And extraordinary leaders that i think encapsulate the spirit of this moment in the spirit of war we want to take this moment in terms of the call and demand for change. Ive had the privilege of traveling all up and down the state of california over the last couple of days. I had the opportunity to spend immunityorking with leaders, faith leaders, working with advocates, working with members of our own National Guard to help clean up the streets of sacramento. Randomly had the privilege and opportunity to meet up with a group of young people around the Police Officers memorial that were cleaning up graffiti. A young girl literally with one lung that outlasted all of us as she was scrubbing away for hours and hours. No one asked her to do it. It was an act of random kindness and a recognition that her impacted and being her life and her future impacted by the moment. She wanted to impact the community in a positive way. She was also part of the protest the night before, did not like a c
Opportunities and resources. The Kerner Commission made the case we need to equalize opportunities, equalize resources. That is what we should have done in 1968 and we should seek to do today. Had aa historian, if you chance to sit down with dr. King, what would you ask . Thatld ask him whether he still felt his dream had turned into a nightmare by the time he died. King gave a prominent interview with a reporter where he stated my dream from 1963 has turned into a nightmare. Of course, the evening before his assassination he gave the mountaintop speech. He said i may not get there with you, but i have seen the mountaintop. I believe we are going to get to the mountaintop. It was a message of hope, just as the message in 1963 was i have a dream that i think will be actualized. In 1967 he was questioning that. Particularly as he was organizing the campaign and receiving resistance from a president that stated he was waging a war on poverty. I would ask what he believed. Is racism a nigh
Divisive times in American History. A time that marks the emergence of a postcivil rights racial order that defines american psyd today. Formally known as the National Advisory committee on civil disorders, president johnson establish the committee in july following violent racial confrontations in newark and detroit which left 69 people africanamericans, and city blocks burned to the ground. That summer there were more than 150 riots around the United States. Ignited byriots were incidents of Police Brutality. Of growingtime racial and Political Polarization and the retreats from the progressive reform agenda ushered in by the Civil Rights Movement and Great Society legislation or the factors were the war in vietnam, the republican sweep in the 1960 Midterm Elections, a law and a liberalismm, and insulated from the realities of black life and dismissive of lack protests after 1965 from the evolution of Martin Luther kings leadership to black power. What senator harris described as ame
Live coverage on cspan 3. The next seven months, the commissioners and staff they a probingpursued examination of conditions that fueled the riot, including visits to 20 three cities, interviews with residents and activists, and confrontation with realities invisible to most politicians and policymakers. The Kerner Commission produced a 704 page report that sold 2 million copies. We have a group or today prepared to offer insight into the report, the historical context, and significance. I will introduce them in the order in which they will present. Julian zelizer. And publicf history affairs at Princeton University cnn. News commentary on he is the author of numerous books on american political history. His recent book is a monumental study of lbjs legislative season which produced civil rights legislation, the war on poverty, and transformative initiatives. He published a new edition of the Kerner Commission report which includes an excellent introduction. Julian zelizer will conside