It was flourishing there, it had a hospital, and schools, and churches, and hotels, and bars, and restaurants, and jewelry stores, and theaters. At least two different blackrun newspapers. A solid black professional class, a solid black economy in that neighborhood. Greenwood also had a considerable number of africanamerican men. Some of whom were world war i veterans who were not only concerned that young dick roland would be lynched that day, they were also willing to take concerted action to try to prevent that from happening. That day in 1921, as the white, angry mob grew and grew at the courthouse. And the sheriff tried to hold the white, angry mob at bay, a contingent group of armed black men arrived. And there is more. Theres much more to be said about what happened in the ensuing 18 hours. As we come up to the 100year anniversary of that, next month, may 31st, you will hear much more about what happened on may 31st and into june 1st, 1921. But the long and the short of it is, there was a firefight at the courthouse, a gunbattle. The white population of tulsa and the surrounding areas decided this was the sign they had been waiting for, for some kind of black insurrection in greenwood, and white mobs, literally thousands of white people stormed the greenwood neighborhood in tulsa and they destroyed it. 36 blocks of the city of tulsa, they just destroyed. And, you know, whatever the sheriff may have done to try to protect dick roland, he did survive. They dropped the charges ultimately. The inquiry concluded that he did nothing wrong. But once the mob had decided that black tulsa had to be wiped out in this confrontation, local Law Enforcement not only didnt protect black tulsa. They formally deputized members of the white mob. They gave out guns and ammunition to white men and told them to go get them in the greenwood neighborhood. And the hospital and school burned to the ground, and the library, the churches, the hotels, the stories. Both the newspapers, the white mob burned more than 1,200 private homes. They looted hundreds more that didnt burn. Local Law Enforcement rounded up thousands of black people off of the streets. And out of whatever homes and buildings remained and locked them up at the local fairgrounds for days. Of course when they were released, the black part of town where they lived and worked, had been destroyed. Looked like it had been carpet bombed in a war. Thousands of families homeless. Black tulsa, burned out and destroyed. And we still cant say exactly how many people died. But the first histories of the attack on greenwood, the Tulsa Race Massacre, counted dozens of people killed. A state commission in 2001 said the number of people murdered was somewhere between 175 and 300. But were still figuring it out, honestly. We still dont know. In 2015, 14 years after that report was issued, a long lost manuscript was discovered in a storage unit. It was handed over to the museum of africanamerican culture and history, and its a remarkable document. The manuscript was the typed and carefully preserved eyewitness account by a man who survived it, buck colbert franklin. And it described turpentine bombs dropped from planes on to the black neighborhood. What he described was improvised air strikes from private aircraft along with the mobs in the streets. He also described machine gun fire turned loose against the black civilians in greenwood in the streets. That manuscript was only discovered six years ago. Our understanding is still growing as we close in on this centennial since it happened. But buck franklin, that prominent tulsa lawyer, with his manuscript that raises all of these new, terrifying prospects about what happened 100 years ago, buck franklin is not only the author of that manuscript, he was also the father of one of americas most famous and groundbreaking historians, John Hope Franklin was his son. He got the medal of freedom from president bill clinton. One of the most eminent u. S. Historians of all time. Today in tulsa, it is the John Hope Franklin reconciliation park, named for the son of the man who wrote that eyeopening manuscript about what happened in tulsa. The John Hope Franklin reconciliation park in tulsa is the citys memorial to what happened to the greenwood neighborhood 100 years ago next month. And today, u. S. Attorney general Merrick Garland went to that memorial in tulsa. In an interview with abc news, he had this very emotional moment. You know, one thing i was thinking about during your confirmation, you mentioned your grandparents. And that they fled antisemitism, i believe it was in russia. And america gave them a home, a safe place. So is it important to know a Little Something about being the other, about being someone who has been discriminated against . Is that something you will try to use somehow in the job . Well, you know, think my grandparents left, actually they left, one of them left the same village that chagall painted fiddler on the roof, in belarus. And the country took them in. It still remains with you. Yeah. They protected them at a time when other countries wouldnt. So all of us in our family feel an obligation for Public Service, and to protect other people in