A Loyola University professor. And now, it is my pleasure to introduce mr. Jonathan jarvis, the 18th director of the National Park service. Thanarvis oversees more 1000 National Parks that attract 80,000 visitors every year. He has reinvigorated the he isal park service, and a recognized world leader in cultural and restorative management. Please quiet down, thank you, and welcome mr. Jonathan jarvis. [applause] Jonathan Jarvis good afternoon. It is a great honor for me to be here with you at this incredible luncheon to celebrate the legacy and contributions of African Americans to the memory of the United States of america. I would to thank a few folks for us. Dr. Evelyn higginbotham, barbara done, sylvia ferris. In 2016, the National Park service and foss allah are celebrating your centennial. This is held by africanamerican memories. The theme is directly connected to the National Park service and it caused us to reflect on the legacy of African Americans. Our National Parks, especially those that demonstrate the africanamerican story, tell us as a nation to live up to our highest ideals. When i became the director in 2009, i made a priority to use the parks to create civic dialogue, to relate history and create new memories. This into neil year, we encourage all americans to find your park. This is an invitation to, and finds that hollowed ground that resonates with you. Those Hallowed Grounds can include National Parks such as Carter G WoodsonNational Historic site in washington dc. [applause] park infind your somewhat montgomery historic trail, Selma Montgomery historic trail. In thethe full 54 miles path of those brave foot soldiers 50 years ago. Or Frederick Douglass, or little rock central high, or George Washington carver, or tuskegee airmen. We at the National Park service love our existing parks that detail the africanamerican experience, we realize that after africanamericans went out looking, they might not find their park because there are missing important stories in places. President oach to obama to use his powers under the Antiquities Act to create new grounds on the hallowed experience. We have identified a fort monroe, virginia, for general management butler issued the contraband decision. We found a courtroom and delaware that ratified the constitution, the first state to do so, and asserted all people had in alienable rights. We found hollowed ground on a maryland plantation, where Harriet Tubman repeatedly led a fugitive slaves via the underground railroad to freedom. We found a place in ohio where colonel charles young, africanamerican west point grad , military auto shea, national attache,itary stood up against segregation in the military. [applause] we have found Hallowed Ground in the southside of chicago, where president obama hound his Committee Organization skills. Porters, while still subject to racism, they developed pride in their work and education and seated the growth of the black middle class. They also unionize and created what we know today as labor day. President obama has designated these five new National Monument as part of the National Park system, and for many of us, there is no more Hallowed Ground than the National Mall. As all of you know on august 28, 2011, president obama dedicated the Martin Luther king jr. Memorial on the National Mall as part of the National Park system. [applause] these are not just africanAmerican History, they are American History. And masala and the National Park service have been working together on these sites for a long time. Your scholarship has helped us reframe the way we interpret the centennial of the civil war on Hallowed Grounds like gettysburg and manassas to state that slavery was the cause of the civil war. [applause] beenour input has essential to the restoration of the woodson home. Currently we are completing the first phase of a 3. 2 Million Construction and renovation upgrade of the home. Seasonal system a funds from the National Park service. I encourage you to stop by our table. Employees, meet them, National Service staff as well and scholars for masala as well. And the retired director, bob stanton. [applause] week, i side shared anddais with mark sanchez we celebrated wilbert university as the first private hbc you in. E United States hbcu she said the more i learn, the clearer my view of the world comes. The National Park service is here to learn more about the africanamerican legacy from you so we may have a clear view of the world. Asaglad to be a partner of h. Go find your park. [applause] thank you very much. Important work the National Park service is doing, and thank you for your leadership. It is really important. It is my, so now pleasure to welcome mr. Roderick johnson, assistant to the president of the United States, cabinetetary secretary, and shimmer of that my brothers keeper passport. Please come to the podium. I also have to say he is my good friend michelle johnsons husband. [applause] roderick good afternoon. First, let me thank you. You remember from when i had a fro. Sort of, i had hair. [laughter] but now i keep it closely cropped, as they say. Thank you my dear friend for all these years and the great job you do in so many ways, including eating mc here today. Being mc here today. So many great supporters and friends in this room. President obama, the first lady, and this administration. From day one, masala has partnered with the president and first lady, and we are grateful for everything you have done to support this administration, for our community, and making African AmericanHistory Month at the white house very special every single year. I would expressly like to thank dr. Evelyn brooks higginbotham. We look forward to working with you. Dr. Sylvia cyrus and the entire board. Know, this is the last black History Month during