coming up, all of today's coverage marking the 50th anniversary the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday when voting rights advocates mulching from montgomery to selma, alabama were met with violence. we begin with the 50th anniversary commemoration in selma, alabama with remarks by president obama as well as john lewis, who took part in the march in 1965. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen.

please welcome the president of the united states and mrs. michelle obama, accompanied by mr. and mrs. -- mr. george bush and mrs. laura bush and accompanied by john lewis. [" hail to the chief" playing] [cheers and applause]

[cheering] >> good afternoon again. i have the distinct pleasure to introduce to you, the governor of alabama, governor robert bentley. [applause] >> president obama mrs. obama president bush, mrs. bush, congressman lewis congressman

sewall mayor evans -- it is an honor for me to be on the stage with you today and welcome all of these people to this great state of alabama. it's a personal honor for me to join in today's historic occasion on the edmund pettus bridge that has become a monument itself to the struggle for civil rights over the past 50 years. this bridge represents the strength and determination, the loss and pain that have come to define the civil rights movement in america. it's an honor for me to stand here among you today on behalf of the state of alabama. 50 years ago, approximately 600 people marched across this very bridge on their way to montgomery to demand the right to vote. those marchers, many who were nameless, had a bold vision to change the culture of america.

selma stood poised, center stage, as a series of historical events unfolded around us, as the fight for civil day in our nation's history as the route to montgomery was met with violence. we have all seen the images and heard the stories of those men and women who desired the right to vote. this nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. it was founded on the principle that all men are created equal. in 1965 the rights of man were threatened because every man did not have the right to vote. we as a state and a nation are forever changed for having learned the lessons the bold leaders of 1965 taught us. leaders like dr. martin luther

king and my good friend congressman lewis and so many of you who were involved in this movement. we need more men and women who are not afraid to stand up and work for what they believe in. alabama is a different state today than it was in between1965 and so is our nation. we have come a long way since the events of that bloody sunday. selma changed america. selma changed the world. today we honor the memory, the work and sacrifice of those who saw a better vision for our state and our country. and it is extremely important for younger generations to know about the sacrifices that were made on this bridge and in the entire civil rights movement. but we choose to look beyond

those ugly scars and focus on what alabama really is and what it can be. alabama is my sweet home. i was raised here and i have a great love and respect for all the people who call themselves bam alabamans. it is a place where economic opportunity abounds and there are good paying jobs and our children can get a good education. children of all backgrounds. it is a place where neighbors love and care for one another and they work together on issues that are important to all of us. so, while we look back on a difficult chapter in alabama's history it is important that we write a new chapter together where opportunities exist for everyone regardless of race or religion or politics. as we reflect on the past 50

years, i think it is important to ask what will alabama look like like? what will our nation look like 50 years from now? that is up to our people. it is up to our leaders. it is up to those who have a bold vision that make america and alabama better and stronger than it was in 1965. as leaders, may we never lose vision or the boldness to do great things no matter how hard the struggle is. for without vision the people may perish. 50 years ago the eyes of the world were on alabama. today, i invite you to look at alabama again. our state is a place where we can all call sweet home alabama. may god bless this great nation and may god bless there great

state of alabama forever. thank you very much. >> good afternoon, america. welcome to my hometown of selma. to president apdnd mrs. bush to president and mrs. obama, to all of you, it is indeed a great day to be in selma, alabama. as the daughter of selma i have crossed this bridge many times. many times i have felt the weight carried by the brave foot soldiers of the voting rights movement. many times i have thanked them for their courage that they displayed in the face of extreme

hatred. i first began to understand the history of the edmond pettis bridge when i was five years old. my mom started to explain to me the events that took place on that bridge. it was hard for me to understand what it was like to drink from a separate water fountain because that was not the selma i knew. my selma was fully integrated. my selma further clear-- nurtured me. my selma led me to believe a little black girl could achieve any of her dreams. i was encourage ed tod to dream my dreams because of the foot soldiers that crossed the edmond pettis bridge. any dared to confront a wall of alabama state troopers, unarrangement, undaunted and unafraid. we can not celebrate how far we

have come without acknowledging however we need to still go. there is unfinished business unfinished business of the voting rights movement. it is person for all of us to know that the story of selma is a story of america. it is america's struggles. it tells us that ordinary americans can collectively work to achieve extraordinary social change. the cause of the tpaotfoot soldiers marched for is still important today, and as we as americans we must become ever vigilant to protect the gains of the past and expand and promote their legacy. selma is now. every generation faces its own social and political struggles. there is still much work to be done. in fact, it frswas a person 105

years old who was my special guest at the state of the union, as many passed her in the hall they would say mrs. boynton who said get off my shoulders. there is plenty of work to do. so i say to you america there is plant of work to do. may weal leave selma -- may we all leave selma inspired by the foot soldiers of continuing their legacy of fighting for quality and justice for all. i have the great honor of introducing somebody i didn't know how to address when i first came to congress. do i call him colleague? do i call him congressman lewis? do i dare call him john? he is a civil rights icon and a hreullittle black girl from selma stands in his shadow.

it is because of you john, that so many of us get to walk the halls of congress, to get the sit in the oval office. it is because of you, john, and your bravery and the bravery of those foot soldiers. it is because of your bravery and the bravery of those foot soldiers that i get to be alabama's first african-american congresswoman. [applause] congresswoman: to say thank you is not enough. we know we have unfinished business to do, john. and i promise we know there is much work to do. i present to you the civil rights icon john lewis. john lewis: thank uyou, my dear.

thank uyou, my sterbgs -- sister, my colleague, for those kind words of introduction. my beloved brothers and sisters members of the american family on this day, we as a nation have a great deal to be thankful for. jimmy lee jackson, jimmy lee jackson, whose death inspired the selma march along with so many others did not make it to see this day. but you and i are here. we can bear witness to the distance we have come and

progress we have made in 50 years and we must use this moment to recommit ourselves to do all we can to finish the work that still is left to be done. get out there and push and pull until we redeem the soul of america america. now i want to thank president barack obama and mrs. obama, president bush press george bush and mrs. bush for being here today. i want to thank all the members of the cabinet and the administration who are here my colleagues in the congress, all the elected officials including the great give robert bentley and including the phaeurmayor of selma george evans and all other american people.

i would like for all members of congress in our delegation just to stand. [applause] john lewis: thank you. i want to thank the group for bringing us together one more time and the core leaders of our delegation senator tim scott senator sherry brown, and the representatives. thank you so much. it sis good to mrs. boynton of course our first contact when we came to sell ma in 1962. she was registering people to vote long before we arrived. i'm also glad it see the daughter of governor george

wallace here peggy wallace kennedy. thank you for being here, peggy. i want to thank each and every one of you who marched across the bridge on bloody sunday. you didn't have to do it but you did it. thank you! i will tell you it is good to be in selma one more time just one more time. people often ask me why do you come back? what purpose does it serve? we come to sell ma to be renew renewed. we come to be inspired. we come to be reminded that we must do the worbgk that we are called to do. on march 7, 1965 a few innocent children of god, some carrying

small things, a plain purse or a backpack were inspired to walk 50 dangerous miles from selma to montgomery to demonstrate the need for voting rights in the state of alabama. on that day on that day, 600 people marched into history, walking two by two down the sidewalk sidewalk. not interfering with trade and commerce. not entering with traffic. it was a kind of military discipline. we were so peaceful, so quiet

no one saying a word. some of us were left bloody right here on this bridge. 17 of us were hospitalized that day. but we never became bitter or hostile. we kept believing that the truth we stood for would hold the final point. this city on the banks of the bengal -- alabama river gave birth to a move that changed it nation forever. our country will never be the same because of what happened on this bridge. eight days after bloody sunday the president of the united states lin bane -- lyndon baines

johnson delivered one of the most important speeches ever made on voting ratesights. he said the time for justice has come. i believe sincerely that no force can hold it back. he went on to say it is right in the eyes of man and god that it should come. he said at times history an fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's search for freedom. he said so it was at lexington and concord, so it was at appomattox. so it was in selma, alabama. each of us must go back to our homes after this celebration and build on a legacy of the march of 1965.

