Program. Little rock city manager [ inaudible ] committee. Nancy russo, president of Little Rock Central High School. [ cheers and applause ] michael poor, superintendent of the Little Rock School district. [ applause ] dr. Henry louis gates, the Fletcher University professor and director. [ applause ] the honestly mark stoat mayor of little rock. [ applause ] cameron scholly regional director National Park service. [ applause ] the honestly asa hutchinson, governor of arkansas. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the 42nd president of the United States, William Jefferson clinton. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, please give a special welcome to the little rock nine, elizabeth he can eck bert. Ernst gray. Gloria ray car mark. Carlotta walls la near. Dr. Terrence roberts. Minnijean brown. Thelma mothershed ware. And join us in remembering the late Jefferson Thomas. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, the little rock nine. [ cheers and applause ] please welcome to the podium our emsy for the day, educational and Community Leader and the first africanamerican to attend Little Rock Central High School for 10th, 11th and 12th grads before graduating in 1962, dr. Sib ill jordan hampton. [ applause ] please be seated. Thank you. Good morning. Welcome to this historic day. Thank you to each of you who are here today. Some have traveled from down the block and others have come from around the country and overseas. As i look out into this crowd, i see many familiar faces, many longtime friends. I also see many new faces. No matter how far you traveled to be here, or how many people in this room you know, please know we are honor to have you here without you here in this audience, the event would not be complete. You are a key component of this commemoration ceremony. Now please rise for the presentation of colors by the arkansas 31st air force junior rotc from Little Rock Central High School. This will be followed by the pledge allegiance. This pledge will be led by the student body president s of each of Little Rocks School districts five high schools. Aaron farmer of Little Rock Central High School, Shayla Williams of ja fair high school, Mohammed Malik of hall high school, siera love of john l. High school and Katherine Cullin of magnet high school. After the pledge, pamela smith, director of communications for the Little Rock School district will sing the national anthem. Present colors. I pledge 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. O say, can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming . Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there oh, say, does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [ applause ] forward march. Our opening prayer will be given by dr. Laverne bell tolliver pastor of cmc church. Good morning. Good morning. I stand here first on behalf of the ua little rock and members of bulllock Temple Methodist Church who enjoyed a rich one church, one School Partnership with Central High School to the remaining members of the little rock nine, i stand and thank you also on behalf of phase two of the desegregation process, the first 25 to deseg gras gate the five junior high schools. Thank you for blazing the trail. Let us now before the throne of grace. God, of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou who has brought us thus far on the way. Thou who has by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path we pray. Father, as we approach you today we rejoice and say thank you. We remember how far you have brought us. Thank you, lord, for allowing this Courageous Group of former members, students known forever as the little rock nine to willingly put on their armor as they fought injustice. We thank you for allowing their actions and those of others around this state and country to ultimately topple many of the laws that prevented equal access to books, equipment and schools that were not outdated or substandard. Thank you also father for allowing them to be the forerunners of change and eradicators of jim crow laws that held our foreparents in the cruel grip of post slavery times. Now father, we thank you for allowing this Group Present today to shine your clear penetrating light on situations that continue to need enhancement. You know, lord, that our Public Schools still need improvement on many levels, allow us, father, to remain diligent and faithful in the pursuing the cause for all students of every race, creed, color and gender with the opportunity to receive a Quality Public School education. Help us remember the paths for the purpose of building a better, stronger, brighter and more successful future together for every child, eequip our families, faith, communities, organizations and public academic institutions with the resources and willingness to Work Together to help every child succeed. We thank you and we praise you in jesus name, amen. Amen. You may be seated. This is a room filled with dignitaries. We have current and former elected officials from federal, state and local government. We have heads of state agencies, higher education, institutions and churches as well as civil rights leaders. Also in the audience is the delegation from our sister city in new castle, united kingdom. In the interest of time, we are not going to recognize each person by name, but to each and every one of you and to all those gathered today, welcome. Thank you for being here. I want to take this time to remember one who is not here, on september 5th, 2010, Jefferson Thomas passed away. We are honored to have his widow mary here with us today. As a tribute to jeff, we have an empty chair on the stage, draped in a ribbon of centrals colors of old gold and black. Please join me in a moment of silence for Jefferson Thomass memory. Thank you. As we move into the comments portion of our program, it is my distinct pleasure to bring forward two individuals who served as student body president s of little rock central high. Both also served a decade ago as members of the 50th anniversary Steering Committee. She now works for the Clinton Foundation in new york city and he is an attorney and banker who is a former member of the Arkansas House of representatives. Joy sakubin and darren williams. Lets welcome them. [ applause ] 60 years ago today, the seen was much different in this auditorium and the hallways of this school, yes, there were Police Officers and media and people milling about on this campus, but as we now know the tone and tener of the day was one of hostility, not hospitality. It was a day of anxiety and anger, not appreciation and applause. Elected officials were staying far away from campus even if their presence was still felt. On behalf of all the fellow Little Rock Central High School student body president s over the years, darren welcome everyone to this school. Our beloved alma mater where six decades ago obstruction was the order of the day but now we celebrate a school where openness is the rule. This year little rock central high turns 90 years old. Over the years tens of thousands of students have walked through these halls, each student with a story to tell. As i look at the seniors who are gathered on stage, i think of my own two children who are recent graduates of central, i am honored to be a part of the story of this school. Its fitting that today we are in the Roosevelt Thompson auditorium with the little rock nine. Rosie was a brilliant mind and a rising star not only in the state and this nation. The experience that he had were feasible because of his time here at central. In the opportunities he had at central were made possible by the courage swrus efforts of the little rock nine. Today over 27 languages are spoken at the homes of central high students. Regardless of our race or our ethnicity, we all owe a debt of gratitude to little rock nine and as birthday girl ann ai abrams reminds us all, we pay that debt through service. [ applause ] so welcome to Little Rock Central High School. Hail to the old gold, hail to the black. [ applause ] thank you, joy and darren. Though, president eisenhower had tried to broker an agreement with governor falbrus through the effort of congressman brook hayes it was not until little rock mayor woodrow man pleaded for federal intervention that the president sent in the 101st airborne. I now present to you to bring greetings, the current mayor of little rock, mark stotala. [ applause ] good morning, everyone. Good morning. Thank you. Today as a city and americans, we pause to reflect on the events of september 25th, 1957 as one of the first struggles of the Civil Rights Movement. We are here commemorating the 60th anniversary of the opening of these High School Doors to nine Young High School students who endured incredible adversity to integrate central high and the profound impact that it made and continues to make on the is of equality and opportunity. Not just on this city and state. Not just on this country but the