thanks. and we begin tonight with major news in syria. secretary of state john kerry and russian foreign minister sergei lavrov lead the talks in munich that brought about this agreement. kerry was quick to say it is not a ceasefire but a cause in offensive action in syria. >> we have agreed to implement a nation wise cessation of hostilities to begin in a target of one week's time.

that's ambitious, but everybody is determined to move as rapidly as possible to try to achieve this. this will apply to any and all parties in syria, with the exception of the terrorist organizations, daesh and al-nusra. >> kerry said the agreement will allow immediate access to besieged areas in syria. more from james bayes in munich. >> reporter: well it was interesting that staffan de mistura, said he had been told by syrians we don't want more meetings about meetings. we want action. have they come up with action? i don't know. i think it will be debated. because they have come up with the decision to create a rask force. they say that will meet very, very soon, it will take place in geneva and they say there will be action on getting humanitarian supplies to those

hard to reach and besieged areas soon, by monday. the second task force is to deal with the issue of a ceasefire, although they are now not using that term which was in the original u.n. resolution. they are talking about a cessation of hostilities. and yet when the russian foreign minister discussed the very same thing, he said we're setting up this task force which will come up in one week with a modality for a regime for cessation. so will they manage to stop the violence in a week or just come up with a plan and a regime to stop the violence in one week. it's clear behind the scenes as the e.u. high representative said this has been a difficult day. i also spoke to the deputy secretary general of the nation, and he said it was a very long day, but we have made some

progressed and moved forward. >> a senior fellow at the new america foundation and national security contribute for al jazeera is on the phone in washington. so doug, what does this mean? >> well, it means we have a very important and unexpected first step. this is wonderful news, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. there are so many ways in which this could be fail to be implemented or be broken. >> wonderful because it provides humanitarian aid, but other -- >> and stops the shooting. >> and -- well, but -- but -- but even says that is ambitious at best, right? >> that is. this is all very ambitious, but you have at least some agreement on the part of the major powers to have this cessation of

hostilities even if it's just in theory. so again, let's not get too excited, but this is still a major break through. >> but the major powers, that doesn't include the terrorist organizations. >> no, and secretary kerry was very clear about that. that al-nusra or daesh are outside of the terms of this agreement. so ultimately what they are trying to bring about is to one, move into a talks as to how you end the war against assad, how you end the syrian civil war, and then second, how do you get everyone involved in taking the war to nusra and isil. >> all right. so talk about the next steps. i mean, if this first step works, then what happens? >> well, there's lots of implementation to be done on this first step, and as your set piece made very clear, we're not sure exactly where we are in

this first step. do we really have a cessation of hostilities and a ceasefire, or an agreement to get an agreement. and hopefully that will get clarified over the next few hours. >> we heard james bayes report this was a very hard day. what was so hard about it? >> though outside powers want very different things. the turks and the saudis want the regime to go. we in the europeans largely just want the fighting to stop, the humanitarian crisis to end. so there are different equities on the part of the major powers that are conflicting. >> so what pressure brought them to this agreement, what provided the most leverage to get these groups together? >> we don't know what was in the heads of the diplomats. i suspect it was a convergence

of a number of things. i think the russians and the iranians, they have obviously had a very good month in conjunction with the regime, so i think they were in a place where they thought a ceasefire didn't threaten the regime. i think the rebels and their backers realized the assad regime did have momentum. the turks have been made very nervous by the recent gains of the kurds, and of course we and the europance and the rest of the world have been rather horrified by even more humanitarian disasters, and the advertising of the same over the past couple of weeks. >> thank you for helping us break the situation down. the red cross says 50,000 syrians have fled the recent fighting in aleppo. the russian-backed offensive has cut off water supplies to the city. around 30,000 refugees are stranded at the turkish border.

