And i am handicapped in every way. I want to be a student i have struggled hard. I will always be thankful for the naacp for giving me some directly to channel my activities for a better way of life. I am very thankful for dr. Martin luther king, who came to montgomery with his nonviolent christian attitude and of loving your enemies. I almost did not come here today because so many people told me not to come here, and i said that, seeing what happened in summa, i came here with hope and faith and you have given me faith today. I want to say that we were given leaflets about this. Dr. King was not a student, but i was. I learned at that time and place that we are not in a struggle of black against white, but wrong and right. Thank you. [applause] someone has suggested that besing but were not going to sings. Someone has suggested that i acknowledge the presence of the people who are here from london and the people from canada and other fine countries. Im not going to do that. Someone has suggested that i acknowledge the presence of so many outstanding dignitaries. I will not do that i will only ask one to stand and represent the whole group. The great novelist, the great writer, mr. James baldwin. In lieu of a long, i shall ask what do you want . Freedom i cant hear you. Freedom. What do you want . Freedom. Oh shucks, now. God never leaves his people without a leader. When they were down in egypt land, he caught up with a man who had fled and hid himself safely behind the hills and the mountains and was secure in the land of mitton. God sent him back to lead the people. One day when he carried him on top of the mountain and summonsed him, he called joshua and said lead my people across the jordan. My dear and abiding friends, ralph aber gnatty the distinguished americans seated here on the ross strum, my friends and coworkers of the state of alabama, and long freedomloving people who have assembled here this afternoon from all over our nation and from all over the world, last sunday, more than 8,000 of us started on a mighty walk from selma, alabama. We have walked through desolate valleys and the cross of trying hills. We have walked on meandering highways. And rested our bodies on rocky biwayings. Some of our bridges are burned from the outpouring of the sweltering son. Some have literally slept in in the mud. We have been drenched by the rain. Our bodies are tired. Our feet are somewhat sore. , but today as i stand before you and think back over that great march i can say as sister pollard said a 70yearold negro woman who lived in this community, one day she was asked while walking if she didnt want a ride, and when she answered no, the person said, well arent you tired . Without grammatical profundity, she said my feets is tired, but my soul is rested. And in a real sense this afternoon, we can say that our feet are tired but our souls are rested. They told us we wouldnt get here. There were those who said that we would get here over their dead bodies. All the world today knows that we are here and we are standing before the fortunes of power in the state of alabama saying, we aint going to let nobody turn us around. Now, it is not an accident one of the greatest marches of American History should terminate in montgomery alabama. Just 10 years ago in this very city a new was born. Montgomery was the first city in the south in which the entire negro community, united and squarely faced its ageold oppressers. Out of its struggle, more than bus segregation was won. A new idea more powerful than guns or clubs was born. Negroes took it entirely across the south in epic battle that electrified the nation and the world. Yet strangely, the conflicts always were fought and won on alabama soil. After montgomery, confrontations loomed up in mississippi, arkansas georgia and elsewhere but not until the laws of segregation was challenged in birmingham did the conscious of america conscience of america begin to bleed. It witnesses a whole community of negroes facing terror and brutality with majestic storm and heroic courage. From the wells of its democratic spirit, the nation went before congress to write legislatings in the hope that it would legislation in the hope that it would birmingham. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gave negroes some part of their rightful dignity. That without the vote, it was big dignity without strength. Once more an entire community was mobilized to confront the adversary. Yes, sir. Again, the brutality of a dying, order swept across the land. Selma, alabama, became a shining moment in the conscious of man. There was a moment in American History generated a massive power. Turned the whole nation to a new course. A president born in the south had the sensitivity to feel the will of the country. One of the most passionate pleas for human rights ever made by a president of our nation. President johnson likely raised the courage of the negro. We must pay our profound respect to the white americans who cherished that democratic tradition over the ugly custom and privileges of generations come forth boldly to join hands with us from montgomery to birmingham from selma back to montgomery. Evil is choking to death in the dusty roads and streets of this state i stand before you with the conviction that segregation is on its death bed in alabama and only one certain about it is how costly segregation is. I will hold campaigns in alabama have been centered around the right to vote. We are exposing the very origin, the root cause of racial segregation in the southland, racial segregation as a way of life did not come about as a natural result of hatred between the races. As the noted historian in his book the strange career clearly points out the segregation of the