, those of you standing out here in the Global Community to look at lincoln to understand the determination and moral compass. Keeps you determined to do what you want to do. I will leave you with a quote that lincoln said. Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing. Thank you for coming. [applause] thank you karen. We are proud to begin todays program with the presentation of the colors. The colors are carried by the United States army colorguard from the military district of washington. Please rise for the presentation of the colors, the National Anthem and the pledge of allegiance. March on the colors halt colors present ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the National Anthem and pledge of allegiance. [National Anthem playing] will you join me as we are led by representatives of the boy scouts of america in reciting the pledge of allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Ladies and element, kindly remain standing for the returning of the colors in the invocation. Ladies and gentlemen, kindly remain standing for the returning of the colors and the invocation. Throughout his presidency, Abraham Lincoln worshiped. In the new york Avenue Presbyterian Church, he discussed theology with a man revered by the lincoln family. These discussions may well have influenced lincolns thoughts on the war and the future of our nation, which he presented in his second inaugural address 150 years ago. As we stand here on the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday, it is also important to note this Historic Church sent ministers to selma to support dr. Kings fight for civil rights. I have the pleasure to introduce roger of new york Avenue Presbyterian Church to deliver the invocation. Let us pray. Oh god you raised up a profit for us [rprophet for us in Abraham Lincoln. Amid a war that ruptured family and country, the spirit of the man rose in the life of his people to heal the nation. Of what was a great offense of slavery. In the spirit of lincoln, we come boldly before you today giving thanks or his witness for his witness and pray that it might continue to inspire us for the momentous struggle for freedom and equality that continues to this day. Out of the cauldron of the civil war and lincolns momentous role in it, a robust vision of freedom was given, yet another set of wings that carried another Great Prophet to the very steps of this national temple. One who took a swing mountaintop to see the other side sharing with us a dream of the day when this nation would rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed, we hold these truths to be selfevident that all people are created equal. Help us to discern and pursue justice and liberty with courage and endurance, knowing the conditions for justice can never be circumscribed by any one race or gender or Sexual Orientation or ethnicity or nationality or by the human race for earth itself is crying out for justice. Help us to know as Abraham Lincoln surely seemed to know that justice we seek is not about winners and losers, but always sought with a horizon set towards charity, mercy and reconciliation. So help us to do justice and love mercy and walk humbly with you. In your holy name, we pray amen. Please be seated and thank you. For the last four years, the National Park service has commemorated the 150th anniversary of the civil war offering programs and events at parks around the country that give the current generation of americans the opportunity to understand discuss and commemorate this countrys greatest national crisis. While exploring its enduring relevance here in the 21st century. Sally jewell has been an Ardent Supporter of the National Park service. As our nations 51st secretary of the interior, she serves as a steward for 20 of our nations land, including National Parks wildlife refuges and other public lands and we are proud to say that she is a regular visitor here to the National Mall and all of our National Parks and it gives me great pleasure to introduce the secretary of the interior, sally jewell. [applause] thank you all for coming out on such a Beautiful Day. On behalf of president obama i would like to welcome you to the National Mall. We sometimes refer to this as americas front yard. I think it looks great covered in a blanket of snow. Im told that president lincoln gave his second inaugural address after wet weather. Thousands of spectators had to stand and quite deep mud at the time. I think it is great that we get to stand on frozen ground. A little easier than it used to be back then. I will be brief because you will hear from some wonderful speakers. With some context on one of lincolns most stirring reflections on the war. He pondered whether the devastation of the civil war was gods punishment on our nation for the terrible injustice of slavery. He had a deep sense of the great price of the war where one out of every 10 young adult men in the country died, being paid because america had failed. To live up to the meaning of its creed indeed the struggles of africanamerican slaves and their defendants is one of the great challenges of our history. I have the honor of overseeing hundreds of National Parks that serve as americas storyteller. One of those critical stories is the journey from civil war to civil rights. In Independence Hall in philadelphia, you can tour the place where the authors of the constitution left the question of slavery for a future generation to solve. At Jefferson National expansion memorial in missouri by the great arch, you can stand on the courthouse steps where slaves were sold like cattle and families were torn apart. A few miles from here in the maryland countryside at the Harriet Tubman National Monument , you can learn about the desperate attempts by so many to escape their bondage. This weekend, our nation turns toward the selma trail where more blood spilled in the fight against injustice. Where my boss, president obama is this very day. These are difficult chapters in our nations story but they must be told for generations to come. We cannot forget