meanwhile nato is sending warships to the ageeia sea to help stop human smugglers. more than a million refugees arrived in europe by beat in 2015. it is the biggest refugees crisis since world war ii. and now to the presidential race, a major boost for hillary clinton. the congressional black caucus endorsed clinton today. john terrett is in washington tonight. john? >> reporter: that's right, good evening, john. potentially a huge help indeed, as the democratic 2016 campaigns roll south, and with the race all but tied up, who comes out on top may well be determined by

african american voters. a major tip of the hat from the congressional black caucus, in favor of hillary clinton. >> when we need some to rally for democrats and especially the african americans, and at the request of the cbc pact, hilary has been there. when the issues that are important to our constituents, hillary clinton has been there. >> reporter: as the 2016 race heads to south carolina and on, african americans and latino voters are increasingly important. i was no quince identify that the morning after scoring big this week, bernie sanders was having breakfast with the reverend al sharpton. meanwhile hillary clinton is married to the man that many call the first black president. but it's not all clinton, all the way. african americans and latinos are divided on who should be the

2016 democratic nominee, clinton or sanders. >> i think sanders represents opportunity. i think he represents a moral imperative. i think he represents a certain kind of truth that's not often evidenced in the course of politics. >> reporter: but while the black caucus pact has given her a thumbs up, the white members not so much. keith elson tweeting out: still, the cbc pact endorsement will be one the clinton campaign will be glad to have. sources close to the clinton

campaign, say top advisors are now trying to rally supporters from big donors to congress in a bid to ease concerns after hillary clinton was forced into a concession speech in new hampshire on thursday. >> it's not whether you get knocked down that matters, it's whether you get back up. >> reporter: as the focus shifts to south carolina and nevada, clinton is counting on support from african americans and latinos to propeller to the nomination. and black voters are expected to make up roughly half of the democratic vote. in south carolina when the democrats vote, remember, they split it. the republicans and democrats go on different ways. >> all right. john thank you. hillary clinton has another chance to regain her footing during the debate with bernie sanders tonight in wisconsin. michael shure is in milwaukee tonight. so michael let's talk about endorsements. what do they really mean? and how do you get african

american voters excited about hillary clinton after eight years of a real black president? >> reporter: yeah, what is really important for hillary clinton is that bernie sanders didn't get this endorsement. i think going into south carolina with the almost 30% population african american, population there, it's really important that she can get a leg up or keep a leg up in south carolina with the african american population. sometimes not getting endorsements can really hurt you. and sometimes getting them very important. i think that hillary clinton is going to talk about that tonight. she is going to talk about the fact that john lewis, the iconic civil rights veteran said to the press today that he doesn't ever remember having seen bernie sanders during the movement when he was the head of the student non-violent committee. that is going to matter a little bit. >> you know, some former clinton

campaign folks have said that hillary clinton doesn't need to go after bernie sanders. what she needs to do is talk about how the system is rigged against the american people. a little bit of bernie sanders strategy. what do you think about that? >> reporter: well, i think that that's part of what happened to hillary clinton since bernie sanders got into this race. as he has taken this argument to the left, hillary clinton has followed. in order to be the nominee of this party, she has to embrace some of what bernie sanders is talking about. but she has to be her own person obviously to get that nomination. i think she is trying to pick and choose some things that matter to the sanders voters. but i think that's putting it in the bank for the general election. i don't think it is going to matter as much in the primaries, but i think it is going to matter were she to get the no, ma'am -- nomination to hang on to those important voter bs.

>> some strategy shifts on the g.o.p. side now too. nine days before south carolina, especially in the bush and kasick campaigns. tell us about that. >> yeah, it was really a strategy with the jeb bush campaign. jeb bush has not done very well. he came in sixth in new york, and came in fourth in new hampshire. spent a ton of money in both of those states, and didn't come away with the kind of results he thought he would have. he is going to south carolina alive. he is very well funded, but he's bringing in his brother, former president george w. bush. the bush name has always scored points in south carolina. he has the backing of vet - vet -- veteran senator lindsey graham. going to john kasich, quickly. john kasich inherited a little

bit of the support of chris christie who dropped out of the race yesterday. but it's important to kasick who has had a hard time raising money. when you get support in a state like new hampshire like kasick did, he got the cofounder of home depot who was a christie supporter is now going to open up his checkbook for the campaign of john kasich. >> yeah, it's a big state tonight. we'll see if it's big in couple of weeks. wisconsin has been picking democrats for president for years, but labor is on the decline. this time around the state could be up for grabs. mary snow explains. >> thank you new hampshire! [ cheers ] >> reporter: on the heels of his big win, and her big loss in new hampshire -- >> and we learned it's not whether you get knocked down that matters, it's whether you