the way that we were protected. Thats the job of the Justice Department. To make sure equal justice under the law, for all american citizens. So when you hear Different Groups, particularly africanamericans in this moment, calling for justice, is it helpful to have that i think all americans should listen deeper. This is were one country. Were obligated to each other. Were obligated to protect each other. Every time you go to a tragedy like this, this is how you have to feel. Were obligated to protect each other. He said, attorney general Merrick Garland. Very emotional remarks today at reconciliation park, at the memorial in tulsa, oklahoma, to the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst and deadly incidents that weve ever had as a country. Attorney general garland was in oklahoma today to be able to do that emotional, remarkable interview about what happened in tulsa. He was there in oklahoma, and able to do that because today was also the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing on this day in 1995. White nationalists and far right extremists were trying to bring down the federal government, and hopefully set off a race war in the process. In 1995, Merrick Garland was dispatched from Justice Department headquarters in washington to go to Oklahoma City to eventually lead the Justice Departments investigative efforts and ultimately their prosecution of the men who did it. Today, hes attorney general Merrick Garland. And today he spoke in Oklahoma City at the site of the Oklahoma City memorial. And then he went to tulsa, where he talked about the Tulsa Race Massacre 100 years ago. He said, the kind of devastation that happened here in tulsa is the product of the same kind of hatred that led to the bombing in Oklahoma City in 1995. So this is obviously a very busy time. The Vice President , Kamala Harris, gave her first major policy speech today as Vice President. She talked about the infrastructure bill. She had a great line about how the good jobs will go to women as well as men. She said, after all, hard hats are unisex. So im sure now after this first big speech by Kamala Harris, well have ten straight weeks of hysteria on fox news about Kamala Harris says hard hats are female. What is unisex . The marxist plot to antifa. Vice president harris stepping out in a way she has yet to since being Vice President in that speech today. President biden had a big bipartisan meeting at the white house to try to talk them into doing the infrastructure bill. Today President Biden and lots of other people in the administration all did interviews and press briefings and social media hits, highlighting the fact that all adults in the country, actually everybody over the age of 16 is now eligible to get the vaccine in all 50 states. Which is great. President biden tweeting out today, everyone 16 and older in america is eligible for the shot today. Go and get em, folks. Go and get em. Next week is going to mark 100 days since President Biden was sworn in. The night before that on night 99, wednesday night next week, he will give the state of the union address. Its a busy time. Theres a lot going on, with the pandemic and the massive vaccination effort, with the ambitious effort for legislation, and the new administration getting appointees confirmed. Theres a lot going on. Its a really busy time. Including the prosecution of the mob that attacked the u. S. Capitol on january 6th. And talking about the same hate from the Oklahoma City bombing that led to the massacre of black americans in tulsa and the destruction of that vibrant, Successful Community 100 years ago this spring. Putting that in the foreground, the u. S. Justice department, the attorney general of the United States today. And the thing that looms over everything, over all of this, over all that we have done and all were doing and everything about the new administration is this shadow. Not just the legacy, not just the history, but the current ongoing catastrophe of american racial violence. Today, just after 4 00 p. M. Local time, the jury got the case in the trial of the former Minneapolis Police officer charged with murdering george floyd. Who died after the officer now on trial kneeled on his neck while he was face down and handcuffed in the street for more than nine minutes. Nbc news reports that the white house actually discussed the possibility of activating National Guard troops in all 50 states in anticipation of potential mass protests in response to whatever the jurys verdict will be. That hasnt happened. We havent seen 50 state National Guard activation. But the d. C. National guard was activated, and other places may do the same. Today, the governor of minnesota asked ohio and nebraska to please send state troopers in to minnesota to help out with needs there. We had a week of angry protests in minnesota. Brooklyn center, minnesota, about ten miles from where the george floyd trial has been under way, after Police Released body cam footage of Daunte Wright being shot and killed by an officer who shouted that she was going to tase him, but then fired her pistol into his chest. And the footage is seared into you, from both cases. And today, in the closing