tv Marcus Books CSPAN August 31, 2016 8:02pm-8:14pm EDT
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lost faith in leaders. and, the tenure of george w. bush. and trent lott and people chech talk about politics. go to t.v. book.org. >> we visit authors and bookstores and historic sites around the country we'll make stops in the san francisco bay area, and, connecticut and southern california. >> now, with the help of our cable partner we take a tour of marcus books. we spoke with co-owner planning about the history and role in the civil rights movement. >> when my parents first started
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it, their purpose was to offer this resource to the community feeling that black people needed a flies go where they could learn about themselves from other black people. and so it was, a service they were providing to the community but also to the community at large, because, the more other cultures, know about black people the better it is for everybody as well. so the bookstore is the oldest black bookstore in the country we're just starting our 56th year. the name is from marcus garvey, the black nationalist leader who was from jamaica. he started the back to africa movement, and, lots of books here. the history, is na it was
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started in 1960, by my parents, who met as teens when they were students, and they wound up in california. my father had majored in printing, and he opened a printing business in the 1940s. after he got out of the army which he hated. so he want deed something for his people. so did my mom. and, so, did both of them liked to read quite a bit and they had difficulty finding books about black people. they would get books and loan them to friends, and they started org derg more than one copy and started putting books in the window of the print shop
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and it grew into this won'terful institution here. >> and he did a lot of printing for the black churches and all the black businesses, in the phil more district and moved from that, into publishing some veries in but out of print black books. so he became a publisher as well. because we were talk about the 60's, when it is going on. the civil rights movement, and the black power movement. so people were hungry for information and for community, and, we provided a forum for speak attorneys come in for organizations for meet a place to organize, and, share our thoughts and strategies, so it was very well received. >> we are in the back of the bookstore which is marcus'
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printing company now. this operation is run by my brother billy who does the beautiful stained glass. so here is the oldest press that we have. it's not the oldest we ever had. when my dad started printing, they had to make their own type, and, so my brother learned how to do that and my sister and i got jobs like collating, and statebling, and making the tuna fish sandwiches. >> i remember when my father was able to afford a brand new press and it was an exciting time. but he got it, and he was very proud of it. so, one day, this young man comes in the store and wants to
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know if he can have a job. and, my dad asked him what his name was. and he said his name was morgan freeman. and he said i'm a dancer. and he said, well, we can't use any dancers around here. but he offered to show him how to work the press. so we called him the dancing press man. and he wound up dancing and dropped a monkey-wrench, and so 10,000 fix. but my dad being who he was, said you know you need to get on with your career, and you want to go new york. and, gave him the money to get out there. and get away from his press. [laughter] >> some really big authors in
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here, and a lot of unknown authors, that have gotten good headstart from reading at marcus. we had terry mack milan when she only had one book out and she was a very good friend and supporter of the store. we had a luncheon for morrison, speechless meeting her and she was so down-to-earth and wonderful. and the biggest event we ever had was muhammad ali and it was tremendous. and, down the corner, up to the next street and that lasted for four or five hours. and he was find enough to stay here that whole time and let everybody sit on his lap or shake his hand or punch him. very gracious. the community appreciates us.
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and they let us know that. they support us in every possible way. they understand the importance of having this resource of knowledge about them, in their community. and i think more and more people are understanding that, most of the black bookstores have shut down and that's -- do you not only because of online shopping, and big box stores but a lack of consciousness, in the community, that doesn't send them in here searching for knowledge. >> i was asked to speak at junior high school, middle school, a couple years ago. and, so these are mid-teens, and, it was more martin luther king's birthday. so i'm talking on about martin luther king and i'm getting these blanked looks. and i said you know who he is?
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and, hispanic raised her hand and grave me the wrong answer and then a young brother and he said, he freed the slaves. and they weren't playing. they weren't laughing. they didn't super a clue. so, then, i asked them if they knew who the black panthers were. we know who the pink panther. they were clueless. so there was as disconnect where they don't understand their history, what that means to them, today. and, so, they don't feel a need to come and -- eastern learn about something because they're ignorant of the fact that they don't know. we see more and more lots of younger folks coming through, which is great.
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>> book t.v.'s in prime-time all this week. thursday, look at the presidents, starting with authors of books on hoover, nixon, reagan and bush. book t.v., television for serious readers. >> with the house and senate returning next week on thursday at 8 p.m. we'll preview four key issues, federal funding to combat the speak ka virus. >> the women today to want make sure that they have the ability to not get pregnant, because the mosquito ravage them. >> but today, they turned down the very money that they argued for last may. they decided to gamble with the lives of children like this.
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>> the annual defense policy and programs bill. >> all of these votes are very vital to the future of this nation in a time of turmoil and time of the greatest number of refugees since the end of world war ii. >> criminal justice reform. every member of this body, every republican and democrat. s to celesgun violence. >> the resolution for congress to im preach the i.r.a. commissioner. house resolution 828 im peefl being the commissioner of the irs for high crimes. >> we'll review the expected debate, with susan, senior congressional correspondent.
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join us thursday night. >> here we are, in, 19 century in hartford connecticut and we invite you to visit and we're standing today, in her front parlor. the more formal space. when you visit here you sit down, and share conversation about issues, and experiences, so, harriet, was born in western connecticut and then she lived in boston.
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