Transcripts For CSPAN3 Lincoln Memorial Centennial Ceremony

Memorial which you might recognize as the building right behind us. I want to start by lets have a rounder applause for the United States marine band. Band. The president s own brass quintet. And we will hear a lot more from them over the course of the next couple of hours. So dont go away. They have a lot more to do. So ill start by introducing who i am and why im here. My name is david j kent. Im the president of the Lincoln Group of the District Of Columbia or the Lincoln Group of dc. I assume thats for the Lincoln Group and not for me in particular. Lincoln group is one of the most active lincoln organizations in the country and even though we are based here in dc. Our membership is worldwide and really worldwide but especially countrywide so weve been around since the 1930s. So we are very happy today to have helped organize this program. Along with the National Park service, and i especially want to call out jamie boyle who without whom this none of this would have happened. And and cosponsored by the Lincoln Forum of which harold holder is the chair and harold youll be hearing from harold in a shortly. So i also want to thank roberta and leiden schwarzenberger who whos generous contribution helped underrate. Much of this program as well as all the other people who helped. Provide funds to get this done. So i want to thanks in advance to all the speakers all the contributor supporters for making this program possible. Now to give you a little bit of a preamble as well hear during todays program. The memorial was dedicated in 1922. 100 years ago this month and a full 57 years after Abraham Lincolns assassination. So over a half a century after lincoln died. They finally put up a suitable memorial to him and will hear a little bit about. Today why it took so long. The speakers that day were the chief justice and former president William Howard taft. Who formally turned over the memorial to the then current president Warren G Harding . There was another famous person here that day by the name of Robert Lincoln president lincolns son. Who was present and had taken part in the development of the of the memorial, but who did not have a speaking role that day 100 years ago. But one person who did have a speaking role. A hundred years ago was dr. Robert russa moton. Dr. Moten was an africanamerican director of the Tuskegee Institute. And he was a president ial advisor. Dr. Motens words, you know were censored that day because were in a lot more about dr. Te of our members who prefers to remain in the backseat anonymous. Were able to locate four members of dr. Robert russell motins ancestors or descendants. Im sorry his descendants. So i want to i want to have them stand up and and ill introduce them. And they should be over here dr. So we have robert d. Moton. Who is the great grandson . Of dr. Robert armed there was some melton we have his wife Jennifer Hardy moten. And their daughter Parker Mountain now robert is a great grandson. Which makes parker a great great granddaughter of dr. Robert rosemount. And thats not thats not the end. We also have consuela austin. Who is on greatgranddaughter of dr. Rockford tourism ocean . So were very happy that they were able to travel to dc. And and be part of this presentation of and get to hear more about their their greatgrandfather. And great great grandfather from a hundred years ago. So lets begin the program. I have the distinct pleasure. Of welcoming charles sams the third chuck sams is the was just confirmed last december. As the President Bidens first director of the National Park service. The truck sams first native american director of the National Park service is cayuse and walla walla and in the world member of the confederated tribes of the Umatilla Indian reservation in northeast, oregon where he grew up. Sams is a veteran of the us navy. And hes where he served as in an intelligence specialist, and were very very honored to have him today. So, please welcome to the stan National Park Service Director chuck sams. This might skin in aim yuma. Well, good morning my friends and relatives. Im so pleased to be here as the 19th director of the National Park service, and i want to welcome you to the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial. Im so very honored to participate as Lincoln Memorial holds a very special place in my heart as i know it does in many of yours. Last december secretary holland and i made the short walk over from the department of interior building where i was ceremonious sworn in on these very steps. Standing where dr. King delivered his i have a dream speech in 1963. I held on to an eagle feather and a medallion that were given to me by my grandfather the late charles f sam senior who had fought in the second world war. As i also became the very first tribal citizen to lead the National Park service. As we stood on these steps looking out onto the National Mall secretary holland wanted me to feel the full effect that i was being charged by the president United States and the American People to be the steward and keeper of our National Parks our memorials and our monuments. She had me look at my feet so that i could recognize that i was standing where dr. King had given his speech and she said to me we now are part of his dream realized. As two American Indians serving on a National Level under President Biden i would like to recognize the Lincoln Group of washington for their partnership with the National Park service and planning of todays program as well as the many other programs theyve assisted with over the years. As the longest continuously serving lincoln Study Organization in the United States. They have partnered with us on other organizations in recent years to celebrate and interpret this the hundred or the 150th anniversary lincolns first and second inauguration. The emancipation proclamation the gettysburg address and the assassination and funeral train procession of president lincoln. I want to thank you for your unwavering commitment to ensuring that the life and work of Abraham Lincoln is not forgotten. Id also like to recognize superintendent jeff ryan bold and the staff of the National Mall Memorial Parks where their hard work and putting together. Not only todays program but the entire month of excellent talks tours and Public Engagement surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial. We please stand. Thank you, jeff, and thank you to your staff. So thank all the participants here today for sharing your times and talents with us. In his keynote address at the dedication of this memorial nearly 100 years ago, dr. Robert, rosenmoten principal of the Tuskegee Institute invoked lincolns second inaugural address recognizing that america had fallen short of the great emancipators vision of a nation of equality and i quote with malice towards none with charity for all i somehow believe that all of us are going to strive on to finish the work which he so nobly began to make american example for the world of equal justice and equal opportunity for all. Those words pend almost 100 years ago still ring true today in the United States struggling to create a nation where all people are truly created equal. And the Sacred National space of this memorial has become a focal point for that struggle. From Marian Anderson in 1939 to dr. King in 1963 to the black lives matter protest of two summers ago. The Lincoln Memorial has become the nations preeminent stage for First Amendment demonstrations particularly with regards to civil rights. And therein hat lies the power and importance of our National Parks. Yes