our past. Im proud to work for a president who gets this and he is making sure that we are telling a more inclusive story of our nation through additional sites. The fort monroe National Monument provides a sanctuary for escaped slaves during the civil war. The Charles Young bessel a soldiers National Monument tells the story of an extra never leader buffalo soldier National Monument. Cesar chavez National Monument in california honors one of the great civil rights leaders of the 20thcentury and his work on behalf of migrant farmworkers. The National Monument designated by the president of couple weeks ago recounts the injustices suffered by japaneseamericans su during world war ii. We announced a National Park Service Effort went into my places associated with the lg bt Rights Movement. We preserve these places to commemorate our past and learn from it. To remember what is noble and good in our National Story and also what is unjust and shameful. What we otherwise might choose to ignore or forget. I stand before you today and immigrant woman serving in the cabinet of an African American president saying i am proud to help tell these stories through the National Park Service Approach and proud to march with you towards a more perfect union. In the spirit of Abraham Lincoln with malice toward none and charity for all, i stand may we press forward on this journey. Thank you. [applause] thank you, madam secretary and thank you so much or being with us today. For being with us today. The most well facet of Abraham Lincolns second inauguration was his inaugural address, the second shortest inaugural address in American History though likely the most metarole\\ memorable in language and content. Joining us to shed light on the address is lucas moralel, head of the Politics Department at washington and lee university. Join me in welcoming dr. Morel to the podium. [applause] as lincoln prepare his second inaugural address, he faced a problem of a defeated and defined south. Defiant south. Many were unwilling to accept the Union Victory as a just conclusion of the war. Lincolns might did not make it right. The newly reelected president would have to find words to justify what federal troops had accomplished. Preserving the union came not only at great expense, but also through the abolition of slavery. The war was long but slavery had been around much longer. The White Supremacy that had built itself upon black slavery would not give way easily. Despite the eminent victory of the union over secession lincoln surprised his audience by rejecting the triumphant who sought to rule over the defeated south with a vengeance. Jefferson davis called southerners to stand to their arms. Lincoln counseled malice toward none, charity for all. His immortal words occur in the last shortest paragraph of his speech. The only time he focuses on the future of this country. More important than a detailed agenda for the future with a careful review of the past. What was the meaning of the conflict . Its cause, its consequences and how could a common acceptance of this view of the war help heal the wounds of a divided nation . This meant lincoln would have to address the justice of the wars end, including the abolition of slavery. He saw little hope for a truly United States of america without a united way of thinking about the role of slavery in americas history. He not only rejected the souths defense of slavery as a positive good but also the norths assumption that they bore no responsibility for the peculiar and powerful interest was somehow the cause of the war. He used his address to propose a National Memory of the war and american slavery. Remarkably for a political speech, he highlighted the shared religious practice of the nation. He said both read the same bible , pray to the same god. However, the nations common religion did not produce a common view of slavery. Debate over its future in the American Republic is precisely what led to the civil war. Lincoln tried to produce a common understanding of the war by not only blaming the south alone for the evil of slavery. American slavery was an event that came by the will of northern and southern citizens. One that god now wills to remove through this mighty scourge of war. He does not say that he knows for certain the long and bloody conflict was divine punishment for the national sin of slavery. He simply invited americans north and south, to accept this interpretation of the conflict as the best explanation for a war no one really wanted. And an emancipation no one, not even lincoln, seriously expect. A reUnited States would now be a completely free United States. Lincoln hoped the nation would now be in practice what it long declared in principle. A nation devoted to the equal rights for all of her citizens. The nation under god was to have a new birth of freedom. No longer would men be allowed to use their freedom to denied the freedom of others. White southerners would have to change their minds about slavery and the meaning of america. We had an american president who ate in his own second inaugural address lincoln did so to suggest a divine mercy that he knows is none too apparent in the midst of the wars devastation. Four years of blood and treasure lost in the civil war as bad as that appears would fall short of a full reckoning if god were to take the nation fully to task for its 250 years of exploiting black people. By supposing the war was gods punishment for the entirety of slaverys existence on american soil, lincoln made this divine chastisement look lenient compared with the enormity of the slavery existence on american soil for a quarter millennium. If the war were to cease after only four years, americans would actually be getting off easy. If the believers in a living god accepted gods judgment and his mercy for the sin of slavery they should be willing to extend charity to each other at the wars end. With the nation what the nation most needed was sorely lacked. What began with charity soon gave way to malice as reconstruction faltered in the wars aftermath. After