Transcripts For CSPAN3 50th Anniversary Of March On Ballot Boxes Speech 20160724

Thank you all for coming out. What a Beautiful Day to make history again. Inthis very day 50 years ago this very spot, dr. Martin luther king jr. Came to king street to deliver his march on ballot boxes speech. 8, 1966,nday, may mothers day, just as it is today, and now we gather on these hallowed grounds, 50 years later, to remember that important day in the history of king street and williams gstree and williamsburg, South Carolina. Thank you for being here for this importance occasion. When dr. King spoke your on may a rainy afternoon as you will see it was his first major public appearance in South Carolina. Speeches in three the state of South Carolina and defined not mistaken, the other two locations were in charleston and orange. Ree firstme to kingst and he came here after the passage of the Voting Rights act of 1965. He came as a result of mr. Virgil dimly of the funeral home who came to atlanta, camped out, took up residence outside dr. King pro office for three days, hounded his secretary until the acretary agreed to arrange meeting between the two and when he left, dr. King was making plans to come right here too little old kingstree. [applause] we want to let you know before we begin the program, we have members of the local media here today to record this important day in history. Also cspan is here. We are on the national news, yall [applause] cspan is recording this event. It will be broadcast at a later date. Water is available. We know it is hot. Here at the tent. Also volunteers are walking around. They are wearing navy shirts and they have on volunteer name tags, so if you need assistance, please do not hesitate to ask one of these ladies or men to assist her. To assist you. In june, the primary is coming up, so if you are not registered to vote, please, honor dr. Kings legacy by getting yourself registered and you can do that today. There is a table set up right here. It has the word williamsburg on it. The Voter Registration table is set up there. You can get information. You can register to vote today. And local author Catherine Bruce is here. Will be autographing copies of her book. If you would like to know more about the Civil Rights Movement from her point of view, you are than welcome to do so. Will everyone please rise for the presentation of the colors by the members of the United States of america honor guard . Set, forward. Forward, march. [indiscernible] thank you, gentlemen. Thank you for your service to our country. Our guest will come forward to seeing the national anthem. She will be escorted by joseph of theand teri james 24th massachusetts Reenactment Group out of charleston. The 54th regiment is one of the First Official africanamerican units fighting for the union against the confederacy and the slavery in the civil war. The story of these brave men was brought to life in the movie glory. If you would please come forward. O say can you see light dawns early what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars lists 5 para perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare bursting in air gave proof through the night was still there say, does that starspangled banner yet wave of the freed brave home of the you may be seated. Im not sure how mrs. King may have felt about this day 50 years ago. It was mothers day. Dr. King could have been back and home cooking her breakfast in bed and treating her the queen she was, but in that he was here with us. We are here on a mothers day. Handing out carnations to the ladies, and we want to take this opportunity to say happy mothers day to all of the mamas, the big mamas, the nanas aunties andhe everyone who serves as a female role model to a younger generation. I would like to ask reverend cooper to give the indication. He is a native of kingstree. He is one of 13 children. His education in the public schools. He graduated from the great Tomlinson High School in 1962. He attended poplin university and received his masters degree from interdenominational heological center in atlanta served as a chaplain in 1990 six. He retired as a pastor in 2010 and presently serves as a retired pastor at faith United Methodist in the White Oak Community of Williamsburg County. Please join me in welcoming reverend samuel b. Cooper. [applause] rev. Cooper let us pray. Paternal god, our heavenly father, we thank you for this day and our lives. You, oh god, for the legacy of this community. We thank you for your grace, your mercy, your piece. We have the grace to ask dr. Ing to come to this community i think you, o god, because i was privileged to be here on that sunday afternoon as we celebrated in this county a you fory, and we thank the things you lead this community and the men and women to do. We ask, oh god, that you continue to give us hope and your steadfast presence. As we persevere toward a brighter future. Look upon us with grace and with us withread look upon mercy and direction, and give us your piece, dear lord. We thank you. We have great hope and where you will lead us in the future. We thank you this day. We honor those persons who have come to us to speak to us, to lift us up, tb merciful unto them. Use them in a mighty way that toy may speak wisdom to us give us the fortitude and the vision and the courage for all in the future to make this a betterd this world place. Lord, we give you thanks. Amen. I have to take a drink of water. It is hot out here. Whoo hmm. All see me sitting up under air conditioning, but im member the hot days in the tobacco field. The tobacco worms, the tobacco juice smacking you in the mouth as he rejoined to get that tobacco harvested so you could get the money so you could buy your school close for the next school year. I am not afraid of hard work. Trydo not try to work not to run to it. Now it is time to recognize our special guest here with us today. I will ask them to stand and remain standing, but i will ask you to hold your applause until the end. First of all, i would like to ask our guest of honor, the honorable United States clyburnsman james jim to stand. Beccaria sellers, our