arguments, the prosecutor in the george floyd trial made a deep argument about the people who took the footage of george floyd being killed by that Police Officer. The bystanders who saw this man being killed by a Police Officer, who yelled and pleaded for the officer to relent. Who called 911 to try to get other police to come stop this Police Officer from killing this man. The bystanders who took out their phones and recorded it so at least they could have it on record, if they couldnt stop it in the moment. The defense has argued that the presence of those bystanders is at least part of the reason why george floyd died. That Police Officer was distracted, so hes not at fault, they argued. Today, the prosecution turned that around, and made it all about the bystanders. And really by extension all of us. Anyone who saw it happen, who knows that it happened, but who has been powerless to stop it or anything else like it. The bystanders that day, as george floyd died, were a group of random americans who were at that Street Corner just by chance, in that moment. They saw what happened, they were powerless to stop it. But today, as of this afternoon, a Different Group of random americans, chosen as a jury, they too have now seen what happened. And they as of today, they alone among all of us, have the power to finally take action here. At his death, he was surrounded by strangers. They were strangers but you cant say they didnt care. You cant say that. These people were randomly chosen from the community, people from the Community Randomly chosen by fate. And they were coming from different places, and they were going to different places. And they had different purposes. All of them. Random members of the community. All converged by fate at one single moment in time to witness something. To witness 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Of shocking abuse of authority. To watch a man die. And there was nothing they could do about it. Because they were powerless. They were utterly powerless. Because even they respected the badge. Even seeing this happening, they tried, they cried out at first, pointed out, hey, you can get up off of him. Became more and more desperate as they watched this go on and on and on. And there was nothing they could do. All they could do, all they could do was watch and gather what they could. Gather their memories. Gather their thoughts and impressions. Gather those precious recordings. And they gathered those up and they brought them here. And they brought them here and they got up on the stand and they testified and they bore witness to what they saw. They bore witness to this outrageous act. And they told you about it. And they gave you what they had. Their thoughts, their impressions, their memories. They gave you those precious recordings so you can see this from every single angle. They gave that to you. They were powerless to do anything but that. They gave it to you. Randomly selected people from the community. You got a summons in the mail. And here you are. All converged on one spot. Now, our system, we have power. The power actually belongs to us, the people. And we give it to the government in trust for us to hold and to use appropriately. But sometimes we take it back. Sometimes when something is really important, we reserve those decisions for ourself. The state, we have power. We cannot convict a defendant. The judge has power. But he cannot convict a defendant. That power belongs to you. You have that power. And only you. Have the power to convict the defendant of these crimes and in so doing, and in so doing declare that this use of force was unreasonable. It was excessive. It was grossly disproportionate. Its not an excuse for this shocking abuse that you saw with your own eyes. And you can believe your own eyes. This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first, when you saw that video. Its exactly that. You can believe your eyes. Its exactly what you believed, exactly what you saw with your eyes, exactly what you knew. Its what you felt in your gut. Its what you now know in your heart. This wasnt policing. This was murder. The defendant is guilty of all three counts. All of them. And theres no excuse. Thank you. Closing arguments today in the minneapolis trial over the death of george floyd. The jury now has this case. Weve just been advised within the last hour that theyve ceased for the night, and theyll go again tomorrow. The whole country waiting on that verdict for lots and lots of reasons. Joining us now, a professor of africanamerican studies at yale. The cofounder of the center for policing equity. Thank you for being here. Thanks for having me. Were on tenterhooks waiting for this verdict. Before we get it, i wonder if you think this has been an educational, cathartic, or what kind of experience for the country . Its not the first trial weve had in the United States. Looking at the trial of the Police Officers who beat rodney king. And weve had trials of other folks who have been demonstrably guilty. But i dont know if theres an Inflection Point unless we find him guilty. Theres so much going on. Theres the fall of the u. S. Stature on the international stage. Theres