the selma movement exists today so we can all do something. so i say to you don't give up on saying that has great meaning. don't get lost in a sea of despair. stand up for what you believe. because in the final analysis we are one people, one family, the human family. we all live in the same house, the american house. the world house. we are black, we are white, we are hispanic asian american, native american. but we are one people. thank you. [applause] john lewis: my beloved brothers

and sisters it is a great honor for me to return to my home state of alabama to present to you not just to introduce to you but to present to uyou the president of the united states. if someone had told me we would cross there bridge that one day i would be back here introducing the first african-american president i would have said you are crazy, you are out of your mind. you don't know what you are talking about. president barack obama. [applause]

president obama: you know i love you back. it sis a rare honor in this life to follow one of your heroes. and john lewis is one of my heroes. now, i have to imagine that when a younger john lewis woke up that morning 50 years ago and made his way to brown chapel heroics were not on his mind.

a day like this was not on his mind. young folks with bed rolls and backpacks were milling about. veterans of the movement, trained new colorado com -- new colorado comers in that. describe what tear gas does to the body for giving information to contact their loved ones. the air was thick with doubt and anticipation and fear. and they comforted themselves with the final verse of the final hymn they sung. no matter what may be the test god will take care of you.

lean weary one upon his breast, god will take care of you. and then his nap sack stocked with an apple, a toothbrush and a book on government, all you need for a night behind bars john lewis led them out of the church on a mission to change america america. president and mrs. bush, governor bentley, mayor evans congresswoman sewell reverend strong, members of congress, elected officials, foot soldiers, friends fellow americans americans, as john noted there

are places and moments in america where this nation's destiny has been decided. many are sites of war. concord and lexington. appomattox. gettysburg. others are sites that symbolize the daring of america's character. independence hall and seneca falls. kitty hawk and cape canaveral. selma is such a place. one afternoon 50 years ago so much of our turbulent history. the state of slavery and anguish of civil war. the yoke of segregation and tyranny of jim crow. the death of four little girls in birmingham and the dream of a

baptist preacher. all that history met on this bridge. it was not a clash of armies but a clash of wills. a contest to determine the true meaning of america. and because of men and women like john lewis joseph flowers, jose williams, amelia boynton diane nash, ralph abernathy andrew young fred shuttlesworth. dr. plant martin -- dr. martin luther king jr. the idea of a just america and fair america and inclusive america and generous america that idea ultimately triumphed.

as is true across the landscape of american history we can not examine this moment in isolation. the march on selma was part of a broad are campaign that spanned generations generations. the leaders that day part of a long line of heroes. we gather here to celebrate them. we gather here to honor the courage of ordinary americans willing to endure billy clubs and the chasening rods, tear gas and the trampling hoof and despite the gush of blood and splintered bone would stay truth to their north star and keep marching toward justice. they did a scripture instructed for joy and hope, be patient in tribulation.

be constant in prayer. in the days to come they went back again and again. when the trumpet call sounded for more to join the people came. black and white. young and old. christian and jew. waving the american flag singing the same anthems full of faith and hope. a white newsman, bill plant, who covered the marches then and is with us today quipped that the growing number of white people lowered the quality of singing. to those that marched those gospel songs must have never sounded so sweet. in time their chorus would well up and reach president johnson.

and he would send them protection and speak to the nation echoing their call for america and the world to hear. we shall overcome. what enormous faith these men and women had! faith in god, but also faith in america america. the americans who crossed this bridge, they were not physically imposing but they gave courage to millions. they held no elected office but they led the nation. they marched as americans who had endured hundreds of years of brutal violence, countless daily indignities. but they didn't seek special treatment, just the equal

treatment. promised to them almost a century before. what they did hear will reverberate through the ages. not because the change they won was preordained. not because their victory was complete complete. but because they proved that non nonviolent change is possible. that love and hope can conquer hate hate. as we kphrepl rate their a-- commemorate their achievement we are well served to remember at the time of the marches many in power condemned rather than praised them. back then they were called communists or half breeds or outside agitators. sexual and moral degenerates and

worse. they were called everything but the name their parents gave them. their faith was questioned. their lives were threatened. their patriotism challenged. and yet what could be more american than what happened in this place? [applause] president obama: what could more profound profoundly vindicate the idea of america than plain and humble people unsung, the down trodden the dreamers not of high stations not born to wealth or privilege, not of one religious tradition but many coming together to shape their country's course. what greater expression of faith in the american experiment than this? what greater form of patriotism is there than the belief that america is not yet finished,

that we are strong enough to be self-critical and each successive generation can look upon our impression perfection -- imperfections and make it nation to more closely align with our highest ideals. that is why selma is not some outlier in the american experience. that is why it is not a museum or a static monument to behold from a distance. it is instead the manifestation of a creed written into our founding documents. we the paoepleople, in order to form a more perfect union we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. these are not just words. they are a living thing a call

to action, a road map for citizenship and an insistence in the capacity of free men and women to shape our own destiny. for founders like franklin and jeff for leaders like lincoln and f.d.r., the success of our experiment in self-governance rested on engaging all of our citizens in this work. and that is what we celebrate here in selma. that is what this movement was all about. one leg in our long journey toward freedom. american instinct that led the gunman and women to bid up the torch and cross this bridge, that is the same instinct that joe's revolution of her tyranny. the same instinct that led women to reach for the ballot, workers

to organize against an unjust this -- unjust status quo. the idea held by generations of citizens who believe that america is a constant work in progress, who believe that loving this country requires more than singing its praises or avoiding uncomfortable truths it requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo. that is america. [applause] that is what makes us unique. that is what cements our reputation as a beacon of opportunity. young people behind the iron curtain what is he selma and eventually tear down that wall. young people would hear bobby

kennedy talking about ripples of hope and eventually banish easterners of apartheid. young people in burma went to prison rather than submit to military rule. they saw what john lewis had done. this generation of young people can draw strength from this place where the powerless to change the world's greatest tower and -- power and push their leaders to expand the battery -- boundary of freedom. they saw that idea made real here in selma, alabama. they saw it manifest itself here in america. because of campaigns like this, the voting rights act was passed. political and economic and social barriers came down and the change in these men and women brought is visible here today in the presence of african

americans who run boardrooms, served in elected office from the congressional black caucus all the way to the oval office. [applause] because of what they did, the doors of opportunity's long open and not just for every american. women marched, latinos marched, asian-americans, gay americans, americans with disabilities, they all came through those doors. [applause] their endeavors gave the entire south the chance to rise against by transcending the past. what a glorious thing, dr. king might say. and what a solemn debt we o

we. which leads us to ask, how might we repay that debt? first and foremost, we have to recognize that one day of commemoration, no matter how special is nowt enough. if the selma taught us anything, it is that our work is never done. the american experiment in self-government gives purpose to each generation. selma teaches us that action requires that we shed our cynicism. when it comes to the pursuit of justice, we can afford neither complacency nor despair. just this week i was asked whether i thought whether the department of justices ferguson report shows with respect to race, little has changed in this

country. i understood the question. the report narrative was sadly familiar. it evoked the kind of abuse and disregard for citizens that its bond the civil rights movement -- that spawned the civil rights movement. but i reject the notion that nothing changed. this is no longer ascension by law or by custom and before the civil rights movement, it surely was. [applause] we do it is service to the cause of justice by intimating that bias and discrimination are immutable. that racial division is inherent in america. if you think nothing has changed in the past 50 years ask someone who lived through the selma or chicago or los angeles of the 1950's. asked the female ceo who once

might have been assigned to the secretarial pool if nothing has changed. as her gay friend of his is easier to be out in american now than it was 30 years ago. to deny this progress, this hard-won progress, our progress would be to rob us of our own agency, our capacity, our responsibility to do what we can to make america better. of course, mr mistake is these are just -- a more common mistake is the suggestion ferguson is an isolated incident that racism is banished, the work that drew men and women to selma is now complete and whatever racial tensions that remain are the consequences of those wanting to play the race card. we don't need the report to know that is not true. we just need to open our eyes and ears and hearts to know this

nations racial history still casts its long shadow upon us. we know the market is not yet over. we know the race is not yet won. we know reaching that destination requires admitting as much, facing up to the truth. we are capable of bearing a great burden. james baldwin once wrote. once we discover that the burden is reality and a live where reality is, there is nothing america cannot handle if we look squarely at the problem. this is work for all americans not just some. not just whites, not just blacks.