races was really a political strategy. And pay him even less. The southern ways level was kept almost unbearably low they saturated the thinking of the poor white masses with it. Both clouding their minds to the real issue involved in the populace movement. They then directed the placement on the books of the south laws that made it a crime for negroes and whites to come together as equals at any level and that did it. That was what destroyed the populace movement of the 19th century. If it may be said of the slavery era that the white man took the world and gave the negro jesus, then it may be said of the reconstruction era that the southern aristocracy took the world and gave the poor white man jim crow. He gave him jim crow, and when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide he ate jim crow, a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was, at least he was a white man better than the black man. Yes, sir. And he ate jim crow. And when the children cried out for the necessities that his low wages could not provide, he showed them the jim crow signs on the buses and in the stores, on the streets and in the public buildings. Yes sir and his children too learned to feed upon jim crow. The last outpost to psychological oblivion. Yes sir the free exercise of the blot by the ballot by the whites and negro alike. They segregated southern money from the poor wlites. They segregated southern moras. They seg gate southern minds from honest thinking. And they segregated the negro from everything. James johnson put it el consequently. He said we have come over the wave of tears. We have come threading our path through the blood of the slaughter out of the gloomy past. Till now we stand at last where the white glean of our bright star is cast. Today i want to tell the city of selma. Tell them, doctor today i want to say to the state of alabama. Yes sir today i want to say to the people of america and the nations of the world that we are not about to turn around. Yes, sir we are on the move now. Yes, were on the move and no wave of racism can stop us. Yes sir we on the move now. And the burning of our churches will not deter us. Were on the move now the bombing of our homes will not dissuade us. Were on the move now. The killing of our young people will not deter us. Were on the move now. The release of known murderers will not discourage us. Were on the move now. Like an idea whose time has come, not even the marching of mighty armies can halt us. Were moving to the land of freedom. Yes sir let us therefore continue our time to march to the realization of the american dream. Let us march on segregated housing until every ghetto of socioeconomic depression dissolve the negroes and whites live side by side in decent, safe, and sanitary housing. Yes sir let us march on segregated schools until every vestige of segregated and inferior ed indication becomes a thing of the past and negroes and whites certified by fire in the socially healing context of the classroom, let us march. Let us march until no american parent has to skip a meal so that their children may eat. Yes sir march on poverty. Lets march until no starved man walks the streets of our cities and towns in search of jobs that do not exist. Let us march on poverty. Let us march until negro stomachs in mississippi are filled and broken lives and sweltering ghettos are mended and removed. Let us march on ballot proxies until race baiters disappear from the political arena. Let us march on ballot boxes until the misdeeds will be transformed into the calculated good keeds of ordinary citizens. Let us march on ballot box until the prejudices of our country tremble away. Let us march on the ballot box until brotherhood becomes more than a meaningless word and an opening prayer but there is a day on every legislative agenda, let us march on blot boxes until all over alabama gods children will be able to walk the earth in decency and honor. There is nothing wrong with marching in this sense. The bible tells us that the mighty men of joshua walked about the walled city of jericho and the barriers of freedom came tumbling down. I like that old negro spiritual joshua fit the battle of jericho. Its depiction of that moment in history that tells us that joshua fit the battle of jericho, joshua fit the battle of jericho, the walls come tumbling down. Up to the walls of jericho they marched. Go blow them ram horns joshua cried, because the battle am in my hands. Yes sir knees words i have given you just as they were giving us by the long dead dark skinned man. These words in ungrammatical form. All of us today, the bible is in our hands and we can answer with battle is in our hand and the call to Higher Ground to which the new direction of our struggle summons us. The road ahead is not altogether smooth. There are highways that meet us easily and inevitably to quick solutions, but we must keep going. In the glow of the lamp light on my desk a few nights ago, i gazed again upon the won andrus sign of our time full of hope and promise of the future, and i smiled to see in the newspaper photographs of nearly a decade ago, the faces so bright so proud of our valiant heros, the people of montgomery. To this list may be added the names of all of those who have fought and died in the nonviolate army of our days, medgar evers. Precivil rights workers in mississippi last summer. William moore, as has already been mentioned, the reverend james reed. Jimmy lee jackson. The four little girls in the church of god in birmingham on sunday morning, in spite of this, we must go on and be sure that they did not die in vein. The pattern of their feet, as they walked through jim crow barriers and the great stride toward freedom, the thunder of the marching men