and there is not a lot of public or public policy leadership around this issue. i think king would feel proud there were victories in the civil rights movement, many of which happened after he passed. and there are people fighting to make sure those victories remain, even when there are massive efforts to overturn those victories. host: coverage of the 50th anniversary of the march on washington takes place on c-span and will also take place on wednesday with special coverage on this program as well as the president giving a speech. the president's impact on civil- rights to date? guest: that is interesting. my students try to draw a link between martin luther king and president obama. senses a link in the they're both african-american leaders and have had massive followings. they are seen as their opinions having an impact. but they exist in very different times. president obama exists in a time when there. demographicndous changes going on. the role of the u.s. in the world is in a different place. he is president. he is not a civil rights leader. he is the president of the entire country. his constituency is essentially everybody. king's constituency was those committed to civil rights in the issues he worked on. those are important differences. ability ofs, the president obama to be elected twice is a result of the sacrifices and struggles people carried on in the history of the country, not just in the civil rights movement, but the never forng fight for inclusion democratic participation. host: clarence lusane from american university talking about the march on washington and civil rights and 1964. today's coverage of the events in washington takes place on c- span. >> the speaker for this segment, the director of foreign policy friends committee, a national legislation, and dr. michael chang. >> the day after martin luther king died, robert kennedy spoke on violence. here is what he said, what has violence accomplished and created? we tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity. we glorify killing on movie screens and call it entertainment. we make it easy for men to acquire at weapons. we honor the wielders of force. we excuse those willing to build their lives on the shattered dreams of other. there is another violence just as deadly. this is the violence of inaction. president kennedy was equally on unequivocal. we need the kind of piece that makes life worth living. to many of us think it is impossible, but that is a dangerous belief, said the president. dr. king called america the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today. he was right. and still is today. when profit motive and property rights are considered more important than people, he said, militarism is incapable of being conquered. a true revolution of values will look and easily on the glaring contrast to party and well. thise revelation will say way of settling differences is not just. american can lead the way in the revolution of values. no document can make these humans any less of our brothers. the true meaning of compassion and non-parlance is when it helps us to see the enemies point of view. there is nothing to prevent us from re- ordering our priorities. the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. let us practice what they -- >> ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the national but justice coalition -- of the national black justice coalition. >> one of my mentors told me in order to truly be free, you must give to causes greater than yourself. every day, and educate, allocate, and celebrate the lotributions of the lesbian, gay, trans jester committee. if any of my brothers and sisters are not free, none of us are free. today i looked up the contributions of a black gay man, and some leaders of the civil-rights movement. he lives of the intersection of these identities fighting for the freedoms of all people. he was a radical and visionary, a black gay activists for freedom and justice during a time when the existence of both identities were perilous. he owed his power. he fiercely challenged the those quo and fought for marginalized while refusing to be defined by any single aspect of his identity. he was as unapologetically block as he was gay and by his very presence he challenged the evils of homophobia and racism throughout his life. >> [indiscernible] [crowd murmurs] >> our next speaker, the president of habitat for humanity. does the lord require of and tot to act justly love mercy and to walk humbly with your god. stir myrds from michah heart just as much today as they did when i first heard them from my grandmother. my outspoken grandmother was a congresswoman from new jersey who came to politics through the civil rights movement and marched with leon sullivan. the old testament instructions as marching orders to fight against injustice and for equality. at habitat for humanity, our vision is similar to that of dr. king. we bring down barriers as we build up the walls. we bring people together in an effort to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live. helped976, habitat has more than 3 million people realize their dreams for a better future because no one should live in poverty housing. we will not let our hammers or our voices rest until the world believes in safe, decent, affordable housing matters. the reality is if children do not live in decent homes, the odds of their stay and help implement if they do not stay healthy, they will not do well in school. without an education, they cannot get jobs. there will not be able to provide for their families or break the stranglehold of poverty. we cannot buy that. abide that. >> ♪ >> the next speaker is the deputy u.s. program director for human rights watch. >> good morning. i did not grow up in the united states. one of the things that impressed me the most about this country was a simple fact that all around me in newspapers, college classrooms, on tv, and radio, there was an active dialogue, sometimes frustrating, but an active one, about our rights. in law school, we spent weeks talking about the 14th amendment to the constitution and the guaranteed equal protection. people talk about race, gender, sexual orientation. even more exciting, people seemed in power. the new facebook, they could change things. -- they knew that if they spoke up, they could change things. as a latino woman, i knew the opportunities open to meet where because of those who demanded a more just society. it is wonderful to be with you and honor those who marched 50 years ago in the name of equal rights for all. in my work, i see the u.s. still has a long way to go. the u.s. has the largest reported prison population in the world. people of color are far more likely to be arrested or imprisoned. too many migrants live in fear of being torn away from their families. that makes them easy prey for those that would abuse the rights. poverty has increased in recent decades. far too many of the poorest are women and people of color. the list goes on. we also have reasons for hope. policy makers are starting to -- >> ♪ >> our next speaker, a young lady who has kept the faith, has filled with voter suppression -- has dealt with voter suppression throughout this nation, the president and executive director of the national committee for civil rights. >> good morning, everyone. there here today because is a great spirit sweeping this plan demanding justice for all americans, a spirit that knows no boundaries based on race, color, or who you love. a spirit that demands every human being be dignified. a spirit that says there is a right to be just in every aspect of our life. a spirit that says we must have the right to vote, that nothing is more important than that everyone has the right to vote. as. the demands -- a spirit the demands the end to voter suppression in north carolina, texas, alabama, florida, georgia, ohio. we must allow the people to vote. , if he remembered nothing else -- -- remember, if you remember nothing else -- >> ♪ he serves with his father in ministry and his biological father. he is the rev. joseph williams, pastor of the salem by level church of atlanta, georgia. e churche salem bibl of atlanta, georgia. >> why are you here? to commemorate or participate? commemorate means i am celebrating something that has already occurred. to participate means i am and actively involved in right now. are you here because you want to be seen? do you desire to be a part of change? are you here to point fingers and blame or hold hands with your brother or your sister? 50 years ago, the works of our forefathers and mothers allowed us to see the realization of the first black president. our country still has a race issue all of us need to be a part of. why are you here? the change is not a black or white thing. it is not a yellow, gay, or st. thing. it is an american thing. for us to eliminate racism, we must obliterate the concept of race to understand there is only one race. -- thatthe human race prepar is the human race. god bless. speaker is the president of george mason , dr. angel cabrera. >> thousands of young men and women are denied a college education every year. they are shut out of the american dream, not because they are not smart enough, not because they are not talented enough. not because they are ready to work hard enough. but because their parents may not be rich enough. because they may not be american enough. because they may not be documented the enough. anywheresaid injustice is a threat to justice everywhere. he said the time is always right to do what is right and i say the time to break down the barriers of access to education is now. i say i would not be here if not for education. most of us would not be here if not for education. the american dream is not a destination. it is a struggle. it is a struggle that takes the work of all of us. let us struggle together. let us dream together. [speaking spanish] gracias, god bless. >> ♪ , thew are next speaker economist and director of columbia university earth institute. moralthe arc of the universe been stored justice, it is because righteous souls in each generation pull at each end. 50 years ago at this spot, king spoke to brave men and women who fulfill their role in shaping the moral universe. they did their job bravely and well. we honor them today. the great task of moral construction is never finished. there is no final victory on earth. only an inheritance of justice each generation must renew and passed to the next. crisiss a year of moral and renewal. it was a year to rescue america's soul and move the world as john f. kennedy did with the nuclear treaty. it was the year of martyrdom of that young president who told us that when one man is a slave, are not free. another year of moral crisis. america is mired in a income inequality and poverty. american slaves multitudes of black and hispanic young men to feed theees -- to greed of its privatized penitentiary's. missilesince drone that kill innocent wedding-goers in a misguided war on islam. it is our turn to bend the arc of the moral universe. we must manage the money lenders, not from the temple but from congress and the white house. intost beat swords plowshares joining with israelis and palestinians to offer -- are the profits of peace. assault on hour nature and harvest the sun and the wind instead. in our age of greed and glitter, the world of justice seems to be stilled. do not be deceived. the ancient cry still moves us today. justice, justice shall you pursue so you can live in the promised land. >> ♪ >> our next speaker is the usa.dent of youth build >> good morning. i am happy we are back calling with one voice for the creation of the beloved community that reverend king named as our goal. many of us have spent 50 years marching quietly toward that dream. i want to first of all the millions of unsung heroes of the grassroots to have given their lives and heart to help other people. let me name just one, leroy , my mentor, a great man who passed away in 2011 having done great good. but his complete during was unfulfilled. reverend king's core message was about the power of love. that we would hammer out love between our brothers and sisters all over this land. we have been hammering out that love. my colleagues have hammered out hundreds of safe oases for young hands building affordable housing for their neighbors while they complete their own high school education and take leadership in their communities. they are now the ones hammering out love between their brothers and sisters. their parents are proud. there younkers said links -- arer younger siblings awed and their children are thriving. they are the lucky few. millions are being locked out of society or locked up. many expect to be dead or in jail by the time they're 25. this is a national sin and shame. 24-year-olds out of school and out of work. they have talent, heart, soul, intelligence, and james -- dreams. our nation needs them. imagine hundreds of thousands of them -- >> ♪ >> she must have been a baby when she started with pepsico. please welcome a senior vice president of global diversity and inclusion officer. >> good morning. it is a privilege to join with you to celebrate his great milestone in american history. thank you, rev. al sharpton for your long commitment to improving opportunities for all disenfranchised people. we're proud to partner with you. our appreciation goes out to everyone who plays a role in fulfilling the mission of the national action network. martin luther king, iii, thank you for caring the torch lit by to help.nts the world of economic and social injustice. i am proud to be among the pepsico associates who are here to reinforce the values of equality and fairness. i cannot introduce all of my colleagues. i would like to take a moment to recognize one. let me tell you about wesley dickerson. he was 7 years old when he watched dr. martin luther king delivered his "i have a dream" speech from on top of his father's shoulders. he remembers his father telling him and his sister that the march mattered because it was about equality for all. 50 years later, he is here with us today and has been instrumental in making sure the logistics work together for today's march. the principles of human dignity, civil equality, and economic empowerment for all our core values of pepsico. almost 75 years ago, we were the first major company to integrate management and the first to elevate an african- american to vice-president. one year before the 1963 march on washington. we're dedicated to the ideals of this march and what it represents. i am proud to stand on behalf of all pepsico associates here today and on the shoulders of those who made it possible for me to stand before you. i am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity. thank you. >> ♪ >> our next speaker is the .randson of mahatma gandhi biographer, research prof. at the center for south asian and middle eastern studies, univ. of dr. gandhi. d grandfather never visited the united states, but his heart was fully involved in the struggle in this country. meetingary, 1936, after four african-americans in western india, this is what he said. true, it may be through the african americans that the adult trade of message of non-violence will be delivered to the world. " in 1967, four years after the 1963 march, dr. king said this in new york city. develop anon must overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole." dr. king added a warning against what he called the apathy of thought.t fought -- we underlined america's enormous needs, dr. king's phrase of overriding loyalty to humankind also demands our attention. conformist thought