his second and operation he said his address would wear as well as anything i have produced, but i believe it is not immediately popular. Men are not flattered by being shown there is a difference of purpose between the almighty and them. To deny it in this case is to deny that there is a god governing the world. This difference of purpose between god and man and its connection to the death of slavery and survival of american selfgovernment stands as the centerpiece of the second inaugural address, making it the most profound political statement in American History. Thank you. [applause] thank you very much. Abraham lincolns second inauguration took place on saturday, march 4 1865 under clearing skies following two days of heavy rain. The occasion began inside the capital with the traditional ceremonies in the senate where new senators were sworn in. Outgoing Vice President Hannibal Hamlin gave his farewell address and Andrew Johnson offered remarks and took the oath of office. The official party then adjourned to the huge platform erected on the east front of the capital where they were greeted by a crowd numbering between 30000 and 40,000 individuals. Unlike modern inaugurations, in the 19th century, the president delivered his inaugural address prior to the administration of the oath of office by the chief justice of the United States. Critics fellow country the second appearing to take the oath of the president ial office, there is less occasion for an extended and was in the first. Statement, someone with the course to be pursued a sitting in front city of proper. Now at the expiration of four years, during which declarations have constantly been called forth on every point in phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrossed as the energies of the nation, little that is new to be presented. The progress of our arms upon which all else chiefly depends is as well known to the public as to myself. And it is, i trust reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured. On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civilwar. All dreaded it all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it and without war seeking to dissolve the union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both in parties deprecated war; but a will one of them would make war rather than let the nation you survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came. In an and one eighth of the will one eighth of the whole population were colored slaves and you are in not distributed a not distributed generally over the union, but localized in the southern part of it. These way slaves constituted a will slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, a somehow, the cause of the war. In to strengthen, perpetuate and in and extend this interest was the object for which the you insurgents would rend the union, even by war; while the government claimed no right to government and do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party will you expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both will and in and read the same bible, and pray to the same god; and each invokes his aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just gods assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other mens faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both are will and in and in and in will could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The almighty has his own purposes. Woe unto the world because of offenses for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh if we shall in a suppose that american slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of god, will and must needs come, but which, having continued through his appointed time, he now wills will his appointed time, he now wills to remove, and that he will gives to both north and south, this terrible war, as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living god always ascribe to him . Fondly do we will will will will and in and in and or a divine will and will ride in a will and are you in bed fondly do we hope fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if god wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bondmans two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall and will will will be sunk, and will be sunk and will will will until every drop of blood drawn will until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the in paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said the judgments of the lord, are true and righteous altogether. With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in in the right, as god gives us what to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we work in strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nations wounds; to care for him are you who shall have borne the a and you will will care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. [applause] in mr. President , are you ready to go of office . I am. Next please raise your right hand in place it on the bible. Repeat after me. I, Abraham Lincoln, do solemnly swear that i will faithfully execute the office of the president of the United States. [he repeats] and i will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States. So help me god. [applause] thank you. Our keynote speaker is no stranger to president ial politics, elections, or inaugurations as the moderator of nbcs meet the press in nbcs new political director, as well as the networks former white house correspondent, chuck todd is one of americas foremost political commentators. We are deeply honored to have him join us today, ashley in light of these freezing temperatures. But i suppose as a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, injuring Outdoor Events in frigid conditions must be in his enduring outdoor event in frigid conditions must be in his dna. Please welcome chuck todd. [applause] they didnt tell me out was following lincoln. How do you do that . Can we declare all of our streets part of the National Park service, because it is amazing how well everything is so cleaned up today. I charge here my charge here was to cap climate at the time of lincolns second inaugural. Im not an extra lincoln, but i am an expert on covering right politics. And while we joke about it because of how polarized we think american politics is today, lets get something straight. The civil war is the very definition of what polarization really is and really was in american society. And the thing about lincolns second inaugural, it was intended to be a keynote obviously, to the second the civil war. He did not win a landslide in the election. 