vehemently defended, promoted, stumped for, voted for worked for all of his life the last 30 years of his life is no longer the same party at all. the modern contemporary republican party has become essentially the american white conservative party. let's face it. and douglass would have no home there. now, times change. history changes. parties move on, people move on. new political persuasions, no issues, no coalitions grow and he would understand that. but i can tell you that if we can guess at one thing, he would resent current modern day republicans calling themselves the party of lincoln. >> david blight from the yale university study of slavery resistance and abolition and one of the five historians participating in the person of the year 1862 at the library of virginia. good luck with the results this afternoon and thanks for taking

the time to speak with our viewers. >> thank you very much. >> just to let you know, our schedule here on american history tv, we expect them back with the third historian, james mcpherson, at about 12:40 eastern. we'll have that live. we'll also talk to james mcfer son later this afternoon and we'll continue to take your calls as well and to also take your posts on facebook and your tweets, as well. but up until the live event resumes, we're going to take you to a portion of wednesday's ground breaking of the smithsonian museum of african-american history and culture. it becomes the 19th or will continue the 19th smithsonian museum and expected to open in 2015. this is a portion of wednesday's event. ♪

[ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome phylicia rashad. [ applause ]

>> good morning. it is indeed an honor and a privilege to welcome all of you here today for this groundbreaking ceremony of the smithsonian's national museum of african-american history and culture. this, this is a milestone. this is a milestone movement, not only for the smithsonian, but for the united states. today, we take the first step nem creating an iconic building that will house something truly wonderful, a museum with the power tore change hearts and minds and ultimately, the nation. and your being here today speaks to your support of this one spectacular effort. creating this museum has

captured the attention of government, private citizens and it has also drawn on commitment of corporate america, community groups, and school groups. and today, we salute this undertaking with extraordinary music and inspiring speakers, all in celebration of this moment and the american spirit. [ applause ] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states and mrs. michelle obama. [ applause ] [ playing "hail to the chief" ]

[ applause ] >> please remain standing -- please remain standing for the presentation of the colors by the smithsonian institution office of protection services

honor guard and the national anthem performed by miss denise grant. -- graves.

present arms.

♪ o say, can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪

♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave?

[ applause ]

>> please join me in welcoming from the abyssinian church in harlem, the absinium baptist church in harlem, the reverend calvin butt s iii. [ applause ] >> i'm delighted to have been given this opportunity to say a word of inspiration concerning the national museum of african-american history and culture. african-american, what is africa to me, copper son or scarlet sea, jungle star, jungle track, strong, bronzed men or regal black? women from whose loins i sprang

when the birds of eden sang. one, three centuries removed from the land his father loved. spicy grove and cinnamon tree. what is africa to me yet, beloved i, too, sing america. i'm the darker brother. when company would come they would send me to the kitchen. i'd laugh, go to the kitchen, i'd eat and grow fat. tomorrow i'd be at the table. company would come, and they would see how beautiful i am. and no one would ever send me to the kitchen again. yes, beloved i too sing america, my country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee i sing. this may be the land of the pilgrims' pride, but it's also the land where my mothers and fathers died so let freedom ring. ring -- [ applause ] -- yes, let freedom ring.

ring for the ashanti. ring for the aruba. ring for the crew arriving on a nightmare, yet praying for a deem. deem a world, bebeloved where man, no other man will corn. will love will bless the earth and peace has passed the dawn. dream where all were walk in speet treem's way and greed not s&p our world away. and dream of a world where black or white whatever race you be will enjoy the bounty of the earth and everyone be free. where wretchedness will hang its ugly head. of such i dream our world. i have a dream today that everyone would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. everyone, the poor white fooled and pushed party, everyone, the negro pairing scar, everyone, the red man pushed from the

land, everyone the immigrant clutching the hope that she seeks but finding the same old stupid plan of dog eat dog and mighty crush the weak. oh, yes, i say it plain, america never was america for me. but yet, i swear their oath, america will be. and america is becoming because so many brave women and men have fought to preserve the integrity of the land of the free and the home of the brave. oh, beautiful for hero's proved in liberating strife chris pris attuc attucks. 200,000 sons of ethiopia who gave their lives in order to hold the union together, heroes proved in liberating strife who more than self-their country loved and mercy more than light. dori miller, the 369th harlem hell fighters and, of course, the tuskegee airmen who more than themselves their country loved and mercy more than live.

america, america, may god thy gold refine till all success, barack obama in the white house. till all success, martin luther king on the national mall, to all success the national museum of african-american history and culture, till all success be nobleness and every gain divine. shalom. peace be unto you. god bless america. >> please welcome the founding director of this museum, lonnie bunch. >> what a grand and glorious day, and they said it was going to snow. [ laughter ] president and mrs. obama, members of congress, smithsonian regents, the presidential commission, the museum's

council, distinguished guests and dear friends, i am honored and humbled to welcome you to this ground breaking ceremony for the newest museum of the smithsonian institution, the national museum of african-american history and culture. i just love to say that. [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> your presence today is a clear reminder of the unflagging support and leadership that you have provided this endeavor. we are at this moment. we have come this far not by faith alone but because of your belief in the importance of this museum. while there are too many donors and supporters to name, i want you to know just how much the smithsonian appreciates the support of president and mrs. obama, of the u.s. congress, and of all the corporations, foundations and

individuals in communities across america who have given so much to make this moment possible. i especially want to acknowledge the council of the museum that is co-haired by linda johnson-rice and dick parsons. we are so indebted because you believed when there wasn't much to believe in. so we are so grateful for your leadership. [ applause ] today, in the words of washington, d.c. poet lewis alexander, we call the lost dream back. today, we begin to make manifest on this mall, on this sacred space, the dreams of many generations who fought for and believe that there should be a site in the nation's capital that will help all americans remember and honor african-american history and culture.