stops us from time to assess. we must ask if we want democracy dependable friends elsewhere. >> ♪ , a socialt speaker activist, civil rights leader, .hairman emeritus of the naacp i thought he forgot to give him his name. i met this man when i was just a sophomore in college. longs and gentlemen, before there was a barack obama, there was a julian bond nominated for vice president of the united states. he was a citizen of the u.s.a. and a proud citizen of georgia. ladies and gentlemen, julian bond. [applause] >> thank you. i am delighted to be here just as i was delighted to be here 50 years ago. then we could not have imagined we would be here 50 years later with a black president and black attorney general. but that is a measure of how far we have come. still we march. we marched because trayvon in the pantheon of young black murders. we march because the supreme court has a eviscerated the voting rights act for which we fought and died. we march because every economic indicator shows the king of white-but disparities. we marched fro for freedom frome supremacy. none of it was easy. we have never wished our way to freedom. we have worked our way. we have much more to work with today. we take heart that so much has changed. the changes have everything to do with the work of the modern movement for civil rights. we must not forget dr. king stood before and with thousands, the people who made the mighty movement what it was. these ordinary men and women labored in obscurity. forward, theyy provided the soldiers of the freedom army. they shared with king and abiding faith in america. they walked in dignity rather than ride in shame. they sat down at lunch counters others to stand up. they marched and organized. dr. king did march from selma to montgomery -- did not march from selma to montgomery by himself. there were thousands marching with him and before him. there were thousands more that did the dirty work that preceded the march. the successful strategies of the modern movement where litigation, organization, mobilization, and coalition. all aimed at creating a national constituency for civil rights. sometimes it is the simplest of these, sitting at a lunch counter -- >> ♪ >> and other civil rights icon, president and founder of rainbow rev. jesseion, the jackson, senior. we appeal on the president and congress to have mercy on our plate. i was meant to be here 50 years ago. thank god for the journey, 50 years of tragedy and triumph. marched as dr. king's dream in 1963. he felt the agony of a nightmare approaching in meant to us -- in memphis. he celebrated the joy of our progress, the freedom from barbarism and the right to vote. we celebrate the joys of our political progress. the freedom of nelson mandela in south africa and the election of president obama, the crown jewel of our work. unnecessary wars and drones attack the poor. using violence as remedies was unacceptable. he wanted to disturb the comfortable. those,ed justice for all education, and help for the infirmities. banks are bailed out. homeowners are locked up. insurance companies are bailed out. detroit is in bankruptcy. we're paying an awful price for the intervention in iraq. said it leads to a moral and spiritual bankruptcy. when he was killed, the values and standards went up. of theeaming constitutional right to vote. keep dreaming about the war on poverty. choose schools over gills. keep dreaming of student loan forgiveness. keep dreaming. to restoreng foreclosed housing. keep dreaming of immigration reform that includes africa, haiti, and the caribbean. keep dreaming. we're free but not equal. keep dreaming. choose life over death. graduations and los feliz. keep the faith. keep hope alive though. -- keep hope alive. the lord is our life. >> ♪ >> our next speaker is is an attorney, president of the national bar association, president of the washington bar christiann, and the product company. >> we must stand an hour ground for justice. we must stand our ground for justice. on behalf of the national bar association, the nation's oldest and largest bar association of attorneys of color, founded in 1925, i am honored to be here today. for the last 88 years, the national bar association has always stood its ground by using our legal skills to oppose and dismantle unjust laws like stop and frisk. as social engineers, we will continue to stand our ground to ,rotect voting and civil rights like the recent voter nullification case in alabama. we will stand our ground to protect equal pay and equal access to justice and all of our constitutional rights. the national bar association also supports the trayvon martin amend theseo end or vigilante laws. much progress has been made in the 50 years since dr. martin luther king stood right here. now, the many legal gains we have made her under relentless attack. we cannot stop our progress. we cannot go back. we must not go back. stand with me and the national bar. we will stand to continue, to continue to stand our ground for justice. >> ♪ >> our next speaker is the president and ceo of the leadership conference on civil wadeuman rights, mr. henderson. >> my friends, we gather today on hallowed ground, just like those who came before us 50 years ago, we're here to petition our government, our fellow americans, to protect and perfect the dream we commemorate this week. we followed the freedom trail blazed by generations of men and women, some of whom made headlines. all come made history. america they changed forever and for the better. we celebrate their courage. we salute their commitment. we thank them for their tireless efforts to build a better america we have inherited. usse who came before us let closer to the promised land. our mission is to continue their journey. our job is to build the future. we know what we must do to keep the promise of jobs and freedom. most of all, we need to protect our right to vote. voting is the language of democracy. if you do not vote, if you cannot make herself heard. with the shelby decision, the nation's highest court has dealt a devastating blow to our representative democracy. make no mistake. the right to vote is the foundation of our freedoms. without it, we cannot make real every other in arena. we need to restore the right to vote with bipartisan legislation that reaffirms the central role of voting in our democracy. once and for all, now and forever. fortunately, there is an effort under way. it needs your encouragement. tweet your senator and representative. tell them that they must restore voting rights. your voice must be heard. rights. #voting i close with the words of a man that set us on our mission. thank you. >> our next speaker is the of hu -- caucus. hip hop >> when dr. king spoke 50 years the goal of the dream, we were not alive. we will carry on the fight of our lives, for our lives. civil rights, human rights, economic rights -- we are in the trenches still striving for equality. struggling for existence, for trayvon martin, chicago. oppressed, for the the stress, the depressed. we are growing. we will not stop. this is our time. cannot stop. will not stop. here we are at this moment, now. i want to say this. change is part of our generation. climate change is a life-and- death issue. it is a civil rights issue. climate change affects us all. i stoodond and together. we were arrested on the xl pipeline trying to save our planet. i believe dr. king would be in the streets today taking up the issue of climate change as well. the issue of the 20th century was equality. the issue of the 21st century is existence prepare -- is existence. positive people! cannot stop. will not stop. >> ♪ >> how are next speaker -- our next speaker is a democratic member of the ohio house of representatives for the 33rd district, national action rep.ork board member, reese. today as ahere product of dr. king's civil rights movement in the trenches of the battle ground states of ohio, city of cincinnati, and rightsghter of the civil activists who marched for me 50 years ago. there is a song that says, look got noy face, i ain't worries. we are worried about stand your ground laws. we're worried about social justice. we're worried about jobs and health care. we're worried about women's rights and equality. we're worried about social security. we're worried about fairness for minority businesses. we're worried about a student loans, college tuition. we're worried about everyone having a chance at the american dream. no more voter suppression, throwing away in dallas, and voter i.d. laws. oury when go for constitutional limits for a voter bill of rights to be put on the ballots in states across this country, keeping it off in ohio in 2014. off in ohio in 2014. no more temporary solutions to 1permanent problems. we must take it to every city in this country. i am asking you to go to the national action network and sign up to fight for the voter bill of rights in your state. ofcome today in the spirit betty lou. tired of being sick and tired. we cannot wait another 50 years. it is time to make the dream real. >> ♪ >> how the joshua generation is alive and well. the ladyd gentlemen, that helped to put all this together, the washington group chief of the national action network. also joining her, the executive director of education for a better america. ago, hundreds of thousands of people came to this place where we stand today. they were demanding jobs, freedom, and his firing to live the american dream -- desiring to live the american dream. things of humans one, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. today we come here honoring their work in the achievements they have made, but we lift up our grievances. we're calling for national action to realize the dream. we still need jobs. we still need freedom. laws thatom loss -- deprive us of our democratic rights and spit in the face of our freedom. we still have work to do. today we stand united to kickoff our national action for jobs, voting rights, workers' rights, a living wage, citizenship for immigrants, for women to have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, for women to earn as much as a man, for our gay brothers and sisters to be free from discrimination in the workplace or anywhere else. we stand to protect our communities from racial profiling, stop and frisk, and stand your ground. we stand to say education must be a proper -- must be a top priority. college students should not have to mortgage their future to go to college. we stand for veterans to gain jobs. we come together for national action to realize the dream. without justice, there will be no peace. no justice, no peace. >> i stand before you representing the first generation in my family not to pick cotton since arriving on this continent hundreds of years ago. my mother grew up in tennessee picking cotton. it was education that paved the way for a better way of life for us. education is the foundation for jobs, justice, and freedom. it is the premier civil-rights issue of this generation. just as the wall street banks and firms were bailed out, we call on congress to bail out public education in this country. bailouts school districts in chicago and philadelphia where they are having to close dozens of schools. .ailout the headstart program invest and [indiscernible] we have partnered with the national action network and school districts and universities across the country for higher education and awareness and a dropout prevention initiative because we know a high-school dropout is twice as likely to be unemployed. if we can sustain and maintain this broad coalition today, we can accomplish it through pressure for congress to pass a new jobs and immigration bill. we can put pressure on states to repeal stand your ground. we will win the future. we will take the world. >> ♪ >> 50 years ago, i am losing my voice. wrote hisgo, dr. king "i have a dream" speech at the uaw headquarters. ladies and gentlemen, the king.ent, bob >> sisters and brothers, we're here to honor dr. king by committing to action. we're here to honor dr. king by committing to the principle of love he deeply believe in. we're here today to commit to the great commandments he believed in, loving our god with our whole heart, and our whole souls.nd and loving our all people of the world as ourselves. we are here because we know in life you get what you are willing to accept. who want to tell the world and the power is attacking our rights to justice and freedom that we are not willing to except the nile and suppression of our right to vote. we're not willing to accept the denial of a clear practices shut -- citizenship for 11 million hard-working children of god in america. we're not willing to accept mass incarceration over mass employment. willing to accept the denial of women's rights and access to health care. we are not willing to accept the destruction of retirement security. we're not willing to accept inadequate funding of public education. acceptnot willing to lower wages and income so the rich can get richer. there not willing to except the mile of the basic human rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain. we are not willing to accept the erosion of our roads, bridges -- >> ♪ >> our next speaker is the of theg senior pastor episcopal church. dr. jamaal harrison bryant. >> 50 years ago from this place, martin luther king went looking for the treasury of integrity for the united states of america saying you have given us a bad check that has been marked insufficient funds. the grandchildren of the movement have come back looking just a that check, not cashier. to pass it with interest. we believe it is time for america to pay. if the native americans were able to get reservations, african-americans and should be able to receive reparations. if you are declaring you do not have the money to pay us after 200 years of free labor, we want to tell you where to get the money from. get the money from the cia after they got a profit from putting crack cocaine in the black community. if they do not have the money, get the money from the education system that would not invest in computers but found the money for metal detectors. if you do not have the money there, go to the justice department that has privatized prison systems so our black men will be incarcerated and not go to universities. if you do not have it there, go to stand your ground laws to see why trayvon martin's murderer is walking around free and black people are behind bars. we declare it is time for you to pay. if you are going to get the money, please do not have china do it because they are already buying too much of africa as it is. at this point, ladies and gentlemen, we have come to replace, not to roll over and play dead, but we understand america must cash this check. america, please do not think we will wait another 50 years for you to pay us because we found another stream of resource. we will look to the hills and he will supply all of our needs. what together, children. do not get weary. [applause] >> ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, our next speaker, the chair of the national council of negro women. >> thank you. i first heard the dream speech in detroit, michigan, at a march , thed by reverend franklin leadership of labor, the naacp, and the urban league. then i watched him on tv 50 years ago when he spoke the dream words again. i like many others knew it was transformed into. the national council of negro of hundredse form of members, were present 50 critical and had been participants in the strategical planning and execution of the march. 