of joshua and the the world rest between that trail. My people listen. The battle is in our hands, the battle is in our hands in mississippi and alabama and all over the United States. I know there is a cry today in alabama. We see it in numerous editorials. When will Martin Luther king sclc snic and all these civil rights agitators and all the labor leaders and students and others get out of our community and let alabama return to normalcy. I have a message that i would like to leave with alabama this evening. Tell it tell it doctor that is exactly what we dont want and we will not allow it to happen. Yes sir we know that it was normalcy in marion that led to the brutal murder of jimmy lee jackson. Yes it was normalcy in birmingham that led to the murder on sunday morning of four beautiful unascending innocent girls. It was normalcy on highway 80 that led state troopers to use tear gas and billy clubs against unarmed human beings who were simply marching for justice. It was normalcy by a cafe in selma, alabama, that led to the brutal beating of reverend james laird. It is normalcy all over our country. It leaves the negro along the island of poverty. It is normalcy all over alabama that presents the negro from prevents the negro from becoming a registered voter. No, we will not allow alabama to return to normalcy. [applause]. The only normalcy we will settle for is the narmolsi that recognizes the dignity and worth of all gods children. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that allows judgment to run down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy of brotherhood, the normalcy of true peace, the normalcy of justice, and so as we go away this afternoon let us go away more than ever before committed to this struggle and committed to nonviolence. I must admit to you that there are still some difficult days ahead. We are still in for a season of suffering and many of the black counties of alabama, many areas of mississippi, many areas of louisiana, i must admit to you theres still jail cells waiting for us. And dark and difficult moments. We will go on with the faith that nonviolence and its power can transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. We will be able to change all of these conditions. And so i plead with you this afternoon as we go ahead, remain committed to nonviolence. Our aim must never be to defeat and humiliate the white man but to win his friendship and understanding. We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscious conscience and that will be a day not of the white man not of the black man, that will be the day of man as man. And i know youre asking today how long will it take . Somebodys asking how long will prejudice, blind divisions of men and darken their understanding and drive out wisdom from a sacred throne. Somebodys asking when will wounded justice lie pros straight on the streets of selma and birmingham and all over the south, be lifted from this dust of shame. Somebodys asking when the radiant start of hope be plunged against the bosom of its lonely night. Werey souls of fear. How long will justice be crucified . I come to say to you this afternoon however difficult the moment. However frustrating the hour. It will not be long. How long . Not long. Because no lie can live forever. Yes sir how long . Not long because you shall reap what you sew. How long . Not long. How long . Not long. Because the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. How long . Not long. Because mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord, hes tram pling out the. Hes loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword. His truth is marching on. He has founded forth a trumpet. Glory hallelujah, glory hallelujah glory hallelujah. This truth is his truth is marching on. [applause] this is our leader, dr. King . Who is our leader . Dr. King who is our leader . Dr. King. God bless you. Dr. Martin luther kicks address to the march on montgomery. Reporting from the Alabama State capitol. We are going to sing now. We shall overcome and following the singing dr. Edwin teller, the executive secretary of the American Baptist convention who is the official representative of the National Council of churches here today will pronounce the benediction. Let us now stop in our tracks and let us join our hands. The 300 people who march, stay where you are. We have transportation for you back to selma. We shall over come. We shall over come we shall overcome we shall overcome some day oh, deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome some day god is on our side god is on our side god is on our side today deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome some day. Black and white together. Black and white together black and white together black and white together now oh, we deep in my heart irks i do believe we shall overcome some day were not afraid. We are not afraid we are not afraid we are not afraid today oh deep in my heart, i do believe we shall overcome some day we shall overcome. We shall overcome we shall overcome we shall overcome some day oh, deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome some day and now may the lord bless us and keep us. May the lord cause his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us. May the lord give us peace both now and forever moore amen. Deep in my heart i do believe we shall overcome some day let us go back home and arrange a mass meeting when we will come, dr. King and i will come and make the report to you from the govern, arrange a mass meeting and wait to hear from govern wallace. Let us leave singing we shall overcome. We shallle overcome we shall overcome we shall overcome some day. Clear thousands of marchers descended upon the state capital