guest speaker. State representative steve mcknight. The county supervisor stanley paisley. Mayor parker. Lets give these gentlemen and round of applause. You may be seated. If there were any members of the Williamsburg County council, a ny members of the town council for Williamsburg County and any elected officials serving our country, state, or county, if you would please stand and be recognized at this time. [applause] we thank you for your service. This would not be possible without the vision, hard work, and the effort of the Planning Committee. It took a lot of people to list together. I would like members of the committee to please stand and i want to give special recognition to these four individuals, mr. Michael allen, mr. Billy jenkinson, mrs. Cassandra roche if you would please stand and be recognized as part of the Planning Committee today. Without financial support, this would not be possible. You can see the names of the sponsors flashed on the screen. They are in your program. Is very proud of my station a proud sponsor of this event, and i want to thank the staff and management and the owners of my station for seeing fit to be part of this affair today. We are all your today, but these folks were here 50 years ago 1966 on that8, rainy sunday afternoon. Everyone who was here on that day 50 years ago, if you can stand, we want you to stand. If you cant stand, then please raise your hand. Because we want to recognize you. [applause] thank you very much. On behalf of everyone here today, thank you for serving. You are a reminder that dr. King from message is alive and well. Now we will have the presentation of the essay award winners. I would like to ask reverend out for it are the and dr. Lynwood cooper to please come to the certificatesent the to the winners of the Williamsburg County School District dr. Martin luther king dream 50 years in action contest. Good afternoon. We are here to honor these students. We express our congratulations. This will go down in history for our beloved Williamsburg County. We will also ask reverend hanrahan and members of the school board to come here as well. Chairman, bishop cooper, and the reverend will make the presentations. Will the following pursers please come forth will the following persons please come forth . [readign names] names] [reading names] let us give all of these young people at hand. [applause] for the work of dr. King is why we enjoyed many of the rights we have today. Thank you very much. Tolet me add, i had a chance shake dr. Kings hand standing right over there. [applause] i could Say Something i could Say Something. But we are on national tv. I will let that slide. It is my pleasure to introduce our featured speaker. Mr. Sellers was representative to the South Carolina house of representatives at 22. State one of the youngest representatives at the age of 22 and he was the youngest black official in the United States at the age of 22. He served the 90th district very well from 2006 until 2014, and he also ran for lieutenant governor. He is currently an analyst for cnn. His education and has always been top priority for him. And he attended and graduated from Morehouse College in atlanta. He was elected Student Association present president and served on the College Board of trustees. He earned a juris doctorate from my arm, the university of South Carolina school of law and soon entered politics working for congressman jim clyburn. He also worked with Shirley Franklin of atlanta and served with the southeastern regional director of the naacp. He has a very, very strong background and legacy to lead up to to live up to. His mother, gwendolyn sellers, worked in Higher Education for more than 20 years. His father, dr. Cleveland sellers, which i had the privilege of meeting has been a champion of civil rights for North Carolina and served as the director of africanamerican studies. He is the president of four he in denmark. Mr. Sellers returned to South Carolina and hoped to consider changeacy of creating for the greater good. Bio. An read his entire darn it, ladies, he is off the market. He got married last year. He is still a newlywed. We are so happy for him and we goodthat he has so many things to come. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm Williamsburg County bakari sellers. [applause] mr. Sellers good afternoon. I was chuckling because when i today, they have a line that asked for your name and address. My mom and dad taught me that the most important words in the english language are thank you because they are not set enough. I see so many friends and family. I see a hero of mine behind me. Congressman James Clyburn and his beautiful bride emily who i love and adore and if i am on tv if i am not doing right, i know she will be the one to tell me. , cesare my senator mcknight, so many friends and family and from the bottom of my heart, i simply want to say thank you. I know it is pretty warm out here today. So, i am going to treat you a lot like Elizabeth Taylor treated all seven of her husbands. And that means im not going to keep you long. But i want to begin by saying whoseyou to all of those hard work and vision made this a historic occasion. I was thinking about the way i would feel, because when they invite you to speak somewhere, you oftentimes asked who was the last keynote speaker at the event. At this one, they said dr. King. At so, i was a little taken aback. But i come to you today very humble. I come to you today very hopeful, and i come to you today very hungry. I am humble in my company. I am hopeful in my hearts, and i am hungry for change. How else can i be . To stand here amongst so many giants, not just of my community, but if history, and pay homage to a man who through faith, example, and strength inspired us to stem the tide of bigotry and hate, to build a new world of opportunity together. How else can i be when he who gave the last full measure of devotion so weak, too, could rise to the mountaintop and find the Promised Land how else echoese when his voice in my years and i stand where he stood 50 years ago today. It is 50 years. That is 600 months. That is 18,263 days. That is 438,000 hours. 