this historic administration. It is indeed notable nevertheless that this is a 29 day february. [applause] so, we are going to make use of that good extra day this year. The president expects nothing less. From the earliest days, africanamericans have been central to the making of america. That corey thees stones to build the white house quarried the stones to build the white house, fought for independence and held the union together, and freedom around the world. We are scientists and inventors that helped unleash american innovation. We were soldiers not only to giants in this room but also countless, they must heroes that nameless heroes that marched for equality. We helped shape music and culture in the arts, literature, and sports. I am proud to honor this good heritage. As you all know, black History Month shouldnt be treated like it is separate from the collective American History. We are or boiled down to a greatest population of euros. Heroes. They do that in corporate ad campaigns, but we know it is more than single or even. Much more in fact. It is about them lived and shared experience of all africanamericans, and how those experience of have shaped, challenged, and ultimately strengthened our entire nation. It is not taking an unvarnished look at the nation so we might create a better future. Where we have been and where we still need to go. That bridge between the past, the present, and the future is why we hosted an intergenerational roundtable of civil rights leaders in the white house this past week to talk about todays efforts to reform the criminal Justice System. The president hosted that meeting at the white house. The media include icons of the movements like reverend vivian and congressman john lewis. They sat down with the president and others and some of the upandcoming changemakers. Using new tools but also tried and true tools to change history. It was an incredible getting together of the young lions, or the young to be lions and alliance from our past and the lions on our past. As i sat there and heard the courageous, the incredible, the incomparable ct vivian tell the president directly how historically monumental his president he is, and his first family, it couldnt help but moved me to tears. I thought of ct vivians courageous efforts in selma in 1965 before the march across the bridge. How he faced the vicious and the violent and the hateful sheriff tim clark, who hit him and bloodied him, but reverend ct vivian would not stop. He continued to stand and demand the right to vote and people be registered to vote. He couldnt sit in the roosevelt room of the white house as he talked to the president. His incredibly eloquent man of 91 years, and to see that as one of the great historical moments of this country. I can also tell you what was equally powerful for the fathers and mothers of the movement was to see how proudly the torch they pass is being carried forward today. The Civil Rights Movement grew out of Church Basements and word of mouth and strength and freedom songs in the power of young peoples example. Yet, thanks to technology and social media, todays leaders are building a new Inclusive Movement that is mobilizing people of all backgrounds to stand up for change for equal opportunity and education to a criminal Justice System that is smarter, more effective, and more just. That is the thing about america. Our america takes all of us. Our elected officials are important, and the Supreme Court appointment the president will make is important. [applause] everything comes down to the constant perseverance of citizens like you and whether we exercise the right to vote which so many fought for. This is a constant work in progress. There has always been a gap between where we are and where we as iron to be. As historians, you know this to be true. Us all an exceptional, what makes us americans is we have fought organized unions, launched mighty movements to close the gaps and pull ourselves closer to our highest ideal. We have made the effort to form that more perfect union. As long as we keep at it not just on one day or one month but every single day, i have no doubt we will live up to the mise of our finding ideals founding ideals, that all of our children no matter who they are or were they come from will have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. I like to share my Brothers Keepers Task force. I get to travel across the country visited communities that have become my brother keeper communities. There are more than 200 such amenities across the country now. I was in miami now, the entire county of miamidade is a my brothers keeper community. [applause] that includes 30 cities across southern florida. I was able this is where the work can be so moving. I was able to meet with a group of young people for whom this work is all about, including an eightyearold wearing a tshirt that was one of those in memoriam tshirts. There are two pictures on his tshirt, two photographs. I asked him who those two people were, he said one was my cousin jesse, and jesse was 10 years old when he was shot in the back of the head. My other was my friend, and he was 12 when he was shot. Andwe ask that young men others, that young boy and others what they wanted in their lives. These are people growing up in liberty city. Many families live well below the poverty line. We ask these young people what do you want to do in life . Not a one of them said, i dont think i will get to 21, 15. Every single one of them include the eightyearold said they were going to go to college one day, go to Florida State or house of famu are more and be lawyers and doctors and voters and entrepreneurs. [applause] and they were all so full of hope. And i remember, and it is justifiable hope. The most yesterday, a young woman who said i