get back up. >> reporter: hillary clinton and bernie sanders are taking a pause in campaigning for the next contest in south carolina and nevada to debate in milwaukee. wisconsin doesn't hold its primary until april 5th, but the choice of venue signals the state's significance in november's general election, with the head of the democratic party telling a milwaukee tv station that wisconsin was picked because it is a battle ground state. >> we think it's important to cover the breadth of the country, and when we thought about the midwest, we thought wisconsin was the best place to have it. >> reporter: 1984 was the last time wisconsin backed a republican in a presidential election. but republican governor scott walker who dropped his own presidential bid in september is an example of g.o.p. wins in the state's midterm elections, and since walker's 2010 election, the state has gone through big

changes, starting with its unions. walker's landmark law in 2011 weakened the collective bargaining power of public employee unions. unions have been the key supporters of democrats and their numbers have fallen. in 2015, 223,000 workers in wisconsin belonged to workers. that's down from 11.7% just one year earlier, and that number was 14.2% in 2010 when walker was elected. some political observers say that could have an impact in november. >> their fund-raising totals what they get from dues from union paying members are down significantly, so they will have less in the way of financial resources to consist elections here in this november, and probably less shoe labor on the part of activists. >> reporter: and unions have been put on the defense after their failed 2012 effort to

recall the wisconsin governor. walker, though, hasn't come out unscathed. his popularity has fallen after his failed white house bid, and it's unclear how much help he'll be to the eventual republican nominee. the g.o.p. already held a debate in the state. now in 2016, the question is whether democrats can continue their three decade winning streak in presidential elections, or will unions diminished influence in wisconsin change that? >> i think this november's election will be a good test of whether they are the unions of old, or building a new era in wisconsin. >> reporter: that test could prove pivotal. mary snow, al jazeera. stocks were down today on wall street for the fifth straight day in a row. the drop comes as investors are concerned about global economic weakness and the falling price of oil. the dow closed down 254 points.

financial stocks were hit the hardest over worries that low interest rates will cut into bank profits. oil closed at $26 a barrel. it's lowest level since 2003. coming up next, he died in police custody. now a grand jury is hearing evidence in the eric garner case.

a federal grand jury is now hearing evidence in the death of eric garner.

garner died after being put in a choke hold by a new york city police officer back in 2014. the altercation was captured on cell phone video, and sparked protests across the city. the justice department opened a civil rights investigation, after a new york grand jury declined to indict the officer on criminal charges. paul martin is criminal defense attorney and former new york prosecutor. paul welcome. good to see you. >> thank you for having me. >> how significant is this? >> it's extremely significant for the people of brooklyn. now they are really going to consider a civil rights violation. so they will look at it and make a decision whether or not this police officer violates the civil rights of eric garner. >> but the staten island grand jury didn't indict.

will this be harder or easier. >> easier to get an indictment, harder to get a conviction. because they have to prove the defendant derived the victim of a right. it's going to be difficult to prove that he intended to take a civil right away from eric garner, as opposed to just trying to do his job. >> there wasn't just outrage here in new york, there was outrage all across the country. part of it was the cell phone video. could that have an impact on this grand jury? >> it is going to have an impact, because it help prove several elements. these officers were working to arrest this individual. they will show as a result of their actions, he died. i'm not so sure it is going to be able to prove that a violation of civil rights occurred, and i think they have

to look at the totality of the circumstances. >> why did the officer's attorney say he hadn't even been contacted about the justice department grand jury being convened. >> he is an excellent lawyer, and whether he was told or not told, he wasn't going to give an indication to anyone. he wants to leave open the option that they don't have to convict him. this can just for the purposes of sending a report to the community. >> is it indict or not? >> indict or not or issue a report on the facts and circumstances of the case. >> and what would that include? >> it's really up to the prosecutor. and i believe in this case they are looking to indict this officer, but whether they are here to indiet him or render an official report. >> why can the feds can convince a grand jury to indict, and the

stanton island prosecutor could don't that. >> the way it was presented the time frame it was presented and the manner in which the evidence was give tone a jury, you can make a decision as to whether or not you want to indict them. >> how important is the video that we continue to watch over and over? >> because but for the video this would never have come to light. but for the video you would haven't seen the callous or the lack of care for the individual after he went to the ground. i think prior to videos, these type of situations probably happen in this country often. but now that we have the capability to video these things they all come to light. >> paul thank you very much. coming up next, the armed occupation of the wildlife refuge in oregon comes to an

end. and i talk to john hockenberry.