50 years ago, the impact of that march and those words still lea d and influence us today. there was a generational shift that happened that day. they were all in search of a more perfect union. they were all in search of a more perfect union. his dreamsoke about for his children and all children. on that day 50 years ago, the leadership of the movement and the moral leadership of the country shifted. king and dr. height were here today, i would say they will charge us with facilitating the next generational shift. stated thatdy been as we look and listen on this day of commemoration and celebration, all we have to do to know about what changes, is to look down pennsylvania avenue to the president of the united states. we know that their aspirations were not in vain. ir and together 50 years ago was a search for equality and peace groups let us except that charge also. thank you. >> ♪ >> our next speaker is the miss margoesident, copeland. >> good morning. we stand here today as the beneficiaries and inheritors of a dream it was bequeathed to us 50 years ago. in 1963 turned into a milestone in the advancement of the african- american community and the nation in general. dr. king's dream was aspirational and inspirational. it was a dream so big that he dared us. he challenged us to work toward the advancement and creation of a better day and quality of life for all. history was for everyone regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, ability, orientation, where the color of one's skin. the dream of firms the birthright of every american has the right to vote, obtain a quality education, and walk safely and securely in the nation which in in their neighborhood and community. community-tion of minded women will continue to work to create opportunities for all people. it is my honor to be here. i say to you all, god bless you and all you love and god bless america. [applause] >> good morning. i am from the planned parenthood federation of america. be representing our organization. in 1966, we gave the margaret sanger award, our highest honor to dr. martin luther king jr.. our beloved caress scott king accepted on his behalf. each year, planned parenthood across the country sees nearly 3 million patients. these women and men of all ages, races, and backgrounds do not come to planned parenthood to make a political statement. they come to get quality, affordable health care which we provide. have seen a record almost 700,ws, that would cut off access to abortion, cancer screenings, even sex education. in the 1960's and 1970's, the model of the women's movement was the personal is political. in 2013, these politics are starting to seem personal to me. i stand here today -- >> ♪ >> i am the president of asian americans advancing justice. on august 28, 1963, 35 members of the japanese-american citizens league march alongside their brothers and sisters of the civil rights struggle asserting their claim to the dream. a teenager was inspired by his mother's fight for justice. japanese internment camp to join the march and "fored a banner that said better americans in a better america." he is here again. now he stands among hundreds of americans, asian americans, representing 35 national organizations. together we bring with us the voices of more than 18 million asian-americans who believe in a greater america. we as a nation face many barriers in our efforts to achieve greatness. we have been dealt some cars harshck's -- some setbacks. now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. we have the means to make these promises real. what we need is the political will and the popular commitment to these principles. we need leaders who have the moral compass to make such a commitment to making real the promises of our democracy. today we are 18 million asian americans proud to stand once again with our brothers and sisters in the struggle in the human rights community, still committed to, still driving better america, in pursuit of a dream. >> ♪ speaker, president, director-counselor, naacp legal defense, and educational fund of votd by the president e latino. >> i stand before you representing this nation's greatest civil-rights law organization. our lawyers litigated and argue the shelby county voting rights case in the united states supreme court this year. lawyers ago, our litigated and one brown versus board of education. most importantly, i stand before you on behalf of the people we represent from all over this country. people like ernest montgomery and earl cunningham and all of the black voters in shelby county, alabama, who stood up to fight for equality and fairness in voting. i have represent those on whose behalf we fight in the courts. those who have been stopped and placed in thelosed on, children schools to prison pipeline, men who have been sentenced to death row because they are black. we know that our voices in the courtroom are not enough. we need to raise our voices in the street as well. we need to let congress hear us when we tell them they must amend the voting rights act. let them hear you. and in case they don't hear you today, call them on monday and tell them again. tell our statehouses we don't want stand your ground laws that allow people to stop and kill our children and get away with it. finally, i represent today all of those women who were not allowed to speak at the march 50 years ago. -- gloriardson and , womenson and rosa parks who were pillars of the civil rights movement or do they too were beaten, shot out, and marginalized. but they do not give up. today, they speak through all of us. my lord, what a morning, thank you. [applause] >> what an honor it is to be here today. on this day. i am an immigrant. it is a once mighty word brought low in our time by fear and hate. immigrant. once our greatest bond, somewhat now use it to divide us. whoi want to remind those might shutout go back to your country on a radio show or comment online, and those who sometimes like to say more delicately in the house of congress, i want to remind all of you that the use of that immigrant slur has another name for us -- we are americans. some immigrants came to build the railroads. some lead in industrial and technological revolution. some in world war ii. arlington cemetery, so close to where we are right now, we can hear the whisper of those brave names, sullivan, for non-death -- fernandez. today, 50 million american latinos demand our rights, rights given to us not by the man who fell in philadelphia who themselves are immigrants and children of immigrants. no, the rights are given to us by god. what we demand is simple. first, we are americans. treat us as such, and vesta and our neighborhoods, our house, our education. second, we demand a vote. tear down the barriers to voting, don't bring us more. classly, and the second- citizenship of 5 million children in 6 million parents. ♪ >> our next two speakers, professor charles over tree, harvard law school, and chair of the united we dream, sofia campos. >> thank you so much. it is a pleasure being here. let me say this first, i want to salute our first african- american governor elected twice in massachusetts, deval patrick. support the great lawyers from florida who represented the families of trayvon martin, darrell parks and --. i want to say to trayvon martin's family and to the when heof emmett till was killed, it is not over yet, we are here to keep this forward. i have four granddaughters. they are going to have a better world than we have had because the 21st century is the time for young people to rise up and be heard. that is what this is all about, and i hope we will get there. dr. king, we love you, we would not be here without you, you have made all of us in the world celebrate this great day. man, ours day, our mission, our success. thank you very much. short going to keep this wordsmartin luther king's were highlighted warning against the giant triplets eared racism, materialism, and militarism. today, we face these great forces just as much as we did 50 years ago. racist policies like secures communities were to break apart families just as much as racist policies like stand your ground in florida were to kill our young people today. the decision -- the detention center and presence of some are ones in the figured i grew up in his family is immigrant. 55,000 undocumented every single year. one million people have been deported in the last five years. that is the world's highest court of deportation. it is our black and brown bodies that are being detained, that are being placed in presence to make profit off of us. it is our abuse that is being criminalized day after day after day. a few days ago, two of our brothers, stood in front of an ice busts in arizona to stop them from deporting or family members. rise together, we will all fall together. my question to you is -- will you rise with me? ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the , mayorf washington, d.c. vincent gray. you very much. good morning, everybody. on behalf of the 600 32,000 residents of the district of columbia, let me welcome you here to our great city. the same place where 250,000 people gathered in 1963 fighting for justice for america. of course, this was the site of the greatest speech ever delivered, that is the "i have a dream" speech, and we're here to celebrate that again today. there are still some in groups in america that are disenfranchised and marginalized, and one of those my friends, the people of the district of columbia, 632,000 people. we are noe to -- voting representative in congress, and that is unjust. pay $3.5 billion in taxes every year, yet we cannot even make a decision about how to spend that money. in our city billion to support this city. we send our sons and daughters off to fight wars in faraway places, yet we have no vote in conference to be able to determine whether we fight those wars are not. ladies and gentlemen, that is unjust, that is unfair, and there is no good reason why in the 21st century america the district of columbia still lacks true democracy and true self- determination. we ask you for your support to write this on justice in our nation. we know that so much of dr. king's dream has come to fruition, but it has not come to pass, and have not come to fruition as the different -- as the district of columbia still languages. -- languages. i hope everyone of you will join us to fight to gain full statehood forgain the district of columbia. please join me, my friend, and he fight to bring democracy to every one of america's residents and citizens. thank you all very much. [applause] ♪ >> the next three powerhouse thekers, president of national organization of women, terry o'neill, dr. michael eric dyson, professor of sociology, georgetown, and the chair of the naacp, dr. roslyn bought. >> good morning. caretta scott king once said women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, i believe that you must become its sole. 50 years ago, women were not up here speaking, but here we are today, and at the president of the national organization for women, i am so proud to be here with all of you to speak out to organize a change, to shake up the system and yes to add a little soul. on thursday, i met with women leaders from the movement where we committed ourselves to a new policy agenda for the 21st century for women. do not make any mistake, there is a war on women. it is raging on. one the war of ideas for women's equality. and we will not allow a tyrannical minority to send this back to the 1950's or worse. as women, we demand access to the full range of reproductive health care and services, including abortion and boards control -- and birth control and prenatal care and conference of sex education for our children. as women, we demand good union , living wage,pay and equal pay for work of equal value. benefit, we demand increases, not cuts in social security and medicare, and the social programs that serve an employee women at the social workers and a nurse of teachers nhl care workers. -- and the childcare workers. and because the war on women is so very real, as women, we demand a constitutional amendment, a guarantee of voting rights for every citizen because elections matter in this country. a lot has changed since 1963, but what has not changed is the unwavering commitment of women to take on the tough fight, to do the hard work, to push for the change we need, women will never owe back, thank you very much. [applause] >> 50 years ago, our greatest american dream eloquently about justice and democracy. 50 years later, we need a team effort to make his dream come true. he had a dream, we need a team. join the vast off -- army of the poor who continues to languish in the corners of our society and struggle against impossible odds to survive. he had a dream, we need a team to join the see of immigrants who love america so much they're willing to risk life and limb to make this nation a better place. he had a dream, we need a team to join our great brothers and lesbian sisters as they come out of the closet and enjoy the living room of social freedom and the bedroom of marriage equality. he had a dream, we need a team to join the multitude of women whose bodies are burdened by antiquated science and out of step policies and spirit he had a dream, we need a team to join the lose -- the youth whose sweet lives are cut short by the violence on our cities. he had a dream, we need a team wide by the nation's first black attorney general who has spoken out and exit against the profound injustices of our country's legal system and a vicious attack on our rights to vote. he had a dream, we need a team joined by the nation's first black president who must use his bully pulpit to remind america of the commitment to racial justice. since we know since the death of the first martin king is linked to the second death of martin, trayvon. be abledo this, we will to sing together the words of that great anthem from the last century, the sun don't shine forever, but as long as it is here, we might as well find together -- shine together. he had a dream, we need a team. [cheers and applause] >> good morning, friends. edam pleased to be gather here with more than 30,000 naacpers from across the nation. we gather here throughout this golden moment in the history of civil rights. there is no greater way for us to do this then for us to have an honest assessment of the challenges we face to get past today, and to be the courageous leaders who meet those challenges. i only got two minutes, but i got a hard truth i want to leave with you. first, in the face of an onslaught about racist restrictions on our right to vote, we turned out in unprecedented numbers here to our challenge today, my friends, is to vote in all elections, especially in non-presidential elections, because when we have not, the consequences have been devastating. the house and the senate are headed for progressive majorities in 2014. i want you to raise your right hand and take a pledge with me promise toay that i vote every year in every primary and in every election, no matter what is on the agenda. now, i want you to go by, and tell your neighbors and your families to take that same pledge. --ond, we were honored courage one odds get this generation. -- will not skip this generation. peace and power. ♪ >> before i introduce the next seet, i wish that you could the fact that people are as far ,ack as world war ii memorial give yourself a round of applause. it is a full house. and buses are backed up still trying to get here. the official program starts at 11:00, and we still have buses coming in. , dr. dash,eaker po,ior vice president, c communities without borders international, please, a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen. >> and