in montgomery and the officialdom of this state was maligned and talked about and yet there wasnt a single incident that took place on the route of the march, a 50mile march from selma to montgomery and not a single incident happened as far as alabamians are concerned that would reflect discredit upon this state and i want to thank alabama of both races for their commendable restrain in this regard and i hope they will continue that restraint tonight and tomorrow and now on throughout the state of alabama. These people did not have to come here today in the manner in which they did. It has always been my policy to talk with any of our site zens about the problems and affairs of state government. I have constantly stated my views of voting and that is that any citizen who is entitled to vote is eligible. I would like to point out again that the matter of Voter Registration in dallas county, alabama and every county in this state is now pending in a federal court suit. I regret, of course, to hear and am dismayed that the attorney general of this nation said the other day that the courts are too slow. Of course i think this is something that the American People should reflect upon. That the courts are too slow, he said, to handle any grievance by this country. Today in our capitol city of alabama, people of this country have witnessed a demonstration which included many known subversies communists and communist sympathizers, activists and other revolutionaryies. Weve seen the beat nicks, the way fairer and some misguided and misled people who have been used by the professionals who organized this mob. This weeks long march has required the use of all the alabama Highway Police as well as national guardsmen. It has cost at least 1 million. The word activist and revolutionaries are not mine. But those of the jewish rabbi from pittsburgh, pennsylvania. He said they wanted dead bodies, our bodies. The acceptance of a petition is no issue. A petition will be accepted by any group of people in the normal and orderly process and without surrender to mob accra si. We have seen. If an orderly and Lawful Society is to be preserved in this nation, such demonstrations must not be allowed to continue and of course, as you know, they said today that these type demonstrations would be carried on no matter housing and employment throughout every state in the nation. No nation in history has been able to survive where recognized authority has been flaunted by activists and revolutionaries who say they will obey only those laws of which they approve and only those laws they consider to be just. I would like to ask this question of the American People. The National Press and news media has misled the people of this nation. As i pointed out the other day about selma and about alabama, this jewish rabbi, he was misled. I wonder, is the news media misleading the American People about vietnam . Are they misleading people about things happening in washington . If they are, then of course this is a sad commentary on the affairs in our country. I see where ravel bunch, the United Nations man was here today, supposed to be ralph bunch, the United Nations man was here today con sorting. A member of the Young Communist League a former member of the Young Communist League and a man who served 28 months in a federal prison camp for having failed to register for the draft in world war ii and who refused to fight for this country and also as a convict is convicted sex pervert. The media didnt report, for instance that a man convicted of se disin the state of kentucky and served a year of contempt of congress was here. Let me point out to the American Public that we had a group of students here today who raised money and clothing for the veit cong the people who are taking american lives. If this is the sort of people today that are leading demonstration for right and justice and i hope this demonstration is a warning to the people of this country because, of course, you are next. The committee that was appointed to present to me contains people who belong to organizations cited as subversive by the house on unamerican activities committees. And there are also convicted felons on this committee. I hope that all the people of this state will continue to exercise patience and restraint but i hope the American People knows this is not selma or montgomery alabama. This issue is whether the United States shall be preserved and whether we shall surrender to mob ocracy as has been demonstrated today in the city of montgomery, alabama. I would also like to point out and make this statement, that the president of the United States himself said the other day and its widely quoted in the press, that he would not seek the bull who came and lay down in the white house and of course we have taken the same position in our state and i think, of course that is a good position. I again want to say this is my Statement Given today that ill be happy to see a group of representative citizens of this state and receive any petition from them provided of course, that they come in an orderly manner. The office of the governor was closed today . Yes, the office was closed when they came today to present the petition and, of course i believe that they said that they would ask for a further an appointment with the governor which is the thing that anyone does who wants to see the governor of any state. Would you consider this a normal and appropriate manner of seeking an appointment in the normal fashion, will you see them then . Im going to do exactly as i said i would do in my statement that was given to the news media but which was widely distorted in its quoting. I said that i had publicly stated that i would always like to have a copy of it here. I