asked the board what would you like me to tell the president . Toy have every reason believe that the president wants to hear what they have to say. So the young woman said tell him that we will miss him. , weto be able to say to her will all miss him, we will all miss the first lady in their current roles, they are not leaving, they are not leaving us. They will find new ways to lead the country and lead us to a better place. [applause] thomas allah, thank you very much for what you do. Allah, thank you very much for what you do. I want to read a quote. National africanAmerican History month by the president of the United States of america. A proclamation. Ricas greatness is a testament to individuals, who in the face of truth accepted the worth of perfecting our nation is unending and strive to reach freedom to all. For too long, our most basic liberties have been denied to africanamericans, and today we pay to be to calais goodhearted citizens with the underground railroad, buses on alabama, and all across the country who set and stood up, sat in, extended the rights to all the people. During africanAmerican History month, we recognize these champions of justice and the sacrifices they made to bring us to this point. We honor the contributions of African Americans since our countries beginning, and we to reach the date where no person is judged by anything but the content of their character. From the revolutionary war to the Abolitionist Movement to the march of selma, montgomery, and across america today, remain devotedns to the proposition that all of us remain equal, even when there rights were denied. We were joined by men and women who believed in a justice fair america. Remember throughout history, our success has been driven by individuals who were willing to speak out and change the status quo. Refusing to accept our nations original sin, africanamericans, bound by the chains of slavery, broke free and headed north. For others who knew it was antithetical to the countrys view of human rights fought to bring moral imagination to life. When jim crow mocked advances made by the 13th amendment, a new generation of men and women galvanized and organized with the same force of faith as their enslaved ancestors. Our nation will still echo the calls of the quality, bringing calls to of disparity that plagued society in ways and the nonviolent tactics of the Civil Rights Movement while adopting modern times. It is not forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can make our voices heard by exercising our right to vote. Even in the face of legal challenges, every legal voter should not take for granted what is our right to shape our democracy. [applause] progress one great the journey for ensuring our ideals ring true for all people. Today, africanamerican High School Graduation and College Enrollment rates are at an alltime high. The africanamerican Unemployment Rate has been halved since the rate recession peak. Millionn 2. 5 africanamericans gained Health Insurance thanks to the Affordable Care act. Rates foreration africanamerican men and women fell each year of this administration, and are the lowest point in two decades. Persist andllenges obstacles stand in the way that our country envisioned at the founding. If we remained blind to the way justice is shaped in the present , you know states is home to 5 of the world population, but 25 of the worlds prisoners. Ofisproportionate amount whom are africanamerican. We must find ways to reform the criminal Justice System and ensure it is fair and more effective. While we have seen in a climate rate decrease, many communities, to delete those of color experience significant gaps in education and employment opportunities, causing too many young people and women, no matter heart how hard they try, they may never achieve their dreams. Our duty to citizens is to address equality and injustices that linger, and we must secure birthright freedoms for all people. As we mark the 40th year of national africanAmerican History month, let us reflect on the sacrifices and contributions made by generations of africanamericans, and let us resolve to continue our march toward a day when every person knows the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, i, barack obama, president of the United States of america, by virtue of the Authority Vested in me by the constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim february 2016 as national africanAmerican History month. [applause] i call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with activities. In witness thereof, i have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of january in the year of our lord 2016 and the independence of United States of rica, the two other 40th 240th, barack obama. [applause] thank you very much, roderick. I know how those young men felt. We are going to miss this family in the white house. But they will continue to do many great things. [applause] and we are going to miss you in the white house, roderick. When you have that afro, before agent, you were grooming for this role. He was president of the local chapter of 100 black men, and so many other things. So roderick, thank you. [applause] and now, please help me welcome ronald a stroman, deputy postmaster general, who continues a new tradition of unveiling a black History Month membership stamp. [applause] ronald good afternoon. Here to privilege to be unveil the 2016 black History Month stamp for the founder of the africanamerican festival church, Bishop Richard allen. [applause] man whose spiritual journey to christianity, and whose secular journey to freedom has no parallel in American History. A man of such unshakable sense of mission that even in his 20s, he could see a barren parcel of land in philadelphia and say to those who would hear