if we want to honor the courage of those who marched that day, all of us are called to possess a moral imagination. all of us need to feel the fierce urgency of now that change depends on our action our attitudes, the things we teach our children. if we make such an effort, no matter how hard it may sometimes seem, laws can be passed. consciences can be stirred. consensus can be built. with such an effort, we can make sure our criminal justice system serves all and not just some. we can raise the level of mutual trust that policing is built on, the idea that police officers are members of the community they risk their lives to protect it. citizens in ferguson, new york,

cleveland, just what the same thing and people here marched for 50 years ago, the protection of the law. [applause] together, we can address under sentencing and overcrowded prisons and the stunted circumstances that rob to many boys of the chance to become men and the nation of too many men who could be good dads and good workers and good neighbors. [applause] with effort, we can rollback poverty at the roadblocks to opportunity. americans don't accept a free ride for anybody. nor do we believe in equality of outcomes but we do expect equal opportunity and if we really mean it, if we're not just given lip service, but if we really mean it and are willing to sacrifice for it, we can make sure every child gets an education the double to this -- suitable to this new century. one that expands imagination and

gives children the skills they need. we can make sure every person willing to work as the dignity of a job and a fair wage and a real voice and sturdier rungs on the ladder to the middle class. and with effort, we can protect the foundation stone of our democracy for which so many marched across this bridge and that is the right to vote. [applause] right now, in 2015, 50 years after selma, there are laws across this country designed to make it harder for people to vote. as we speak, more such laws are being proposed. meanwhile, the voting rights act , the culmination of so much blood, so much sweat and tears, the project of so much sacrifice

in the face of want. the voting rights stance weekend. it is good your subject to political ranking. how can that be? the voting rights act was one of the crowning achievements of our democracy, the result of republican and democratic efforts. [applause] president reagan signed its renewal when he was in office. president george w. bush side its renewal, 100 members of congress have come here today to honor people who are willing to die for the right to protect it. if we want to honor this day, let that 100 go back to washington and gather 400 more and together, planned to make it their mission to restore that law this year. that is how we honor those on this bridge. [applause]

of course, our democracy is not the task of congress alone. or the courts alone. or even the president alone. if every new voter suppression law was struck down today, we would still have in america one of the lowest voting rate among free peoples. 50 years go, registering to vote here in selma and much of the south meant guessing the number of jellybeans in a jar, the number of bubbles on a bar of soap, risking or dignity and sometimes your life. what is our excuse today for not voting? how do we so casually discard the right for which so many thought? -- fought?

how do we give away our power, our voice in shaping america's future? why reported to someone else when we could take the time to go to the polling place? we give away our power. so much has changed in 50 years. we have endured war and we fashioned piece. -- peace. we have seen technological wonders. we take for granted conveniences that our parents could have scarcely imagined. but what has not changed is the imperative of citizenship. that willingness of a 26-year-old begin or unitarian minister or a mother of five to decide they love this country so

much that they would risk everything to realize its promise. that is what it means to love america. that is what it means to believe in america. that is what it means when we say america is exceptional. for we were born a change. we broke the old aristocracies declaring ourselves not by bloodlines but endowed by our creator with certain a new n unintelligible -- unalienable rights. that is why we argue and fight with so much passion and conviction. we know our efforts matter. america is what we make of it. look at our history. we are lewis and clarke. we are pioneers who braved them

familiar followed by a stampede of farmers and miners and entrepreneurs. that is our spirit. that is who we are. we are sojourner truth. women who could do as much as any man and then some. we're susan b anthony shut the system until the lot resulted that truth. that is our character. we are immigrants stone away on ships to reach these shores, the hubble masses -- huddled masses, holocaust survivors, the lost boys of sudan. we are the hopefuls drivers across -- strivers because we want our kids to have a better life. we of the slaves who built the white house and the economy of the south. the cowboys who opened up the

west, the countless laborers who laid rail and raised skyscrapers and organized for workers rights. we are the freshfaced gis who fought to liberate a continent and we are the tuskegee airmen and the japanese-americans who fought for this country even as their own liberty had been denied. we are the firefighters who rushed into the buildings on 9/11, the volunteers who signed up to fight in afghanistan and iraq. we are the gay americans whose blood ran in the streets of san francisco and new york just the way it ran down the stretch. we are storytellers, writers poets, artists who have bore unfairness and despise' and give voice to the voiceless. we as inventors of gospel and jazz and blues, bluegrass and

country and hip-hop and rock and role and our very own sound with all of the reckless joy of freedom. we are jackie robinson, enduring scorn and pitchers coming straight to his head and stealing home anyway. we are the people like stan hughes wrote of -- langston hughes wrote of. we are the people emerson wrote of whom for truth and honor's sake stand fast and suffer long nor never tired so long as we can see far enough. that is what america is. not stock photos or airbrushed history or feeble attempts to define some of us as more american than the others. [applause]

we respect the path but we don't pine for the past. we don't fear the future. we grab for it. america is not some fragile thing. we are large, containing multitudes. we are boisterous and diverse and full of energy, perpetually young in spirit. that is why someone like john lewis at 25 could lead a march. that is what the young people here today and listening all across the country must take away from this day. you are america. unconstrained by habit and convention, unencumbered by what is because you are ready to seize what ought to be. for everywhere in this country

there are first steps to be taken. there is new ground to cover. the armoire bridges to be crossed. -- are more bridges to be crossed. and it is you, the most diverse and dedicated generation in our history who the nation is waiting to follow. selma shows us that america is not the project of any one person. because the single most powerful word in our democracy is the word "we." "we the people." "weyesd we can." what a glorious task we are

given to continually tried to improve this great nation of ours. 50 years from bloody sunday from our march is not yet finished. but we are getting closer. 239 years after this nation's founding, it is not yet perfect but we are getting closer. our job is easier because somebody already got us through that first mile, someone already got us over that bridge. when the torch feels too heavy we will remember these early travelers and draw strength from their example and hold firmly to the words of the prophet isaiah -- those who hope in the lord will renew their strength, they will store on the wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be -- we are those who walk so we could run.

we must run us our children sore and we will not go where he or we believe in the power of an awesome god and we believe in this country's sacred process -- promise. blessed united states of america. thank you, everybody. [applause]

>> as we stand here, we are convinced of the eternal truth be planted in the minds and hearts of our and justice -- ancestors when they're reminded us you were able to take that which was meant for able and turn it to good. that you could take rugged -- we have come to do a little bit of patting each other on the back and patting ourselves on the back but to realize our congratulatory moment is on limit possible because we stand -- is only made possible because we stand on the shoulders of others. emission -- we want to shout to the top of our lungs that the mission as not been abandoned.

we come to confess our sins and failures in our personal and collective lives. we declare to the world we still have faith in you, in ourselves our system of government, the city of selma. become to pay our respects to those who have gone before us because we surely cannot pay the debt we owed to them will stop bless us now and help us to go forward in the spirit of those who stood here worked, bled, suffered here, but did not stop here. in the blessed name of our lord and savior and all that is holy, we pray. amen, amen, and amen. [applause]

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>> the selma to montgomery march through the attention of the world. march 7 became known as bloody sunday. 18 days later with armed protection of the u.s. army and alabama national guard provided on the orders of president johnson, protesters completed the four-day march from selma to the alabama state capital in montgomery.

next on american history tv three hours of abc news coverage from march 25, 1965, of the end of the march and rally in montgomery. this program includes news anchor commentary, musical performances, and speeches by civil rights leaders including ralph abernathy, john lewis rosa parks, and martin luther king, jr. >> at this particular time range from six to 12,000. the exact estimate will not be known until they reach the capital area as the program gets underway which is expected to be in the next hour. the marchers will get their first glimpse of the capital about half a mile away from our vantage point at the foot of dexter avenue. as they move from there for the capitol building, they will see the alabama state flag and flag of the confederacy flying

atop the capitol dome. the u.s. flag always flies alone on the capital. if there is a confrontation today, it will begin at the front door of the capitol building. at the moment, you see a line of alabama conservation employees immediately in front of the door and also state legislators are there. this door overlooks the speaker's platform where dr. martin luther king will make the keynote address following remarks by other civil rights leaders including roy wilkins james farmer, and john lloyd. when one stands at the front do of the capital, this is the view of dexter avenue one block down the street from this vantage point is the dexter avenue baptist church where dr. martin luther king was pastor 10 years ago. in the plot between the church and capitol building is the alabama public safety building. a heavy concentration of national guardsmen and military police are between the public safety building and capital.