during the last century, individuals and groups were committed to realizing the dream that dr. king declared in the 1963 march on washington. his vision was for a world where freedom, justice, and equality rain, today that challenge remains. or have even more important is its reevaluation in sounds that resonate with the seasons of the century. the youth you see standing with me today, they are youth without boundaries, closely associated with the idea of freedom, justice, and equality is a society that makes them possible. such conditions ensure equal treatment and access to the pursuit of happiness that is the promise of america's most cherished ideals. this year's 50th anniversary of the march on washington present an opportunity to launch a new challenge that will raise the consciousness of the world, the for affordable quality education, for jobs, for employment opportunities, for safe communities, and a peaceful society. realizing dr. king's dream demands the funding -- ♪ >> hey really does not need an introduction. at msnbc, we simply refer to him as big red. ladies and him and, welcome ed schultz. >> thank you. thank you, joe. of forced busing for racial equality. i take you back to the 1970's, where diversity was the word that was foreign to america but it was the future. i take you to birmingham, alabama, last night where i did a radio town hall, and i can tell you what is happening in america right now, the dream can only be realized if we pay attention to what is going on in our own backyards. picking andt choosing neighborhoods, who is going to get the resources and who is not going to get the resources, we will lose this country, we will lose the vision of diversity, we will lose the opportunity of the quality to move all people forward. you need to pay attention to what is happening in your backyard spirit of make sure it -- and your backyard spirit and make sure that your schools and those young kids get the resources they need to have an opportunity in america that will help them grow. being a product of the middle class, i was the one who was afforded the opportunity spirit if we start picking and choosing neighborhoods, what kind of message are we sending to the youth of america? that this is the vision that they're going to have? ist this is what is of -- it supposed to be for them? no, that is not what dr. king's message was, that is not what america's focus was, and i cannot be the road to the future for america, stand tall in your community, fight for diversity, understand its strengths, and make sure that every school is resources to give every american child a chance to live the dream . god bless you, thank you. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, it is time to raise our voices against violence. >> i got bodies here. >> as news trickled out, it is because obvious. not all of the regions between parent and child will be happening here. morning, a gunman walked into sandy hook elementary school in newtown, connecticut and opened fire. a masse has been shooting outside denver, colorado in aurora, a gunman acted -- acting alone. >> standing there, firing a people just a few feet away. son, butn was our trayvon is your son. a lot of people can relate to our situation, and it breaks their hearts as it breaks my. >> he entered a popular seattle café. four people were fatally shot, another one did. >> it began at 10:25 a.m. h temple inthe sik wisconsin. >> at least people -- 52 people were shot and killed. family and friends are mourning the death of 15-year- old heidi a pendleton, killed less than a mile of president obama's chicago home. >> a national symbol to end violence. blownn our children are to pieces. you still see no problem in this ridiculous weapon being freely available on the streets of your country. >> trying to make sense of the violence. >> shot and killed outside a church. >> in minneapolis, a grenade -- >> [indiscernible] ♪ >> my name is annette holds. i lost my beautiful son, blair, to the streets of chicago, to gun violence. and my voice matters. >> my name is colin daughter. i was shot four times at the shooting in virginia tech, and my voice matters. >> my name is lonnie phillips. i am a proud gun owner, but i do not want any families to pain that these families have heard my voice matters. >> my name is dan gross. i'm a victim of gun violence, and i am a president of the brady campaign to rivet gun violence. my voice matters. 50 years ago, on the tower ground, americans came together from all races and all backgrounds to raise their voices for justice in our nation. the voices that were raised that they mattered. they mattered because they did not in here at the legal and that's at the lincoln memorial. they mattered because they began here, inspired by a great man's dream and then resonated far and wide because the voices that were raised that they inspired a i -- ancourse, now car outcry for change in justice. an american people that continue to grow louder until he could no longer be ignored. we are here today to say that when it comes to the gun violence that is destroying our communities and our nations, that we, the american people, will no longer be ignored. we are here today to make our voices matter once again. we are here to say "my voice matters." we're here because a young black male is a 17 times more likely to die from gun homicide than a white one, and we are here to say my voice matters. we are here because of the gun violence. gun deaths that happen everyday, the eight children and teens killed everyday, enough to fill more than 100 classrooms, and we are here to save my voice matters. because of trayvon martin, because of this great nation of ours, george zimmerman, a man with an arrest record and a known history of violence can get a permit to walk out in the streets with a loaded gun and kent shakedown and murder an innocent boy in the name of standing his ground and get away with it. and we're here to say my voice matters. we're here because there are children in our great nation like these that cannot even feel safe walking to go to school in the morning and to go to sleep at night hearing gunshots out their window. we are here to say my voice matters. we are here from cities and suburbs and farmland, not as republicans and democrats, not as a white, black, latino, or asian, but as proud americans, all of us who know that as a nation we are better than this, and we are here to say my voice matters. we are here to hold congress accountable to make this a safer nation. cowardly congress people who do the bidding of the corporate gun lobby to hear us, the american people more, to remind them that they work for us, the american people, and if they do not do right by us, they will not work for us much longer. leaders haveur been selling is out for two long. we're here to say enough is enough and we're here to say my voice matters. in a crowd, you will see hundreds of volunteers with red voices against violence t-shirts like these. just sign up with them, and next week we will put you in touch with your congressperson so you can tell them that your voice matters. voicesagainsw. tviolence.com today. 50 years ago, dr. king inspired a nation with his dream. he inspired the american public to come together as never before to stand up to great injustice, and he showed us what we are capable of as a nation when we have truth and justice on our side or it today, we desperately need to come together in exactly that same spirit to address one of the issues of this day, the issue of gun violence. now at the time to come together as a nation. from the suburbs of newtown, connecticut, to the urban streets of newark, new jersey, to the homes and communities of every american who want to live free from the tyranny of a violence. it is have we come together as individuals and as want to tell congress that we will not be ignored and our communities are being destroyed. to make our voices heard of the solutions that clearly exist and most important way to say -- my voice matters! [cheers and applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentle man, mr. tony bennett. ♪ >> thank you. lift your voice against violence. let someone start believing in you, let him hold out his let him find you and watch what happens once someone can look in your ,yes and see into your heart let him touch you and watch what happens cold, no i will not believe your heart is cold maybe slow to warm on an evening such as this yes, let someone with a deep love to give give his deep love to you what magic you will see heart,eone give his someone who cares like me ♪ let someone give his heart someone who cares like me ♪meone who cares like me ♪ ♪ >> thank you. ♪ they all laughed at christopher columbus when he said the world was round they all laughed when edison recorded sound. they all laughed at wilbur and his brother when they said man could fly. coni he wasark a phony they laughed at me and you they said i was reaching for the moon boy, you came through , now they have to change their tune they all said we would never get together, they laughed at us and how ho, ho, ho, who have got the last laugh now? ♪ they laughed at me and you said it would be hello, goodbye. you came through, now they are eating humble pie they all said we'd never get together darling, take a bow o, ho, ho who's got the last laugh? hee, hee, hee who's got the last laugh now? ♪ ♪ when i come home to you, san francisco, your golden sun will for me ♪ thank you very much. [cheers and applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, our next two speakers, cla executive director federation of welfare agency, differ jones austin and the codirector advancement diana., judith brown lateam a daughter of the william jones junior, a civil rights activist and former president of the christian leadership congress. i'm a daughter of the civil rights movement. and as a daughter of the movement, i am the beneficiary of all the good that -- [no audio] [inaudible] ♪ >> i am the daughter of the late jr., a augustus jones, civil rights activist. i'm a daughter of the civil rights movement. as a daughter of the moment, i am the beneficiary of all the good that has resulted from the hard work of the sweat and tears, and the love that was shed by the leaders and doers of that movement. as a daughter in beneficiary, i'm now the burden bearer of this generation's civil rights movement. you, too, are the burden bearers. for dr. king and other leaders told us our work will not be done until all of god's children are free. 50 years ago, they do not march for just some do have jobs -- they march for all to have jobs. they did not march 1 just some to have a polity education -- they marched for all to have a quality education. they did not march for just some to be free of the burdens of poverty, they marched for all to be free. so today, we come together to pick up the burden laid down by our leaders who have gone onto their rewards, and to stand with our leaders today, reverend sharpton and others, to commit and recommit ourselves to the war against poverty. the war against gun violence him of the war against continuing discrimination on the basis of race, sexual orientation, integration and gender. the war against disenfranchisement. antiwar against injustice that right in the present and the future of our children. as a nation, we have demonstrated that we can do just about anything that would put our minds to. ending poverty, gun violence, discrimination, and injustice should be no different. it is our burden, it is our responsibility. together we can. god bless you all. on august 20 8, 1963, my parents came to the march. my father wore his scarf of indignity inflicted by the segregated army. they, like thousands, were all full of hope for a just america, and america can still make good on its promise of equality. today, we commemorate and celebrate our progress. we are still asking when will america make good on its promise? the dream is slipping away, attacked on a quality are metastasizing. our voting rights are under attack. whether to the supreme court or state legislatures like north carolina, there is an aggressive effort to silence the rising progressive majority. congress must restore the voting rights act, and we must build a movement for a constitutional right to vote. today, we also feel the pain in 1953 per felt die, like you, remember where i was when the verdict was read and the killer of one of our babies walked without consequences. never again. and l.a. sans by bernie's johnson reagan goes "we who believe in freedom cannot rest until the tyranny -- ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, it is my great privilege not to introduce to you three very distinguished speakers that were thatnt organizations really need no introduction. their role in the civil rights movement in the last 50 years is indelible india retrievable. first, we will hear representing the american federation and congress of industrial organizations, the afl-cio, the executive vice president eileen holt baker. , the president of -- 1199h 1199, george is here as well. finally, we will give a great deal of respect its final speaker in the group. he is the president emeritus of dr. king of the organization, the southern christian leadership conference, the reverend dr. charles steele. please welcome them. and one more -- i'm sorry. i'm sorry, mary kay, i do not see you. the president of sciu international, mary kay henry. [cheers and applause] >> 50 years ago, a 23-year-old man by the name of john lewis asked a question. he asked -- where the equality for the maid who earns five dollars a week in the home of a family whose income was $100,000 a year? where is the equality for those of us who work in the southern fields from sunup to sundown for $12 a week? we are asking that same question today when the minimum wage is actually lower than it was half a century ago. philips ago, abe randolph still -- stood with brother lewis and reverend dr. martin luther king and demanded jobs and freedom. among african- americans and then was 10%. it is about 13% today. demand -- our demands today are the same as they were 50 years ago. when a job for all-american, and we need our freedoms. we need the freedom to have a voice that works, and we need the freedom to have our voices heard and our ballot boxes. too many of our children who dream of equality -- of a quality education but who are in terribly over crowded classrooms where urban close -- school districts close school after school after school. minimum for a higher wage has become a desperate dream and a cry for our community. we cannot feed and clothe our families on $7.25 an hour. stand on theply small at the lincoln memorial. we must organize. we must take action for job creation and shared prosperity for all. it cannot wait. our call is now, our demand is now. shame on us if we return here 15 years from now with visa -- 50 years now with the same demands -- job, freedom, and shared prosperity for all. [cheers and applause] >> good afternoon, america. 