on this rock, i shall build my church. A man in whose shoes, martin and malcolm would one day follow. Bishop allen is a freedom fighter, long before that term was coined. Born february 14, 1760, he began that lifelong struggle for equality i convincing his master that slavery was immoral. In three years, producing his freedom for the princely sum of 200. But he didnt stop there. In 1777, he founded the free African Society, which helps to take freemen with money and other material support. Lobbying the government for african burial ground, but he didnt stop there. In 1794, he was the first africanamerican in america to have his writings against Racial Injustice be written. Copy written. In 1804 he found the African Society for the education of youth as he realized the need to counteract the negative stereotypes that White Society had imposed on africanamericans. But he didnt stop there. He opened his home for meetings to noted activists and abolitionists of his time, like david walker and morris brown and Frederick Douglass described the debt they owed Richard Allen. He was a freedom fighter, but it was really how he combined that activism with his african ethic and the context of the methodist african, founding the applicable church that made him legendary. After he purchased his freedom, he became one of the preeminent methodist circuit preachers being drawn to the religion, in large part because methodists were the most Antislavery Organization in the country after quakers at that time. He was such an accomplished preacher of the gospel that Church Leaders asked him to expand the black congregation, and the great Saint Georges philadelphia church. Within one year of coming to st. George, they had expanded the african congregation from four to 50. He became an influential part of that church. You know how the story goes. It is ok when you have a couple of you around, but when a Critical Mass of africanamericans started to form, things started to change. The leadership of the church suddenly started to find fault with Richard Allen. They told him his preaching was a little too emotional, and he needed to tone it down. There were white complaints that blacks were intermingling. It was the socalled white feud. The fact that methodist vigorously opposed slavery didnt mean they practiced equality for the africanamerican congregation. Ae methodist practiced certain moral relativism. It is ok to support segregation as long as you opposed slavery. 1782,ll came to a head in when Richard Allen seemed to have initiated the conversation with the white Church Leadership by having like Church Members sit in large numbers in the socalled white pews. When whites attended to forcibly remove the black members from the pews, Richard Allen led a walkout. He built Bethel Church and often the ultimately found africanamerican applicable denomination. [applause] 1. I would like to emphasize is it was a tireless work of the africanamerican women of that that enabled Richard Allens church to survive. [applause] , whoy his wife flora unfortunately died early, and his second wife sarah. These women were by all accounts the Real Foundation of the church. Richard allen desperately needed support because the methodist Church Leadership did not relinquish power easily. They took Richard Allen to court. They got the best lawyers in philadelphia who argued that the ame was really under the leadership and control of the Methodist Church. They hired the most esteemed lawyers and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. On january 7, 1850, in the case of green versus africanamerican methodist festival society, the Pennsylvania Court found Richard Allen in favor, concluding the. Md church was free the Methodist Church cannot control it. But the methodist leadership was not finished. As you know, if power gives up file or power gives up power very difficultly. They tried to auction the land on which the church was built on june 22, 1850. There was a sheriffs order to sell the church and the land. Wealthy land owner came up and down the east coast to buy that lance. Philadelphia with the largest city on the east coast at the time. It was as if you were trying to why a parcel if land in new york city right now. Landowners came to purchase the land at the auction. But that day, there was another man who was that at that auction. A man whose game was a little darker than everyone else skin was a little darker than everyone else. Hair was a little coarser than everyone else. Whose hands were a little rougher than everyone else. It was a man who didnt come to make money. It was a man who was there because he just wanted to do the will of god. He was there that day, and his day with Richard Allen. To bid and bidt on that parcel of land, but when the auction was over, the owner of that parcel of land was Richard Allen. He purchased that land for 10,000, and this is the man who we have come to honor today on our stamp. With that, i would like to invite dr. Higginbotham and jarvis, Jonathan Jarvis of the National Parks service to come unveil our 2016 black heritage stamp. [applause] 1, 2, three. [applause] thank you very much. And mr. Sherman, i think i heard you preaching a little bit. [laughter] i think that was something new that was a new dimension. Thank you. On toust tried it to log a little tweeting. Correcting, but i cant get on because so many of your treating that we have exceeded the number. That is a wonderful thing. But these stamps are so important for preserving our history and teaching our youth of whose science shoulders they stand. I think i am right, mr. Sherman, in saying the him remain among the Postal Services most popular item. Please stock up whenever you go to usps. Gov, usps. Com. You dont have to wait in line if you do that. Or go to your neighborhood