world. When ernest green, marched as a senior to receive his diploma, the world noticed, and dr. Martin luther king was there seated in the stands to witness the occasion. Today we acknowledge this painful moment in our past, and we reflect on the progress we have made. As was mentioned, we are sitting in the Roosevelt Thompson auditorium, named after one of little rocks most gifted students. A yale scholar, and student body president who was taken from us too soon. A young man that was given an opportunity and did he ever excel. The legacy of the little rock 9 demands we rededicate ourselves to the progress that remains unfinished. I want to thank you for continuing to come back to little rock and commemorate this significant day. It does not go unnoticed that most of you left little rock after your High School Days and pursued opportunities elsewhere realizing the importance of finding that opportunity wherever it existed. Much of our work here in little rock centers on the idea of opportunity. How do we ensure that all our people have access to opportunity to pursue their dreams. Recently i saw the film hidden figures. About the female mathematicians at nasa. It struck me it was set in 1961, seven years after the decision of brown versus board of education, the Supreme Court decision. And yet, in 1961 virginia, the resistance to integration was ram pan the. However, three brilliant africanamerican women at nasa were given the opportunity to excel. And in so doing, served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history. The successful launch of john glenn into orbit. That story like the individual Success Stories of the little rock nine exemplifies what people are capable of when given an opportunity i cannot help but think of the responsibilities that had transpired, had they had the opportunity to accomplish the work they achieved in the last 60 years, had it not been right here for little rock. The stakes are incredibly high. And every time a child is brought into this world those continue to rise. How do we harness the potential of every child and person in our city. Accomplishing that goal is complicated. And requires the involvement of every part of our community. It cannot be done by government alone. It requires a Stable Family structure, no matter how big or what that family looks like. Early childhood education is key, and graduation is paramount. Health and proper nutrition are essential for learning. So is the physical environment. Work skills on a job, making more than a minimum wage plays a huge role in a persons ability to maximize opportunity. As i reflect on the progress that we have made here as a city. I recognize that while we have made great stwrids, we still have much work to do. At city hall, these goals are what keep us going in the areas where we can help. It is why through the recovery act 8. 6 million was injected into the neighborhoods south of 630. Over 100 Housing Units were created in these very neighborhoods right here around central high. Its why each year, young people become world changers, in the course of two weeks, transformed the homes of elderly citizens on fixed incomes in some of our most challenged neighborhoods. Its why this friday, thanks to president clintons americorps program, we will have 30 people working year round cleaning up the hotspots in ow city that are prone to crime. Its why through our multiple felony reentry employment programs, we are giving people a second chance. I will be the first to say theres so much more for us to do. As much as anything. Accomplishing this goal requires being given an opportunity. Because we have seen that given an opportunity our people can overcome almost any challenge. So my challenge to all of us, to our city today is to use the examples set by the little rock 9 and share the opportunities you have been given. There is much work to do. Do not pull up the ladder behind you mentor a child. Encourage education and success help a young adult getting a job and getting into the workforce. Use the opportunities that you have been given and that disagree, high school or college that youve earned to give back and help the next generation of leaders in our city. The central high crisis of 1957 is part of our history, but it does not have to be our legacy. Our legacy is the story of how far we have come in the resolve to continue the Unfinished Business of opening the doors to opportunity. Indeed the legacy of the little rock nine requires it. Let us take this reflective day as a spring board to debt indicating ourselves to this mission. Seize the day, seize the opportunity, our future depends on it. Thank you very much. Through the efforts of u. S. Senators of bumpers and hutchinson, along with vick snyder, little rock central high was declared a National Historic site, that legislation as we know, was signed into law by president bill clinton. Central high school is the only National Park site that is also a functioning high school, representing the National Park Service Today is mr. Cameron shalli. Welcome. Good morning. Its great to be in a room filled with so many generations of inspiring people. Before i get started, this is a special shout out to nancy rousse rousseau. Shes such a tremendous partner here, its incredible. Thanks to the School District and the city for having us here. On behalf of the National Parks service, including robin white and her tremendous team. We are so proud to be a part of this event with you commemorating this important anniversary. Not just as an organizations that committed to telling the history of the site in perpendicular tuitety. But as your partner and fellow citizens. The National Parks service proudly manages a system of parks in this country that represent a remarkable collection of places that enshrine our principles, and remind us constantly of the tremendous sacrifices that americans like the little rock nine have made on behalf of this country. It really is our privilege as your steward, to protect some of americas most incredible places and tell some of americas most important historical events. Its an honor that we take very seriously. Little Rock Central High School is all of those things. Its an incredible place with incredible people. And its a very important part of our nations history. As all of us know, there are parts of that history that are not easy to talk about, stories that are painful and difficult to tell. But its essential that we tell them, and we do it in a way that keeps them in the forefront of the american conscience opinion that we translate the lessons and sacrifices of the past into the dialogue of the present and the future. The events that occurred here 60 years ago, transformed america into a better country. It forced our nation to look in the mirror and face its own image while the conflict between the state and federal government occurred in public, the real battle was here in this building, in these classrooms, weighing on the shoulders of nine Young American students who were serving as ambassadors of change and moral courage. When the Historic Site was established in 1998 by the u. S. Congress and president bill clinton thank you, sir that effort that so many of you in here played a part of assured that the events that transpired here will never fade into history. President clinton signatured that legislation, also allowed the National Parks service proudly to work with you, to be a perpetual guardian of the transformative historical events that occurred here. And though no one will fully understand what the little rock nine experienced here, because this site is a National Park unit, and because of so many of your efforts and support, over a million americans already have and millions of americans in the future will have the opportunity to better understand the extreme hardships they endured, become educated as to how the courage and bravery of these incredible americans changed the course of history in this country forever. And theres no question that this site has become more and morell vant to our nation as time has gone on. Not just to the american people, but to the american dialogue. It has continually allowed us to provoke reflections in history. Share lessons of our past, and created a better awareness of our nations struggles toward equality. We remain more committed than ever of telling the events here accu atly and in perpituity of both current and future generations. Every one of you exemplifies the american spirit. No more so than the pioneers were commemorating here today. Two of these extraordinary pioneers we thank you for your sacrifices, know that the courage and your actions will be remembered here forever. That youre an absolute inspiration to our country to you and to all of you the National Parks service is very proud to be your partner here. Thank you. [ applause ] 60 years ago, the office of the governor of arkansas worked to keep the little rock nine out of the school times have certainly changed in 1987, 1997 