26 million to 98 rows and evan hundred 20 minutes. And as i think about it now, i believe dr. King would remind me he would remind all of us that viewed from the long line of history, that moment is only. Breath away forced upon you, you cannot refuse it. You did not seek it. To use it. You you will suffer if you lose it. Give account if you abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, but paternity is in it. Dr. King would remind me that these two moments lie only a breath away, and he is with us here and im humbled to be in his company. I am humble, but you all, i am hungry. I am hungry because we have come so far. We have not come far enough. To finish the job you started. I came across a photograph not too long ago dr. Donaldson i see you out there of my father before the gentleman sitting in the white house, having a conversation with president Lyndon Baines johnson. My father was young. Younger than i am now. Is can tell that he intimidated. His arms are long and skinny. It makes the seersucker jacket look a little long. Is a problem that we both share. But he is holding his own with the president of the United States of america. Taken july 2, was 1964. The president had just signed these silver will bash the civil right act into law. Conference ins mississippi. The jacket and tie were gone and my father is in a white tshirt, looking far older than he did just two years prior. He was serious, he was stern, even angry. This was days after the attempted murder of james meredith. The nonviolent cord knitting committee, the freedom democratic party, the congress for racial equality my father at the microphone, my father there and he was at the microphone but dr. Martin luther king himself. Ves onll put their li the lines of this day would come to pass. It is easy for us to go back through the fog of history with the bin to the benefit of hindsight and believe that somehow this was all inevitable, that somehow this was destined or preordained. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights act, briggs versus elliott, brown versus the board of education, edwards versus desegregation, integration, jim crow, its tempting to imagine history brought us here, that history stands still unless it is pushed. So when i look at that , i do not, dr. King see the tide of history, the inevitable march for its equality. I see struggle. I see a constant struggle, a constant, Relentless Movement of change. I see men in uniform. I see violence brought on by people in hatred, bigotry, and fear. You see, my friends, i was born in 1984. Allw so many of you standing up here at this moment 50 years ago. I was born after the storm that you all lived through. You talk about the blood, the sweat, and tears. In blood. Paid 21still struggle in the century. It is ours right now. Congress and client learn, back when they had a grandfather clause or a congressman leiber and, back when they had a grandfather clause or literary disenfranchisement, i see voter id. I see standard ground. The man with the megaphone has a Brooks Brothers suit and a cable news show. The ghost ofr saw emmitt smith, i am haunted by trayvon martin, michael brown, walter scott. Nine gunned down in mother emanuel i 2015. Right now, blacks in South Carolina make up less than 30 of our state population, but more than two thirds of the prison population and infant mortality is nearly twice as high for blacks than whites. A child is a better chance being born in sri lanka, lebanon, botswana, or q then being born black in South Carolina. Live in black children families were no parent has fulltime yearround appointment employment . How many black, hispanic children are living in or near poverty . 312,000. What is the leading cause of death of black males . Homicide. And imagine never going to see the dentist . Imagine taking the food of your lunch tray and stuffing it into your book bag because you have brothers and sisters that are not in school if you do not feed eat. They do not imagine growing up in areas of concentrated poverty, the kind of backbreaking poverty that teaches the will never be more than to her poor, so you might up now. Give imagine you had the chance to change that. In this last general election, 60 of the registered black voters in South Carolina did not vote. 532,000 black and brown voices were not heard. I want you to think about that. Governor, have a it have that number china, we would have a governor, two more members of congress, and lord know how many state legislatures working with the president of the United States instead of obstructing him. Imagine how different that South Carolina would be. A South Carolina committed to raising the minimum wage and closing the wealth gap. A South Carolina where working families can go to a doctor when they are sick and not worry about going bankrupt. A South Carolina where we raise teacher salaries and invest in new technology because we believe all our students, all our children deserve he very best in that of barely adequate. Imagine a South Carolina where back ground checks are universal and dylan ruth never got the weapon that he used to kill reverend clementa pinckney. Dylann roof. We are starving. We have been starving, sustained only by the hope in our hearts, the hope that brings us together a band of the day, even though it is not about us. It is the boy standing and the in the rain outside. It is the 20yearold College Graduate looking for a good job and the 40yearold father going back to school so he can find a better one. Its about the teachers, truck drivers, and store clerks coming back together. It does not matter whether youre black or white, man or woman. We are all in this together because were all americans, all south carolinians, all citizens, and this government answers to us. Even more importantly i like to say in my youth, i guess i am still a dreamer. But i look around and i see its not just dreamers, but i see dreamers and doers. , see believers and activist and while others trudge through the troubled waters of the past, we build a bridge to the future. While others see things as they thatwe dream of a