our infrastructure crumbling. Theres our Justice Department that needs to be put back together. But the reason why there is this shadow looming over this trial, every piece that needs to be made whole, it was once okay. It was once something that people could be proud of, it was the envy of the entire world. But not racism. Weve never gotten that right. If we have an obligation all to one another, maybe we can do that on our roads and bridges, and maybe in the Justice Department, in our foreign policy. But the one thing we cant have in a historical context, the only time we ever got racism right. Part of the reason it feels different is that were hoping this time is different. Hearing attorney general garland today talk about, while he was having an emotional moment, thinking about his familys own history in the United States, saying in america, we have to protect each other. We have to make sure that we all are protected. That was the reason i wanted to play that sound. Is that it just undid me. Thinking, seeing that lens and seeing that value being articulated by the nations chief Law Enforcement officer. After i just listened to the first policy speech from our first africanamerican national officeholder today, and seeing through that lens into the way that all those bystanders felt so hopeless, and the way that people watching this trial and watching these jury deliberations and waiting for the verdict today feel impotent, and hopeless, feel cynical and that theres nothing that can be done, because we cant imagine this working. Its the thing we need to invent here is hope that it could get better. Thats why were sitting here waiting on it. On one level, its absurd to have to wait. I understand that the charge is murder. But what we witnessed was a lynching. It was a public message to people that what officer chauvin was doing was okay, and you might be next. So part of why were sitting here is because of the absurdity that there is any suspense about it. We all watched it. But the other part is, theres no way to get justice for george floyd. And theres no way to get remedy for the children who said, yes, this is what i saw, and the person in power could not get up off of a mans neck. There will be no remedy for anybody. There might be a measure of accountability, and the fact that that might feel like something new is an indictment. And the hope is, on the other side of Something Like sense in this particular court case, that well do Something Different for the first time on racism and punishment in this country. For the first time, i cant overstate it. Because in all of our history, were looking for the example that makes this right. The place we can get back to. And theres no going backwards to find comfort. The only possible comfort is what we choose to do next. Phillip, were all watching this with i think the same dread and anticipation tonight. Thanks for helping us put it into perspective. Yeah. All right. We have eyes on minnesota tonight as jury deliberations have wrapped for the evening. There is National Guard that has been activated in washington, d. C. , and over the past week in minnesota, after nearly a week of protests over the death of Daunte Wright, about ten miles away from where the george floyd trail has been taking place. A lot more news to get to tonight. Stay with us. Some sad breaking news to report to you tonight. Were getting word that former Vice President Walter Mondale has died at the age of 93. He was Vice President to jimmy carter, he ran for president in 1984. He did not win that race. But he may have achieved his most Lasting Legacy in National Politics for who he those to be his Vice President ial nominee, Geraldine Ferraro. The first female nominee on a Vice President ial ticket. And they won minnesota and d. C. , and reagan won the rest. It would be a long time before there was another woman on a major Party President ial ticket in this country. But it did happen. Ferraro died in 2011. She never lived to see the countrys first woman Vice President. But Walter Mondale did. It seems fitting that one of the last people he reportedly spoke to was his successor, Vice President Kamala Harris. And reports are that while he and his family believed his death was imminent, after his calls with President Biden and Vice President harris, he perked up after those calls. Vice president mondale is credited with having remade the vice presidency. The whole idea of the vice presidency is credited with starting with Vice President mondale, and with the constructive relationship he had with president carter. Mondale was the first Vice President to have an office in the west wing. Tonight, former president carter put out a statement saying, in part, Fritz Mondale provided us all with a model for Public Service and behavior. We extend our deepest condolences to his family. Senator Amy Klobuchar was an intern to Walter Mondale. She released a statement, saying he set a high bar for himself, and kept passing it and raising it. He will be sorely missed. Senator klobuchar, thank you so enough for joining us on very short notice upon getting this news. I really appreciate it. Thank you. You know, he was an incredible public