and 2007 governors bill clinton, Mike Huckabee and mike beebee embraced the little rock nine, just as his immediate predecessors have honored the little rock nine its my pleasure to welcome the Current Governor to welcome them. Governor asa hutchinson. [ applause ] thank you. Thank you. Good morning president clinton. And those of the little rock nine with us today. Dr. Melba, elizabeth he can forward, ernest green. Clarence roberts, and thelma to tell you how much i enjoyed the ceremony today. We are gathered here today so that our state and nation will never forget the courage, fortitude and persistence you showed the world 60 years ago. The events of that fall day changed the path of a nation. Yes, the bravery of youth inspired hope for all whose dreams had been crushed by an unfair system. A system that failed to change with deliberate speed. Your quiet determination and stubborn refusal to abandon your dreams not only forced action but set an example that will last into the ages. Whether you witnessed the events in person or me you studied and reflected on that moment in history from a distance. We are all equally challenged, motivated and grateful for those who said we can do it, because it is right and because it is just. In 1957 we know what the makeup of central high student body was. Because of you, the student body of 2018 looks difference. Your enrollment comprises students from 27 countries who speak a total of 24 languages. Little rock central was integrated six years before reverend Martin Luther king gave his landmark, i have a dream speech on the steps of the lincoln memorial. It is a historical fact that a young reverend king was quietly in the audience when ernest green walked across the podium to receive his diploma. Perhaps reverend king was pro l propelled by that moment, to fully see the potential of his own dreams. And perhaps he got a glimpse of the mountain top, where all of gods children are created equal. The integration of central high was so early in the Civil Rights Movement, it was many of the counter sit ins and bus rides, that fact gives us all an appreciation yags for the lonely steps of the little rock nine as they confronted hostility, the unknown and a defiant governor. On this 60th anniversary, what can we draw upon to guide us today . We should never undervalue the transcendent importance of how we treat each other. Lets seek understanding, live each day with words of encouragement and compassion, and lets pray and work for more civil society. Those students who acted in kindness to the little rock nine are examples of kindness for us all. We are all made in gods image and america cannot fulfill its destiny if we limit any persons dreams because of how one is born. We are all part of the fabric of this nation. And we hope our greatness will be defined by our goodness. There is another lesson, just as our an sisters and history do not define our values, the victories, sack officially won by the little rock nine, do not guarantee equal opportunity or freedom for discrimination for this generation or the next. Whether it is revisiting the lessons of history or sounding the alarm about current dangers, we must be constant in educating the present generation about tolerance, forgiveness and equal treatment. I want to thank the little rock nine for enduring the pain. Theres no other word to describe your experience 60 years ago, we are grateful for the difference you made for all of us. Arkansas claims you as pioneers, heroes and examples to follow. Thank you and may god have his continued blessing on the little rock nine. We are honored to have with us today dr. Henry lewis gates jr. Dr. Gates is the University Professor and director of the hutchens center for african and africanamerican research at harvard university. He is not just a historical scholar and educator, as many of you know, he is an emmy winning filmmaker. Literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic and insti tugsz builder. Dr. Gates has authored or co authored 21 books and created 15 film. The university of Central Arkansas has been collaborating with limb and brought him to little rock for this weekend. We are pleased to have him join us today to bring remarks setting the occasion. Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome dr. Henry Louis William gates jr. [ applause ]. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much for that kind introduction. I feel like im visiting a religious shrine. I first saw this when i turned 7 years old. I never dreamed i would be standing here at the auditorium of this great high school. If this is a shrine, these are the saints we are here to honor. Dr. Benjamin mays, the spiritual mentor to the reverend dr. Martin luther king jr. And president of the venerable Morehouse College once said, and i quote we are interlaced and interwoven in a garment of destiny. We are all bound together in one great humanity. We find ourselves bound together in one great humanity at the intersections of history and place, no more so ladies and gentlemen than here in little rock, arkansas. I was four years old when the Supreme Court ruled that separate was inherently unequal. I was six when the naacp filed suit against the Little Rock School district on behalf of 33 africanamerican students who had attempted to register in all white schools only, of course, to be rebuffed. I was 7 when arkansas governor orville eugene favas defied a federal court order in the name of segregation. And when a young africanamerican woman, Elizabeth Eckford cradling her books encountered a furious mob of taunts and lynching threats. When president eisenhower ordered the 101st, which fought so valiantly on dday in france. And the little rock nine braved lengths of hate to walk in this school in quiet dignity at last through the front door of Central High School. History is on your side dr. King telegrammed black leaders as he watched the events pun fold before our very eyes on television. World opinion is with you, he wrote. The moral conscience of millions of white americans is with you. The tragic midnight event. And mob rule, which encampuses your city at this time will be transformed into the growing daybreak of freedom and justice. 60 years after the democratic revolution that happened here in your town, in this school, embodied benign exceedingly brave school children, ladies and gentlemen, we once again find ourselves in a struggle for freedom and justice in our land. We have to draw a line in the sand as they drew a line in the sand 60 years ago, we must defend the right of every american to cast their vote for the candidate of their choice. We must at all costs defend the affirmative action programs that launched so many people of color and women of all colors into their positions of authority and power. We must fight for health care as a right and to keep [ applause ] and to keep the pipeline of opportunity open for the next generation and the next generation after that. We must link arms and stand publicly against antisemitism, homophobi homophobia, against islam phobia. Against antiblack racism and ladies and gentlemen, against white supremacist ideology and all of its ugly hateful forms. The little rock 9 stood then and they stand now for the promise of opportunity and equality etched in the words of our countrys founding documents. They also stand for the work and the struggle it took to realize those words for all of our nations citizens. As my friend observed so eloquently here on the 40th anniversary of the little rock 9 in 1997. 40 years later, we know there are still more doors to be opened, doors we have to keep from ever being shut again. And remarks that really prof sized this moment president clinton exhorted us to do better that day. [ laughter ] sorry about that, i feel like the local band doing the warmup before the beatles. Come on. Im doing my best. Im a poor black man, just doing my best. We flow that that work is not over. We cannot allow forces of reaction to turn back the clock on american racial relations. Obliterating the allegiance of americans, white and black, asian latino, christian, gay, straight and trans who risk and sometimes gave their lives to make certain that the arc of the moral universe bent toward justice. Too many hands today, ladies and gentlemen are trying to bend that arc back in another direction, in a direction toward the past those of us who love truth and justice, democracy on which our great nation was founded must stand against those forces just as the little rock nine did here in this very place. If we hold firm to our faith, to our shared history, and to the possibilities it secured for us, the tragic midnights of our time will be transformed into the growing daybreak of freedom. And justice. Thank you very much. [ applause ] in his gettysburg address, Abraham Lincoln said, the world with little note nor long remember what we say here. But it can never forget what they did here. Time will be the judge as to whether what