post office. And now i have the pleasure of introducing our keynote speaker for this afternoon, dr. K y whitehead. Speaking of social media, we are big on facebook and twitter, so we know what is going on in each others lives. A director ofis africanamerican studies at the department of communication at loyola maryland. He is the founding executive director of the Emily Francis davis center for education, research, and culture, and the author of three books, including ,notes from a colored girl the civil war diaries of emily raisingavis, boys. And more. And masala, she is a k12 africanamerican teacher in history and an award writing writer, awardwinning writer, and maryland history teacher of the year, as well as a threetime new york emmy nominated document refill wake her. Filmmaker. She has spoken for the past three years on a black History Month panel. A wife and mother to two teenage boys. Her first book of poetry race brave will be out in two books weeks. She is being interviewed on the diane greene show about oscars and white. Someone said something about being afraid to do something, so she said let me show you. Having current in now. You can read more about her in the program, but i wanted to let you know it is not too late to get in the program. She received the croc Peace Institute 2016 distinguished Alumni International peace award. Please help me walk on dr. K. Welcome dr. K. Dr. Whitehead thank you very much. I am vaguely honored to be here deeply honored to be here. Here,o excited to be because i know i am standing on the shoulders of all those who have come to support me, and i am sitting tolerance because of them. Organizationreat by any standard of measurement, and they have held up the banner of black history for 100 years. As we turned this corner into the new century, we go with head held up high, backs up because we know if we dont tell the world of black history, who will . That is our challenge, and that is our goal. I also want to thank the newly elected president evelyn higginbotham. I have read your work, i have studied it, it is amazing to be up there with you. I also want to thank sylvia cyrus, who was found out this carter ger than woodson, she is the longestserving executive director of masala. [applause] wanted talk to you about the theme, hollow ground, africanamerican memories. At this moment, we are standing on holy ground, land on which our blood is mixed with the soil. Frederick douglas in 1848 said if black people had grown up in this country, we had water, tears, blood, we are born american. We belong to this country. We should not be forced to leave because we built it on our backs. And Langston Hughes added to that when he wrote my slate is clean. America never was america without me. There is hope america will be. This nation is our holy ground. Werecognize the places where stood our ground, where we grew up, where we had to bend backward. We are fighting for justice in this land, or the cries of Young Brothers and sisters are coming up on the soil, and we have to remember the fight for justice is a long one. We have been fighting it for so long, 1863, defendant for justice. Dr. King said in 1965, many of you remember when they asked him about selma, how long dr. King . How long before the crooked is made straight . Because truthng will return to earth. And they said how long before we get what is coming to us . He said not long because no light lasts forever. Live lasts forever. We want to take that moment for us. He said not long because the universe is long, but it bends toward justice. I think justice is taking a long time to get here, and we have to keep bending the ark and getting as hard as we can. Dr. King said that the universe is on the side of justice. Im just wondering if we are all on the same side of the universe. Because justice is not planned out the way i could get should. I think it should. We are at a time where black people are being shot simply for the crime of moving and breathing and trapped in this country. This is a crisis point, and we have a great responsibility. If you know the history, you have lived the history, or studied the history, you are the keepers of our historical legacy. Why are you teaching more young people . Why are you pulling morgan people into this nation . More young people into this nation . They have to stand on the shoulders of the Civil Rights Movement, it is not two separate things. We are built to struggle, and we must share this knowledge to enter the next generation does not get lost along the way. Because if we dont teach the world about black history, how will they ever know . I stand as someone whos book ,nded by the work my father did and the work my sons are doing after the murder of trayvon martin. We are caught in the network that dr. King talked about. Mutuality, wee are indirectly all tied to what is happening in this country. We are on holy ground, and we have to Pay Attention to what that means. Even though the media is marking the death of black lives, nobody is keeping track of how we are living it out. No one is keeping track of what it means to see body after body, black body after blackbody, struggle. Killed and five it broken next. Five broken necks. We see one after the other play out on television, our phones, the internet, in our faces. The cries of black lives matter has caught up in this notion that all lives matter, which sounds like white lies matter, and i get confused, because no one ever said any other lives mattered until we said black lives mattered. Have to keep pushing for that. I would like to suggest that i think there are three tools we need in our arsenal. Three tools we pull out and we need to fight. The first is commitment, laced with passion. I think of the 1992 olympics as some of you might remember. I dont member