1199half of the 400,000 members, some of for -- some of whom were here it years ago, and as a matter fact, i want to offer this opportunity to the band, i've got to beat them before the gogo music come up because when gogo, you must go go. we are here today, sisters and brothers, not because we want a day in the park -- we are here to say yes 50 years later, we have come a long way. but we still have a year long way to go and i don't know which is the greatest distance, but for us today, we must be prepared to go into action. if we are going to respect the work that was done 50 years ago, then we have to go back with a our plan must be that we will stand up and make this a country for working people once again. demand thatgoing to the wealthy in this country return this country to the working people. and the issues that you hear us talk about today, we need you to go back to your representatives and ask them what are they going to do about this. and hold them accountable. thee it is good to continue march, if we go home and we don't practice what we are preaching today, we will miss this moment. america -- are we going to go back? are we going to go forward? >> yes! >> are we going to make sure that those who represent us actually represent us? >> yes! >> because we need jobs, we need housing, we need healthcare, we need to make sure that our children have a future. thank you. ♪ >> sisters and brothers, healthcare workers, public service workers, janitors, and security guards are honored to be on this mall today and join hands with the rest of our nation as we rededicate ourselves to the goals that the 1963 marchers imagined 50 years ago today. we stand for freedom. we stand for jobs. we stand for equality. and the visionaries of this march proclaimed that we were going to fight between ables of to fightd economic -- the twin evils of racism and economic poverty. we want to make sure that in 50 years we are celebrating the shared prosperity in this nation. quality knew that any could not be solved without lifting wages, which is why the two dollar minimum wage was a central demand of the marchers in 1963. so perhaps it is fitting that ,his coming thursday, august 29 thousands of fast food and retail workers are going to take the courageous action of a hour, to demand $15 an and that $15 an hour is the equivalent of the two dollar demand in 1963. 29 willike on august stand up with the courage of our convictions in the way we stand on the shoulders of civil rights marchers from 1963. a system is wrong with when the corporations are making record profits, and the workers have to rely on food stamps and medicare and medicaid in order to make ends meet. the fast food workers and retail workers are fighting for all of us, brothers and sisters. if they and other low-wage workers in this economy are able to win their struggle for higher pay, our economy and all of us will benefit. that is why the members of seiu and many members of unions in this crowd are proud to -- [indiscernible] -- let's march for jobs, let's march for equality. freedom, jobs! [inaudible] >> as president emeritus, ceo of the southern christian leadership conference, the organization that dr. martin luther king cofounded, we are here today to say 50 years later , a 17-year-old boy into colusa, alabama, watching the march on television, and my mother and father told me, boy, you cannot ball today, you have to watch the history of america and the world being made. they brought, aberrant nothing to shame. we stuck to say -- freedom ain't free. you have to march. are you ready? >> yes! >> we have to represent. are you ready? dr. king advocated for poor advocate thest same. are you ready to go with me? ♪ >> to all of my friends from the southern states, i now proudly present to you the executive director of the arab-american jonathan, maya berry, mason, the international president of phi theta sigma and corporate or, -- incorporated, and the dream defenders. >> good afternoon. you look great. on behalf of arab american institute, dictating -- and 6.3 million am arab-american, i am honored to stand here with you today. my conscience bothered me, and it broke my heart to see this in dignity on a human being. i decided to do something about this. i decided to do something about this. those are the words of civil rights activist brass john s he spoke about what moved him as he conceived the idea of the fitted in greensboro, north carolina. american,an african- vice president of his local naacp chapter. he pitched the sit in idea for 11 years until joe mcneil agreed and came up with back with three other university university students. let's hear it. s help, a movement was launched that would spread to 54 student -- cities in nine states to make history. john and many other americans like him were part of the civil rights movement. they moved to action for simple reasons. they decided to do something about something that was wrong. we stood then as we do today because we must. 50 years later, we see real threats to what was achieved and great sacrifice, but new challenges that dr. king could not have even anticipated, whether it is a supreme court decision to a key provision of the voting rights act or sections of the hatred act that still fail to strike the right balance between safeguarding our national security and protecting our civil liberties, we must do something about what is wrong. whether it is the total economic injustice taken on our families living in policy -- in poverty racial,egradation of ethnic, or religious profiling, we must do something about what is wrong. whether it is our nation's police department targeting young men of color with stop and frisk, or arab-americans and american muslims with surveillance, we must be to do doething about -- we must something about nypd blue the laws. activists in new york started doing that this week when they successfully overrode a mayor's veto and told the nypd you will have oversight and you will be held accountable. and that is the point. when we work together and invite others to join us, there is much to --e can do together [inaudible] ♪ >> i stand before you today representing phi beta si gma, the fraternal home of april for love ran off, one of the march on washington, and one of the freedom riders and a civil rights icon. i stand before you to let you know that any 50 years since the original what march on washington, america has made a small down payment on the debt that is owed to his african- american people. when want you to know that trayvon martin can be shot down and the perpetrator go free, i need to you and let you know that there is some interest owed, and so we march. when the supreme court can dismantle the voting rights act right in front of our very eyes, i need to let you know that there is some interest owed, and so we march. when our young people take each other out in cities all across his land, i need to let you know that there isn't some interest owed. and so we march. my time is short, but i will share with you this -- as we march, we're going to get tired, we are going to get week, and the road might get a little long, but be encouraged by that old negro spiritual -- be not dismayed or be tired, god will take care of you. god will take care of you. god bless you, and so we march. [cheers and applause] >> everybody put three fingers in the air. the sky is falling, the wind is calling, stand for something or die in the morning. if you are a young person in the struggle, i want you to say get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready. we have only two minutes to talk today, so i want to take two minutes to tell you about who we are. we are the forgotten generation. we are the illegals. we are the apathetic. we are the thugs. we are the generation that you locked in the basement while movement conversations were going on upstairs. we are the generation that you told to be afraid. .o we came to love but we are here today to join in a conversation that will shake the very foundations of this capital. so i'm going to ask for the final minute of my conversation with you to be dedicated to the young people, and i wages did with your fists in the air, and i wait to join me in a call and response that will continue and begin this movement that will shake the vestiges of democracy. it ends with i believe that we can win, i believe that we can win, so i want you to repeat after me third i -- i believe -- i believe that we -- i believe that we will -- i believe that we will win! >> i believe that we will win! >> brother marcus garvey told us that we have a beautiful history and the one we buried the future and the one we bear in the future will -- ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, in 1963 , the latino community was not represented, but they sure are represented here today. am i right? we will hear from the national president of the league of united latin american citizens, lulac, margaret moran. then we will hear because we also know that there is a war against teachers and public education in this country -- how many teachers are here? [cheers and applause] the president of the national education association, dennis eckel, and then last but certainly not least, the man whose booming voice stood in this space for 50 years ago, abe philip randolph, the president of the abe philip randolph institute, dr. clay ola brown will also speak. hear ye them. >> good morning. tribute to the many sacrifices made by men and women so that this country can live up to the ideals of equality and justice for all. in a stones throw of this market -- monument and elsewhere, minority communities and people of color still change found this -- still face challenges to dr. king's dream. the latino community cannot be weined in simple terms for are diverse ethnically, social economically, and politically. but we can be defined as immensely patriotic, as witnessed by our willingness to serve and protect our nation during times of conflict. anthemoring our national 's conclusion when we say "o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." today, comprehensive immigration reform is being fought by racism and ignorance -- and ignorance thinly veiled by budget concerns and insecurity. congress has run out of excuses, and the latino community has run out of patience. i also want to say a few words about the recent supreme court decision shelby versus holder. this past june, the supreme court shut down the key provision of the voting rights two hours after the supreme court issued its decision, texas announced it would enforce its voter id law. the recent actions taken by the department of justice is a clear federalon that the government will not allow states to enforce measures that suppress minority voting rights. north carolina has followed texas's lead by hassing and measure that includes kryptonian voter id requirements that prevent minorities, poor, young, and the elderly from voting. we know that these are designed roadblocksecessary to the voting process and deny the most basic democratic right to the most vulnerable populations. stand with our civil rights partners to fight for an amendment to the voting rights act prohibits such conduct. these changestic are within reach, we also know they can only be realized if we stand as a people united. dr. king famously expressed that he could not sit idly by because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. we know that one person alone the may not be able to fight against injustice that can divide and nation. however, what dr. king proved, and what we know to be true, is that one person and a dream can inspire a people to move mountains and define a generation. the immigrant community fully appreciates that in this country change is possible. it is part of the american experience. today, dr. king's words still ring true and we stand as a people united with the knowledge that together we can realize dr. king's ream. this is what defines us. god bless you. >> good morning. i represent 3 million members who believed in dr. king's dream theater as 50 billion americans -- as 50 million americans go back to school, they will have computers and i've had us and white boards to help them learn. most will come from homes with a have plenty to eat, a safe place to sleep, and will see a doctor if they are sick. millions of the nation's tilden will find a very different world in their school. students won't have access to computers or even up-to-date textbooks. many of these children will not get enough to eat. or enough sleep. our nation does not have one educational system, we have two. aredren from poor families shortchanged. that theft perpetuates the cycle of poverty. 50 years ago dr. king noted hundreds of thousands of americans came to this place, here to cash a check to redeem the nation's promise of equal opportunity. now is the time, he said, to open the doors of opportunity for all of god's children. education, education is the key that opens those doors. without education they cannot be any good jobs. the day i ask you to join us in our fight for equal opportunity in education. let's start by demanding high- quality early childhood education for every child. let's start by demanding equitable funding for all schools in all neighborhoods. let us demand for qualified teachers in every classroom. we are here today to honor history. we are focused on what dr. king called "the fierce urgency of now errico now is the time to protect -- urgency of now." now is the time to protect bu voting rights. now is the time to open the doors of opportunity for all children in america. thank you. [applause] >> good afternoon. i am the first female president of the abe philip randolph institute. such i stand on the shoulders of a very strong man, not one but two. -- andp randolph and im i am leaning on the shoulders of norman who helps lead this organization. all night long i wondered what to say in two minutes. the answer came very quickly. 41,ought of randolph in when he was going against the governments to look for equal treatment in jobs that have to do with munitions and the military. convinced herelt husband, franklin, that it is always us women who have good sense. freedoms, justice, and , if wesame topic as then did the same thing now could we pull up to million low-wage workers by having the executive order that says they are not getting a sustainable way? or has to be a way. we can do this by doing what we today is a done, wonderful day to start the march. in the name of a philip randolph , for the work he did, let's see if we can change the -- ♪ >> the park department has informed us that half of you need to come off the press rises, they are beginning to sag. please come off the press riser. the press riser is beginning to sag. speaker -- >> our next speaker is the president at the center for and the progress national president of the federation of employees. >> thank you. in 1950 seven, martin luther king went to west africa. he frequently spoke of the link between the united states civil rights movement and the anti- colonial movements in africa. since then, africa has progressed dramatically. but for many africans, freedom is still a dream and peace is still a promise. for example, the two deadliest wars in the world since the march on washington have been fought in sudan and congo. 