can read it to you. I said that i publicly stated before this nation that it is and has always been my policy to see any group of representative citizens. Ill receive a pretty any citizens of the state of alabama, not to exceed 20 at any time after this march has disbursed. I will not see any citizens whatsoever until after this march has completed. I would not be a party of seeing anyone as a result of intimidation by any 25,000 mob of people assembled in front of the state capital maligning and talking about the people of this state and the governor of this state. And i might say that a very small percentage of this group today was alabamians and i would say that were going to continue to work to try to improve the lot of every citizen in this state, regardless of their race color, creed or origin. It is my prayer yet as stated in my inaugural dress that god will bless all the peoples of this state regardless of their color both white and black. Will you see them tomorrow, sir . I will do exactly. American history tv was live today from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for the 150th sniver commemoration of president lingons second inaugural address. Thousands gathered on the front of the u. S. Capitol to hear the speech from march 4, 186 5rks several weeks before the end of the civil war and lincolns as nation. Also speeches by chuck todd and his attorney edna green medford. This was hosted by the u. S. Park service and the Lincoln Group of d. C. Fellow countrymen, at 24 second appearing to take the oath of the president ial office theres less occasion for an extended address. As there was in the first. Now at the expireation of four years during which declarations have been called for on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, i trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured. On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed toward an impending civil war. All dreaded it. All sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the union without war insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without warseeking to dissolve the union and effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came. Oneeighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the union but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war to strengthen perpetuate and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would trend union even by war while the government claimed no right to do more than restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same bible and pray to the same god and each invokes his aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just gods assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other mens faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The almighty has his own purposes. Woe unto the world because of offenses, for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comest. If we shall suppose that american slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of god, must needs come, but which having continued through his appointed time, he now wills to remove and that he gives to both north and south this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came. Shall we discern therein any departure from those define attributes which the believers in a living god always ascribe to him . Fondly do we hope fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war shall speedyly pass away. Yet, if god wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsmans 250 years of unrequieted toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said 3,000 years ago, so still it must be said the judgments of the lord are true and are true and righteous altogether. With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in in the right, as god gives us what to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we work in are in; to bind up the nations wounds; to care for him are you who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and last full lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations. [applause] mr. President , are you ready to take the oath of office . I am. Flex please raise your right hand and place it on the bible. Repeat after me. I, Abraham Lincoln, do solemnly swear that i will faithfully execute the office of the president of the United States. [he repeats] and i will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the United States. [he repeats] so help me god. [applause] thank you. [applause] our keynote speaker is no stranger to president ial politics, elections, or inaugurations as the moderator of nbcs meet the press in nbcs new political director, as well as the networks former white house correspondent, chuck todd is one of americas foremost political commentators. We are deeply honored to have him join us, especially in light of these freezing temperatures. But i suppose as a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, injuring Outdoor Events in frigid conditions must be in his dna. Please welcome chuck todd. [applause] they didnt tell me out was following lincoln. How do you do that . I think i speak for everyone here, can we declare all of our streets part of the National Park service, because it is amazing how well everything is so cleaned up today. My charge here was to cap was to talk about the climate at the time of lincolns second inaugural. I am not an expert on lincoln but i am an expert on covering politics. And while we joke about it , because of how polarized we think american politics is today, lets get something straight. The civil war is the very definition of what polarization really is and really was in american society. And the thing about lincolns second inaugural, it was intended to be a keynote obviously to the civil war. He did not win a landslide in the election. 