>> our american story is written everyday. it's not always pretty, but it's real... and we show you like no-one else can. this is our american story. this is america tonight. the standoff at an oregon wildlife refuge ended today. it followed the arrest of nevada rancher bundy as he was taken into custody. allen schauffler is in burns, oregon tonight.

allen. >> reporter: john the situation wraps up today, but the issues raise during the occupation, about federal land management practices and their impact on private owners throughout the west -- those issues are not going away. and for the people of oregon and the city of burns, this was a tough way to start the year. on day 41 it finally ends. three of the last four occupiers surrendering first, leaving just one behind. david freye who's erratic videos and phone conversations has drawn muched a tensi tensitensio tension -- attention. >> it is better to die with honor than to be forced to live dishonorably, so that's what i'm doing. so you guys can address my grievances. >> reporter: periodically threatening to kill himself or die confronting authorities,

freye eventually walked out this morning. >> he was live streaming and he was in a very emotional state. i have got to believe that at a certain point he was able to look around, notice he was there by himself and it would probably behoove him to remove himself from the situation. >> meanwhile in portland, this man who's two sons lead the takeover is on his way to court. he will face charges stemming from a 2014 confrontation over refusal to pay cattle fees. >> no matter how long they are going to be locked up, yeah, in the end it is all going to be worth it. it's going to be noticed. it's going to be inspiration for people all across the country. >> reporter: while julie who

lives just a few miles from the takeover site was ecstatic. >> i just posted hallelujah on my facebook post, and i they says it all. >> reporter: it started january 2nd when the bundy brothers and perhaps 20 followers walked in and took over federal buildings here. the bundyes and several others were arrested on the 26th, traveling to a meeting in a neighboring town. during that same traffic stop, this arizona rancher who emerged as one of the group's main spokesman was shot and kill. the arrest and the shooting scattered most of the group. more arrests followed, and finally just four held their ground for the last two weeks. >> we can't let the people trample on us, taking our guns. >> reporter: when the finally came, it did make julie happy, but she said the whole 41-day or deal also made her angry.

>> that a small bunch of people with a brood assortment of gripes and complaints about a whole bunch of things in their lives can tear up a community in a way that i didn't think i could see, and that is what has happened here. >> reporter: and now with the refuge cleared and the forensic investigation beginning, this torn-up community has a lot to do as well. >> we can work through these things. there has been a lot of hurt. there has been a lot of things said but i don't think there's anything that can't be done that can't be worked through. >> reporter: the fbi today acknowledged the contributions of two people, franklin graham, and nevada assembly woman who came to the area and stayed in touch with the four remaining holdouts in recent days and hours. kept in contact with them, were

able to talk them down, and were there when they surrendered. now the fbi is looking at a massive crime scene. their forensic investigation just beginning today. they expect it to take several weeks at least. john. >> allen thank you. this week the supreme court temporarily blocked president obama's plan to combat climate change. that is welcome news for many in gillett, wyoming. >> reporter: here in campbell county wyoming, energy, oil, coal, and natural gas, dominates the landscape and the economy. gillette, the county seat bills itself the energy capitol of the nation. >> we have been through booms and busts, you know. that's kind of the way the energy business is. but this one is tough because coal and oil are both down.

so this one is tough. >> reporter: louise carter king is the major of gillette where an energy boom helped the population grow almost 50% since 2000. >> coal right now they are not talking about layoffs, and there hasn't been any, but i'm sure everyone is worried. it would be tough not to be. >> reporter: can you think of what campbell county looks like without energy revenue coming in. >> bleak. you know, if oil doesn't come back, which it will. i mean it just has to, it would be tough. >> reporter: people are calling the collapse of global oil prices, the steady decline in coal production, and suffer obama administration environmental regulations a perfect storm. >> coal still could come back. i mean, it's not going to be overnight that we have green electricity. >> reporter: steve king has been