time never was and ask why not . That is exactly who we are. At people who even in the depths and strain of that titanic struggle still found the strength to dream. And even after 50 years, the dreamers words still echo because the world is messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land and confusion is all around. That is a strange statement. I know somehow that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. In i see god working in the 20th century in a way that men and some strange way are responding. Ng is happening in our world. People are rising up. Whether they are in south africa, the cry is always the same, we want to be free. I dont want to be angry anymore. I want to be free. I dont want to be frustrated and cynical and tired of facing the same old problems year after year with nothing to show for it. I want us to be the america we were meant to be, the one that my father told me about. The one we dream about for our children. 50 years from now when my grandchildren ask me what it was toe when i was growing up, ask my father i will be able to smile like he does, because even though he left work to be done, that world doesnt exist anymore. Because we stood here today humbled, hopeful, and hungry for change. Echoingr that call across 18,263 days, and we marched forward together, because life is just a minute. Only 60 seconds and it. It is forced upon you, you cant refuse it to you did not seek it or choose it but its up to you to use it for you must suffer if you lose it and give account if you abuse it. Minute, but attle turn of the is in it. Importantly, i have the great honor and pleasure of introducing someone who was here that day. Thats amazing, because he is slightly older than i am. He was listening to dr. Kings words that day. He answered the call and hes been leading that march ever since. Our representative from the sixth congressional district, assistant democrat leader and the third ranking democrat in the house, the first africanamerican elected to the congress from the state of North Carolina since reconstruction. Amazing to me, someone i can simply call it ran, congressman. Much. Nk you very thank you for introducing and presenting me today. This happens to be an election year. I hope i dont need to be introduced. Thank you so much for being here , for giving such a thoughtful, well delivered speech today. I asked for all the people who were here 50 years ago to stand. As my wife struggled to stand up. And i said to him, i cannot tell you how many times emily has been invited to stand for such an occasion, when she did not bother to move at all. Today she stood up. That makes this day important. Im supposed to remember this. Ay we were living in charleston. Graduated from South Carolina state. Yesterday i celebrated my 50 for three onion from South Carolina state. Thats where emily and i first met. We went to charleston to live, i to teach school, she to be a librarian. Later i became the executive director of a neighborhood youth corps. That capacity, i supervised a staff of young, peoplelack and white pushing for things to change. Forwarden the word went that year earlier, a month earlier, that dr. King was going to be in king street three i had met dr. King while still a unit at South Carolina state, as we participated in the city and. Sitin. 1960. Six of us got together. Twoy and i, and others. We drove through stormy weather. We thought about turning back because the weather was so bad that day. But we came onto king street. It showered. Permitted that program to go forward. Over in theood corner, kind of away from everybody. Because we were a little bit apprehensive. It was 1966. We were in mixed company. And we did not know how people would react to us. And so we stood up and listen to the speech on that day. Remember up on the my baseball coach, he was the director of congress for racial equality. He had earlier lost his job as a principal in both sums are and marion counties, and had su mter and marion counties, and had joined daytoday operations running the congress of racial equality. I remember sitting on the stage that day. Others who had in a part of the been a part of the court case in my hometown of sumter. Efforts were undertaken throughout the south to break the bat of the naacp. Law schools were filed against them all over the south. Day reflecting on my moms coming home from the courthouse after watching matthew. Matthew perry defend the naacp leaders, all of whom were on the stage that day. My mom said to me, get in the. Ar i want you to go down to the courthouse with me. She was so impressed with Matthew Perrys defense of the naacp that day, she wanted me to see Matthew Perry. Day iid to me, on that want you to see what you can be when you grow up. I will never forget that day. Day thought about that while we stood here in this field. I said a few minutes ago, this day has even more significance to me. Here, iime that we came was also serving as chairman of of therd of directors boys club in charleston, s. C. Many of you may not recognize the name. Shaw was thes quiet kernel who commanded the 54th regiment. To sit here today and cbn actors participate in this program and reflect back on that day, this day has significant meaning to me in the way that you would not believe. [applause] heres what i want to say about today. I dont know if i ever thought while standing on these grounds 50 years ago, that i would be back here 50 years later. Later as your representative to the United States congress. But i am. And its because of what was launched that day. Here to help launch a political movement. He was running for the state senate. And four others, people of color, running to break the color barrier. I did not know on that day i would come back to king street laterras later years as the executive director of the South Carolina commission with an offense down on thorne avenue with virgil demaray is one of my bosses. Fact, what Matthew Perry he lost that trial, but he gained the hearts and minds of people all over the state, all over this country, and we are here today because of those sacrifices made back then. To make sure that those sacrifices were not made in vain. I want to present some of our challenges of today. ,umter, kershaw, lee, lancaster all of these counties after reconstruction were represented in the United States congress by people of color. I want to say that again. 