immediately behind me in the capitol building extreme lower left side, is the office of governor george wallace. he is in there at this time. the marchers continue to stream toward the capitol. now expected to arrive in s&s 30 minutes. they are on mobile street. able turn on to montgomery and then dexter -- they will then turn on to montgomery and then dexter. the weather is overcast. we have had rain. none has fallen in the past 90 minutes. in front of the dexter baptist church, they are expected to join the line as they approached the capitol which you see from the base of dexter street at this time.

the security is primarily military. no state troopers are visible. some are inside of the capital. we will be back shortly with more coverage. this is murphy martin at the state capitol in montgomery, alabama. this is murphy martin at the l'enfant capitol, proceeding under heavy air cover as they have made the trip from selma to montgomery. helicopters and u.s. army overhead the marchers as they proceed to the capitol. on the steps, alabama conservation service men have taken up positions at the lower level of the capitol steps. at the top of the steps, alabama legislators are there. march is becoming visible to us for the first time just moving

on to dexter street, which is exactly one half-mile away from the state capitol. these marchers led by dr. martin was thinking come from many parts of the country and represent varied backgrounds. we will be back in a few moments. murphy martin, abc news, in montgomery. this is murphy martin on the steps of the state capitol in alabama. the freedom marchers are one block away from the historic building. leading the marches dr. martin luther king. overhead, air cover from the united states military services. it appears exactly four days to the minute from the time the marchers left selma, alabama sunday afternoon, they will arrive at the steps of the state capitol.

the front ranks of the marchers arriving at the state capital. dr. martin luther king peering over to the church he pastored just 10 years ago. as they are arriving, they are singing freedom songs, as they have through the days this march has traveled from selma to montgomery. it has taken them 90 minutes to make the trip. 90 minutes from saint jude's to the state capitol.

murphy martin: marchers approaching the state capitol. on the steps of the capitol building you see the alabama conservation service men blocking the interest -- entrance to the state capital. the speaker's platform is located in front of the conservation service men. the final touches put on that platform just moments ago. inside in his office is alabama governor george c. wallace. we visited with him last night. there are strong indications it in all alabama delegation leaves the group of marchers and proceeds to the capital with the

petition, he will see the delegation. he will probably tell them that when the demonstration is over, he will meet with them at any time after this student station is over to discuss grievances set forth in the petition. the marchers are holding up the press moving forward to get into position in their area immediately in front of the platform erected where numerous well-known civil rights leaders will be addressing the thousands in this march. among those, ralph bunch, james farmer, john lewis, and dr. martin luther king, and numerous other members of the southern christian leadership conference. on the steps of the capitol building, you have the state legislators who are now moving forth to gain better vantage points. in so doing for the moment, seem to block our vision.

the marchers are proceeding forward. as the air cover backs away just a bit. this is on dexter avenue in montgomery, alabama, live on this thursday, march 25, an historic day for civil rights, not only in the state of alabama, but throughout the united states. they are marching after a court order was issued by federal district judge frank johnson saying they should be allowed to make the 50 file -- 50-mile trip and do so with complete protection from the alabama authorities. it was governor wallace returned to president johnson and said he would like sufficient civil aid in carrying out this march. last saturday, president johnson federalized the alabama national guard and also called out about 1000 regular army troops, send

them to this particular section of alabama, and they have overseen this march from its inception last sunday, 12:45 p.m., selma time. many officials are in brightpoint jackets -- bright orange jackets to set forth there particular role in the march. dr. martin luther king along with ralph lunch leading the march. they had been singing for the most part singing the freedom songs that have become synonymous with the trip from selma to montgomery. all of the female employees in the capitol complex in montgomery have been given a holiday today, but all of the male employees are on the job as usual. however, the legislators are on the capitol steps at the present time. this is the view of the capital

from the marchers' vantage point as they look up atop the dome of the capitol, the city alabama state flag and the flag of the confederacy. the united states flag is flying on the south lawn as usual alone high atop a standard there. a number of plainclothes law enforcement officers, primarily u.s. marshals and f.b.i. men are in the area as they have been throughout this trip. the capitol steps with the alabama conservation service men 10 feet above the platform above the first level of the steps. the marchers are now passing the dexter avenue baptist church, the first contingent. if they reach that platform in six minutes, they will have made

the trip in exactly four days to the minute. it has taken them 90 minutes to come from st. jude's catholic complex where they overnighted to the capitol a distance of four miles. no one has yet come up with an exact estimate of the number involved in this march. certainly, it will be above 6000 or 8000, at least it would appear so at this time. as they reach the appointed area which is sealed off for two blocks down dexter avenue, they start to spread out capitalizing the entire plaza area, a distance of some 100 yards in with and extending for two blocks down dexter avenue. we were told last night by bill jones, governor george wallace's press secretary, that the same

pause area -- plaza area was filled by 35,000 people when george wallace was inaugurated here for a four-year term which he is now serving. the air force helicopters moving closer to the capitol area now. we do not have to tell you they are there. you can hear them. the marchers spreading out. as they reach the capital, they are still turning the corner. half-mile away off montgomery street from where this camera is located on to dexter avenue. united states flags are interspersed throughout the group. until they reached one block away from the capitol they were marching eight abreast.

there is dr. martin luther king at the head of the contingent. dr. ralph bunch also at the head of the contingent. dr. king took part in each mile of this march with the exception of tuesday. you missed that 11 miles -- he missed that 11 miles filling a speaking engagement in cleveland. the mass of humanity begins to fill the plaza area. as the windows in the capitol buildings in this area are raised and people are out -- peer out. to my right, 14 feet away, this act you of jefferson davis, the first president of the confederacy -- a statue of

jefferson davis, the first president of the confederacy. jets just assumed over the -- zoomed over the capitol. no one has yet mounted the speaker's platform, at least none of the speakers have mounted the platform. it would seem at the moment the marchers are holding up 50 feet away from the platform to allow photographers to snap pictures they have been waiting for for some time. and as the front ranks spill out over to the plaza area in front of the capitol proper on dexter avenue, turning the corridor -- corner on montgomery street, more marchers coming. we see signs in the group. atlanta students canada. we know hawaii is represented.

this says, "hawaii knows integration works," one sign. u.s. flags more in evidence now. apparently, these flags were being carried out of the side of onlookers, and suddenly they came into view. when the marchers first arrived, not many of -- not as many flags were in evidence. they are shoulder to shoulder. on the sidewalk on the capital side -- capitol side of the esplanade. one of the signs in the crowd merely says "canada two."

faces in the crowd. harry belafonte who along with some 50 other entertainers last night to entertain the marchers. sammy davis junior, peter, paul, mary, nina simone, allen king, james baldwin, shelly winters, they were all there along with many others. belafonte joined the march yesterday for a few miles picking up at the edge of montgomery and moving into saint jude's. this march to montgomery left selma at 12:45 last sunday. more than 4000 people stepped off the first eight miles of the junket. all of it on a four lane portion of u.s. highway 80.

on monday, about 1000 marchers began the day, but the numbers decreased to about 300 when they reached the two-lane portion of the highway. 16 miles covered on monday. tuesday during heavy rains, the marchers traveled 11 miles. yesterday, they concluded the march, reached the city of montgomery proper, covering 16 miles. this morning in 90 minutes, they covered the four miles from st. jude's to the capitol. live from montgomery alabama the now historic selma to montgomery freedom march. dr. martin luther king from time to time has refer to this as a small sized march on washington. harry belafonte conversing with the leaders of the march. that is the reverend andrew young, executive assistant to

dr. martin luther king, on the right. among those who will be heard from the speaker's platform this afternoon, dr. ralph abernathy of the southern christian leadership conference, who is a williams -- jose williams, the undersecretary of the united nations, dr. ralph bunch a. philip randolph, ray wilkins executive secretary of the national association for the advancement of colored people, james farmer, and john lewis chairman of the student nonviolent -- student nonviolent coordinating committee. dr. martin luther king, jr., head of the southern leadership

conference. consultations still proceeding immediately in front of the speaker's platform as the marchers continue to stream onto dexter avenue one half-mile away. turning off montgomery street. the trip from st. jude's to the capitol this morning primarily traveled through the heart of the negro district of montgomery and then into downtown proper. alabama conservation workers at the lower level of the steps here. a number of spectators above them. many of whom work inside the state capitol building. still on the move by the leaders to reach that speaker's platform . the marchers continue to stream in.