55 of the vote just on mistake just among states on the union side. That is from our people reminder that is a firm reminder that the north was somewhat divided under lincoln leadership during the civil war. The scary thing to imagine about politics is to imagine all of the tools and political advisers that so many surround themselves with these days, would he have shown the leadership necessary , would he have given that speech . We do not have to know that now. All we know it is the single most important speech that any american politician has given. Whether he knew that at the time, we like to think he knew but we dont know. I will set the stage again. 55 of the vote, not exactly a landslide. He spent a big portion trying to pass the 13th amendment. That has been made famous in the movie lincoln now. It was a movement in many ways during what some people call the good old days of politics when you could buy votes. Trust me, when i was asked to do this, the first thing i did was email Doris Kearns Goodwin. This is what she wrote to me. When we lament our political culture today, it is still not like the 1850s when congressmen and senators carried revolvers on the floor and one congressman actually hit a senator over the head with a cane. We have not come to that yet. Obviously, purchasing a vote in ways that lincoln had to do so blatantly back then, is something you cannot do anymore. Remember, the 13th amendment had passed the senate by the two thirds vote that was needed, but it did not have the votes at the time in house. But what did lincoln note that was so important . He knew it had to be a bipartisan deal. He knew it was important that one party to not just try to jam through the 13th amendment which by the way he could have easily done if he had just waited after his second inaugural when the republican gains from the november election would have ensured that amendment passage. But as Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote, if republicans could be brought to support its passage in a show of bipartisan unity. Lincoln sent that message to the country, that message of unity. He put leadership over politics. And that is ultimately that when we look back at lincoln, we see he was political and made deals, but the motivation was to get it done so that when the time was right, it would seem it was above politics, bipartisan, and in unity, and that was more important to him than anything else. It has been mentioned before but it is fitting that we celebrate the 150th anniversary of this address while about 800 miles away, many local leaders are commemorating the anniversary of bloody sunday that historic selma, montgomery march. The reason we do this is to remember moments of unity where it seemed completely bleak. There were people who still believed in the greater good and that it would win out. That is the beauty of lincolns second inaugural. It is short, just 700 words, to the point, and it doesnt mince words. It does not attack the south for being wrong nor gloat on behalf of the north for being right. It seeks to, perhaps the most clever part of the speech, acknowledge religion and how both sides are praying to the same god and reading the same bible. This is what i would say to members of congress today. Both read the same bible and pray to the same god. It may seem strange that any man should dare to ask a just gods assistance in reading the bread from the sweat of other mens faces, but let us judge not, lest we not be judged. If our leaders today took that same attitude, would we feel as polarized . Would we feel as if all is lost if our side, loses the battle of legislation that someone claims is going to undermine the very fabric of america . I think we know what was undermining the very fabric of america in the 19th century. The truth is, this actually did do that. Nothing compares to this today and it is something that our current leaders need to internalize more. What is also amazing about this speech is it was clearly not vetted by consultants. It wasnt microtargeted to a particular constituency group. It was simply done to unify and heal the countrys wounds and nothing expresses that better than the very last sentence of the speech with malice toward none, with charity to all, with firmness in the right as god gives us the ability to see the right, what is worked to bind up the nations wounds, to care for him who shall have torn the battle, and his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. If only everyone across the way would read that paragraph over and over again. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you very much, chuck. Although Abraham Lincoln was not a musical man himself, music certainly appealed to him. He enjoyed shows and concerts. Music was an integral part of his life on the frontier and in the white house. During his 1860 president ial campaign, lincoln adopted lincoln and liberty as his official campaign song, a song that spoke of abolitionism and log cabin values. And perhaps a little more surprising, a Favorite Song of the president was dixie. In the afterglow of the surrender at appomattox, he remarked to a group of wellwishers, i have always thought that dixie was one of the best to ever heard and our adversaries for the way attempted to appropriate it. I presented it to the attorney general and he gave it as his legal opinion that it is our lawful prize. Here to play lincoln and liberty and dixie is bobby and music bobby horton a music historian and great friend of our National Parks. He has successfully combined his love of music and civil war history. Im pleased to introduce you bobby horton. [applause] hello, everyone. This is lincoln and liberty. Actually, the