1866 in 1897, people of South Carolinaed in the United States congress. In that period of time, the lieutenant governor, two lieutenant governors of South Carolina were people of color. The state treasurer, the secretary of state, 2 3 of the General Assembly were people of color. Ut something changed it started in 1895. Im going to leave you with this. When we had a Constitutional Convention in South Carolina in smalls, ant africanamerican, was in that convention. Proposed the resolution that free publicthree schools for everybody in South Carolina. Was the most consequential public official from South Carolina who ever lived. Robert smalls is mine. He spent 10 years in the South Carolina General Assembly. He spent 10 years in the United States congress. He developed a great wealth. He had died in 1950, been 20 years away from affecting Constitutional Convention in 1895. The Constitutional Convention that took all of the rights of africanamericans away. And he died a brokenhearted , because people lost focus. They began to take for granted all of those gains that were made. We must not take those gains that have been made for granted. Today we live under stand your ground law, which is nothing but a license to execute people without any kind of consequences. At photo idlooking laws that are nothing more than efforts to suppress the vote of people of color. People hide behind Second Amendment rights. There are limits on the first amendment. Butof us have free speech, there are limits on what that free speech can be. All of us have the right to the Second Amendment, but there are limits on Second Amendment rights. Just because you have the right to own a gun doesnt mean that you should not be subjected to background checks to see whether or not you qualify to have the gun. Ts one thing to have rights its Something Else to qualify. Vigilant. Be thomas jefferson, i dont know if he ever said that. In fact, ive done the research and i cannot find that he ever said this, but he has given thatt for having said [inaudible] that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. If we are going to maintain the freedoms that were hardfought 1966, we arein going to maintain those rights, those freedoms, those positions we hold, we must be vigilant. We must register and we must get out ande must work for those elected officials and once they get elected, hold them accountable. Thank you. Im so sorry. Someone asked me, how long was the speech that day . Not a very long speech. Now, he was rushing through the speech because the weather was bad. Everybody thought the storm was coming back. We have for you the university of South Carolina robert . Go wheres Robert Donaldson is doing great work uncovering these kinds of things. I said to him and talking about in South Carolina, july 18, 1867. I was present at connor hall in charleston. He said, i think we got that speech. And ill show him this in philadelphia, pennsylvania. And it is what i wanted to do. I hope he would do the same thing here today. Lets watch that great speech that Martin Luther king gave on these grounds on that day 50 years ago today. Mr. King i come to ask you to go all out, get every negro in this county registered to vote. [applause] each of you assembled here today decided that you are going to see that 10 other people are registered before the last day, 14th, i believe. Just see what a power you can be. Then after getting people registered, that is another, even greater responsibility. And that is to go out to vote in the primary. [applause] the state of South Carolina during the days of reconstruction, sent many negroes to the state legislature. Not only of carolina sent them to the legislature, negroes to the congress of the United States. The last negro to leave the congress of the United States was from the state of South Carolina. In his farewell address, the one said, that even though this is a period that ends, we will come again. Here from this county and all over the state of south once more we will be able to send to the statehouse. Once more we have the opportunity to send to the congress of the United States qualified, dedicated lacked black men and women. [applause] let us on that glade day in glad day in june march on. This is the way we are going to straighten up the south and the nation. Until somehow we will be able to develop that day. Food and material ,ecessities for their bodies freedom and dignity for their spirits, education and culture for their minds. Let us march on valid rocks this ballot boxes, so men and women will never agin wa again walk the streets let us boxes until the empty stomachs of mississippi, alabama, georgia, louisiana and South Carolina are filled. Let us march on ballot boxes. [applause] until the idle industries of appalachia are revitalized, let untilch on ballot boxes, brotherhood is more than a meaningless word at the end of a prayer but the first order of his news on every legislative agenda. Let us march on ballot boxes. Boxes march on ballot until every valley shall be exulted, every mountain and hill made low, until the crooked places made straight, and the glory of the lord shall be seealed naand all shall it together. Boxes march on ballot until we are able to send to the statehouses of the south men who will do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their god. Let us march on ballot boxes. Day, sippy, which has an affinity for the bottom, will be one that has an affinity for the top. Alabama will be the heart of democracy. One day, South Carolina will be a better state. On day, georgia will be a better state. Why is this true . Because mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord. Glory. And all over the south and nation we can sing, glory hallelujah, glory hallelujah, our god is marching on. And so i say, walk together, children. Dont you get weary. [applause] wow. Dogss pouring