a coal minor for 30 years, and is the nmayor's husband. >> probably our biggest competition right now is the natural gas. >> reporter: the energy industry here is expected to lose $1 billion in value in 2016. tax revenue will shrink, and thousands of high-paying jobs could disappear. >> monday through thursday is when you see a lot of your work-related travelers come to the hotel, and we have seen dramatic decrease in that business. >> reporter: and it's not just the politicians or energy workers who are worried. this man used to rent rooms by the thousands to energy workers at the 15 hotels his family owns gillett. how many people would you say you had to cut? >> probably around -- i would say 25 to 30 here in gillett,

and then, maybe -- maybe an additional 20 to 25 in some of our other locations. >> every job that we lose in the coal industry is -- is one that we can't really afford. this is the eagle butte mine. >> reporter: gary becker is the chairman of the campbell county commissioners. what are the impacts to campbell county with coal in the future? >> it is going to have considerable impact not only in campbell county, but for the entire state of wyoming. wyoming has come to rely on the coal industry for a lot of its taxes. what has had a significant impact on the county is we have had to cut way back on the amount of money that we can put into new building construction. >> reporter: such as? >> such as new museum, new buildings for our community college, library expansions those type of things.

>> reporter: it's the spirit of campbell county to weather these cycles, but this time officials worry that oil and gas prices might not rise fast enough, and crushing market and regulatory pressures on the coal industry spell gloomy days for years to come. morgan stanley has agreed to a $3.2 billion settlement. state and federal authorities say the bank down played the risk of mortgages it sold in the years leading up to 2008. the settlement stems from an investigation by a joint federal and state task force that was set up by president obama back in 2012. as we mentioned at the top of the program, there will be a democratic presidential debate tonight. bernie sanders and hillary clinton hillary clinton will square off in wisconsin. it will be the first meeting since sanders beat clinton by double digits in the new hampshire primary. i talked with a man who has been

following politics closely for decades. john hockenberry is the host of "the take away." i asked him how 2016, the campaign compares to all of the others he has covered? >> i'm fascinated by this political campaign. i think that every political campaign is more about the electorate, than about the audience, and i think that a lot of news organizations make the mistake of thinking that the success or failure of the candidates tells you something about that electorate, and it often doesn't. often the candidates can feel a -- a -- scenes that the electorate has that oh, this is all we have got, okay. well, all right. great. i think what you are seeing is a real revolution in the electorate making its own choices now. and i was talking to, you know, republican activists after new

hampshire, who are trying to claim as though, oh, look what a diverse party that we have that we're embracing donald trump and i say donald trump is dragging you, kicking and screams to wherever you want tend to up, and i think that's fascinating, because i do think it is about the power of democracy and the electorate to finally throw off some of the shackles that have been imposed on american politics. >> when you are making judgments about what stories to cover, there is so much personality in this race in particular. how -- how do you continue to focus on the issues and not on the horse race and not on the personalities? >> because i think it's so much about the electorate. today we were talking about the heroin crisis that was in new england and was such a big issue in the new hampshire primary campaign, and we talked to the former head of drug policy at the cdc, and i said what is going on here with the heroin

crisis? and he said it's what is going on with the disaffected sort of white rural population in america that has no -- feels that it has no future, and that's where this heroin epidemic -- that's what it is all about. and it's not unrelated to people voting for trump. and i'm saying woe. woe. that's how this politics and this sort of outlier personality, you know, question of, oh, it's ridiculous. it's a joke that trump is running. no, it's not a joke. it's really interesting what is going on and the electorate and its sense of dissolutionment and sin cynicism. >> can you talk about why guns is such an important issue for you? >> the question of access to guns and gun violence in america is an easy symbol for liberals

to focus on, as if like if we just did a few things related to assault rifles that it would have impact on the mass shootings. the mass shootings are about the lack of access to mental health care in the united states. if we want to prohibit guns and do what australia did, i think that would be a great thing. the fact that we can't discuss guns as a public health problem in america because of the divisions in congress right now, is just a huge problem in terms of our discourse and our ability to -- to really foreign ministerially focus on what the real problem is. but i think that what you are seeing is easy access to guns, no access to mental health care. is a combination that is going to produce mass shootings over and over again. and we are a violent country. and we have to recognize that that is our history, and -- and if we want to do something about it, we have to really seriously

look at our history and decide that we want to change. and i don't think people are going to make those kinds of changes. >> does bernie sanders's position on guns hurt him with the democrats? >> obama is going to make sure it does. obama is going to work really hard to make sure that it does. i think bernie sanders progressive libertarianism about guns is going to be something that will really come out a hilary and bernie sanders get into it. >> he clearly has caught fire with a certain percentage of the population. why? and -- and could he be the nominee, really? >> you know, we're going to have to see. because i think south carolina is -- is the big test for bernie sanders. there is a huge constituency in the african american community that says that african americans have voted democratic and haven't gotten much for it; that basically being a part of the democratic party, voting 80%,