8 million people have perished. in sudan and congo and other key -- other african countries, changes possible. martin luther king helped apartheid global anti- movement that helped free mats -- helped free nelson mandela. this later inspired the blood diamond movement that ended three wars and west africa. this, in turn, inspired the dark for anti-genocide movement that forced the sudan regime to allow lives to be saved from 300 people -- from from many people. people.3000 the other focused on ending the deadly trade in the congo, which power our cell phones. during the course of all of our lives, we will constantly face the choice of whether to be a bystander or not stand her. if enough of us choose to be an up standard, we can change the course of history. thank you. [applause] >> good morning, sisters and brothers. we are here today to not just commemorate an anniversary. we are here to make history ourselves. dr. king's dream is slipping away from us. we have got to take it back. all working families are under attack. they want to roll back the block 100 years when workers had no rights or protections. elderly, the disabled, and the unemployed have no safety net. yesterday it was plain racism. today, the forces of hatred and greed pose their agenda in different rhetoric but their goals are the same. many states, like my own home state, north carolina, are trying to suppress the vote so voices of workers are not heard. they want to crush our movement for democratic and full employment, fair wages, and economic security. we are not going to let that happen. actof us here today, let us and protect what was 150 years ago. 50 years ago.n .ailure is not a option our movement -- ♪ >> from the american federation of government employees. brothers, it is my privilege to introduce our next speakers. first of all, an organization that works hard every single day to register rest of vote and protect our voting rights. and also representing women all this week, organizing women for this great march, the president onthe national coalition participation, dr. melanie campbell. and then following her, once again we will hear from another , unitedachers union federation of teachers. hear ye then. >> good morning, america. i said, good morning, america. i just dropped by to tell you that it is movement time. repeat after me. it's movement time. each generation is faced with a movement moment that requires them to stand up and fight back withst injustice, great strength and fortitude. it has taken the collective power of the people demanding justice to protect our civil rights their civil rights. our women's rights. our immigrant rights. our latino american right. our asian-american rights. our poor america rights. our american children's rights. and the world families, the beloved community. this morning, it is movement time. -- y it is movement time 50 years later they have stopped -- last year in 2012 we voted like never before. it is movement time again. justsister from florida stopped by to tell you it is movement time. 50 years later, there is such an assault on those rights. it is our time for us to get busy to move a treated in other words, it is time to get up off of our butts, stop mismanaging, mistreating, and is respecting the rights of ourselves and our predecessors. repeat after me. it's movement time. it's movement time. it's movement time. peace and power. thank you. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. good morning, everyone. ago there was a document written and it said, "we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, to establish justice --" now does it say it is the president's job to establish justice? board is it the people's job? people's job?e isn't the people's job to establish justice? and who are the people? it does not say. it does not say the rich folks. it does not say the poor folks, it does not say that black folks, the white folks, it says "the people." i will ask you again who are the andle? who are the people? are we going to establish justice? we going to have to fight to establish justice? .e know that it is up to us who are the people? who are the people? god bless us all and make sure that we all stand side-by-side. i am going to ask you again, who are the people? wax we are. >> god bless you all, thank you. >> our next speaker is the national youth rupture of a national action network. she is 15 years old, standing with her , mary pat the effort hector. >> the fact that i am here means that young people are tired of what the headlines read. come havingion experienced a series of highly publicized crime, voter suppression, and unlawful -- our children are graduating with myually being educated. question for you is what are you waiting for? are we waiting for another doctor came? you already knew him. what if there isn't anyone else? what if it is up to us. i encourage you all is the part of that movement. it is us to crop also show an -- socioeconomic lines. stop believing the media stereotypes. i am here to say we are not who they say we are. we are more than what they ever could have imagined and more than what they ever could have expected. every time you see change in our communities, it is because the youth like arkansas nine, the saint augustine six, and the hundreds of kids that died in apartheid in south africa were standing behind the movement. and now we have the youth move, the do read defenders, and black youth project. i encourage you to return to your homes with a sense of pride and a sense of purpose. on the 100th anniversary of the , our on washington grandchildren will not be fighting the same fight. thank you, and have a great day. [applause] ♪ >> how about another roundabout clause -- another round of applause for our youth people. 50 years ago, the lgbt community was not outwardly represented. whowe know the man organized the great march on washington in 1963 was none other than they are to rustin. legacy speak about his through the human rights we will hear from associate director of diversity and the director of religious globalization, the reverend macarthur from the human rights campaign. , on these on the great march of washington. one of the founders of the organization passed away. it was a transition from one era to the next. we will hear from the president of the civil rights organization in america. try as they might to cut a slow low, as slow -- cut us the naacp says, fire it up. >> good morning, my name is today in times like stand proudly with you as an african american lesbian representing the human rights campaign. lesbian,d because he gay, bisexual, and transgender community, and the african- american community, are working together toward justice for all. there have been many attempts to tell you that we cannot get a long. hype. believe the i come from a mother and a .ather that sat at the table that my family is lifetime members of the naacp. i am part of the fabric that we've our destiny together to freedom. it is not about one civil rights group but of all of our civil rights for everyone. in ourove forward celebration of this 50th anniversary, let us respect our past and let us grab hold to our futures victories together. >> good afternoon. at times like this i think about one thing. i washer used to tell me raised by an interracial couple. i was the grandson of mexican immigrants. would ever you find yourself in a situation that when you are representing this family, you stand up and today i stand up as a black gay man, ordained in the church, in love with god, filled with faith. all are made in the likeness and image of god. there are freedoms that we have one in the lgbt movement, but that is not enough. i am the father of five children. --ove my sons and daughters i want my sons and daughters to be protected. we join our faith with your faith. an answer to describe nation in all its forms and no more religious bigotry, no more racist bigotry, no more violent bigotry. today we stand tall. it is not enough that we stand up, but we stand together. he joined our faith with your faith. we look forward to an end to unemployment -- to employment situation -- to employment termination. -- employment discrimination. thank you and god bless you. >> fired up and ready to go. can't, wesay no you say yes we can. when they say no you can't, racial profiling, we say yes we can because yes we did two days ago in new york city. passthey say no you can't the dream act, no you can't pass marriage equality, no you can't abolish the death penalty, no you can't expand voting rights in any state south of the mason becausee say yes we can yes we did just five miles from here in maryland last year. when they say no you can't theore the full force of voting rights act, no you can't raise the minimum wage, not with this congress, we say yes we can because yes we have again and again. let us claim some victories right now. pass they yes we will law from coast-to-coast. will protects we the right to vote with all our win the fight finally once and for all. and let us say yes we will raise the minimum wage because you can not survive on seven dollars $.25 -- on $7.25. yes we will. yes we will. yes we will. god bless you. and god bless the naacp. ♪ >> i am the hardest working man in radio. 50 years ago it was radio that got people here. i think later radio50 years has played a big part in getting people here for the 50th anniversary of the march on washington. make some noise. cameraman, can we get an aerial shot so everyone can see how many people we have here. i haven't gotten an estimate of how many thousands -- hundreds of thousands of people that are here. cannot count off because we have a time limit. right now i am bringing up the from the national action network, the national executive director. >> good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. today is one of the greatest days for our movement in the last 50 years. on behalf of the national action network leadership, i want to thank all of you for making this day a priority for you. it is important because we are upng to leave here, charged and ready to do some work. 50 years ago on these very abrahamust underneath lincoln, martin luther king jr. delivered one of the most transformative moments in american history. our greatest civil rights leaders of our time, the reverend al sharpton, is teaching us that we must use all of the right moments and opportunities to fuel a movement. when president barack obama stood up, raised his right hand, laced his left hand on the bible, and was sworn in as america's 44th president, that was a great moment. the sweat, tears, and blood that was shed by frederick douglass, a philip randolph, c higgins, congressman john lewis, the freedom fighters, and so many others helped us in -- helped make it possible for us to vote. that is a movement. sinceal action network, the last year, traveling across the nation ensuring that no vote is suppressed. we are continuing the movement. a march on washington, 50 years ago, was a powerful moment. the women who were the backbone of the civil rights moment -- civil rights movement who could not speak paved the way for me to speak whenever i want to and what ever i want to. he created a movement. mothers and sisters, today our lives may be experiencing pain. we have experienced moments of suffering. ,ur pride has been down confusion and unbearable moments. what matters is how we use those gather together and unite as an opportunity to energize a movement. backward, never. forward, always. we can accomplish what we will. overall very much for supporting the national action network. -- thank you very much for supporting the national action network. morning. my name is crystal ball, i am host of "the cycle" on msnbc. it is a little hot out here today. i know that you all can make it a whole lot hotter. it is my pleasure to introduce the morning the chair of congressional black caucus, the first african-american mayor of her city, former president of elton sigma theta, congresswoman marsha. >> thank you so much. good morning. 1960t you to know that in three there were only six african americans in the house of representatives. today there are 43 and there are many sitting right here in this front row. today we stand on the shoulders of giants. giants who marched, thought, and died so that everyone, no matter their race, can have access to the american dream. i have no doubt that the men and women who birth the civil rights movement would say today that the civil rights is unfinished business. we're still fighting for equal access to quality education for all people. we continue to fight for good jobs and equal pay. we continue to fight for fair housing and believe it or not we continue the fight for the unabridged right to vote. we are fighting today for equal justice under law, and we all know what i am talking about. the efforts that we have seen over the past few years to roll back the clock must fire up the civil rights movement today. i am here to remind you that tomorrow's at reams depend on today's movement. reams --- tomorrow's dreams depend on today's movement. man isimate measure of a not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy. it is time for us to get uncomfortable. it is time for us to be inconvenienced. we are living in a time of great challenge and great controversy. we cannot rest, we must not rest until our work is done. i am here to remind you that it is time for us to do something. to say something, to stand for something, to march for something, to go forward and always go forward. civil rights is an unfinished business. each one of us needs to make it our business. thank you. >> next up, to introduce our u.s. attorney general eric -- is a mayor of richmond, virginia. >> thank you, tom. i have the privilege of introducing one of the great leaders of our nation. died fighting for recycling technicians in methods tennessee -- in memphis, tennessee. he believed in external advocacy. the cousin of that we have mayors, we have congressman, we will havenors, we senators, and we have even the president of the united states of america. if these elected officials are true to their way to getting elected to public office, they are busy today fighting for a level playing field. the man i have the opportunity to introduce today has been busy fighting for that level playing field. in the voice for change criminal justice system, fightingthe right -- the drug sentences that have been unequally applied, recently calling for the justice department to no longer seek mandatory sentences. he is a voice for voter rights seek toal elected disenfranchise. he had the courage to stand up and say that it will not happen on my watch. he has been vocal on the ambiguous stand your ground and castle laws, saying that vigilante-ism should not be accepted, we should do is call 911. , a man major of justice standing on the truth of the law, he is our main country's lawyer. he is the 82nd attorney general of the united states of america, the first african-american to hold that office, please join me in welcoming eric holder. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you. [applause] doma. -- thank you. an honor for me to be here today among so many friends, distinguished civil rights leaders, members of congress, and fellow citizens who fought, rallied, and organized on the streets of this nation to the halls of our capital to advance the cause of justice. 