servant. And i think probably the words that best capture it are the words on the carter library. They were on the wall, and i was there one day and wrote them down and kept them in my purse. After they lost the election, he said, we told the truth, we obeyed the law, we kept the peace. I think that sums up Walter Mondales life. He treated everyone with such kindness. And he went from a tiny little town, the son of a minister, all the way to the Second Highest Office in the land. Those words that youve just quoted, ive interviewed you lots of times over the years, and more than once youve quoted those words to me. Youve often described Vice President mondale as your mentor. Can you tell us about what he was like, and why he meant so much to you . He had us over for dinner at the Vice President s house. I thought i was going to go there and do all these glamorous things. They had me do the furniture inventory. Literally years later, i know two things. One, he was honest. Nothing was missing. But two, take your first job seriously. Because he gave me that first job. And now ive got this one as a u. S. Senator of minnesota. And he encouraged me while i worked with him at the law firm, to run for the u. S. Senate. He supported me for president. He was there every step of the way. And i think when you talked about Geraldine Ferraro. It wasnt just me. I think every little girl at the time knew that anything and everything was possible. Just like when kamala was standing on that stage. And i remember what Geraldine Ferraro was wearing with her red dress and pearls. He asked her to be the running mate. Hes someone that believed his job after he left office, after getting defeated as you so well explained and running for president , it didnt end there. He saw his job as passing on the torch to the next generation of leaders. So many people, when they lose political office, just fade away. Not him. He was a pillar in our community. And he stood up for what he always did, and that was the title of one of his books, the good fight. As somebody who embodies the idea of upright decency in Public Service. Ambition, yes, but solidity, decency, a life well lived, former Vice President mondale dying at the age of 93. Senator Amy Klobuchar, thank you for being here, we know its a hard time. Thank you, rachel. Before he was Vice President , he was senator of minnesota, and one of the things i think that is worth remembering at times like this is, his path as senator klobuchar said, from preachers son in minnesota to the vice presidency, its easy to see the beginnings and the end in terms of the pinnacles he reached in public life. In his time as attorney general and senator in minnesota, he just built brick by brick a solid, decent, you know, scandal free record of accomplishment and bravery. He was a senator during the Great Society legislation of the lbj era. That meant that as a high profile senator and leader in his party at the time, he was key to getting so much civil rights legislation and key environmental protections passed. The reason carter picked him, he was a known quantity, and proven leader. And he remained a mentor and friend and pillar, both to his party and to the people of minnesota. To the very, very end. Former Vice President Walter Mondale, dead today at the age of 93. Well be right back. So youre a small business, or a big one. You were thriving, but then. Oh. Ah. Okay. Plan, pivot. How do you bounce back . You dont, you bounce forward, with serious and reliable internet. Powered by the largest gig Speed Network in america. But is it secure . Sure its secure. And even if the power goes down, your connection doesnt. So how do i do this . You dont do this. We do this, together. Bounce forward, with comcast business. Every year, russian president putin gives an address to the russian legislature. Last year, he introduced something that will allow him to remain for another 16 years. This year, there are expected to be significant protests in support of navalny. Hes in prison, he asked to see a doctor, was told no. He went on a hunger strike. When his wife visited him last week, she said he had to lie down and had difficulty speaking. Today, his doctor says his health has significantly deteriorated. He says, our patient could die at any moment. This weekend, the u. S. National security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the u. S. Has communicated to the russian government that there will be consequences if mr. Navalny dies. They say that sullivan spoke to his russian counterpart on the phone. Jen psaki says that they discussed navalny. And russia has been building up what appears to be a very large troop presence on the border with our ally, ukraine. Today, the European Unions foreign minister says that russia has 150,000 troops massed on the border. I dont know where the story is going, what it feels like a rampup to a considerable something. The question is, a rampup to what, and what options are available to the u. S. Government . Ann simmons joins us, thank you so much for being here in the middle of the night. I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much. What do you make of the claims by supporters and family