90%, 60, 70% for democratic candidates hasn't gotten them the power in terms of the kinds of issues that are important to african americans. even with barack obama as president, there have been criticisms on how social policy has not focused on urban america. if something can make the case that, oh, you are going to vote for hilary now after all of this? that hilary is just basically going down the same path, then bernie sanders has a chance. but if hilary can mobilize an authentic sense that, no, you really need to stick with the democrats, then that that is going to counter act bernie's sort of flash in the pan attraction to young people. >> john, it is great to see you. >> great to see you, john. >> thank you very much. and we will bring you more with our interview with john

hockenberry tomorrow night. coming up next my discussion with ruby bridges after this.

at just six years old, ruby bridges became an unlikely trailblazer in the civil rights movement. she was one of the first black students in an all-white school in the south. i sat down with ruby bridges who reflected on the prejudice she faced during that time. ruby bridges first steps into

the elementary school in new orleans were met with hatred and prejudice. what do you remember hearing? >> i remember themming chanting two, four, six, eight, we don't want to integrate. over and over again. and i really didn't know what integrate meant. i was only six. but i remember going home and my sister and i jumping rope to two, four, six, eight, we don't want to integrate. because it rhymed and that's all we knew. but i remember that chant, you know. lived with me. >> it was 1960, and she was the youngest black student in an all-white public school in the south. she was just six years old. i see this picture, and i have seen it so many times, and i think of the little girl, the innocents of a little girl -- >> yeah. >> -- on her first day of school, which should be so pure and so wonderful, and what you

were subject to, but in many ways your parents protected you from that. >> absolutely, because i think, you know, we -- today we want to rationalize it, and make it make sense, and the truth is, is that, none of our six-year-old kids would understand what is happening here, unless you sat them down and really explained it to them. >> bridges was among the first black children to go to an all-white school. >> i think what protected me was the innocents of a child. >> officials couldn't find anyone in louisiana who would teach this black student, so they brought in a teacher from boston. this is a picture of your teacher? >> yeah, barbara henry. barbara came from boston to teach me, because teachers actually quit their jobs. they didn't want to teach black

kids. she was an amazing teacher, you know. she made school fun. i loved school because of her. she didn't care what i looked like. >> did she ever talk about her feelings or concerns for you during that time? >> no. >> she just taught you. >> she just taught me. she tried really hard to keep my mind off of the screaming and shouting outside of the window. >> why were you in an empty classroom? >> the first day maybe everybody was absent. but every day i didn't see them on the play grounds, and i wasn't allowed to go to the cafeteria. >> you weren't allowed? >> no, i could smell the food cooking, but i remembered that the kids met in the cafeteria at my old school, so i remember thinking i can't go because they are threatening to poison me or harm me.

they kept screaming that outside. so the marshals instructed my parents to prepare my lunch, and have me eat it at my desk. >> her parents new that school integration was crucial to the civil rights movement. threats to your family. >> threats to my family. my father lost his job, and my grandparents were forced off of their farm in mississippi because they found out that it was their grand child in new orleans going to school. >> did you have police protection at your home? >> federal marshals blocked off the street. you had to actually live on the street to get on to it. you had to show identification. and they got lots of bomb threats. had to change their number. >> when did you realize that there were people who hated black people? there were people who wanted to do you harm, because of what you

did going to this school? >> i realized that when i started to hear voices of kids, and i was constantly searching and looking for the kids the whole year. i thought my teacher was ignoring me, because i would mention it to her, and she never said anything. i sense have found out that she was going to the principal and saying that you are breaking the law. the law has now changed and kids can be together but you are keeping them from ruby, if you don't allow them to come together, i'm going to report you to the superintendent. so that forced them to allow mrs. henry to take me to where the kids were, and when i went, there they were, four or five kids, not many, sitting there playing, and i was so excited because when you are six, the most important thing is friends. i didn't care what they looked like. so i went in to sit down to play with them. but a little boy said i can't

play with you. my mom said not to play with you, because you are a nigger. he said that, and i realized that's why there's no kids here. that's what this is all about. it's about me. and -- >> race. black and white. >> right. the color of my skin. >> more with ruby bridges in a moment. including her place in history in the civil rights movement.