melody was an old irish tune called rousin hethe vote. A fellow named Jesse Hutchison who was of the Hutchison Family serenaded the president a number of times. Hurrah for the choice of the nation our chieftain so brave and so true well go for the great reformation for lincoln and liberty, too well go for the son of kentucky the hero of hoosierdom through the pride of the suckers, so lucky for lincoln and liberty, too theyll find what by felling and mauling our railmaker statesman can do for the people are everywhere calling for lincoln and liberty, too then up with the banner so glorious the starspangled red, white and blue well fight til our banners victorious for lincoln and liberty, too our davids good sling is unerring the slavocrats giant he slew then shout for the freedom preferring for lincoln and liberty, too well go for the son of kentucky the hero of hoosierdom through the pride of the suckers, so lucky for lincoln and liberty, too [applause] thank you very much. I would like to ask you to saying this one saying sing this one with me. You would assume that dixie would have been written by a southerner. The writer was from ohio. He actually wrote it and premiered it in 1859, which was a year before South Carolina seceded and you would have thought that he would have premiered it in new orleans, or nashville, etc. Town. But it was in the city. It was in new york city. Now lets all dixie together in honor of president lincoln. I wish i was in the land of cotton old times there are not forgotten; look away look away look away dixie land. In dixies land where i was born in early on one frosty mornin look away look away look away dixie land. I wish i was in dixie, hooray hooray in dixies land ill take my stand to live and die in dixie. Away, away, away down south in dixie. Away, away, away down south in dixie. [applause] thank you, everyone. Thank you, bobby. Our final speaker is the current chair of the History Department and a history professor at howard university, specializing in 19th century africanAmerican History. She is here this morning to discuss how Abraham Lincoln s second inaugural marked a transition for the nation, being engaged in a struggle for civil rights for all citizens. Please help me in welcoming dr. Edna medford. [applause] good morning. I was present at the and on duration of mr. Lincoln, the fourth of march, 1865. I heard him deliver this wonderful address. I know not how many times and before how many people i quoted the following words of our martyred president. They struck me at the time and have seemed to me ever since to contain more vital substance than i have ever seen compressed in a space so narrow. Frederick douglass, 1865. For nearly two years as president lincoln initially pursued a policy of appeasement and struggled to keep the border states within the union, douglas had been a relentless critic. Only after the president promised freedom to enslaved men and women in the seceded states did douglas temper his criticism. But even then, he continued to press lincoln for greater concessions, especially equal treatment for black soldiers. As lincoln grew in his recognition of the role black men were playing to win the war for the union, the great abolitionist and order orator became more confident that the president would work on behalf of all americans, including africanamericans. In this regard and many others lincolns second inaugural address did not disappoint. When the former slave attended the inaugural reception, the president asked him what he thought of his speech. Douglas assured him it was a sacred effort. One imagines that was left the that douglas left the reception convinced that in lincolns second term, africanamericans would secure the freedom and equality they had envisioned and for which they had fought. In the address, the president had called for reconciliation. He had suggested the need to bind up the nations wounds and to care for those who had borne the battle. Douglas understood that africanamericans would need all of the nations good wishes and assistance if they were supposed to meet the challenges of postemancipation. During the war, leaders in the Africanamerican Community had pressed vigorously for civil rights for prewar blacks and the newly emancipated. The great agitator was now encouraged by the president s final public remarks on april 11 when he spoke for Voting Rights of certain groups of africanamericans, especially the soldiers whom douglas had always believed had earned the right to full citizenship. Optimism had soared in the black community. But just three days later, the wouldbe architect of a new america would be felled by the action of a cowardly assassin. As the country mourned the president s death, africanamericans shared in the international grief. But they also grieved the loss of opportunity that lincolns second term promised. There was little, if any indication that Andrew Johnson the new president was either capable or inclined to secure the rights of people of color. Unfortunately, he met the expectations that africanamericans had of his administration. The saving grace of his tenure however was his ineffective management of the socalled radicals in congress who weakens any power he might have been been expected to have. And also weekend weakened the amendment that guaranteed rights to black men. The time of progress was only a brief interlude in the continuing struggle for equal rights for next century. From the postemancipation era and for most of the 20th century, africanamerican men and women alongside nonblack supporters, battled segregation of all kinds. They challenged employment discrimination. They fought against disenfranchisement. And suffered violence at the hands of those who would keep them insubordinate. Not only was there a denial of justice and opportunity to the black man who had borne the battle, but there was precious little for his widow and his orphan, or for the generations that followed. By the mid20th century, the problems of black exclusion has spawned a movement that would not be stayed. The landmark brown versus board of education overturned classy overturned plessy versus ferguson that had given nationalization to unequal treatment of africanamericans. Decades later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights act of 1965 restore the rights that black men and women had been denied in the previous century. This restoration did not come without great sacrifice. 