cats and that day. The sun is hot today. But the atmosphere is still the same, filled with electricity from that stage how many of you all were looking for yourselves in the video . I saw you. I saw you. Thank you for being there then. Thank you for being here today. Lets give dr. King a round of applause. [applause] much forank him so considering king street, the small town of king street, worthy of his time when he was saying indicted to the white house invited to the white house and all these important places, he did not think we were too small and we were worthy of his attention, that really should make us feel very special. To come to thesk stage mr. Michael allen and mr. Billy jenkinson for the unveiling of the historical marker. As they come, i want to tell you about these two gentlemen. Michael is a native of king street and a good friend. Michael when i moved back to charleston in 2001. Is one of the National Park services most valued historians ichael is also, was very instrumental in getting more gulla tion out about the culture. His public career as a student ve education for the National Park service in 1980 is how he started. Park ranger is now the Community Partnership specialist for the National Park Service Southeast regional office. He played a major role in the study thisek established Educational Centers to increase the interpretation of the gulla gichi culture. His motto is understand the the nt and move toward future you must know and accept your past. Todays ng for ceremony. Enson is the scene your law firm here in kings tree. He has been practicing law for much he four decades is a native of kings tree and here in him mr. Billy town. He is a graduate of the citadel emeritus member of the board of visitors. He was responsible for ensuring that the military colleges first africanamerican and thes treated fairly same as all other cadets. He made it his mission to see Charles Foster was treated o better and no worse than any other cadet. One of his favorite ecollections is the thanks he received from the kphrapb dantoni at the commandant cadet foster to succeed. He is a board member of the illiamsburg county Historical Society and also he serves as the coclamber for the fricanamerican cochairman of the africanamerican historical alliance. Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Allen and mr. Billy gen jenkenson. It is a great privilege that i stand before you here as a one that was here 50 years ago. About to share something the importance about what we are about to do right now. Us that the state Highway Marker Program was begun 1936 and in an effort to and denote and recognize important landmarks, and locations s across the state of South Carolina. Program today is managed by the South Carolina department of history. And many of us when gathered on this sacred space as today there were no highway markers specifically to africanAmerican History in any of the 46 the state of South Carolina. Ladies and gentlemen, i can report to you that there are 265 markers the life, legacy and istory and contributions of africanamericans and they can every county in the state of South Carolina. N fact, the most recent update that i received from the state department of archives and that there arees pproximately today 1,500 markers across the state of outh carolina and each of the counties. Or us at home today there are 22 historic markers here in county. Sburg that number, at the present time markers that are dedicated to africanamerican culture. Nd he steven a. Swale house rected in 1997, the mount zion a. M. E. Church erected by the congregation in 2003. Mccollum murray house erected in 2007. Academy methodist academyrected by cooper and Bethesda Methodist Church in 2009. The march w moments thomas and Alum Association and the citizens of county. Sburg as i was preparing to articipate and put my remarks together a reporter asked mike why are you all doing this today is so significant about putting a historic marker at the dr. King stood and spoke 50 years ago. I quickly at that point began to and of an answer immediately this answer came forward. Joshua, the skrpt cher tells us that bush scripture tellses before the prepared it srael travel into the Promised Land hey were asked to take out 12 smooth stones. Left 12 smooth stones much were left as a memorial. Cov to un here toen 12 smooth stones at this no one moving forward should ever ask why this was done. Moving forward, no one should ever ask the significance of this because of days of old and days to come we will day at this this hour 50 years ago dr. King spoke from this very same sacred encourage i would every school child in every sburg county, teacher and every parent in Williamsburg County to take an bring your kids to see that marker. Is a smooth marker stone of the history of the and y of the greatness importance of Williamsburg County. Thank you. It is an honor to be on stage today and have worked on this project together. Hen mrs. Mcgill made a few introductory remarks about me i thought that sounds more like an obituary. To look to make sure i was really here. When this want was originally was very we felt it important to erect a permanent that at this location so all would know in the years to come of the significant event here on march 8, 966, when dr. King spoke in kings tree. As she stated the unveiling congressman s of clyburn. Caesar nator and mcknight and the mayor and paisley who anley s accompanied by most Williamsburg County. Thomas High School Alumni and mcfadden and ers Cassandra Williams rush. We felt it imperative for those past, d represent the present and the future so it is itting to have congressman clyburn who is present here 50 may 8, 1966 to do the unveiling of our historic marker. Marker is sponsored by the Williamsburg County development tomlinson and citizens of Williamsburg County. Is unveiled you will be able to see the following words on the front and marker. The the title is let us march on the ballot boxes. Those words were spoken as a theme by dr. King on this historic occasion. The marker states on may 8, Martin Luther king visited kings tree. His speech which came