the platform actually is a truck trailer with a public address system mounted atop it. on the platform proper, there are 17 chairs on the platform proper. the helicopters seem to be pulling into the distance more at this time as the crowd moves into the plaza proper. inside the capitol is alabama governor george c. wallace. he is located about 100 yards away from the area which the speakers will occupy. there is a good chance that if

in all alabama delegation moves forward to the capital with a petition, the governor wallace will except this petition and tell those people the less accept this petition until those people he will be happy to discuss the issues with them anytime after this demonstration . but he has long since been on public record saying his door is always open to alabama residents, anyone in the state of alabama, who approaches the office in a desired manner. the skies were overcast when we arrived at the capitol this morning. as a matter fact, they still are overcast. we have had some intimation of rain. however, no showers have fallen in the past several hours. this program was originally scheduled to get underway at 11:30. however, it is now 10 minutes before 1:00, montgomery time,

and the program has not yet gotten underway. the program handed out by officials at the march slated to be a three-our program with the first hour devoted to entertainment. we have been told the first hour could be bypassed now and they would go directly to the presentation of the marchers by the reverend andrew young. faces in the crowd. among those in the crowd who made the entire trip, we mentioned one earlier, jim leatherer from saginaw, michigan, has only one leg and had considerable doubt as to whether the crutches he used would make the entire trip. but they made it. he says he thinks he lost about 12 pounds. a sign calling for peace, new haven connecticut, the court

chapter of new haven connecticut. also in the group is a roman catholic nun from kansas city with whom we spoke to along the route to. joe young, a blind man from atlanta. ray collins, head of the community shall relations service marched from selma to montgomery as did quite a few other prominent names in these united states. the entertainers joining in yesterday. dr. martin luther king's wife joins joined him monday noon. she, too marched alongside her husband. the trip was made without

incident. the fear of violence mentioned the same fear that perhaps was the direct cause of the national guardsmen being mobilized and sent here to oversee this march the fear went by the boards as no violence occurred. the speakers are now melting the platform. -- the speakers are now melting the platform. we see dr. abernathy, fred shuttlesworth. from the rear of the stage, they are mounting. roy wilkins of the naacp, executive director, no one the platform -- now on the platform. dr. king is coatless

wearing a white shirt without coat. he is almost directly in front of the podium, aiding others onto the platform. the reverend andrew young is there. a. philip randolph, dr. theodore gill who will give the invocation, is there. the march director, jose williams. from various cities in alabama welcome reports. the report from marion by albert turner. the report from selma by the

chairman of the dallas county voters league. suddenly, they realize they do not have enough chairs. other cures have been added. lucy whitney young -- we see whitney young on the stand. his name had been given to us as having a part in the program. he is there. they are still mounting the stage from the rear. dr. king greeting each of them as they arrive. typerustin helping to place additional chairs on the platform. james gorman, executive secretary of the student nonviolent coordinating committee, wearing overalls and

a tie, his normal dress when carrying out civil rights work. entertainers are now moving toward the center of the stage. peter, paul, and mary, the trio onstage, along with other entertainers. each of them taking their respective positions. as the marchers continue to turn the corner of half-mile away still streaming in off montgomery street onto dexter. the marchers continue to come. harry belafonte is on the stage now. he is at the rear of the stage.

the is not visible from those out front -- he is not visible from those out front. as we look above for security, we find still in the main it is military with the exception of the alabama conservation workers on the lower steps. from our vantage point, we do not see a single -- correction, we do see a couple of alabama state troopers. inside the governor's office, about an hour ago, were two military policeman. some state troopers are also inside the capitol. the steps are still being used by the legislators of alabama as vantage points. the entertainers are now moving up on the stage. the singing once again, the

freedom songs begin. >> may i have your attention? murphy martin: and now, dr. ralph abernathy. dr. ralph abernathy: may i have your attention? may i have your attention? at this time, at this time, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to make an introduction

. if you will remain quiet now, i would like to introduce to you mr. harry belafonte, the chairman of our entertainment committee, who will now give us a brief period of entertainment while the rest of the marchers make their way here. mr. belafonte. [applause] >> it is a great day. a great day. great day! there are millions on the way! we have a little group here, just a small portion of the group that was here last night.

the other artists had to get back to continue work. i think we are happily represented. let's jump in. >>[guitar playing] >> come go with me to that land come and go with me to that land come and go with me to that land come and go with me to that land come and go with me to that land where i am bound there ain't no kneeling in that land where i am bound

there ate no mourning in that land ain't no mourning in that land where i am bound there ain't no mourning in that land where i am bound there will be singing in that land there will be singing in that land there will be singing in that land where i am bound there will be singing in that land there will be singing in that land

there will be singing in that land where i am bound come and go with me to that land come and go with me to that land come and go with me to that land where i am bound come and go with me to that land come and go with me to the land come and go with me to that land where i am bound ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] [guitar playing]

[vocalizing] >> ♪ ♪ go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go let my people go

moses of the israelites let my people go go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go who is that yonder dressed in red? let my people go. might be the children moses had let my people go go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go

who is that yonder dressed in black? let my people go must be the hypocrite let my people go go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go who is that yonder dressed in red? let my people go

must be the people dr. king has laed let my people go go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain to let my people go ♪ ♪ [applause]

murphy martin: harry belafonte leading the entertainment a moment ago. having a word with dr. martin luther king,, who is immediately to the left as you see it on your screen, of the entertainers. seated with his wife. he is coatless, wearing a white shirt. this is a combined group actually. peter, paul, and mary, harry belafonte not performing as they usually do as individual acts. now back to the podium. >> ♪ how many times must

[indiscernible] ♪ the answer my friends is blowing in the wind the answer is blowing in the wind how many roads must a man walk down before his walk to the sea how many years can some people exist before they are allowed to be free? how many times can a man turned his head -- can a man turned his

head and pretend he just does not see? the answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind the answer is willing in the wind how many times must a man look up before you can see the sky? how many ears must one man have before you can hear people cry? how many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died? the answer my friend is blowing

in the wind the answer is blowin'in the wind ♪ ♪ [applause] murphy martin: as the entertainment continues on the podium we look down dexter avenue toward montgomery street and we see the marchers are still filing in this direction. we understand they almost reach still to saint jude, where the marchers stayed last night marching this direction eight abreast. with me is teded athenwald, who has been in the marcher area. what were your impressions? >> it is a very impressive site.

being an expert of estimating sizes of groups like this, i could not say how many there are. they are still coming all the way down, and they are still arriving. now back to the podium. >> ♪ hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah jordan river is deep and cold hallelujah but it warms the human soul hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore

hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah did you hear what jonah said? hallelujah when the world thought he was dead hallelujah i was taken me a ride hallelujah in that big old whale's inside hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah

michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah they nailed jesus to the cross hallelujah but his faith was never lost hallelujah christian soldiers off to war hallelujah hold that line hallelujah like joshua at jericho hallelujah alabama is next to go hallelujah mississippi, kneel and pray hallelujah

all the marchers on the way hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah michael, row the boat ashore hallelujah ♪ ♪ [applause] >> the reverend andrew young. [applause] murphy martin: that was harry belafonte turning the proceedings over to the reverend andrew young. >> rabbi maurice eisendraft,

please attempt to come to the podium immediately. friends, members of the alabama state legislature governor george wallace. [applause] i've come to present to you marchers from throughout the state of alabama from throughout the united states, and from throughout the world who have come to make their claim for a share in representation in the government of alabama. [cheers and applause] 300 young marchers, some very

rich, some very poor, most very poor. some very old, most very young. some officials in the government of the united states, in the peace corps others officials of state governments come as a silent but powerful revolutionary force to reshape the government of alabama and remove racism from its midst. [cheers and applause] this is a revolution that won't fire a shot. we won't break a window. we won't even curse anybody. we only come with the power of our souls and the presence of our bodies to love the -- out

of the state of alabama. [applause] our feet may be sore, our bodies may be aching, but we have come to say we want to vote now. [applause] we come to warn you that in a few years some of you will be in the cotton patch and some of us will be in the state house. [applause] and so, i would like to present the 300 marchers that walked the 50 miles from selma, alabama, to montgomery alabama. won't you stand? [cheers and applause]

and now, i would like to introduce one of the men who started this march to montgomery 10 years ago when he responded in faith and in nonviolence to an incident which occurred on a montgomery city bus. this minister has been in the number two position. but in the freedom movement, all positions are important. the number two position in many respects, the most important. there could be no moses without an aaron, so i would like to present to you the strong right arm of dr. martin luther king, the reverend ralph abernathy. [applause]