but equally important to this vision was the need to make better all who visit the national museum by using african-american culture as a lens to more clearly understand what it means to be an american. so with groundbreaking, we mark a major milestone in the creation of this museum. a museum that as the beloved historian john o. franklin used to always say to me, it must tell the untarnished truth because this will be a museum that will have moments to make one cry or to ponder the pain of slavery and segregation. but it will also be a signature museum designed by the architectural group, but a museum that soars on the resiliency of a people and been illuminate the giant belief in the promise of america that has shaped this community.

>> this building will remind us that there are few things as powerful as a people as a nation steeped in its history. and there is nothing nobler than honoring all of our ancestors by remembering the full, rich, and diverse history of america. and as was any endeavor of this sort, it has not been without challenges in difficult moments. but what you boys all who work on this project has been the support that comes from unexpected quarters. such as a man who shines shoes in a texas airport who said to me, while he's unsure exactly what would be in a museum, he hoped that this museum would be, in his words, it may be the only place where his grandchildren learn what life did to him and what he did to life. or the woman who cleans one of the smithsonian museums who reminded me the other day that she is tired and able to retire but she said to me, i want to

continue to work so that i can clean our museum. [ applause ] museum. [ applause ] so i would be remissed if i didn't thank the entire smithsonian family for helping this museum make a way out of no way. the leadership of the regents, i want to nod to my friend patty for all of her support. thank you. [ applause ] and i especially want to acknowledge the gifted staff of the national museum of african american history and culture. [ applause ] . while i may stand in front of you they do the work to make all things possible. during the great depression

historians were hired by the federal government to interview formally enslaved african americans. when 82 year old cornelius holms was asked if the experience of the enslaved still mattered he answered the race question will be with us always. it is in our politics, our courts. it is on ourur manners, in our religion and our thoughts all the day every day. what a gift you have all given so that everyone who visits will realize that we are all touched, shaped and enriched by african american history and culture all the day every day. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> he sponsored the legislation in the house of representatives

to establish this museum. ladies and gentlemen, please welcomethe honorable john louis. [ applause ] good morning. >> good morning. linda, for those kind words of introduction. mr. president, mrs. obama, mrs. congress, my beloved friends, what we witness today will go down in history. it is the substance of things so

far andvalidation of our dreams. it is the moment of people protested, struggled and longed fo mont millions of our ancestors believe in. it is that point of an idea that becomes so leaves the realms of inspiration and becomes visible even to the untrained eye. this is an idea whose time has come. when i think about all it took to reach this point, the black civil war veterans who took up the cause many decades ago, the spirit debate and the long years of silence, the advocts and opponents, i think the

plane crash and the election of this boy from rural alabama who spent more than half of a career introducing a museum deal only to havin a bipartisan effort. inspired by men and women of faith it reminds me of the words of one of favorite poets, langston hughes. what haperned to a dream deferred? does it dry up a raisin in the sun? or fester like a sore. maybe it just sags like a heavy load? today we must thank the white house and the united states fo

senator and congressman jc watts, the it regents. the secretary to the smithsonian. the director of the national museum of african ame history and culture and his staff. advised the council of scholars in a general corporate and individual donors who have taken a dream deferred and helped it find its place in history. this is an end but also a beginning. there is still much work to do. sit us down through the ages. we must call up on the courage of those who were in the struggle long before any of us were born. we must tell the story, the

whole story 400 year story of african american contribution to this nation's history from slavery to the present without anger or apology. the problem we face today as a nation make it plain, make it clear that there is still a great deal of pain that needs to be healed. story told in this building, speak the truth that has the power to set an entire nation free. revealed the oldest lesson of liberty, justice and a true democracy to us all. i look forward to the day when i can ample through the exhibit, search through the archives, participate in a program and rest my tired feet in a cafe and get laws of history inside the

granite wall of an idea whose time has finally come. we didn't give up. we didn't give in. we didn't give out. we didn't get lost in a sea of despair. we kept the faith. we kept our eyes on the prize. thank you. [ applause ] please welcome a valued friend of the smithsonian and one of the museum's dedicated council members, mrs. laura bush. >> thank you all. thank you, everybody. thank you very much.

thanks so much. [ applause ] >> thank you. thank you very much, wayne, for that introduction and good morning to everyone. good morning, president and mrs. obama, director lonnie bunch and all of our distinguished guests and all americans who joined us for this very important occasion. it is especially fitting that we are dedicating this plot of land on our national mall for a museum that remembers, reveres and celebrates the great struggles and even greater contributions that african americans have made to our nation's history. just down the road from here both the white house and the capitol were built in part by the labor of african american slaves. we don't know most of their names but they left a lasting legacy in the bricks and stone

and beautiful craftsmanship that now house our country's most valuable institutions. here, too, is where a young congressman named abraham lincoln was horrified by the site of slave pins on the site near the capitol. here in this city it's where the great abolitionist came to offer council to lincoln. and it was welcomed by the president and to the white house. here on this very mall is where the reverend martin luther king jr. stood and shared his dream of the nation where we are all measured by the content of our character and where we join together as one table, the table of brotherhood. and here in