is said here today gets remembered. But what is indisputable is that we do remember what the little rock nine did here at this school 60 years ago today. The world does indeed remember thelma, terence, minnie jean, jefferson, gloria. Ernest, elizabeth and carlotta. They have been immortalized not just in our memories, but in photographs, movies, songs, plays, paintings and a postage stamp. We now turn to a time in the program to give each of the eight living members the chance to share remarks with us. But before they do, it is important to remember that the little rock 9 did not act alone. They had the support and sacrifice of their parents, their grandparents, their siblings and other family members. We have some of those family members with us today, let us give them a round of applause. There was also the tireless work of l. C. And danny bates. As well as arthur gamar shall and the naacp. There were ministers, friends and neighbors. The rev vand dr. Martin luther king jr. Was present for ernests graduation in 1958. Yes, they received support but each day, it was still nine teenagers that went into the school today we hear from eight of them, not quite teenagers any more, but still full of the same spare it and drive. Dr. Melba patilla bills. Well, good morning. Good morning. How wonderful you would take time so early in the morning to get up and come and stand with us and remember us. We are very grateful for your presence. Let us not ever indicate to you that we got here or that we made it through that year at Central High School on our own steam. First of all, there was the steam of the lord jesus who directs me every moment of every day i breathe. My mom always said to me, god has a picture of you on his refrigerato refrigerator. He is as close to you as your skin. Certainly making it through Central High School took a combination of elements. All the white people at Central High School were not nasty, a lot of them were lovely people. They were with us as we transitioned into this situation whereby not only the block, but the region the nation and all of us changed from what we were to what we are. Its a joy to come back to arkansas and see the love and miracle of change. I thank you for that. And i really want to say to you. You are all a part of this. Okay, so we get to be the nine and i enjoy signing things, but i take you with me when i do that. The gods in me sees always the god in you. And everyone around us. Loves only the answer. Thank you. Plaintiff plaintiff [ applause ] Elizabeth Eckford. I return to arkansas and my family in 1974. But i was not politically active. Among the nine of us, none of us talked about what it was like inside this school for 30 years. I was prompted to Start Talking about it in 1999 when i heard reflections that were foreign to my experience here. I hope some day that opposing sides can have nonaccusatory dialogue i have a saying that i believe deep in my heart that the only way we can have true reconciliation is if we honestly acknowledge how painful but shared past. Thank you. [ applause ] ernest green. Thank you very much. To the organizers of all this. The president , governor, distinguished guests. To the audience Central High School supporters and lovers. To my family, my wife phyllis, my daughters, jessica and mackenzie. My sister, nephews, Todd Washington and scott green. I think none of us 60 years ago, as we arrived in the back of army jeeps knew we would be standing here today. Making history is not something we aspired to do. We wanted the best education our parents taxes afforded. We wanted what the constitution said the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, i saw education as part of that right. After september 4th when we were denied admittance, i did what my parents family taught me, i dug in my heels. 250 days was a long night. Recent cover of a local magazine said progress with a question mark. Id like to say elipsese. Its not a single moment, its the small mundane action some days with international focus, other days with no more fanfare than a small thank you. Progress is the enemy of stag nancy and complacency. Initially it feels like nothing more than tiny droplets of water, after a while it beats away at hate not as the rushing water, but still as seemingly small droplets. Progress has to continue because there is no finish line. Mohammed ali turns to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee for injustice. And the little rock nine turns to the charleston nine, paying the ultimate sacrifice for peacefully assembling in a church for bible study in the african methodist episcopal church. This scares many because of its proud heritage. You know, we need Young Lawyers ready to follow walley bran ton senior and author good marshall. We need Community Activists and Church Leaders like daisy and l. C. Bates to challenge our public officials. We need parents and caregivers who are actively ingauged in the education of their children like scott green and all the parents of the nine. And i want our children to know that they have a continued role in this marathon to progress. Be prepared to take up the mantle of the little rock nine, ma lal la, realize that education is the key to upward mobility. I may have been the first to graduate but i didnt cross this stage by myself. I crossed that stage for my eight compatriots over here. They still had graduation on the horizon, and regardless of where they graduated from school. The victory was still theirs. As i crossed that stage and accepted that diploma for the next 800, 8,000, 8 million that will follow, i realize there are different paths in life one can take. There are warn paths, unique paths. Know these paths were worn in not by one person, not benign people, but generations of people following scattered footprints left by someone else. Also know that the path may intrigue someone else to follow a path not yet forthed. It wont be easy. And it wouldnt happen overnight. But as my sister has told me as many follow, a pageant will wear into a permanent reminder of someone elses initial steps. To the tigers, black and gold, god bless each of you. Gloria ray carmark. I never thought i would stand here. I cant really say i feel comfortable being here. But i am here, and it feels pretty good. You know, people ask us, especially me. A lot about the first day at Central High School. But my daughter reminded me the other day of another thing that she knew about me. She suggested that i talk to you today about the last day of school. Because nobody ever asks about that. You know what kind of a year we had. You have the general idea, but on the last day of school, they handed out the yearbooks and i remember getting my yearbook. And that presented another situation for me, quite different from the others, i had my book and i knew that people signed each others books. But there i was this now 15yearold little girl. And who was going to sign my book. Who would i dare go up to and ask to sign my book. I stood there for a while with my book open. And then becky, the girl i secretly exchanged notes with in one class, she came up and signed my book. I felt a sigh of relief, at least i had one signature in my book. Then another girl came and signed my book. She wrote, in a different age, we could have been friends. Thank you [ applause ] carlotta wallslanier. [ applause ] thank you and good morning. President clinton, to the governor of arkansas and the mayor of little rock, and all the other distinguished guests here on this stage, thank you for being here, actually. I was asked about a year and a half ago by the city manager what would we like for the 60th anniversary, give them some ideas. They already had ideas of what was going to take place. And i want to be very honest and clear with you. I said to him, i would like to have dinner in the white house with president hillary clinton. [ applause ] but this is the second best, being here. 1957 on the day we commemorate here this weekend september 25th, we went as teenagers, anxious and worried that we had missed over two weeks of school. We didnt know what the day would hold or what would happen in the year ahead. We didnt realize the goal that the governor would play, sometimes behind the scene in our high school experience. 1987, 30 years later, all of us came back for the first time. The first time we had seen each other as a group. It was governor clinton welcoming us into the governors mansion. Hillary clinton came down to the kitchen and we talked into the early hours of the morning with our other friend who was mayor of little rock, lotty shackleford. 1997, 40 years later, governor clinton was now president clinton. And the welcome the little rock 9 had was overwhelming and kind and gracious. It was well meaning and heartfelt it it was time it seemed to set things aright. 