reverend ralph abernathy: i stand here at this moment and at this time with a mandate from the people of alabama to call to order the freedom fighters and the believers of justice in this assemblage through which we wish to make it crystal clear, to mr. george c. wallace the governor of the state of alabama that we want our freedom, and we want it now. [cheers and applause]

this is an historic spot, for it is the cradle of the confederacy. but not only is it the cradle of the confederacy, it is the cradle of freedom. for within the city, martin luther king led 50,000 feet walking the streets for 381 days until the sagging walls of segregation crumbled on the city buses. [applause] and so we are back here today to say to old man jim crow, you must go. [applause] we've come from as far away as

the west as the pacific, as far away on the east as the atlantic, as far away on the south as the gulf of mexico, as far away on the north as the snow-capped slopes of canada and there are delegations here from foreign countries. some of us are black, some are white, some a rich, some are poor, some are catholic, some are protestant, some are jews, some are agnostics, others are atheists, and nonbelievers, but we are all the children of god

and we are all determined to be free. [applause] we come because there is a sickness in this nation and because alabama is sick, and it is our hope today that we will perform an operation on the heart of alabama so that alabama, the state of injustice, may become the free state of alabama and all of god's children may stand up and enjoy the blessings of this land. [applause] let us now stand on our feet

and let us look towards the stars and the stripes, not the confederate flag, not the flag of a dead and never to be revived order, but the flag of the united states of america. [applause] mrs. christine king farris, the sister of martin luther king and mrs. martin luther king, the wife of our leader, will lead us in the singing of the national anthem.

>> ♪ o, say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we held 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

o, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] reverend abernathy: let us remain standing as that great, distinguished theologian, the president of the san francisco theological seminary and who walked from brown chapel ame church all the way to this spot,

the reverend dr. theodore gill will pronounce the invocation. [applause] dr. gill: may i pray first? for myself and my brothers on the steps behind us. and in the windows around us and the prayer is not mine. father in heaven, forgive us our trespasses. amen. and now for all of us, god of all nations, bless this nation. use to its strength and beauty the justice we walked for in these days, spread to the ends

of the earth the love we have lived in and lived on on the road, and bless to us all this occasion that we may be more adequate to every occasion for jesus' sake. amen. murphy martin: in montgomery governor wallace has just issue a message saying that he will not see any group of citizens until after the march has concluded and dispersed. when this is done, he will see any group of citizens from the state of alabama. at the speaker's platform, one of many civil rights speakers in montgomery this afternoon where more than 10,000 marchers have journeyed to the state capital. >> determined to fight for justice. and finally, my friends, if this

great march can force the government to force the state of alabama to let us march and assemble, we know we will not only get our civil rights but that alliance of forces will bring justice to all men in this nation black, white, protestant, catholic, jew and any other. i salute the people of alabama. for the poorest of us, for the most downtrodden of us has twisted the tail of everybody. and i will tell you, my friends, we know longer now need say we shall overcome. to stand here, we have overcome.

[applause] reverend abernathy: now that we have heard from the nation, let us hear from the state of alabama. somebody has said that the negro is satisfied in alabama. this i believe and this i know is a lie. [applause] a few nights ago, on this street of marion, alabama, after negroes had gone to jail by the hundreds, jimmy lee jackson was

murdered by a state trooper. let us now hear a word from marion, alabama. the community in which jimmy lee jackson lived. the report will be made by mr. albert turner of marion, alabama, from the heart of the black belt. [applause] mr. turner: ladies and gentlemen, we are not satisfied. i bring you greetings from the town of 4000 people, a town where there are 5000 negroes. 300 are voters.

a town where are 3000 white people. we are not satisfied. i look worst than anybody on this stage and it is because i walked further than anybody on this stage and it was to let the people of the world know that the people in marion, alabama, are not satisfied with what is going on there. i don't have but two minutes. so i'm going to have to get on with business. from 1954 to 1963, there were no negroes there. during that time, we had people with phd's. we also had people that -- in the system. we had a system where only one negro is allowed to take the test at one time.

in the run of a day, five negroes had an opportunity to take the test. none of them would pass. we also had system where -- they would hide day by day. so we cannot even find the red stars there. we also had a system where you had to have a voucher. if the voucher did not satisfy the red stars -- you didn't get ahead. they worked 2 to 3 hours a day. then they would close up and go home. they met in different places. we wrote about 325 letters to the federal government at one point in this state. trying to become registered voters. and then at this point we got

only 40 people registered. they came back to -- they had to wait their 60 day period. they were failed. people were fired for trying to become registered voters. people were failed because the fact that they demonstrated in marion. anybody who was demonstrating in a march was not allowed to vote. people who had police records also failed. they didn't have to be convicted criminals -- all they had to do was have a traffic ticket. the last two months, we had 1800 negroes go to court. 400 of these people were able to take the test. we got 3 of those people registered.

thank you. reverend abernathy: it is reported that down in selma, alabama, some months ago, when the negroes began to make their desires for freedom known, sheriff jim clark asked, "what does the negro want?" and the president of the dallas county voters league, the reverend james reese said, "what do you have?" whatever you had, that is what we want." [applause] let us hear now from the president of that great movement down in selma, alabama. the reverend james f. reese. [applause]

rev. reese: to mr. chairman and to all of our american friends it is my good pleasure to speak for selma. and to set the record straight the people in selma are not satisfied, either. for suddenly we have been victims of intimidation, brutality, harassment around the process of registering to vote. and during this process, as of august, 1964, only 335 negroes were registered out of 15,000 who were of voting age.

and out of 14,000 plus whites, who were of voting age, 9542 were registered. so, we are here today to make our witness known not only to the governor but to this nation that the people of selma in dallas county are determined to be free, they are determined to get the the right to vote in order to gain first-class citizenship. in this process, we find that the registrars in dallas county, also, only in session two days a month, five hours during these two days. and they take two hours for lunch. and we, as citizens of selma in

dallas county, have stood in line 500, 600 and more strong waiting from 9:00 until 4:00 waiting to be registered only to find out from the registrar, i'm sorry, the board is closed. come back two weeks later. so, yesterday, we let the world know that we are determined to get the ballot in selma in dallas county, and that we will accept nothing less. for how long can america stand idly by and see these acts of brutality, see the harassment and not make their witness known? thank you very much. [applause]

reverend abernathy: we will now have greetings from the director of this march. one of the most dedicated and the bravest men i have ever had the privilege of knowing, mr. jose williams. mr. williams: freedom fighters the determinants of tomorrow's world, the leader and other to -- distinguished guests, honestly i wanted these moments simply to pay tribute to those that truly made these few moments possible. i have the greatest admiration for those that marched 50 miles, but i think i have a little more admiration for those that tried to cross that bridge on march 7 just this side of selma, alabama.

[applause] and i want you to know that we are standing here this afternoon because of the blood that ran from the heads of hundreds of black and white citizens of america. i want you to know that we are standing here this afternoon because judge johnson decided to -- george wallace's -- [indiscernible] now, we have had a wonderful staff. i would just like to take time to mention their names. those that worked on the logistics committee for this march on montgomery. it was the most amazing thing i have ever been able to witnessed simply because we had an expert in almost every field. for instance, we had a young man named marty shields that was working with the student

nonviolent coordinating committee that furnished all of the speakers, and even took a private plane, and flew to new york city and several thousand dollars equipment he returned. it did not cost us one dime. [applause] then we have a wonderful man by the name of willie that was in charge of the letrines, the garbage and all of our drinking water. willie brought to us four years of experience in the united states army in defense of this country as a foot soldier. i would like to speak of a wonderful young fellow by the name of dave duncan. dave was in charge of medical care, housing, and screening of the 300 persons that would make the march. we were fortunate enough to have dave because of his background.

dave is from a family that is in the manufacturing business of clothing and shoes and camping equipment, etc. so dave was able to acquire for us tents, generators, and water bottles and sleeping bags and blankets that we probably would have never been able to get at almost half price. give dave a large hand. he's a kind of a bald headed white fellow. then we had ken murdoch. murdoch was able to put together 25 trucks. in several instances we used several buses and hundreds of cars to give us the type of support we needed from the trust -- from the transportation committee. a young man from canada handled

our finances. one of the most instrumental members of the committee was responsible for getting marty -- who saved us $10,000 on communications equipment. i would ask you to give them a hand when i'm finished, my assistant al lingo. he hails from texas and he is a member of the southern christian leadership conference. on behalf of all of the people that are participating and the thousands of americans and millions of people all over the world that is supporting this movement, i want to give the greatest appreciation and thanks to the person that serve who make it possible for you to travel from selma, alabama, to montgomery. i thank you.