these sites preserve the past and enshrining the memories of the famous, but they also serve as important forums. Places where we cannot only discuss the legacies of great americans like Abraham Lincoln, but also can draw inspiration from that legacy to call for and enact change. Here at the Lincoln Memorial we can both learn where we came from as a nation and examine where we are headed. Secretary holland has made it part of her mission to tell the full story of america. Even the dark pages of our history books so that we can learn from our past and build a more equitable and inclusive future. I would be this as an American Indian if i did not acknowledge the dakota 38 in which president lincoln had to make the decision in which the execution of the tribes would uprised during the dakota wars. While recognizing that president lincoln had made hard decisions as ive learned throughout his life and drawn inspiration from him for 1989 the first time i came to washington dc i came to read both of the inscriptions that are in this hall. And in those descriptions, i recognize not only a strong president , but also a flawed man and as i read his biographies understanding the struggles that he had as a man as a human being to make the hard decisions. But there was the execution of the dakota 38 or the decision that we must go to war. But the one thing that rings true to me today as it does on the second inaugural is that its only us as americans who will most likely be the seed of our own destruction. And therefore because of this experiment we call the United States. We must all Work Together to form that more Perfect Union. We must all strive to ensure that we uphold freedom and equality to our fellow man. Into that. Im very thankful for his presidency, and im very thankful for this memorial being here to remind the American People so that we can teach this for generations to come. And its not just on anniversaries or selected dates throughout the year that we do this the National Park service is here every day of every year watching over the Lincoln Memorial and other monuments. Pass along the stories of heroism heroism honoring the work and sacrifices of those who came before and providing a powerful forum for americans to raise their voices and debate the issues of the day. And the National Park service is in the forever business ensuring these places will be protected and remembered in perpetuity so that when your grandchildrens grandchildren visit this place and their grandchildren after them who will still be that we this will still be here. Explaining how america how america we know today and the blessings. We enjoy as a free people were shaped by these great individuals and the National Parks that honor them. I want to thank you all and God Bless America and the men and women who are in uniform both civilian and military. Thank you. Okay. Thank you chuck sams. And if you look at your program, youll see that the next person up here is robert pollock. Robert pollock, unfortunately had a fall this past week and couldnt be with us. But he sent. Jeffrey burden, who is the past commander in chief of the military order of the loyal legion of the United States. Now youve probably heard that mouthful a couple of times in the past in fact if you were here on lincolns birthday, its the loyal legion that does most of the arranging to have that wreathlaying ceremony here at the Lincoln Memorial on lincolns birthday in the military order of the loyal legion of the United States. Sometimes called maulus was formed immediately after the associate assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Hes played a fundamental role in preserving the memory of our 16th president. So next up will be the current commander. They im sorry the past commanderinchief jeffrey burden will tell us about mollus and lead the presentation of kohlers and the pledge of allegiance. So welcome jeffrey burden. Thank you, david. Good morning. In 1921 as the Lincoln Memorial took its final shape and neared completion. President Warren Harding requested that the military order of the loyal legion of the United States take responsibility for organizing and coordinating the 1922 dedication event. The order and its then commander in chief general nelson. Appleton miles a veteran of almost every major battle of the wars eastern theater. Gladly accepted that charge as david mentioned the loyal legion was founded in april 1865. It was the first postcivil War Veterans Organization created by and four men who who had served as commissioned officers. In the army and navy of the United States. It is now composed of relatives of those men and other interested persons. We who are companions of the loyal legion take special prides pride in the deeds and legacy. Of those who served under president lincoln and im pleased also to have with us today. Mr. Rick berry and other past commander in chief of the loyal legion and his daughter beth rock the Current National president of the ladies of the grand army of the republic. Since that dedication day in 1922 companions of the loyal legion have come back every year on lincolns birthday. To renew that initial charge and pay homage to the man in whose silent presence. We are today. I thank the Lincoln Group of the District Of Columbia and the National Park service. For their efforts today and i trust that todays celebration will help renew our commitment. To remembering Abraham Lincolns life. And work and i thank you for attending. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the preservation of the presentation of the colors and the singing of the national anthem. Followed by the pledge of allegiance oh. Oh reset. Oh oh. By the dawns early life whats so proudly we . At the twilight last good bright. Star through the perilous. Or the ramparts we who were so gallantly . And the rockets rad ically the bobs bursting in a gave proof through the night that our flag was there oh say does that starspangled . Er yea it away. Or the land of the free and the home of the please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag. The United States of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all. To grab color guard please retire the colors oh, oh. Thank you as you can see some of our guests are somewhat taller than i am. So our invocation will be offered by the reverend dr. Sarah johnson. Senior pastor at the new york Avenue Presbyterian Church you know while lincoln was president , this was lincolns church. As well as the church of many of his cabinet members and memory members of congress it was reverend Wallace Radcliffe of the new york Avenue Presbyterian Church who offered the invocation at the dedication ceremony here at the Lincoln Memorial 100 years ago. So to continue in that tradition, please welcome the reverend doctor sarah johnson. Friends, let us pray. Got our help in ages past. Our hope for years to come we thank you for the gift of this Beautiful Day and for the opportunity and privilege to gather to mark a memorable occasion. Moment and monument in our countrys history. As we sit in the shadow of this great monument, we remember and give thanks for the life and legacy of president Abraham Lincoln. And his unwavering commitment that a government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth. We humbly ask that the marking and the memory of this day and of days before. Will not lull us into a dream like state. An illfed longing for the way things were but will awaken us to see clearly the past as it truly was. The present as it still is and the future of liberty and justice for all as you desire it to be god in whom we live and move an