2007, 50 years later, all of us are still together as the little rock nine. We had grown older, but we all had made it. We had children grandchildren, and each of us successful in our own ways in the worlds in which we lives. And it was give back time. 10 years after the 40th anniversary, we had set up the little rock nine foundation. One that would support Young High School students as they made their next step toward higher education. We were happy to see each other. Happy to call one another friend. Happy to have shared important moments in history with one another and with a nation that honored us. We had a place in the modern Civil Rights Movement. Something we never sought, but was granted to us. A congressional gold medal prior to that, 2017, 60 years later, we return to little rock to central high, as senior citizens. One of us is missing now, our friend Jefferson Thomas, because his right to speak his name allowed. He was the one with the engaging sense of humor. And we miss him in these days. Only my mother juanita walls remains, and she is here with my family, my husband, my two children, my four grandchildren, four generations. Thank you for that. And today we have number 45, who behind the scenes and his twitter accounts, we become as we were 60 years ago, anxious and worried and concerned about what lies ahead. This weekend and in the year ahead, we know these things, though. As a human race, we are strong people. And in the words of the old negro spiritual, we have come too far to turn back now. [ applause ] thats okay. Theres one more thing. Just one more thing. We all like to say have a good day. I say to you, have a day that matters. Dr. Terence roberts. In the name of full disclosure, its important that you know i come here not to celebrate. Not that i dont want to celebrate, but that time has not yet come. [ applause ]. You see, for me, the balloons are in the closet the confetti is stored away, the noise makers are waiting to make their noise. Its been a 75 year wait for me. For most of those 75 years, i have been aware of the need for real change. I say, look at it from my perspective, first, for what i want is for none of this ever to have happened. That said, i have a new vision that shows me what could possibly be. But it cant happen, i cant do it alone. We all have to engage in this war against the forces that are determined to shore up and maintain the status quo. Thats not feasible. How can we do that . You can decide to choose to live a life thats different than the life youve thus far chosen to live. I dont make the assumption that everyone here shares my vision. But i do make the assumption you are willing to investigate the options when you become aware of them. Willful ignorance is one of the most deadly sins that we face. If you are willing to move away from that position and take a more balanced position, i think i have a chance to see what i need to see. How can it happen . For those of you in the audience who are professed christians, i speak directly to you. You have a bible, some of you may not know the bible is an acronym. Basic instruction before leaving earth. It is it imperative you read the instructions now, and as you do, you will find in there admonitions to treat your brother and sister as you would treat yourself. I cant imagine given the history of this country, that those of you who are professed christians would want that to continue. I was told and i mentioned this in the inninger Faith Service the other night, i was told i had no business being at central. I dont know if he was reading the same bible i had. I went back home to look at the passage, to see where he got that information. I have yet to find it. We christians care enough to confront. When you care enough to confront you get in other peoples faces. Its not about being cattive, its about loving care. If you have a child and that child has a penchant for playing near the offramp, you will confront that child, you will take measures, use every instrument possible to maintain the safety and well being of that child. Think about it that way. Treat me as your child. Help us all to move away from this nefarious status quo into the brighter light of understanding where we truly see each other as god sees us all. Thank you. Minijean brown tricky. Thank you, everyone. I love to be on stage with illustrious people. Greetings, thanks to the city and all the people. Thank you melissa. Thank you everyone. I have one third of my children here. I have my sister, i found her when she spoke out as she usually does. Theres nothing like the brown sisters. I consider this experience, this 60th commemoration as a pilgrimage. And i looked up the definition which says a pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. Typically a journey to a shrine or other location of importance. And here i am. And here we are so we come here, i think, to remind ourselves and the world that the work is not finished. When im standing in a place of such significance and remember that i was fired in the heat of Little Rock Central High School. Theres no forgetting. So i and the rest of us in many different ways will continue our active i activism we come here to stimulate the conversation that nieds to happen, here, there, and every place else. Im going to tell you what happened. I did accuse number 40 whatever of suffering from from profoundintentional ignoran ignorance. And i said it on television, so i expect my tweet a little later tod today. So astrophysicists yeah, okay, im sorry, sorry, profoundintentional ignorance. Okay, were really close to the unraveling of an informed democracy. We have to think about that. Were in a place of education. The theme of the Little Rock Central High School National Historic site is, its about education. And it about education. So im hoping and were not stupid little rock nine. We know whats going on in this town. Thats what marvin gaye said. Who knew it was about marvin gaye. Okay. So were here to remind ourselves and you and we hope we can inspire young people. Remember, were 14, 15, and just turning 16. So we want to inspire the young people and elizabeth coined this phrase. Dont think of us as special because were ordinary people. But ordinary people can do extraordinary things. And were proof of that. Thank you very much. Giving remarks on behalf of thelma wear, please welcome her son, gabriel wear. Good morning, everybody. Good morning. Good morning, president clinton, dignitaries, family and friends. My name is gabrielle wear. Im more than honored to speak on behalf of my grandmother, beautiful grandmother thelma wear. It has been many years since i enlt therd Historical Building and i did so today with a sense of anticipation and hope for the future of those educated here and other facilities throughout the state. The year i spent here was filled with uncertainty, mostly related to safety. Fortunately, other than verbal and certainly psychological issues, i experienced no physical harm. The year since the years ive seen my continued growth and experienced an education as a teacher and counsellor. I gained a lot from my students and hope the same can be said in return. My hope is that arkansas will continue to experience the spread of integration and embrace people of different ethnicities and beliefs. I would also like to add that the proliferation of Charter Schools has given us a cause for the concern for the future of conventional public education. We must continue to be involved and vigilant for the education for all of our children for whom our futures depend. Thank you for your time and attention. Let us say thank you again to each of the little rock nine. To introduce our keynote speaker, it is my pleasure and honor to bring to the podium the woman who knows every inch of this school and who owns it. Nancy has been principal of Little Rock Central High School since the summer of 2002. As principal she thinks about Central High School each day. I suspect that every day she is in little rock where the school is in session or not, she spends time at the school or at School Related functions. Nancy is an ambassador for Little Rock Central High School, its students, alumni and entire city of little rock. She is one of a few people who has worked on the 40th anniversary, au50th anniversary and now the 60th anniversary commemorations. Join me in welcoming the principal. How in the world do you introduce bill clinton to a room full of people who not only know who he is but actually know him . Although i find it hard to believe as i thought about it that the majority of these students were born after he left the white house. Sorry. Its true. As a student in hot springs, bill clinton saw the little rock nine bravely face the mobs while watching them on television. Probably black and white television. Definitely. He has credited that experience with expanding his world view. In 1987 as was mentioned, the then little rock mayor lotty shackleford welcomed all nine to little rock. Bill clinton as governor gave the nine the tour of the governors mansion. As president in 97, he not only spoke at the ceremony, but he along with governor huckabee