2 reverend abernathy: now, my friends, it is raining. but we are going to stay right here in the rain. [cheering] let me hear from you. [loud cheers] and we are going to listen right here in the rain. we did not walk 50 miles for nothing. are you going to stay here? >> yes! >> are you going to listen? >> yes! >> let god send the rain and we are going to get the freedom. now we want to turn from our state leaders for just a moment and hear from our national leaders for a while. for we do have national leaders, and i want to present to you now the dean of all of the negro

leaders in the united states of america, that champion of human rights who called the first march, mr. a. phillip randolph? [applause] mr. randolph: brother chairman dr. king, great prophet and moral leader, this is the greatest demonstration for civil rights ever held in this land. neither black or white alabama will be the same when this day is done. it is a mandate that all of us should continue to march on to the land, the promised land of freedom. we shall overcome. [cheering]

we will now have remarks from one of the greatest leaders of all times who heads our oldest civil rights organization, mr. roy wilkins. an articulate spokesman, the distinguished executive secretary of the national association for the advancement of colored people. give him a big hand. [applause] mr. wilkins: thank you, ralph abernathy. i am proud today. i do not have to tell you what you have done today. you know it. no need wasting time on that.

you have shaken them up from the gulf of mexico to canada. they are still shivering. but i am proud to bring greetings today from martin luther king, the intrepid leader of this march and the moral leader of all of us back to the path of righteousness and to congratulate him and all those who worked with him. i am proud to speak for the members of the naacp who are here today from all corners of our country, as ralph abernathy says, let me hear from you. [cheering]

and especially from the bullock county alabama branch, which is my branch to which i belong. bullock county, hold up your signs. there they are. there they are. bullock county, alabama. you know, last week a clerk here in one of the montgomery stores was quoted as saying "what do the negroes want now?" well, lady, they want what burt williams used to say "everything from the skin out and from an overcoat in." [cheers and applause] they want just what other americans want. this historic march is one more

evidence that in this first emancipation century we have been busy building a house, a house not made with hands, a house for our spirits once bowed down but now tall and free, a house impervious to epithets, to sticks and stones and even to bullets, a house that turns away ridicule, one where hatred cannot penetrate, a house of love and peace, but of justice one big enough and warm enough for us and ours and also for all of them on the other side,

whenever they are ready to answer. -- to enter. for however great may be the intentions, they on the other side, they belong to us. and we to them. all of us together make up this great nation, which we and they love and which we and they have died to defend. this is a new house, and we are a new people. difficult days may lie ahead, my friends, but none like the days of the dark yesterday. no advice can anticipate every development we may meet down the road, but i invite you to use

with me a favorite guide and inspiration that i have held through the years from the book of leviticus 26:13. and i quote -- "i am the lord your god. which brought you out of the land of egypt that ye should not be their bondsmen. and i have broken the bands of your yoke and made you go upright." may god bless you as you go henceforth upright, bondmen in body or spirit to no man. thank you. [applause]

reverend abernathy: thank you. we now return to the leaders of the state of alabama. but before we do that, i want to speak to the press now. i want to address these remarks to the men of the television and to the men of radio and to the men of newspapers and magazines and journals and other periodicals. well, the segregationist has given you a pretty tough time, also. you have made many of you this journey with us all the way from selma. and you have reported the facts. and i want you to know i serve notice on you today that i don't

want anything but the facts today. i have employed a special person to give me the estimate and the count of the people that are here today. [applause] now you can't see them because you are all fenced in. and the count is that we have here today more than 50,000 -- [applause] now, you believe me. and you go ahead and quote me on it. thank you very kindly. now we are back to the leaders of the state of alabama, that magnificent leader from tuscaloosa where the university of alabama is located, the

reverend t.y. rodgers. [applause] rev. rogers: to my leader, dr. martin luther king, jr., to my fellow freedom fighters from all over the world, to my governor who stood in the door of the schoolhouse at the university of alabama, tuscaloosa, alabama, is in montgomery today and we are here to stand in the door of the alabama state capital. [cheers] we are here today because we are not satisfied in tuscaloosa. we want the governor of our state to know that there are

black folks in alabama who are tired of the foot of oppression on their necks. we want the governor of our state to know that police even in tuscaloosa is not yet extinct. we want the governor of our state to know that we have not forgotten -- the struggles of our forefathers, that we shall walk not only from selma to montgomery, but from every village to the state capital until every black man has thrown off the shackles of segregation and discrimination. [applause] there is a man here today who met a bull on the streets of

birmingham, alabama. and he had an encounter with him. and when he got through, he had changed this man from a bull into a steer. i present to you now, that great champion of human rights freddie lee shuttlesworth. [applause] mr. shuttlesworth: thank you. dr. abernathy and my leader dr. king. distinguished guests. i just have one or two things to

say. one of them is i'm sorry for that, i'm not close enough to the capital. i think the spot where judge davis stood is up there, and that is where i wanted to get today, but maybe dr. king want to get that spot next time. so we will save that until the next time. the next thing he has been bothering me is i do not know whether lbj will get on wallace, i don't see any american flags flying on the state capital building. [cheering] i believe, and this is about the only state capital that is flying the american flag. i see that alabama flag. i salute that. but the other thing that got under that, they are to put that thing --

we thought we were through with that 100 years ago. we have come here today after treading a rough and rocky pathway of abuse and misuse, of trial and jubilation, of horrible acts perpetrated by society who jailed men, women and children. a society which allows billy clubs of its officers and tear gas to stop legitimate marchers towards freedom. but we are here just the same. and i think bull carter intended to give george some advice that -- but it did not get to him before the march at selma. you see, we sent bull on birmingham -- because he sure would've told him, george, you

cannot stop them from marching. for god's sake let them march! and i believe, this is a nonviolent movement and a nonviolent movement you have to be nice, even to your enemy. and i have to say something good that i believe governor wallace is thinking, you know what i think wallace is thinking -- my god, i'm sorry i did not let them come across the bridge. now i am supposed to bring greetings from birmingham, alabama. and birmingham is a magic city. there like here a climate of oppression rains on one hand and will neglect of its negroes innocence on the other. if the mobs don't stop negroes the police will. if the police miss you, the courts are bound to get you. these are the hectic days of bull. mr. carter who us to set down -- used to set down the law.

i'm the law. he brought that down to brother george. because george is trying to use it now. but now, since we have turned mr. conner out, we got a mayor that is not quite a bull -- he thinks that you can substitute tears for positive action. his philosophy now seems to be don't act bad like you used to act, but do not go in any further than you have to go. and don't do anymore then you must do. and because he is crying, the klansmen are using more dynamite now than they used to use. we are going to have to start demonstrating like hell in birmingham, alabama. [cheers and applause] now, the voter registrations

have not become quite christian, either. i can't take time to quote the statistics. the voter registration policy is now -- let many come but let few pass. they still use a test which a california lawyer cannot pass. they still ask petty, still use petty criminal offenses. you have had a few lottery tickets, you are a convict. you had too many driver's offenses when demonstrations were going on, you still cannot qualify. in other words, if you have been around a jail too much, you cannot have good character. still too many received letters "you did not pass." no reason why. still questions asking about women when they go down there. "how long have you been married and how old is your first child?" in other words, be sure you are not pregnant when you got married.

