My parents lived in metropolis, illinois, which was across the river from paducah. Paducah was the closest hospital. I grew up in metropolis, illinois. If you could tell us a little bit about your upbringing and if you see anything in the way that you are raised, the family that you are from that may have caused you to become involved in the movement. Were ofow my parents modest means. Both of them were from farm families that had come over from germany and were , and to get land here every German Family had a plot of 80 acres. Im not quite sure how that where my but thats a farm,ents lived, on and both of my parents grew up on a farm. My mom was able to go to Southern Illinois Teachers College and became a teacher. He farmed, and he also had a furniture store, so we lived the town was very small. 6000 people, and it is still 6000 people. Metropolis is just, you know, a farm town and very, very far away from urban centers. Its, like, halfway between st. Louis and memphis, so the big li
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. But perseverance finishes its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. It is a great honor to be back at Ebenezer Baptist church in the pulpit of its greatest pastor, doctor Martin Luther king jr. To pay my respects of perhaps his finest disciple. An american, whose faith was tested again and again, to produce a man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance. John robert lewis and to those who have spoken, president bush and president clinton, madam speaker and the reverend, johns family, friends, his beloved staff and i have come here today to because i like so Many Americans, owe a great debt to john lewis and his forceful vision of freedom. Now, this country is a constant work in progress and we are born with instructions to form a more perfect union, explicit in those words is the idea that we are imperfect a
Pres. Obama james wrote to the believers, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Preach. Obama let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. It is a great honor to be back at Ebenezer Baptist church in the pulpit of its greatest pastor, dr. Martin luther king jr. , to pay my respects to perhaps his finest disciple. An american whose faith was tested, again and again, to produce a man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance, john robert lewis. To those who have spoken, to president s bush and clinton, madam speaker, reverend warnock, reverend king, johns family, friends, his beloved staff, mayor bottoms, ive come here today because i, like so Many Americans, owe a great debt to john lewis and his forceful vision of freedom. This country is a constant work in progress. Were born with instructions. To form a more perfect union.
Coordinating committee and taking part in the 1963 march on washington. Mister courtland also served in the second terri general of 1974 six pan african congress. I was born in new york in harlem in 1941 and my mother moved me and my sister to the west indies to trinidad where my grandmother and our family lived. Four years later, 1945, i stayed in trinidad from 1945 to 1952 and then i came back to new york after my grandmother died in 1952 and lived in harlem for a couple of years and then moved to the bronx. I intended Catholic School, st. Helenas and then, you know, went from well actually Grammar School which was actually an interesting thing because it was african all African American nuns and then i went to st. Helenas and then went to Howard University. My mother sent me to Catholic School because, you know, at that point it cost a ten dollars a month, which was, you know, serious money in 1952 and 1954, but also she wanted to make sure that i had the best education that she cou
You are watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend on cspan three. To join the conversation, like us on facebook at cspan history. Up next, an oral history interview with cortland caulks cox. Urtland he talks about attending howard university, his involvement in the student nonviolent coordinating committee, participating in the 1963 march on washington, and serving as the secretary general of the 1974 sixth panAfrican Congress. This interview is part of an oral history project initiated by congress. It is included by these seven Oral History Program at the university of north carolinachapel hill. I was born in new york, in harlem, in 1941. In my sisters me to the west indies, teach it in, and my sisters to the west in 1940in trinidad five. I stayed in trinidad from 1945 until 1952. I came back, after my grandmother died in 1952 and lived in harlem for a couple years and we moved to the bronx. Attended Catholic School st. Helena is. St. Helenas. Froment to actually cathol