50 years ago dr. king shared his andm with the world described visions for a society that offered and delivered the promise of equal justice under law. he assured his fellow citizens that his goal within -- his goal was within reach so long as they kept pace with one another and maintained the courage and commitment to work toward it. he emerged them to do just that. just that by to do calling for no more and no less equal justice. by standing up to the civil rights to which everyone is entitled and by speaking out in of hatred,the face violence, and those that sought to turn them back with fire hoses, bullets, and bombs. redeemed of a right and the pursuit of a sacred truth that has been woven through the history of our that all are created equal. those that marched in 1963 have taken a long and difficult road. front, -- from montgomery to greensboro, to birmingham and they march in spite of animosity, oppression, and brutality. they believe in the greatness that was -- the greatness that this nation could become an despaired of the founding promises not kept. focus was the sacred and sadly unmet commitment of the american system as it applied to african-americans. as we gather today 50 years later their march is now our march. it must go on. our focus has broadened to include the cause of women, of latinos, of asian-americans, of people withys, disabilities, and of countless others across this great country who still year and for equality, opportunity, and fair treatment. dr. king's indelible words helped alter the course of history. his words provided a foundation for much of the progress that has followed. this morning, as we recommit ourselves to his words for progress we must note that in addition to dr. king we also stand on the shoulders of untold millions whose names may be lost to history, but whose stories and whose contributions must be remembered and must be treasured. truly those that stood on the mall and the summer of 1963 -- but we also must remove were those who rode buses, sat at lunch counters, who stood up to race his government and governors. that gaveally those their lives. we must remember generations that carry themselves on a day- to-day basis with great dignity in the face of unspeakable injustice. sacrificing their own ambitions so the opportunities of future generations would be assured. i would not be attorney general of the not -- of the united states if not for them. barack obama would not be president of the united states of america. we must remember those who labor for wages. we must or member those -- we must remember those who served and died wearing the uniform of a nation that they cared so much about but did not reciprocate that emotion in equal measure. each of these brave men and women displayed a profound love of country that must always be appreciated. it is to these people that we owe the greatest debt. americans of all races, genders, ethnicities, sexual orientation, and background will risk everything in order for their fellow citizens and their children to truly be free. it is to them we must all say in the most profound of ways, thank you. it is to them i dedicate my words this morning and it is in their honor i pledge my continuing service in the hope that it might pay to worry the -- pay worthy tribute to their sacrifices. today the services far more about -- is more than -- is far more than about reflecting on our pasts. it is about shaping the future we will undoubtedly share. a future that preserves the progress and build on the achievements that have led us to this moment. today we look to the work that remains unfinished. we make note of our nation's shortcomings. not because we wish to dwell on imperfection, but because those that came before us -- because like those that came before us we love this great country. we wanted to be all it was designed to be and all that it can become. we recognize that we are forever bound to one another and we stand united by the work that lies ahead and buy the journey that still stretches before us. -- and by the journey that still stretches before us via -- before us. nation'so on in our quest for justice until every eligible american has the chance to exercise his or her right to vote. unencumbered by discriminatory or a niece who did -- or , oreded procedures, rules practices. it must go on until our criminal justice system can in short that all are treated equally and fairly in the eyes of the law. must go on until every action we take reflects our values. generations yet to be born can be assured the right and opportunity that has been too long tonight to too many. the american vision at the site, 50 years ago, the beloved community has not yet been realized. half a century after the march and 150 years after the emancipation, it is finally .ithin our grabs through a willingness to confront corrosive forces tied to special interests rather than common good and through our devotion to our founding documents, i know that in the 21st century we will see an america that is more perfect and more fair. i think each of you for your continuing dedication to this cause. i look forward to all that we will truly achieve together by advancing the cause that remains our common pursuit, by pursuing the legacy that we are called on , and by helping realize the dream that still guides our every step. thank you all very much. >> is my pleasure to introduce you -- to introduce to you our next incredible speakers, president of the national urban league and 59th mayor of new , and themark morreale president of the national council of laurent saw, the national hispanic advocacy organization, janet -- flex hello, everyone. to you what an honor it is to stand on the steps of this glorious memorial right where many of our greatest leaders stood on one of the most important days in american history. to bea special privilege here with my good friend and a great leader, mark morreale. millions of latinos were watching that day in 1963 when we heard dr. king proclaim "i have a dream," we knew he was talking to us to. dr. king's dream was an inclusive dream. it is a universal dream. it is why he remains a beloved icon in my community and across the world. dr. king was one of the earliest supporters of another beloved icon, cesar chavez. ofthe height of his worst -- his first in 1966, dr. king sent a telegram in support, which says our struggles are really struggle for freedom, for dignity, and for humanity. we know we are standing here on the shoulder of these giants. we also know we are here to remember the one half -- to remember the hundreds of thousands of people whose names we may never know who sacrificed so much to be at this very place a half-century ago. those that had to write a buses -- ride buses all day and all night because they were not allowed to stop and rest, those that gave their time and those that gave their lives. we are here to remember who we are marching for today. for those who seek justice, who seek the right to vote, who seek a way to support their families, and for those whose names we also do not know what who also lives in the shadows and in fear everyday of their lives because they are undocumented, for those young people who know no other country and who are americans in every possible way but whose status puts the american dream .ut of reach we march so everyone knows that includes enacting comprehensive immigration reform. it is time for our nation to recommit to lifting up the hopes and dreams of all of us. we must remember that in unity there is power. can move mountains and see this agenda moved forward. si se puede. on theand here today half of billions of urban beakers on the great shoulders of my legendary predecessor who stood here in 1963 along with dr. martin luther king. reaffirm ourto commitment to the civil rights and equal opportunity challenges of then and now. and the fundamental notion that we must redeem the dream in order to realize the dream. doesst redeem the dream there are those that attack our democracy, our voting rights, and our access to equal economic opportunity. wear different clothes, they may use different slogans, they may have different talking points. but like those in 1963, they filibuster, they struck, and they hinder. we must redeem the gene. 21st century -- redeem the dream. we must redeem the dream is our children should live in communities without senseless gun violence, our children deserve access to quality education that will lead to jobs that break generational cycles of poverty. and our children should go to bed on a full stomach and wake up with a good school and great teachers. full employment and economic opportunity for all our eternal values that transcend any century. we will redeem the dream. we will redeem the dream so that this generation are active and not silent. committed, but not complacent. there are those who wish to past -- who wish to pass stand your ground legislation. againststand our ground any procedure and movement that threatens our civil rights, our voting rights, and economic opportunity. 50 years ago is where we started. commitment is what we pledge. this is the 21st century agenda. this is the new civil rights movement. thank you very much. [applause] ♪ >> i was instructed to tell the lady next to me during the sign moveage to the move -- to two steps to the right. sorry, ma'am. , the democratic nominee and next senator of new jersey, mayor of new work -- of k, mayor tori booker. and house democratic whip up to 113th congress. >> good afternoon, everybody. i know i stand amongst many heroes today, folks that actually were here 50 years ago. these allow me to speak to those who were not even alive when the march on washington happened. simply, whend very i used to walk around our community and home use to look at me and say, "don't shoot their walk around here like you hit a triple. base.re born on third you are enjoying freedom, opportunity, technology, things that were given to you bought by the struggle and sacrifices and the work of those that came before. don't forget where you come from . you drink the plea from wells of freedom and liberty -- drank deeply from wells of freedom and liberty that you did not dig. you eat lavishly from dank woods tables prepared for you by your ancestors. " we as a generation can not get dumb, fat, and happy thinking we have achieved freedom. thatruth of the matter is the dream still demands that the moral conscience of our country still cause us. our hope needs heroes. we need to understand there is still work to do. when the leading cause of death for black men my age and younger is gun violence, we still have work to do. when we still have a justice system that treats the economically disadvantaged and minorities different than others. we still have work to do. when you can work a full-time job plus overtime and still be below the stifling line of poverty. we still have work to do. we see wages stagnating and child poverty increasing, when the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, when millions of our children are living in neighborhoods where there rivers are polluted and their air quality is so poor that asthma is epidemic, we still have work to do. we cannot sit back now thinking democracy is a spectator sport, when all we can do is watch our tv screens and cheer for our side, democracy demands action. we cannot get sit -- we cannot sit back and get caught up in a state of sedentary agitation. we cannot allow ourselves to let our abilities to everything, undermining our determination to do something. i call upon my generation to understand that we can never pay -- it is our moral obligation to pay for it. must stand like king stood, like thousands of others stood, like good woman stood. we must stand now. we must stand until we live in a nation where it doesn't matter who you love, but we do not have second-class citizenship for gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. we must stand now until we become a nation until a woman working the same job as a man gets the same pay. we must stand. must stand for our country were 20% of our children are not shackled to the shane's -- shackled by the chains of poverty. he must stand in my generation. we must stand for justice, we must stand like those stood before us. we still live in a country where anything is possible. said change will not roll and on the wheel of inevitability. we must straighten our backs, stand together, and join together, until in the our .ations become one when we make those words and not aspirational but true in our land, that america is a country truly for all of his children, that we are truly a nation with liberty and justice for all. double very much. -- thank you very much. [applause] .> thank you cory booker i was a member of the generation that was alive. on behalf of that generation, we welcome your energy, your faith, and your focus to the efforts that have not yet been done. 50 years ago the reverend dr. martin luther king stood here and put out many words, the hopes, dreams, and frustrations of millions of americans, black and white, that the people of this land were not yet fully we all know his famous words, the dream he shared. his feet was a resonating call to action. resonating was a call to action. was calls us here once more the pronouncement that dr. king 1963 is not an end but a beginning. that is what cory booker was talking about. ,merica has much to be proud of in no small part thanks to dr. king, and my friend john lewis and countless others who wrote, marched, stood up, fled,. it was what martin luther king called creative suffering. resident obama testifies to the progress we have made, which would have not been possible if it were not for the millions sacrificed and races -- sacrificed and raises. we shall not rest nor shall we be satisfied by the things now stand. too many people are still in islands of poverty and any quality. too many have no voice in our democracy because they are told they have no valid id with which to vote or they have to choose between going to work or the polls today. we will not rest, that is our pledge today. it was our pledge in 1963. god bless you. [applause] >> next up, the first female speaker of the united states house of representatives. minority leader and i would like to call her madam president, nancy pelosi. >> i guess it is still morning. good morning, everyone. as a member of the leadership of the congress of the united states, it is my official privilege to welcome so many of you to washington i join my colleagues and associate myself with the remarks of those from congress who have spoken before me. that's officially. personally, it is my very personal pleasure to be here with each and every one of you because i was here 50 years ago. so who among you is going to be the speaker of the house, the president of the united states, or whatever? you're a beautiful sight to behold. and at that time 50 years ago we heard dr. king inspire us with the, i have a dream, part of his speech. the part that was the call to action was the fierce urgency of now part of his speech. at that time dr. king said we refuse to take the tranquility drug of gradualism. we must move forward. and forward we will. if it was then urgent, it certainly is now. 50 years ago, there were only five african american members of the house of representatives. there was no congressional black caucus. today, there are 43 members. we want more. but there are 43 african american members and they are led by congresswoman marsha fudge who up heard from and they are the conscience of the congress. and in that black caucus we have the privilege of serving with john louis, some of us for over 25 years in the congress, and aren't we proud of that? i also want to mention 50 years ago though he was not a member of congress at the time that john conyers was one of three people invited to the white house to meet with president john f. kennedy following the civil rights march, the march for jobs, justice and freedom, who is with us. 50 years ago, we had the first catholic president in the white house. today, we have the first african american president and the first african american first family leading our country so beautifully from the white house. you know, we come together here at a time when there is a monument to reverend martin luther king on the mall. here he sits with presidents of the united states so appropriately. we have a day set aside as a national holiday to celebrate his birthday. but he would want us to celebrate him, his birth, and his legacy by acting upon his agenda, by realizing the dream, by making the minimum wage a living wage, by having not just family and medical leave but paid sick leave for our workers, by having quality affordable child care so that our families can be -- the power of women can