and if by chance you are single and divorced, be sure to carry your divorce papers. this is still taxation without representation. we think people ought to vote. i am not responsible for what my mother did, what she did before i got here. i am a citizen, and all persons the constitution said born or naturalized are citizens of these united states. those states who make any law -- i'm glad to be here today to join in with dr. king, and all of the great negroes in this area to rise up and stand up despite that bloodied head and bruised body. i'm glad to be

here. brother wallace, we are here today. if you do not hurry up and act right, we will be back. now in 1964, we had a great campaign slogan. all the way with lbj. i think it's time for us keep on wagging until lbj goes all the way with us in alabama. we want to get inside the capital. we want to get some jobs. we are tired of negroes carrying papers that someone else votes -- wrote on. we want some jobs. and we are not going to be satisfied until we get them! [cheers and applause] reverend abernathy: thank you, dr. shuttlesworth. and now we will have the

response of the movement. by that great tactician, the great strategist, that great nonviolent leader who came out of the wilderness of mississippi to the swamp of alabama. reverend james beville. rev. beville: god bless you. thank you very much. i'm kind of tired. we walked all the way from selma. and we've been in a fight over there for eight weeks before we started walking. now we need to talk about what do we do when we get off the march. it is a great thing to

celebrate, and negroes are great folks to celebrate. we celebrate everything. but we don't want to get riled up celebrating something that has never happened yet. we came here to tell mr. wallace a few things and to tell the nation some things and to tell ourselves some things. in the state of alabama, 34% of the citizens are black. yet no black citizen serves in any responsible position in any place in the state government. that is an indictment of the intelligence of the leaders of alabama for not raising the issue that men must participate in the government. if the right to participate was good for george washington back

in 1775, it must be good for negro people in 1965. and most of the counties, except one county, the negroes are not serving in any elected capacity. in all the large cities in the state of alabama and in most of the black counties, negroes are not serving in any elected capacity. they have been robbed of all political participation. we are here to tell mr. wallace and mr. johnson, we know the state government, the federal government was apart in disenfranchising negro people and we are not going to tolerate disenfranchising -- we want to know that and understand that. all the negroes of alabama must know and feel that not only must cheer people in selma for marching but we must much until every -- march until every negro is registered in alabama. [applause]

mr. wallace thinks we are going home. he thinks it is all over. we want him to understand that if we come back, we plan to come back. we do not plan to go home after two hours. mr. wallace -- he's part of the whole political system that is disenfranchising negro people. and that system must be broken. two years ago we were in birmingham, alabama, where four girls were killed in a church. and there were killed not by rabble-rousers but they were killed by the local government because they were irresponsible to negro citizens. most of the murders perpetrated against negro people in alabama is perpetrated by the state government of alabama, state county, and city. [applause] and the only way we can correct that is not by cursing out

wallace but by electing officials who would respect the sacredness of all citizens. we cannot do that by making kind remarks. we have to do that by getting back in our counties and make sure our movements are on the road. we have thousands of negroes that must be put on the books. thousands of negroes that have not heard of freedom movement is going on in alabama. we have thousands of people who do not even know about the march on montgomery. we have a lot of work to do. we have a lot of work to do in the counties. and we plan to be back into the counties, marching negroes on the courthouses in every county. and if mr. wallace does not plan to comply with the bill passing congress, we will be back to see mr. wallace. i do not think he is going to comply because in 1854 the

supreme court of the united states said school segregation was immoral and wrong and mr. wallace in alabama has not complied yet. i suspect mr. wallace can get ready for september because we plan to march on schools in september in alabama. and i suspect that there are going to be a lot more demonstrations in alabama. until the negro people can fully participate in the government. and i want you to know, i'm not interested in standing out here in the rain. i'm interesting in being a state senator from alabama. i'm not interested in protesting on the steps. i see the policeman standing there to keep us out, that they know we have seats inside. many of the seats in that capital belong to negro people of alabama. we want those seats. and we are going to keep on demonstrating until we get our

seats. we do not want the steps. we want the capital. [cheers] [applause] reverend abernathy: thank you, reverend beville. the eyes of the world are upon us and upon alabama. let us hear now from a man who can tell us how it looks, the winner of the nobel peace prize, champion of human rights under secretary of the united nations, dr. ralph bunch. [applause] dr. bunch: fellow americans,

courageous americans, americans who have the guts to take a stand on the greatest moral issue in the history of this nation, not much i can say except by god, we're here. little more need be said because there are no words that could ever hope to be as eloquent as this magnificent historic march itself has been. and this has been made possible by the superlative leadership of dr. king and his able associates. when i was walking along with dr. king, i said to him, that this must be his greatest triumph. in light of all of the obstacles he had to overcome.

and he admitted that it was. and incidentally i should say to you what you must already know he's not only a great leader, dr. king, but he is also quite a walker. he walks with such ease, real cool-like, that i got the impression that maybe he was getting a little help from the lord. but i was very sure that the lord was not helping my legs. governor wallace and some others in these parts denounce many of us who are here, and that includes me, as being outsiders, meddlers, and i stoutly deny this. i'm here and i wish governor wallace to know it, because i

belong here. [applause] i'm here because as an american, an american with a conscience, with a sense of justice and decency and with a deep concern for all americans and the problems all over this country my conscience and my mind tell me that this is where i must be. i came here to identify, to identify with the just cause of the right of every negro in alabama -- not to as governor wallace said not long ago, who was qualified -- the most

sadistic statements that has been made -- but every negro that earnestly wishes to vote must have that right. as our president himself has said, every american should identify with that cause. i say to governor wallace, no american can ever be an outsider anywhere in this nation. and governor -- [applause] all of these people out here all of these people who have come in this great phalanx are very great americans, black and white, they are the greatest americans. why? because they speak to bring unity, to bring maximum strength to this country.

to the end that the united states of america may become as it can become, white and black together, the greatest society not of contemporary times but of the whole history of society. unless the governor has forgotten it -- and when i look up at the top of the capital building it appears that he and others have forgotten it -- alabama lost its attempt to lead -- leave this union. [laughter] [applause] that flag should have been down 100 years ago. [applause] and i may say that i feel discomfort. i feel a little traitorous to my country standing here under the shadow of that flag. [applause] if governor wallace or anyone

else doubted that two southern crosses have been forever lost the cause of the confederacy and inhuman, unamerican attempt to keep negro citizens suppress and oppressed, all doubts about that had to be dissipated this morning when we marched singing "we shall overcome." now, what we are doing here is an all-american attack on an all-american problem. in the united nations, we have known from the beginning that secure foundations for peace in the world can be built only upon the principles and practices of

equal rights and equal status for all peoples respect and dignity for all men wherever they are, whatever their color or race or religion or culture. the world is overwhelmingly with us in this struggle, in this cause of that you may be assured. when i went back to new york last monday and encountered delegates to the united nations individually and in meetings everywhere, the ritual was the same. first and foremost, they wanted to know every detail about what was going on down here. this took precedence over all u.n. business. in conclusion, may i say that it was unfortunate in my view that this nonviolent, peaceable march

had to be protected by the federal government. but since that was the case, since the government of the state was in default, then it was an expression of the firm determination of the national government to protect the human rights of all of its citizens that led to the -- the federalization of the alabama national guard and the protection that was given. but i would like to give one word of advice to my national government. if they ever have to undertake this sort of responsibility again, the next time when they federalize a state national guard, i hope they will make sure that members of that guard are not wearing confederate

flags on their jackets. [applause] well, there's a great old song saying, "there'll be some changes made." well, our presence here today in this vast multitude testifies that some changes have been made in alabama and testifies that a whole lot more changes important and radical changes, are going to be made and very quickly. [applause] i -- i salute every one of you for expressing by your presence here, the finest in the american tradition. you are in truth the modern day version of minutemen, minutemen of the american conscience.

you have written a great new chapter in the heroic history of american freedom. thank you. [applause] reverend abernathy: thank you, dr. bunch. now i must insist that all of our speakers will cut their remarks. please cut them in half. and i present now -- the executive secretary of the student nonviolent coordinating committee, mr. jim foreman. [applause] mr. foreman will take one minute to make a presentation. mr. foreman: thank you. i will try to keep it less than a minute. what i want to say basically is that in 1901, the state government of alabama became a

totalitarian government. one of the ways you maintain that is to keep a police force. i want to address my remarks to the police situation in montgomery because today there are 65 students in jail who have been on a hunger strike since last thursday. 75 more students on a hunger strike got out yesterday extremely famished and physically unable to continue the hunger strike. so as we hear the presentation and as we make this witness, let us not forget those people and let us also remember that two weeks ago yesterday, some 350 students from tuskegee, alabama, and alabama state made a witness until 1:30 in the morning the men standing on the state

capital, love them rode -- some of them rode horses and beat down people from alabama state and tuskegee because they were trying to maintain a totalitarian government and you do that through the police force. the question of police brutality is that something that this nation must contend with. there is one man in the united states who must address himself to that problem and that is the president of the united states. thank you. >> we will now have mrs. amelia bowington to read to you a petition. mrs. bowington from selma, alabama. [applause]