have been involved in that, that would be very, very helpful for the public to understand better, as best they can. thank you, mr. chairman. i yield back. >> i want to thank the members of the committee for their thoughtful questions and comments. and i want to thank each and every one of our four witnesses four testimony on this vital issue. members of the committee may have additional questions for the record and i would ask that you respond to those in writing. and if there is no further business, without objection the committee is adjourned. july 2nd is the 50th anniversary of lyndon johnson's signing of the 1964 civil rights act. which banned discrimination in job hiring and integrated public facilities. in a few moments the signing ceremony itself with remarks by

president johnson and his interaction with dr. martin luther king, jr., hubert humphrey and robert kennedy. in a half hour congressional members mark the anniversary with a ceremony. it awards the congressional gold medal to his wife and coretta scott king. after that don richy discusses the congressional debate and passage of the civil rights act with former cbs correspondent roger mudd and former reporter andy glass. later from the national constitution center, author tom perdom talks about his book, two parties, two presidents and the civil rights act of 1964. american history all weekend every weekend and week nights in primetime during congressional recesses on c-span 3. commenting on the anniversary of the signing president obama said," the civil

rights act transformed the concepts of justice equality and democracy for generations to come and brought us closer to making real the declaration at the heart of our founding, that we are all created equal." now the 1964 civil rights act signing ceremony. this is a half hour. my fellow americans, i am about to sign into law the civil rights act of 1964. i want to take this occasion to talk to you about what that law means to every american. 188 years ago this week, a small band of valient men began a long struggle for freedom. they pledged their lives, their

fortunes, and their sacred honor. not only to found a nation, but to forge an ideal of freedom. not only for political independence, but for personal liberty. not only to eliminate foreign rule, but to establish the rule of justice. and the affairs of men. that struggle was a turning point in our history. today in far corners of distant continents the ideals of those american patriots still shape the struggles of men who hunger for freedom. this is a proud triumph, yet those who founded our country knew that freedom would be

secure only if each generation fought to renew and enlarge its meaning. from the minute man at concord to the soldiers in vietnam, each generation has been equal to that trust. americans of every race and color have died in battle to protect our freedom. americans of every race and color have worked to build a nation of widening opportunities. now our generation of americans has been called on to continue the unending search for justice within our own borders. we believe that all men are created equal. yet many are denied equal treatment.

we believe that all men have certain unalienable rights. yet many americans do not enjoy those rights. we believe that all men are entitled to the blessings of liberty. yet millions are being deprived of those blessings. not because of their own failures. but because of the color of their skin. the reasons are deeply embedded in history and tradition and the nature of man. we can understand without rancor or hatred how this all happened. but it cannot continue. our constitution, the foundation of our republic forbids it. the principles of our freedom,

forbid it. morality forbids it. and the law i will sign tonight forbids it. that law is the product of months of the most careful debate and discussion. it was proposed more than one year ago by our late and beloved president, john f. kennedy. it received the bipartisan support of more than two-thirds of the members of both the house and the senate. an overwhelming majority of republicans as well as democrats voted for it. it has received the thoughtful support of tens of thousands of civic and religious leaders. in all parts of this nation. and it is supported by the great majority of the american people.

the purpose of this law is simple. it does not restrict the freedom of any american so long as he respects the rights of others. it does not give special treatment to any citizen. it does say the only limit to a man's hope for happiness and for the future of his children shall be his own ability. it does say that there are those who are equal before god shall now also be equal in the polling booths, in the classrooms, in the factories and in hotels and restaurants and movie theaters and other places that provide service to the public. i'm taking steps to implement the law under my constitutional obligation to take care that the laws are faithfully executed. first, i will send to the senate

my nomination of leroy collins to be director of the community relations service. [ applause ] governor collins will bring the experience of a long career of distinguished public service to the task of helping communities solve problems of human relations through reason and common sense. second, i shall appoint an advisory committee of distinguished americans to assist governor collins in his asignmen. third, i'm sending congress a request for supplemental appropriations to pay for necessary costs of implementing the law and asking for immediate action. [ applause ] fourth, already today in a meeting of my cabinet this afternoon, i directed the agencies of this government to fully discharge the new