who won. I dont member anything else but the guy, jerry redneck. He snapped his hamstring, and he began to hobble around the track. It came to help him, he waved them off. A man broke to the stands. That man with his father, and put his hand over his shoulder. They asked him, why didnt he stop . He said, because i came to barcelona to finish a race and not just start one. He said, i didnt even know i was going to finish until my father came out and carried me. That is where we are today because our ancestors have carried us. That survival instinct is embedded within us. It carried us in 6019, when the first african arrived on the shore. They were no idea what they were in the midst of building. They carried us through 200 , whips andavery chains. They carried us through the civil war, jim crow, teaching children how to survive. Rules witten with blood. Written with blood. We are stubborn, and we survived share creeping sharecropping. Trumpl to survive donald because we are strongwilled people. [applause] we survived lynching and cross burning and being terrorized for wanting to reclaim our rights. We are committed to finishing this race. We have survived because we are strongwilled, and we are stubborn. I think of my grandmother, who on the night barack obama was first elected, she laid on the floor and said i have got to praise the lord. We are going there with him. She didnt survive to see the end, so in her mind, which you left the world, the last president she saw was someone who looks like her. [applause] i think that is an amazing thing to think about, and what we are claiming for young people, that first tool is commitment. I think about what an old slave preacher and what dr. King used a quote, we aint what we got to be, and we aint what we want to be. And we aint where he got to be, but thank god we aint where we used to be. We have, along since there. Tool. Mitment is the first the second tool is courage. I believe the true mark of courage is being able to stand up in the face of incredible odds and be able to push them away. There comes a moment when you have to decide who you are going to be and whether you have the. Bility to be brave can you stand up in the face of injustice . Can you speak out when you see something happen that should not take place . Can you be courageous in that moment. Dr. King said freedom is never really won, you earn it. If you are not going to die for it, then take for you out of your vocabulary. Freedom is a you have to die for every single generation. I see it, one of my favorite stories. My aunts son is 13 youngest son is 13. Everybody knows how great it is when kids can entertain themselves, give you time to think about things. So he says, god bless you a mere. Amir. I said, why are you buy yourself saying this . He said, you have got to bless yourself. I was like, you do. Sometimes when you are biased yourself, you have got to bless yourself. They dont know what you are capable of. You have got to be able to bless your self. When they try to break the backs of children, keep us in cages, we got to be able to bless ourselves. I held onto that and put it on. Y mirror, but god bless you your boys will get home safely. Kay, your boys will be fine. Able to bless yourself . Are you able to see the wonder that we have been waiting for . , like marynd for beth and, the torch is not yours. Can we give that torch to our young people and tell them it is a wisdom of math of riots, english, of math, of science, english . Can you bless yourself . My father told me during the Civil Rights Movement, cops would rate the headquarters of the naacp. They would lay down on the ground when lights went off and grabbed the hand of the person to the right and the person to the left, and then they would start to seeing. Before i will be a slave, i will be there at in my grave. I will go home to my lord. That is courage in the face of fear. That first tool is commitment, and that second tool is courage. The third tool for people need to have in the arsenal is faith. We have got to believe that something bigger than ourselves i have to be transparent, when i was younger i was convinced the world revolved around me. People were stupid cannot figure that out. [applause] it took a while me a while the world did not revolve around me, it revolves around the sun. I dont have to be the sun in order to sign. I dont have to make a difference i have to be willing that there is something bigger than what is in front of us, we are pushing that stone against the wall, and if we would get it up there, we have to knock everybody in the way down. We have to keep believing faith is the notion that when you come , ande end of all you know you are getting ready to step off into darkness, faith is knowing you will have something very strong to stand on, or god will teach you how to fly. Understandept us, we we have been beaten and starved. We have been disenfranchised and disempowered. We have overlooked and ignored underpay and underrepresented, but we have survived anyway. Wall,eping a list on our since december 2014, where i have names added. Eric gardner, john crawford, michael brown, be still ford, dante parker, kenisha anderson, camille rice. I do it so dont forget. Bland, gray, sandra laquan mcdonald. I do it so i can add their names and their lives so that a piece of them in this moment will be remembered. We will move forward. I demand to know if somebody else is morning, because i recognize that a black woman in america, every time my sons walk sut the door, i could be kmir mother, i could be trayvons mother. I could be Walter Scotts wife, Eric Gardners wife. I could be that person, but what gives me going and what allows me to get back up his saying i will face this window once again, the notion of faith. Something bigger than me. Because