after of the voters right act of 965 urged an audience 5,000 who had gathered on the grounds of Tomlinson High School to march on the ballot boxes and use the vote as a means to social and economic justice. King also called for the grass mobilization and challenged each attendee to help voters. New he referred to the current moment as the second reminded the and audience during the first reconstruction South Carolina ad elected africanamerican representatives to serve in the state house and the u. S. Congress. They had done so before then they could do so again. Ranged beyond political and civil rights to a day when all would food and uate jobs, security. The committee wishes to thank department oflina archives and history, aaron foley who is the coordinator of historical Marker Program for their help in selecting the proper language for the marker. I will now turn the program back over to mr. Allen and he and our will ing participants officially present to you our official dr. King march on the boxes marker which you will see right here. Thank you. That marker is right here on road and that is where you see the official gathering. Need are not in place we senator mcnight. Paisley. Mayor tisdale. Williamsburg county nadia gamble. Need all the persons to be here for the official unveiling of the marker. Ann. Hank you, as we prepare to unveil the arker we ask congressman clyburn to prepare himself as he unloosens the ribbon that will the worlds march on ballot box. March on ballot box. How about that, yall. Map. Re on the an official Historic Site for the state of civil arolina and the Rights Movement they have a photo opportunity over there now im tkpgoing to you our next speaker and then our program will be wrapping up. Continue to move on, i want to introduce to you Williamsburg County paisley. R sandy he is the son of Sadie Paisley jr. James l. Pace si lucia and they o have three children. Hes 1973 graduate of hemingway 1977 graduate a of Charleston Southern niversity where he earned a bachelor of science in political science. Graduated with a master of arts degree in business management. Mr. Paisley professionally has worked as director of county coordinator of healthy start and director of astern Carolina Incorporated and also the owner of the family business, coowner of the family paisley and Sons Convenience store. His commitment to Public Service and his desire to elp better the lives of his fellow men and women in Williamsburg County all of you of Williamsburg County saw fit to put him in the e and elected him to office of superintendent for Williamsburg County. He has been serving in had capacity since 2007. Now come forward and he ill be with mrs. Gamble, miss Williamsburg County to read a proclamation and they will do that shortly. Their way to the stage, we want to take this thanks the to citizens and leaders of of iamsburg county for all their hard work, their cooperation and their assistance in making this day possible. All of the meetings were held here. Anything that the county could do and its citizens could do they were more than willing to to make this day possible and e also thank all of you who were volunteering here today. O a big heartfelt thank you to Williamsburg County appear its citizens for making this day possible. Good afternoon, everyone. Exciting day for Williamsburg County. It is a great day in county. Burg we want to thank everyone the program participants. Miss mcgill for leading anding job in us through this momentous occasion. Honored and privileged to stand before you supervisor. Nty im certainly a product of this ways. In so many although i was not here here, lly, my father was my two older brothers were here. Sibling and ngest therefore i had to stay at home with mama that day. But im just happy that i had with this event and to be here today as an official. One of the things that im so mentored s that i was by mr. Virgil henry himself. Me an opportunity to be williamsburg n county at a very early age. As a matter of fact, we i charleston om southern which was baptist ollege at that time he gave me my first real job working for Eastern Carolina business corporation, which back during that time that was remendously visionary because it was a Community Development corporation and about the trying to create opportunities for business in the minority community. So, again i am so privileged and to be so connected. What bacarri hear congressman spoke to his afternoon about being visibili vigilant and continuing to make sacrifice i think dr. King and virgil and mr. Johnny and and Jesse Lawrence all those folks that were members of the williamsburg voters league, they would look and be extremely proud of been ct that we have successful in electing officials Williamsburg County at the level, National Level through Congress Plan theurn and our legislators, senator and reserve. Cleanings on councils, the school board which was of esented here today, all the other elected officials in their various and respected places. I think they would say that some work was done in williamsburg 50 years. The past but theres still so much more to be done. Privileged to be here today and i want to not just our officials the fact that we are in these positions, that we need to make for the citizens that we represent. Task today isr my twofold. Im always excited about ngaging our young people because as it was 50 years ago ome of us who were present, those of you who were present created s was this an opportunity for you to do the things that you have done and to today. Ent here task to in a s my pass the torch if you will leaders. Outh i believe that we have some. Outh leadership here today hey are the members of the Williamsburg County Youth Leadership. Nadia is on the stage with me of the other members are here im going to call their ed and if they are here edward khrelgs. Morgan green. Lati latiah latiahavin. Kayla mcbride. Briana miller. Floringer. Are any of these young folks here . Join us on the stage . I saw one of my colleagues, at of my colleagues councilmember mcknight. He still here . He join me . Floyd. Aw councilmember if you are here, please join me. As