responsibilities imposed upon them by through and to do it without delay and to keep me personally informed of their progress. fifth, i'm asking appropriate officials to meet with representative groups to promote greater understanding of the law and to achieve a spirit of compliance. we must not approach the observance and enforcement of this law in a vengeful spirit. its purpose is not to punish. its purpose is not to divide. but to end divisions. divisions which have lasted all too long. its purpose is national, not regional. its purpose is to promote a more abiding commitment to freedom. a more constant pursuit of justice. and a deeper respect for human dignity. we will achieve these goals

because most americans are law-abiding citizens. who want to do what is right. this is why the civil rights act relies first on voluntary compliance. then on the efforts of local communities and states to secure the rights of citizens. it provides for the national authority to step in only when others cannot or will not do the job. this civil rights act is a challenge to all of us to go to work in our communities and our states, in our homes and in our hearts to eliminate the last vistages of injustice in our beloved country. so, tonight i urge every public official, every religious

leader, every business and professional man, every working man, every housewife, i urge every american to join in this effort to bring justice and hope to all our people and to bring peace to our land. my fellow citizens, we have come now to a time of testing. we must not fail. let us close the springs of racial poison. let us pray for wise and understanding hearts. let us lay aside irrelevant differences. and make our nation whole. let us hasten that day when our unmeasured strength and our unbounded spirit will be free to

do the great works ordained for this nation by the just and wise god who is the father of us all. thank you and good night.

[ applause ] >> thank you, sir. >> speaker first. >> thank you.

>> i think we ought to move out. >> here my friend. >> thank you, mr. president. >> we did better today than we did the other day. >> thank you.

>> johnny, you got one? >> you bet. thank you, mr. president. >> thank you, mr. president. >> thank you.

>> held jobs edgar. glad to see you. hello, phillip, glad to see you. hello, roy. so glad to see you. did anybody talk to you about i wanted to talk to you before you leave. will you see that the others, i want to talk to them when this is over with. cabinet room. >> mr. president, thank you very much.

>> thank you, wayne. thank you, my friend. wayne has approved.

>> this one just won't work.

>> i'll distribute them right now. my daughter's birthday, july 2nd. >> wayne -- this is my ninth anniversary of my heart attack today. >> this is a good healing bill.

>> thank you, mr. president. >> lots of health to you. >> thank you. >> great day. >> thank you, mr. president. >> mr. president, wonderful speech. >> thank you very much. >> good day.

>> thank you. >> stay here. i want to say a word. >> let's see. tell my staff to make sure we get some more pens here. >> all right.

>> thanks.

>> thank you, mr. president. >> thank you, mr. president. done like a real pro. >> mr. president, thank you. >> thank you. great speech. >> thank you.

>> get me some more chuck, we're going run out. you got somebody to bring them over? >> thank you, mr. president. >> thank you very much. >> hello, roy.

>> great statement. >> good luck. >> best ever. >> everybody have one. mr. speaker? >> thank you, mr. president. good to see you. >> mr. president can i have one? >> yes. >> mr. president, so good to see

you. >> thank you. >> good to say. >> everybody covered back here? >> i didn't see you. >> anybody else? anybody else? >> thank you. >> can i have one of those for myself? thank you. >> anybody else? >> thank you very much. >> thanks. >> thank you. >> good day. >> thank you very much.

>> thank you very much. anybody else? did i get them all? >> mr. president just put your hand in there. that's fine. that's good, sir. thank you, kindly. just your hand, sir. that's fine. just fine, mr. president. thank you. thank you. thank you, mr. president. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. >> just got a couple here for

myself. >> thank you.

>> i had it here. congressional leaders marktd the 50th anniversary of the civil rights act with a u.s. capitol ceremony that included