50 years ago today, the struggle to create a just and fair america that lincoln had envisioned could be seen in selma, alabamas bloody sunday. The violent response of Law Enforcement officials to Peaceful Demonstrations for black Voting Rights reminds us of the hatred that lincoln hoped would fade away in the aftermath of war. But selma, as horrific as it was to those that suffered through it, also reminds us of the tenacity of a people, of their insistence on equality and fair treatment at great personal risk. Sadly, we have yet to turn the corner on bigotry and racial prejudice that had been constant in our National History and that had damaged the entire nation. Our failure is reflected in both the individual and collective violence that is disproportionately exhibited against people of color. While the incidence of recent times are nothing new, they signal a retreat from reason and from justice that is incomprehensible and not reflective of who we say we are as a nation. Today as we commemorate the political and personal triumph of a great leader that has let us pledge to recommit ourselves to the principles he cherished and champion in his lifetime. [applause] in case anyone is wondering it does seem like reagan airport is back and fully operational. Thank you very much, dr. Medford. There is certainly no better place for a discussion of civil war and civil rights than right here at the Lincoln Memorial. This National Memorial truly embodies the civil war and the civil rights theme as it honors a man who dedicated his presidency to the reunification of the union, and he campaigned vigorously for the 13th amendment. At its dedication in 1922, dr. Robert of the Tuskegee Institute focused on lincolns vision for a new birth of freedom rather than a reunification as the focal point of the memorial up to that point. From that point on, however the Lincoln Memorial became the National Stage for those that for those fighting for civil rights. Others who followed in those with that include marian anderson, who held her in her sunday concert here at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 when she was barred from singing at the segregated constitution hall. And of course, dr. Martin luther king jr. , who gave his famous i have a dream speech here during the march on washington for jobs and freedom in 1963. Two years later, dr. King took his struggle for civil rights to selma, alabama. And in march 1965, 50 years ago today, king and supporters marched from selma to montgomery, alabama by way of the pettus bridge. Their nonviolent protests were met with billy clubs and they were driven back into selma. The clash was seen around the world and would come to be known as bloody sunday. A few years later on march 1, 19 in march of 1965, he delivered his speech in the alabama capital. He quoted lyrics from the battle hymn of the republic. It became the anthem of the civil rights movement. Sunday, we continue live coverage of the anniversary of bloody sunday, when marchers going from selma to montgomery were met with the violent from local police. We will be live from the historic brown chapel, where a commemorative service will take place. Andrew young, Martin Luther king iii, and other speakers will be present. Flex book tv is on the road. Soon they will be an elvis thing, texas. Galveston, texas. We watched in amazement as both factors battled. We had a huge pavilion by the sea. As the storm increased, the structures literally were turned into matchsticks. The 1900 storm struck houston on galveston on saturday, september 8. It increased in intensity and then finally tapered off toward the night. This hurricane was and still is the deadly the deadliest recorded in the history of the unite states. Watch all events from galveston on sunday 2 00 eastern. Joint American History tv on march 14, 15, for live coverage of a conference focusing on the closing weeks of the civil war in 1865. Topics include the battle of Sailors Creek and the legacy of appomattox. That is live, and saturday and sunday. That is on cspanthree. You would see what we called stickball set. Washington was a large man 6 foot. He was very robust, a terrific athlete. And madison was a skinny little guy. This sunday, David Stewart talks about madison and the partnerships he made to aid our fledgling nation. I like his ability to form partnerships with the great people of his era, but also, the gift of lives to his gift to the country, his talent and what he could do to create the first selfsustaining constitutional republic. Sunday night on q a. Flex you are watching American History tv. Coming up, all of todays coverage marking the 50th anniversary the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday when Voting Rights advocates mulching from montgomery to selma, alabama were met with violence. We begin with the 50th Anniversary Commemoration in selma, alabama with remarks by president obama as well as john lewis, who took part in the march in 1965. [applause]
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