55 of the vote just on mistake on the union side. That is from our people reminder that the north was somewhat divided under lincoln leadership during the civil war. The scary thing to imagine about politics is to imagine all of the tools and political advisers that so many surround themselves with these days, would he have shown the leadership necessary echoed what he has given shown the leadership necessary echoed what he has given that speech . Dont have to know that now. All we know it is the single most important speech that any american politician has given. Whether he knew that at the time, we like to think he knew but we dont know. 55 of the vote, not exactly a landslide. He spent a big portion trying to pass the 13th amendment. That has been made famous in the movie lincoln now. And it was the good old days of politics when you could buy votes. Trust me, when i was asked to do this the first thing i did was email Doris Kearns Goodwin. This is what she wrote to me. But when we limit when we lament our political culture today, it is still not like the 18 50s when congressmen and senators carried revolvers on the floor and one congressman actually get a senator over the head with a cane. We have not come to that yet. Obviously, purchasing a vote in ways that lincoln had to do so blatantly that that is something you cannot do anymore. Remember the 13th amendment had passed the senate by the two thirds vote is needed, but it did not have the votes at the time in house. But what did lincoln note that was so important . He knew it had to be a bipartisan deal. He knew it was important that one party to not just try to jam through the 13th amendment, which by the way he could have easily done if he had just waited after his second inaugural when the republican gains from the november election would have ensured that amendment passage. But as thoren Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote, if republicans could be brought to support its passage in a show of bipartisan unity. Lincoln sent that message to the country, that message of unity. He put leadership over politics. He no doubt was political and made deals, but the motivation was to get it done so that when the time was right in with as if it was above politics bipartisan, and in unity, and that was more important to him than anything else. It has been mentioned before but it is sitting that we are celibate in the 150th anniversary of this address while about 800 miles away many local leaders are commemorating the anniversary of bloody sunday, that historic selma, montgomery march. The reason we do this is to remember moments of unity where it seemed completely bleak. They were people who still believed in the greater good and that it would win out. That is the beauty of lincolns second inaugural. It is short, just 700 words, to the point, and it doesnt mince words. It does not attack the south for being wrong, nor quote on behalf of the north for being right. It seeks to, perhaps the most clever part of the speech, acknowledge religion and how both sides are praying to the same god and reading the same bottle reading the same rival. Reading the same bible. This is what i would say to members of congress today. It may seem strange that any man should dare to ask a just gods assistance in reading the bread from the sweat of other mens faces, but let us judge not lest we be judged. If our leaders today took that same attitude, would we feel as polarized . Would we feel as if all is lost of our site loses the battle of legislation that someone claims is going to undermine the very fabric of america . I think we know what was undermining the very fabric of america in the 19th century. The truth is, this actually did do that. Nothing compares to this today and it is something that our current leaders need to internalize more. What is also amazing about this beach is it was clearly not vetted by consultants. It wasnt microtargeted to a particular constituency group. It was simply done to unify and heal the countrys wounds and nothing expresses that better than the very last sentence of the speech with malice toward none, with chair before all, with firmness in the right as god gives us the ability to see the right, what is worked to bind up the nations wounds, to care for him who shall have torn the battle, and his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. If only everyone across the way would read that paragraph over and over again. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you very much, chuck. Although Abraham Lincoln was not a musical man is health, music certainly appeals. Appealed to him. He enjoyed shows and concerts. Music was an integral part of his life on the frontier and in the white house. During his 1860 president ial campaign, lincoln adopted lincoln and liberty as his official campaign song, a song that spoke of abolitionism and log cabin values. And perhaps a little more surprising, a Favorite Song of the president was dixie. In the afterglow of appomattox he remarked to a group of wellwishers, always thought quickly one of the best to ever heard and our adversaries for the way attempted to appropriate it. I presented it to the attorney general and he gave it as his legal opinion that it is our lawful prize. Here to play lincoln and liberty and dixie is bobby and music historian and great friend of our National Parks. He has successfully combined with love of history and is love of music. Im pleased to introduce you bobby horton. [applause] hello, everyone