and then mayor jim daily opened the doors as they did majestic doors of Central High School for the little rock nine to enter. Ten years ago, that went quickly, he again spoke this time as our former president. During the 50th anniversary events, he also hosted the little rock nine for a viewing of the emancipation proclamation which was on exhibit at the time at the clinton president ial center. As previously mentioned, president clinton signed the legislation which made Little Rock Central High School a National Historic site. This is a partnership that about which we are so proud. And enjoy every single day as people from all over the world walk our halls along with our students to see our historic school. As president , he presented each of the little rock nine with the congressional medal of honor in a ceremony at the white house. He also spoke at the Memorial Service for daisy baits. The list of his connections to this school and to the little rock nine goes on and on and on. In fact, in the summer of 2016, he and some of the members of the little rock nine joined me and a few hundred other people in the basement of Central High School during a Tornado Warning. The Tornado Warning turned out to be major weather vent with part of the roof being torn away and two classrooms being destroyed. As Central High Schools very proud principal, im going to take a moment of personal privilege to say thank you. Thank you for all you have done for this school. Your life and career are the embodyment of the four statues which adorn the front of our school and have looked out upon 90 years of history. Ambition, personality, opportunity, and preparation. Now ladies and gentlemen, and my children behind me, it gives me great honor to say will you help me and please welcome to the podium the 42nd president of the United States William Jefferson clinton. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. First of all, thank you madam principal for your leadership of in some ways most important high school in the United States. Thank you superintendent, thank tots Parks Service for taking good care of us. Thank you, doctor. For demonstrating just by the way you talk how dumb it was to deny so many africanamericans the opportunity of a decent education for so long. Youre an inspiration. I thank all of you who came. Happy birthday annie abrams, governor tucker, thank you secretary slater. Thank you for all you did for our country. I want to thank you, whoever did the program, for letting darren and joy speak for they are the true heirs of what was done here 60 years ago. And from one of them i benefit every single day. I want to thank melva and elizabeth and ernie and gloria and terrance and mini jean and thelma and two who are not here, jeff and daisy baits. We miss them both. I god they were wonderful werent they . And i want to thank my old friend who was introduced as dr. Henry lewis gates. But if you want to laugh about the aging process, which trust me is not for sissies, when i saw him coming up here with his crutches, i thought how cute. Why . Because of his friends call him skip. And then he took the pink elephant out of the closet voest so the rest of us could talk. This is also the 40th anniversary this year of my first speech as a public official and hatz a lot in common with today. I spoke at the rotary Club Installation bank wet at pine bluff. There were 500 people there. There were 25 speakers. By the time i got up to speak, half the people were hungry again. The man thant deuced ran the campaign for me and he was more nervous than i was. I was a young attorney general. And he got up and said, you know, we can stop here and had a very good evening. Now what he meant was all of was that it sounded like the truth. Please, i want to go home. But i thank them all. I thank this group for letting me be a part of their lives. For sharing their true feelings. For giving us each in their own way the true meaning of what were here about. I wanted to come here and reminisce. I was here for the 20th anniversary. Not even all thm were. And Jesse Jackson and i were on this stage. And he told the students of little rock central high because america was facing a big drug epidemic then now like this awful Opioid Epidemic today and heroin and the whole deal. That they should open their brains and not their veins. I say that because he, too, is aging. And not in the best shape today. But we should never forget that long before it was popular, he called on people to develop their minds and do their work so they could claim their legitimate place in america. Skip gates and his utter life had a tv show. You have ever seen it . You seen his show . And he traced our lineage. Shows governor hutchison may be related to john brown. King george iii or god only knows who. But its important, i want to start there. What does all that they say amount to . What was the pink elephant in the closet that skip dug out . By tracing peoples genetic lineage, you find out almost no black people are all black. And almost zero africanamericans and maybe theres not a single one whose enti entire lineage comes from people from subsaharn africa and almost no white people are all white either. Unless all of your ancestors are from subsa haran africa. Thats the part that is rearing its ugly head lately. Now look, ever since ive been out of office, ive been doing crazy things. I make i have this endlessly amended bucket list and one thing i want to do is understand genomics, particle physics and astro physics. I really wanted to know genomics because i spent 3 million of your tax money for the study of it and now can you do it for 100 and its given us 300 billion in Economic Activity so it is best investment of your tax money that you ever made and you get a big return when you invest in modernizing infrastructure and science and technology as well. So i keep reading all these articles. One day i read that, you know, our human ancestor first rode up in east africa 2,000 years ago and it took them 90 to 100,000 years to get all the way to the north of africa and then into the middle east and into europe and for 40,000 years after that we coinhas been itted europe with the neanderthals. We liked each other better than we knew. But they were bigger than us. They were stronger than we are. Their brains were just as big but for reasons no one fully knows as far as we can determine. They never wrote a book or a poem. Or spoke to each other in traditional ways. But it appears that thiey didn survive the laughter are a of really big mammals and we did perhaps because we could run faster but in all probability because we could communicate and we could cooperate. All the people at the president ial center make fun of me. We just had that great exhibit where you could see all my cooperators. But its true. We had the tsunami in south asia, cooperative instirvegtive patterns of animals saved a bunch of them when people were killed. And south america there are termites that only drill airconditioned housing. Im going to tell what you that has to do with all this. I want you to think. Five holes in their living quarters, they go in and out of one. When its going to rain, they know it and they stay out so they dont drown. Bees pollen yat 96 of the food all human being consume. You should worry that a lot of the bees are dying now because of environmental and chemical conditions beyond their control. The combined weights of ants on earth combine the weight of people on earth. The most touching nonhuman picture i saw from the awful devastation of harvey in the gulf coast and in houston was this gushing water in what had been a city street and on it this massive blob of fire ants. Must have been 100,000 or more of them. And those at the bottom sacrificed themselves so that they could glue themselves together and they would all survive by floating away to freedom. But we can do more of that. I wanted to stand up and say a lot of simple things about that and make everybody feel good and tell them i love them and sit down. But then we had all this stuff happening that other people have talked about. So i wanted to say you did 60 years, take a victory lap. Put on your dancing shoes, have a good time. But instead i have to say you got to put on your marching boots and lead us again. This is not a partisan issue. Abraham lincoln gave his life to holy union together and to pass the 13th amendment and there is slavery everywhere. Grant, a greatly unmisunderstood and underrated figure in our history not just as a general but as a president gave us the 15th amendment, the right to vote which he said is the most important thing that had happened since the founding of the United States of america. And last time i was here on this stage was with george w. Bush. Because our Leadership Scholars Program takes turn doing our graduation where his library is and where mine is but we get 60 people every year equally divided by party, representative of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, you name it. They come together and they go to his fathers library, the lbj library and study some decision at each place together. And they talk about it together. And these are people who readily admit that in the world we live in they would never have met each other had it not been for this program. And they study these decisions and then they discuss how they ought to be made when they agree on the end. And lo and behold, they find out there is really something to the most important study about behind the science that makes it skips program so fascinating which is that were all 99. 