been leashed in our economy and in our society. and you know what? this just happens to be women's equality weekend. when women succeed, america succeeds. when people of color succeed, america succeeds. he would also want us to be fighting for voting rights. certainly we must pass a bill in the congress to correct what the supreme court did. but we must also be sure that every person who is eligible to vote can vote and that their vote would be counted. when i was here 50 years ago, people said -- oh, and that includes voting rights for the district of columbia. when i was here 50 years ago people said, what do you remember most? and the music is playing so i will say this. dr. king said this, 50 years ago, the music of the march the harmony of the civil rights movement dr.'s king's words must continue to inspire us to compose as dr. king said on that august afternoon a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. are you ready to beat the drum for that beautiful symphony of brotherhood? are you ready to realize the dream? thank you all very much. > all right. next up to introdeuce everyly williams is the eldest daughter of reverend al sharpton. please william dominique sharpton. >> our next speaker has devoted her life to the struggle for civil rights. on june 11, 1963 her husband was assassinated outside in the driveway of his home while she was inside with her three small children. met ger was a courageous pillar in the battle for equal rights and a tireless fighter for the right to vote. his death was one of the pivotal events that motivated hundreds of thousands to march at this very place 50 years ago. not even 24 hours after his turned a erle everies tragedy into a movement for action and added feet to her belief to ensure that her husband's life was not lived in vain. she is a former chairwoman of the naacp and the first layperson and first woman to deliver the invocation at a presidential inauguration. she has been a trail blazer in the pursuit for justice and equality, a fearless courageous woman whose devotion for her family and struggle for freedom inspired us to stand firm in our belief with dignity, beauty, and grace, to encourage young women of color that we too can have a place at this table as the next generation's leaders for this movement to progress this nation. she was one of the two women confirmed to speak at the march on washington here 50 years ago. but because of travel mishap, she didn't make it to speak. today she joins us on the same set of the lincoln -- steps of the lincoln memorial. lease welcome ms. merle fers -- evers williams. >> thank you ever so much. what an honor it is to be here today joining all of my brothers and sisters as we reevaluate what we have done in these last 50 years. unfortunately for me i was unable to make the first march on washington and i never really got over that until president obama said please lead us in the invocation and that was in january of this year. thank you, reverend sharpton and others, for asking me to lend a few words to this most precious gathering. and as i look out at the crowd, i find myself saying, what are we doing today? where have we come from? what has been accomplished? and where do we go from this point forward? i think of one theme that has been played over and over in it's st few months, and one that brings great controversy. stand your ground. and we can think of standing your ground in the tegtive, but i ask you today to flip that oin and make stand your ground a positive ring for all of us who believe in freedom and justice and equality that we stand firm on the ground that we have already made and be sure that nothing is taken away from us. because there are efforts to turn back the clock of freedom. and i ask you today, will you llow that to happen? take the words, stand your ground, in a positive sense. stand your ground in terms of fighting for justice and equality. we have had wonderful speakers here and we will have even more who will outline those things to you but i think you know what i mean. take a negative and make a positive out of it. assess where we are today. assess where we have come from. assess where we can go. standing our ground for justice , for freedom, for equality. and i stand here today and i ain't i a stion, woman? where are the women that need to be acknowledged in this movement for freedom and justice? we must not forget them. we must not forget corta scot king. we must not betty shabbazz. we must not forget all of the other women who fought in the sweat and the tears to move us further. so if you do nothing else, if you take nothing else from my heart and what i have said, stand your ground for freedom and justice and do whatever is necessary that's legal to move this country forward. because we are on stand still today. stand still that looks towards the back. and we must not have that. nd i think of us as trees in a forest of people. rees with a network of roots that reach far and that reach deep. the strength of a tree comes from its roots. we have young people here today who were not born, who were not even thought of being born, but who have embraced the movement of justice and equality for all. stand by them, guide them, for those of my generation i say to you, sometimes it's necessary to step aside just a little bit, reach out a hand and bring up these young leaders that we have. for we need them in america today. this is our country. and we are the trees standing tall for justice. and we realize that the deeper we place our roots in this society, the less afraid we are to say to those who represent us, you do represent us and we will hold you accountable for all of the things, because we are the trees and we have the roots through the strength and the power to turn things around. never become so depressed that we think we can't make it. 50 years ago, dr. king and so many others helped to show us the way and give us the strength to move forward. i stand here today thankful to be 80 years of age and see all of those changes that have taken place and realize that there were people like dr. king and so many others and, yes, med gar evers who gave a life and lives for justice and equality. let us not forget that history. let us move forward. i am going to move off the stage because i hear the music being played. but i thank you for your time. i thank you for your attention. and i am thankful to be here ith you today. >> our next speaker, congressman john louis. -- lewis. now, band, there will be no rapup music for john lewis. 50 years ago, john lewis stood right here and did his speech which he rewrote and rewrote i think two or three times because they said his speech was too much fire for the march on washington. but here to do that speech -- well, you're going to do that speech? do it. e risked his life. he is a member of congress from georgia. please welcome congressman john lewis. ago, ears ago, 50 years i stood right here in this spot , 23 years old, had all of my hair and a few pounds lighter. i come back here again to say that those days for the most part are gone. but we have another fight. we must stand up and fight the good fight as we march today. for there are forces, there are people who want to take us back. we cannot go back. we have come too far. we want to go forward. back in 1963, hundreds an thousands and millions of our brothers and sisters could not register to vote. when i stood here 50 years ago, i said one man, one vote is the african cry. it is ours until it must be ours. i also said some people tell us to wait, tell us to be patient. i said 50 years later we cannot wait, we cannot be patient. we want jobs and we want our freedom now. all of us, it doesn't matter whether we're black or white, latino, asian, american, or native americans. it doesn't matter whether we are straight or gay. we are one people. we are one family. we are one house. we all live in the same house. so i said to you, my brothers and sisters, we cannot give up. we cannot give up. we cannot give in. we must get out there and push and pull. now, i a few short years ago almost 40 years ago, almost 50 years ago, i gave blood on that bridge in selma, alabama for the right to vote. i am not going to stand by and let the supreme court take the ight to vote away from us. you cannot stand by, you cannot sit down. you have got to stand up, speak up, speak out, and get in the way. make some noise. the vote is precious. it is almost sacred. it is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society and we have got to use it. back in 1963, we hadn't heard of the internet. we didn't have a cellular telephone, ipad, i phone. but we used what we had to bring about a ref lution. i said to the young people you must get out there and push and pull and make america what america should be for all of us. we must say to the congress fix the voting rights act. we must say to the congress pass comprehensive immigration reform. it doesn't make sense that millions of our people are living in the shadows. bring them out into the light and set them on a path to citizenship. so hang in there. keep the faith. i got arrested 40 times during he 60s, beaten and left bloody and unconscious. but i am not tired, i'm not weary. i'm not prepared to sit down and give up. i am ready to fight and continue to fight. and you must fight. thank you very much. >> next up, ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to introduce you to the president of the american federation of teachers randy wine garden and the president of the 1.6 million members strong lee sonders. the , i am randi and i'm president of 1 million american federation of teachers, a union that supported this march 50 years ago. but first, i am proud to introduce a very important student activist, shawn johnson. >> august 28, 1963, dr. martin luther king, jr., and thousands of others marched on washington for jobs and freedom. congressman john lewis was the youngest speaker, and now 50 years later i am the youngest speaker. and i am marching for education justice and freedom. all over the country, public education is under attack. public schools are closing and african american and latino communities. in chicago, we have 50 school closings in african american and latino communities. budget cuts in all public schools and increase in charter school budgets and new charter school openings. every child deserves a great education. every school deserves equal funding and resources. i encourage all of you to keep dr. martin luther king jr.'s dream alive. help us fight for freedom, racial equality, jobs, public education, because i have a ream that we shall overcome. -- se >> that is our future. and that is what we are fighting for. and that is what we fought for 50 years ago and that is what we are fighting for now. dr. king's orations 50 years ago helped us create a better world, although we do not yet have the world that dr. king dreamed of. so this must not be a commemoration. this must be a continuation of that right to achieve racial and economic opportunity at the voting booth, in our schools, n our workplaces, and in our communities. yes, much remains to be done. it's been decades since the police birmingham rned watch dogs and on protesters. every day in fact every 30 minutes a child is a victim of gun violence. so the whites only signs may be gone but there's still signs of injustice all around us. children born poor today are likely to stay poor. high poverty schools where kids need so much are given the least. and discrimination based on race or sexual orientation may no longer be legal, but it is still lethal. martin luther king jr. and others understood the intersection between racial equality and economic justice. the civil rights struggle is a struggle for good jobs and decent wages. and no while not the only solution they got, that educational opportunities is the highway to economic opportunity, which is why we must reclaim the promise of public education. and as i close, let me just say this, we stand here today as students, my friend and brother lee saunders, and myself, 50 years ago another gay person had to be in the shadows. but today i speak as a teacher, a worker, a labor activist, and a gay person deeply committed to my faith. this is who we must be. not march. let's give him another round of applause. . nr 19 of 3, there was a march for jobs and justice. juanita is 81 years old. and a former day care teacher from new york city is here today participating in this march for justice and freedom and jobs. 50 years ago, sister steel praised that the heart would changed hearts and minds. she listened as dr. king spoke about the fierce urgency, the fierce urgency of now. the whirl winds have changed, the new militancy. and five years later in 1968, she mourned with all of us when dr. king was killed in memphis where he had gone to support the 1300 sanitation workers. decades have passed. times have changed. the new militancy of 1963 changed america and inspired the world. but the promise -- the promise of democracy has not been made real for all of us. the promise is not real for people who work hard and play by the rules every single day, struggling to pay their bills. the promise is not real for retirees who work hard all their lives but don't know how they will make it day to day. the promise is not real for students who graduate under so much debt they wonder if they will ever climb out of it. and the promise is not real for all of us if it is not real for all of us it is not real for any of us. so we are here to replenish our spirit, restore our faith, and renew our activism. today we march for a nation where workers have decent pay, good benefits and rights on a job that no one can steal. today we march for a nation where the golden years of retirement are spent in peace, not in poverty. today we march for a nation where our children, no matter what they look like, where they live, or what they wear, can walk our streets in freedom and not in fear. today we march for a nation where we can cast our votes and have a say in our democracy without jumping through hoops or over hurdles. and today we march for a nation where aspiring citizens are respected as moms and dads and sons and daughters, and friends and neighbors, who contribute to america. but we cannot just march for this nation. we've got to do whatever we can to build it. don't let this moment pass. make this moment count. don't simply commemorate. agitate. don't only memorialize. mobilize. take this spirit, take the spirit back to your communities, your neighborhoods, your schools. take this spirit back and keep it alive. take this spirit back and let us raise our voices together. let us demand justice together. let us demand fairness together. and together let us restore the merican dream. . > coming up next, mlk-3, martin luther king iii. and here to introduce him is -- johnny t of mack. >> ladies and gentlemen, just four days shy of five score years ago, arguably the greatest civil action of the 20th century and one of the most significant in the history of humankind's struggle for its own identity took place. it was a day that hundreds of thousands of people of all persuasions gathered to hear the words of the old negro spiritual declairing the dream of the young martin luther king, jr. 50 years later, the son of that king has called us all together once again to gather at the feet of the great emancipator just wonder from the granite figure of his father and one of our founding fathers. he has called us together not just to celebrate nor merely to commemorate. he has called us to fortify and inknock late our

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