of survival is our legacy, surviving every day in this system is our goal. So you have got to have commitment. Instead of this race we have been running for years. You got to have courage to bless yourself. Youve got to have faith that there is something bigger than you, a solid family i believe. If there is a place beyond the current reality, beyond broken thomases, poverty and crime, police briel toddy brutality, a world exists in our dreams. A place you can get to bite spark and genius, shifting ideas, standing all on holy ground, we have work to do. Aboutdont tell people black history, the world will never know it. So i challenge you in the spirit of Carter G Woodson, the thin une, rosa parks, richard your ancestors and mind, consider those who fought for justice, fight for change, gave their wives lives to this country because they believed Something Better was waiting on the other side. I challenge you to join with me. Lean into that. We helped create this world. As you lean into this faith, grab the hand of the person to the right and grabbed the hand of the person to the left. We can get there, but we have to get there together. God bless you. Youll been wonderful. [applause] i am a history buff, i do enjoy seeing the back roads of our country and how things work, how they are made. A Little American artifacts. I had no idea they did. History is something i really enjoy. With American History tv, it gives you that perspective. I am a cspan fan. So many of my former books were horizontal studies. Many countries across the whole region. The ends of the earth, eastward of the coast, covering a minimum of six countries. Here i look at one country in depth, and i use it to explore great themes. I say great themes. The holocaust, the cold war, the challenge of vladimir putin. The romania speaking model that had a long border with ukraine even than poland. The study of romania is a legacy of empires. ,nnouncer sunday night on q a the author of on europes shadow, too cold wars and a 30 year journey through romania and beyond. He talks about the history of the balkan states and romanias struggle to regain democracy since the fall of communism. Romania was a corrupt country, extremely corrupt because it intimately had weak ,nstitutions that were very everything was based on bride and doubledealing. What this shows is this is nothing new. What is happening is the romanian population has grown up and become far more sophisticated, and is demanding clean government. It is its number one demand. Announcer sunday night at 8 00 eastern on cspans q a. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2016] announcer this weekend on lectures in history, emporias State University craig miller talks about the importance of confederate veterans in the years after the civil war. Here is a preview. A lost cause doesnt have clause for injured veterans or widows. You have these organizations sprang up, it would put in the Mission Statement liquidating veterans that they would take care of that generation that had been destroyed by the war, but they would use all that money to go build a monument on a battlefield, joe go construct gigantic monuments or even higher authors to write textbooks after the war. For others, these organizations, because they are not representing their own political paying and damage, they dont want to spend the money. It will dont want to attend yearly reunions to relive the injuries on the daily basis. Important for the moment, in the postwar history. We have an entire group of veterans struggling, and they dont get these nicely packed, neat narratives. They were a lost cause in many ways. It is hard to argue in terms of if you are wanting to mix particular elements. You have to argue the exact opposite. It becomes a standard set of talking points as opposed the postwar history is extracted. Announcer you can watch the entire class this weekend on lectures and history at 8 00 eastern tonight on American History tv on cspan3. This weekend, the cspan cities tour takes you to anaheim, california. Idea for the mexican came from my editor for oc weekly at the time. I wasnt offended by the mexicans, i didnt want to do it at first because i didnt think everyone would care. In journalism, you want to do stories people care about. You dont care if people like you or hate you as long as they are reading areas who is going to read and advice column about mexicans . It seems silly. We wanted to develop a space in the paper, so i did it. Times only going to be one , a stereotypical column, jokey. People went nuts. Some people loved it, some people hated it, but more importantly, people were caring. At the bottom of the column, since it was a joke column, i say if you have a spicy question about mexicans, ask me. I am an exit can. Mexican. People started writing me like crazy. Announcer and on American History tv. John froehlich and his partner go up to san francisco, which is where a lot of german immigrants are located, and they are actually able i find it very shocking, they are able to convince 50 people, of whom nobody was a farmer and only one person had any background in winemaking, to give up their businesses and come to anaheim. Action after they formed what was known as the Los Angeles Society was to hire George Hansen to be the superintendent. His job was to bring the irrigation here, lay out the and plant actually hundreds of thousands of grapevines. Watch the cspan cities tour sunday afternoon on cspan3. , workingn cities tour with our cable affiliates and working visiting cities across the country. Next on American History tv, we hear from timothy reeves, Deputy Director at the dwight d. Eisenhower president ial library. He discusses president eisenhowers belief that social welfare programs could fill the void created by the closing of