5 the same genomically. Every nonage related difference can you see in the audience is half in your gemone. Were living if a world where were going back and visiting the original questions of this country and the original things that tore this country apart in the south Civil Rights Movement which is basically whether all that mat serz whmatters is what that. 5 . Its bad enough that every single one of us for reasons of personal vanity spend 99. 5 of our time thinking about the. 5 of ourselves that are different, dont we . Wish i were a little taller. I have lebron james body, i would have gone in a different line of work. So i could have played a saxophone like john i would have gone for a different line of work. You got it. We all spend all this time. Bad enough we do that. Now were back to square one. Thats all that matters. Back to travelism. And its sweeping the world. It is entirely understandable and i think was entirely predictable. Anybody who didnt see it coming wasnt out there in 2014 and 2013 like i was. But when you have people who feel that theyve been passed by economically, socially, culturally and politically and theyre fed a steady diet of resent ment and they dont ever meet anybody different from them or talk to anybody then thats the core of it. And all you need is a little leaving. People get careless about whether they vote midterm. People read this and the other thing and pretty soon somebody else said well can you have your ventment, i want resentment. Lets find out about whose resentment is the most authentic. Pretty soon somebody trying to keep from you voting. Or gets to racing from you the polls with some app, not subject to review. Pretty soon another country thinks these people are so messed up, so torn up and so full of resentment ill mess with their heads. Isnt the internet wonderful . The answer is, yes and no. The answer to everything went to yes and no. There are almost no there are almost no unmixed blessings. I dont think that they ever wanted to go to Little Rock Central High School. And get a good education and have a good life so that one day they could be in control of everybody that didnt look like them in schools until they couldnt breathe. I think they wanted to be part of america. Part of a world, to be full the way god meant us all to be. You cant do that if all you think about is that. 5 difference. You cant do that if you ignore the plain teaching of every faith that nobody is all wise and right all the time. And every religion says in one way or the other, after the love of god the most important thing is to love your neighbor. So all the clever people who want to divide us say yeah, what is the definition of neighbor . They do not remember the pairable of got samaritan and that the samaritan was not generally thought to be the neighbor of the israelites. There is still 200,000 of them today in the middle east and theyre in danger like every other small religion. Theyre not people who in the name of their perfect knowledge and will of god want to squish them because it makes them feel good to hurt somebody else. He says they turn the side of a stranger might as well turn away from the most high god. The koran says put different people on the earth not that they might despise one another but that they may come to know one another and learn from one another. The buddhists say that you are not really alive unless you can feel the arrow piercing another persons body as if it were entering your own. What is the matter with us . I heard that rally down in alabama and i thought about oh, my god i got to go come look at little rock nine. And theyre down there talking and n. Ways that you hadnt heard since george coraly wallace was governor of alabama. And again they forgot the history. Wallace was the first guy who thought oh, i can get white folks all over america to vote just like they do here. I just got to get them torn up and upset enough. Got to fill them with resentment and stop people thinking. They forgot i knew George Wallace in the last years of his life and we served as governors. I remember when he apologized to the people of alabama for fanning the flames of racial hatred and discrimination and asked the africanamericans in alabama to forgive him and promise to serve them all. I remember when his bullet ridden paralyzed body was so painfully it took him two hours to get dressed every day and he got up two hours early for me one day to go to a governors meeting to protest new rules against aid for disabled coal miners and others who were being thrown off disability. I remember there was a truck driver with a ninth grade education and lost his arm in an descent and cut off disability because they said he could work as a telephone receptionist. George wallace got up out of bed to vote against that. He became remembericonciled to t that we all had a place in americas design. We dont want to go back there, folks. We dont want to get into [ applause ] we dont want to get into my resentment is more authentic than yours. We want to look at skip Gates Program on television and find out all the funny things about our ancestors we never dreamed about and say, wow. How dumb were any of us ever to deny any possibility to any american . I want these young people to have the brightest future ever offered to any generation. Part of it you know is whether we can keep creating jobs in the face of robotics and Artificial Intelligence and all these changes were going to have. Part of it is can we really ever bring again the same Economic Opportunities to small time Rural America that they once had . I think the answer to both is yes. But it wont happen by feeding our resentmentes, especially our resentment against immigrants. Because we native born americans i remember three things. The birthrate of my native born americans is now only replacement level. That is were not growing. The median age of a workforce determin determines along with education level of the people and the investment level in growth, the prosperity of a country. Having lost it, i can tell you youth matters. When it comes it matters in a lot of ways. It really does matter in economic potential. Fact number two, the crime rate among immigrants including undocumented immigrants is one half the crime rate of the native born. Fact number three, the Small Business formation rate, however, is twice that of the native born. We should be worrying about our real problems and how we can solve them together. That would hohn yort little rock nine and the lives they have lived and the work they have done. Do we have problems with health care . Yes. Do we need to protect our boreder . Yes. Are the National Security questions we face simple . No. Ill tell you one thing, were not going to get from here to there by making people mad. Were going to get from here to there by providing what they got at little rock central high. 90 years ago when the school opened, somebody designated it the most Beautiful School building in america. 20 years after that its Football Team was designated the Best High School Football Team in america. Not in the state. When i was governor this one school regularly won 25 or 30 of all the merit scholarships in the state. But had to work like crazy to win the latin prize. Over one persistent competitor from deer, arkansas, population 300. Because there is one woman who loved that town and had always loved the history of rome and taught and the deer, arkansas had, a latin banquet back then, governor. And the game and Fish Commission would give one permit every year to kill a bear. And the condition and it was by lottery. The condition to getting the bear permit was that you had to give half the meat to deer because the romans ate bear meat and this lady had a cookbook from roman times and i went to deer, arkansas, to eat it. I thought it was made up. So i went to the latin banquet. They were the only people that could compete with little rock central high. Why am i telling you this . Because thats the real meaning of their lives. All they wanted to do was to live their lives and be a part of america. Not a part of america, not in control of america, but a part a part of america. Thats what this ought to be about. John lewis sat on the floor of the congress the other day that he was inspired as a young man of 17 by them. And that he had to find a way to get in the wave. So we all got to get in the