they come, again, it is our such an to be part of momentous occasion and working ith everyone to make this day possible. Proclamation. State of South Carolina county whereas on may jr. 66, Martin Luther king gave his march on the ballot ofes speech to the Community Kings tree, South Carolina at omlinson High School Athletic field. Following the passage of the 1965. G rights act of he urged more than 5,000 ndividuals to go out and exercise their right to vote. Kings speech is believed by historians to be public f only three speeches he gave in south caroli in his visit to kings tree was recognized as an on his crusader to help rid africanamerican of voting. He fear hereas the Youth Leadership team of Williamsburg County including nadia gamble. Johnson, Tyler Mcbride and bridg florenger have sworn a to preserving his message and demonstrating the progress our community has made the original visit to kings tree. Hereas along with Williamsburg County, the town of kings tree today the resent Youth Leadership team of illiamsburg county agree to take the responsibility for the capsuleing of this time and its content. Hereby today to celebrate Martin Luther kings on the ballot box and dedication of this time at the Tomlinson High School Athletic Field in kings South Carolina, to be open 2066 fp. 2066. Now therefore i stanley paisley. Supervisor of Williamsburg County and members f Williamsburg County council do hereby proclaim may 8 as a celebrate the Youth Leadership team of williamsburg with this time capsule in urge ty of kings tree and all residents and attendees to in celebrating this special day. It is so resolved. Good afternoon. Im both honored and humbled to be part of this great celebration. On behalf of the incredible youth here in williamsburg sincerely thank you. E pledge to re kwraoeupunite 5s from now to honor dr. Martin of wisdom, a man determination that never gave up. Continue to carry the torch. We will not give up. Give in. Ot and we will not roll over. Destiny to continue andgreat legacy of dr. King many others. We have heard the call and and we the hallenge youth of Williamsburg County are afraid. Thank you. Mr. Mcknight is holding the will have the at items that 50 years from now they will be opened that will be this day as well as 50 years ago. Ok, ladies and gentlemen. We are just about ready to end program. We thank you so much for your indulgence. Tothey exit the stage i want take a moment to thank all you for your support, your love and kindness each day in my journey as a journalist, as your anchor who wakes you up n live 5 news i feel your love and do appreciate it. Thank you so much. It means so much, yes, when it from the hometown crowd it means more than you can know. Came here 50 years ago i was just a baby. A year old yet. So i didnt know him but i did another very passionate civil rights leader and one time story of when he lived in the neighborhood and paved. Ad was not there were dozens of hard black tax paying families who lived along there road and the road was dirt and rained the road was mud. So, he and a neighbor went to white representative, whom they had elected to serve their and kindly asked him could he get the road paved. And this official said to this gentlem ah, the only way i could see fit to have that road aved is to have some white families on it. That is the only way that road with get paved. The gentleman and his neighbor left. Unfortunately for that official, didnt know that that gentleman was the leader of omething at that time called the voter league. So, this gentleman, when he went meeting of the voter the e and he shared conversation if a white person didnt live on the road it couldnt be paved they did what dr. King and them to ing encouraged do in his speech 50 years ago. They organized and marched on boxes. Lot they elected that white official another hey elected white official in but this official got the message and road was paved. A young le girl and woman growing up attending Battery Park High School i that road every day visiting my family and friends was my that neighborhood neighborhood and that man who the good of others as my father who is here today mr. Charles morris sr. You may have seen that he came his te because he said knees were hurting him. And i want to say to you, daddy, you have reason for your knees to hurt. Others carried the weight of the world. Your knees have cause to hurt you for your sacrifice. Gentlemen, i lost the of the speech. Of the the official end program. Thank you all so much for your patience. Hot. Ow it is thank you so much for paying omage to dr. Kings legacy and his memory. We now want to call to the stage Bishop Linwood Cooper and lead lievers crusaders to us in some gospel hymns and continue this celebration. One more announcement though. Wants our photographers to get a photograph of everyone was here 50 years ago. So if you will assemble here he the stage stand on and get your photograph. Thank you so much and have a blessed day. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2015] you are watching American History tv, 48 hours of on American History every weekends on cspan 3. Follow us on twitter for information on our schedule and to keep up with the latest news. Ry q a university of edward proffer emeritus smith on his buying of bush. Maybe his worst fault is the fact that he is a born again brings that ideology into the presidency. Believes that he was gods agent here on earth to fight evil. Called the president of france on the telephone trying o get france to join in the attack and during the course of chirac ersation he told gogin in the ng the of revelation that is enter of the universe for many evangelicals and fundamentalist christians. And bush generally believed that. He genuinely believed that he was announcer tonight at 8 00 eastern and pacific on cspans q a. Tvh week, American History brings you archival films that provide context for today was a Public Affairs issue. This year put the Democratic National convention is in philadelphia. Up next, it was that the city in the early 1960s with a film by the Reynolds Metal Company in the American Institute of architects