civil rights icon ruby bridges has a unique perspective on race and violence. in 1960 she became a symbol of the movement, one of the first black children to integrate in an all-white school in the south. only 6 years old, she was threatened and cursed. years later her teenage son was shot and killed. ruby bridges, the brave little girl who's daunting walk to school became a symbol of the civil rights struggle, chose to lead a private life for the next 30 years. her journey is remembered in this iconic painting. the problem we all live with my norman rockwell. you became the face of integration in some ways. did you see this? >> i did not see that until i was about 17 or 18. but, you know, my child

psychologist who was dr. robert coals, he was friends with norman rockwell, and so he did this one and a few other pieces, but this was, i think, one of the first. >> when her psychologist published a children's book about her story, bridges found herself back in the spotlight, and the story caught the attention of this sculptor, who included bridges face on the remember them monument in oakland, california. how do you see yourself in history? clearly this artist and the people of this community see you among the greats. how do you see yourself? >> i don't see myself as a hero, which lots of the kids say. i do see myself now as a role model. >> but bridges says racism and violence are very real problems

today. in 2010 her eldestson was gunned down. he was only 17 years old. >> we are being divided. but what is dividing us is good and evil. evil stood over my child and shot him. evil comes into our schools. and evil looks just like you and me. but then so does good. good looks like you and me. >> so when you look at what is going on in the country today, and you think about ferguson, missouri and other places across the country, where there continue to be cries of racism and concern about how people get along, what do you say about that? and how far have me come? >> i get that question a lot. how far have we come in amazing. we have come such a long ways. and when i think about ferguson, again, we are speaking to a parent that lost a child to

violence by the hands of someone that looked exactly like him. i think once obama was elected, it was like taking gasoline and pouring it on to a fire. i think racism just bubbled up. once he was elected. so even though we made that progress, it was like two steps forward and three back. and it's like living through the civil rights movement all over again. hi. hi. hi. look at you. >> today at 60, bridges travels to schools across the country, teaching students about the importance of tolerance. >> you know about forgiving, right? >> yeah. >> okay. so you just have to put that behind you. >> you have dedicated your life to kids in many ways. >> yeah. >> and school children and schools. why? >> because i remember. i remember what it was like sitting in that classroom. i know what it felt like when the little boy said i can't play

with you. and he didn't even know me. and i see so many kids that are struggling. i can see the pain in their eyes sometimes. just yesterday, i mean, i'm here in california visiting another school, and a little boy looked at me, and he said, i have been bullied, and i have been beaten up. you know, bleeding. i know what that is like. >> among the top honors she has received over the years, bridges says she is most proud of this. >> these are all of my kids. so it's like coming home. >> the ruby bridges elementary school in alameda, california. more than 40 years after being threatened, bullied and cursed for simply going to school, this school now bares her name. what is it like when you come into a school like this, the school named after you, and you

see the kids, and you think about when you were in school? what is that like for you? >> coming here, it's really amazing for me. i'm in a school almost every day now, because of what i do. i travel across the country and speak to kids. and the kids are so excited when they know i'm coming. >> do you feel like you -- it's important to educate the students today about what happened to you? >> oh, absolutely, i do. and i do feel a sense of responsibility to share my story and explain to them that racism has no place in the hearts and minds of kids; that it's adults that pass it on. i believe if we are to get past our racial differences, it's going to come from our kids, and since my experience is that of a child, i choose to work with kids. guys, i'm going to leave. i'm saying good-bye, okay. >> wait! >> my thanks again to ruby

bridges. that's our program. thank you for watching. i'm john siegenthaler. i'll see you back here tomorrow night. ali velshi is next. ♪ >> i'm ali velshi "on target - the troubling truth about taxes in america. rich people really do play by a whole different set of rules. soaking the riches, back in style for democrats. the latest example is hillary clinton's proposal to slap a 4% sur charge on annual income above $5 million, raising what are known as marginal