wave. This country is by far the best positioned country in the world for the 21st century. Theres no point in our getting in our own way any longer. But we have to reject resentment and anger in favor of answers. We have to reject polarization and demonization in favor of mutual respect. Last night we opened the mandela exhibit at the library and i never ceased to be amazed at the discipline respect mandela showed his political adversaries. He put the people that put him in prison 27 years in his government. And told his own people who criticized him, he said just got 62 of the vote. Against 18 opponents. Are you out of your mind . Putting them in . He said yeah, but we just voted for the first im in 300 years k we run the banks or the military or anything all by ourselves . But its a question anyone can ask in anyplace in america. Can people just like you and only like you who only know what you know and think like you think need meet any of the challenge wez face by ourselves snt answer is always going to be no. Diverse groups make better decisions than lone geniuses and like minded people and people that are told they cant bear to think about something that they are predisposed not to believe. So we face an motional question, a question of the heart, and a question of the mind today. Do you really believe in the legacy of the little rock nine . Can you imagine how their parents felt. The lasting remember i vf the 40th reunion is not that i was president , believe it or not. I was glad that most important thing i had to do was to hold a door open for so that the world could see the reality of what the symbolic message was. I was afraid i couldnt give a talk. Hillary and i had just taken chelsea to college. We literally had to be run out of the room, the dorm room. She was our only child. And i realized that when i got here that their parents let them come here. Terrified. Because of the promise that it offered. That i had just taken for granted. Thats what i remember. Are we really going to let more than 200 years of our struggle to get over the idea that our differences are more important than our common humanity . Just be blown away. Do you really want to go back to what was like before world war ii . Or the 20s or whatever . Ill live through the 50s and 60s. Im proud of what was done but it wasnt pretty. And a lot of people lost their lives. So i ask you to say to them we love you. You taught us that in economics and social policy and in politics addition is better than subtraction. And multiplication is better than division. We could have learned it in grade school but if we didnt learn it from them in central high, we will never learn it. Celebrate today. Feel likewise, older people. Put on your dancing shoes tonight. But tomorrow, just like john lewis, you made us get in the wave, we need to get in the wave again. So tomorrow we need you again. Put on your marching boots and well get in the way. God bless you. Waldon johnson wrote the text for lift every voice and sing in 1899. Six years later his brother john johnson set it to music. Here to sing it now is the college choir. Having this choir sing this song is a combination of two organizations which played key roles 60 years ago. The song has become synonymous with the naacp before the school year, both the naacp and philanda Smith College provided support for the little rock nine. As we bring the program to a close, let me extend my appreciation to city manager bruce t. Moore who chaired the Steering Committee for the commemoration. As if supervising 2,500 City Employees was not enough, he took on the role of leading this planning effort which took well over a year, over a year. His leadership and vision have been invaluable. One of the lasting leg sifz tac the little rock nine is his son who celebrates his 11th birthday today i wish to acknowledge the leadership and participation of Little Rock School district superintendent michael poor. Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau ceo gretchen hall. As well as robin white and superintendent robert, robin white of the Little Rock Central High School Historic Site. Over 60 people served on the Steering Committee and subcommittees. Thank you also even said thank you to the Program Participants and those who took part in this weekends sculpture dedication, education symposium, made the staples concert, children of the little rock nine panel and the interFaith Service. And thank you to those in attendance here today and watching on various media outlets. Your participation has been an important part of this commemoration. Before pastor edwards lead us in a closing blessing, let us pause for one more moment to show our love and appreciation to the little rock nine. Please remain standing for the blessing. As the lord has blessed us to be a part of this kmemtive event, as he blessed our coming together and what we have received here now, may he bless us now in our departure. The lord bless thee and keep thee. The lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The lord lift up his counsel upon thee and give thee peace, amen. Thank you for joining us here today. This concludes our we need all Program Participants to please remain on the stage and standing. Thank you. American hifltry tv on cspan3 is in prime time this week starting at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Tonight from the National Constitution senter in philadelphia, discussions on land mark Supreme Court cases including brown versus board of education. Tuesday night, the life and influence of william buffalo bill cody on the 100th anniversary of his death. Wednesday night, the 60th anniversary of Little Rock Central High Schools integration with former president bill clinton. Thursday night, a discussion on the lead up and response of the 1957 forced desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. And friday night, from American History tvs oral history series, interviews with prominent photojournalist whos documented major vents throughout American History. Watch American History tv this week in prime time on cspan3. Its a Radio Station in the Nations Capital that covers six million people. This is a very heavily automobile commute city. And it will just extend our brand and give people who are involved in the process here a chance to listen to it. Thats how it happened. It was that simple. Cspan radio, marking 20 years of Public Affairs programming from the Nations Capital. Listen to the washington journal live each morning beginning at 7 00 a. M. Eastern. Hear recaps of the days political events on washington today. Week days at 5 00 p. M. Eastern. And get the latest from congress, the administration, and important events from across the nation. Cspan radio is available in washington on 90. 1 fm. On our website, cspan. Org or by downloading the free cspan radio app. Cspan radio at 20 years where you hear history unfold daily. The cspan bus is traveling across the country on our 50 capitals tour. We recently stopped in richmond, virginia, asking folks what is the most important issue in their state . Hello. Im a virginia resident at the university of richmond. And im concerned about the department of Environmental Quality not limiting the expansion of Natural Gas Pipelines through our state. These are going to threaten our water, our land and our people. Its also an infrastructure of the past as we move forward to renewable energy, a waste of time and money. West virginia and North Carolina has already come out against it and virginia should too. Thank you. My name is jonathan. Im a millennial voter in the state of virginia. And while im focused right now on what happens to hr 1447 in congress which is the fair and equal housing act, im hoping that in this governors election that if he were elected that he would actually find bipartisan approach to actually implement a similar legislation here in the commonwealth of virginia. And the fair and equal housing act is basically prohibiting discrimination based on extoll orientation with regard to housing and employment areas as well. And im really passionate about this. And i hope and im wonld whaede what their position is on hr 1447. Voices from the states on cspan. Next on American History tv, from the Ronald Reagan president ial library in semi valley, california, a Constitution Day lecture titled the lost art of compromise, pepperdine professor discusses the framing of the constitution and argue thats contemporary leaders should mirror the founders. They hosted this event. It is just over an hour. Excellent. Im the chief learning officer here at the Ronald Reagan president ial foundation and institute. On be behalf of our colleagues, i want to welcome you to tonights Constitution Day lecture. As is the case at every event we do here at the Ronald Reagan president ial library, we like to Start Program with the pledge of allegiance and especiallily to day in honor of the 16th anniversar o
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