Stay updated with breaking news from Poll tax receipt. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
indictment of donald trump. justice may mean different things to different people. but in an op-ed to msnbc my next guest said, quote, in georgia the people spoke loudly in 2020. not even trump could drown them out. joining me now is latosha brown. the cofounder of black voters manner. it is always an honor to have you on the show. your op-ed, a stirring reminder of civic responsibility to all of us. one point he said my grandfather carried an old poll tax receipt in his wallet remind him that the right to vote did not come easy and was not guaranteed. talk me through why you feel this reminder of this moment in the nation's history and why this op-ed was needed so much so now? >> good morning, katie. thank you for having me. i think we need to really recognize what we are up against in this moment. yes, it is significant that we have a twice impeached
democracy. norman lear, you know, flew countless missions over germany to protect democracy. med gar ever was assassinated in his driveway. i made a film about it called "those in mississippi." and his wife gave me -- i have this here -- this was in medgar's wallet. this was his poll tax receipt. you can see on the back there's some bloodstains and things on it. this was what he had to -- it was on him the day he was assassinated. this is what you had to pay in order to vote. well, in 1965, and johnson passed the voting rights act, okay, we're moving in the right direction to allow everybody access to the ballot box. well, we've seen the supreme
world house. and if we finally accept these truths, then we will be able to fulfill dr. king's dream to build a beloved community, a nation and a world at peace with itself. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> congressman john lewis 23 years old when he was there 50 years ago. keith, let me bring you in. he talked about the circumstances. you've investigated cold civil rights cases. he talked about poll taxes. i have a poll tax receipt from one of my relatives in my hand. looking back at that is amazing. >> it's truly remarkable to hear congressman lewis speak today because of the fact of -- >> let me pause you quick. let's listen in to former president jimmy carter. >> i realize that most people know that it's highly unlikely that any of us three over to my right would have served in the white house or be on this
but they're still invisible signs, barriers in the hearts of humankind that form a gulf between us. too many of us still believe our differences define us instead of the divine spark that runs through all of human creation. >> eugene, and it is so true today when you think about some of the headlines of the incendiary headlines that seem to want to tear us apart and you have congressman louis, i have on my phone, for example, a poll tax receipt from one of my relatives in texas who had to pay to vote. and the conversations that we get distracted with where folks are trying to quite divide, conquer and divide and not talk about the real issues that continue today. >> yeah, and that continues, tamron. i remember those days. i remember when gas stations would have three bathrooms and men, women and colored. and so it was very useful i think for congressman louis to
my speeches and whatnot. i hope i don't bore people to death. but how do i say what i feel about my country? how do i say what i feel about medgar and all the civil rights leaders? how do i say how much i believe in the proclamation? how do i address all of those strong feelings. yet, be realistic about where we are today. and realize that even though there were so many who fought for the right to vote, all we have to do is to look back on what happened a couple of months ago. and all of those things that were done to make it difficult, particularly for minorities to register and vote. you know, we are past the point where we have to count the number of beans in a jar. we are passed the point where we have to work so hard to pay $3 for a poll tax receipt. but it sends a message to america that even though we have