members and lawyers for mr. Navalny that he is dying, that hes in the process of losing his life in this penal colony . Is there any way to independently assess those claims theyre making . Actually, there isnt, rachel. His allies are extremely worried about him. Theyve said hes on the brink of death. There were several medical doctors who went to try to see mr. Navalny, and they were denied access. They were able to get some medical tests and they say it shows hes at risk of renal failure, and it could lead to cardiac arrest. Hes experienced debilitating back pain, and numbness, and some say that could be a result of the poisoning he suffered last year when he was poisoned by nerve agents, and spent 24 days in an intensive care unit in germany. We have seen a certain level of confrontation from the new administration in the u. S. To the russian government about navalnys arrest, about his imprisonment, and now about his medical treatment in prison. And Jake Sullivan with the blunt but vague statement that there will be consequences if navalny dies in prison. Does the russian government worry about International Consequences if mr. Navalny dies at their hands in prison . The russian government has insisted, in fact the kremlin has come out and said, look, the u. S. Should butt out, essentially. The u. S. Should not interfere in the internal affairs of russia. So they are really insistent that they dont care. So they are really insistent that they dont care that were not backing down because the u. S. Has warned about consequences. On the other hand, however, mr. Navalny was moved to his hospital facility within the prison system a day after mr. Sullivan actually warned of consequences if he dies in prison so possibly that shows that the russian government is listening but the kremlin has insisted that this is our affair. We are able to deal with our citizens as we wish within the framework of our laws. Ann simmons, Moscow Bureau chief of wall street journal joining us live at an ungodly hour. Thank you. Its a real honor to have you here. Thank you. All right. Weve got more ahead here tonight. Stay with us. Ingenuity performed its first flight, the first flight of a powered aircraft on another planet. Look at those nerds just excited about a graph just kidding. I am very excited about that graph. The altimeter data. This is fantastic. For Everything Else thats bad in the world and cant do, can you believe we can do that . That team at nasa confirmed with this graph that a in which if you dont know how altimeters work, they confirmed the 4pound helicopter that traveled to mars with the perseverance rover named ingenuity really did just become the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet. This is a thing that as of today we humans can do. That we had no idea we could do before. We humankind figured out how to fly things on other planets. Thank you, nasa. And now we have video of it happening. This is real video not an animation or recreation. This is real video from mars sent back to us here on earth. Thank you. So you can see it. This is the captured by a camera on the perseverance rover pointed at the little copter. The ingenuity helicopter went a total of ten feet up in the air, it turned and then it came straight back down and landed with a little plop and doesnt sound all that crazy but the atmosphere on mars is 100 times thinner than on earth so the physics of flying a helicopter has to be totally recalibrated but it worked so now that team at nasa has 30 martian days before they pivot back to the other science work they plan for the rover but just, i mean, look at it. Wright brothers level stuff on mars today. Wow. Very exciting. Well be right back. Why choose proven quality sleep from sleep number . Because staying healthy isnt always easy. But quality sleep is scientifically proven to help improve your Overall Health and wellness, and it couldnt be easier. The new sleep number 360 smart bed helps you fall asleep faster by gently warming your feet. And it helps keep you asleep by sensing your movement and automatically adjust to keep you both effortlessly comfortable. Proven quality sleep, is lifechanging sleep. Only from sleep number. Again just repeating the news that broke within our hour, this past hour, that former Vice President Walter Mondale, Vice President to president jimmy carter, Walter Mondale died tonight at the age of 93. Fondly remembered especially in the home state of minnesota where he was known by everybody as fritz. He served as attorney general of the state of minnesota, a senator for minnesota and served as Vice President and then the democratic partys nominee in 1994 and passed tonight at 93. Well see you again tomorrow. Way too early is up next. This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first. When you saw that video. It is exactly that. You can believe your eyes. It is exactly what you believed, it is exactly what you saw, exactly what you knew. It is what you felt in your gut. It is what you now know in your heart. This wasnt policing. This was murder. Start from a point of the presumption of innocence and see how far the state can
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