we have more about the life of hubert humphrey coming up shortly. up next, his 1968 democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech. we have video footage of the 1968 presidential campaign. american history tv airs on cspan3 every weekend telling the american story through events, interviews and visits to historic locations. this month, american history tv is in prime time to introduce you to programs you could see every weekend on cspan3. our features include lectures in history. to hear lectures by top history professors. american artifacts takes a look at the treasures. real america, revealing the 20th century. the civil war, where you hear

about the people who shaped the civil war and reconstruction. and the presidency focuses on u.s. presidents and first ladies to learn about their politics, policies and legacies. all this month and every weekend on american history tv on cspan3. road to the white house rewind continues with hubert humphrey accepting his party's presidential nomination at the 1968 democratic con vepgs in chicago. the primary season was a turbulent one for the democrats with president lyndon johnson dropping out of the race and senator kennedy's assassination. anti-vietnam war protestors clashed with police and the national guard. vice president humphrey lost to republican richard nixon in a close general election with less than 1% of the popular vote separating the two. independent candidate george wallace finished third in the

race. this portion of the speech is just under 40 minutes. our coverage is from nbc news. mr. chairman, mr. chairman, my fellow americans, my fellow democrats, i producedly accept the nomination of our party. [ cheers and applause ]

>> this moment -- this moment is one of personal pride and gratification. yet one cannot help but reflect the deep sadness that we feel over the troubles and the violence which have erupted regrettably and tragically in the streets of this great city and for the personal injuries which have occurred. su surely we have now learned the lesson that violence breeds

counter violence and it cannot be condoned whatever the source. i know that every delegate to this convention shares tonight my sorrow and my distress over these incidents, and may we for just one moment in sober reflection and serious purpose, may we just quietly and silently each in our own way pray for our country and may we just share

for a moment a few of those immortal words of the prayer of st. francis of assisi, words which i think may help heal the wounds, ease the pain, and lift our hearts. listen to this immortal saint. where there is hatred, let me so love. where there is injury, pardon. where there is doubt, faith. where there is despair, hope. where there is darkness, light.

those are the words of a saint. and may those of us of less purity listen to them well and may america tonight resolve that never, never again shall we see what we have seen. [ applause ] >> yes, i accept your nomination in this spirit that i have spoken knowing that the months

and the years ahead will severely test our america. and might i say that as this america is tested that once again we give our testament to america and i do not think it is sen se sentimental nor is it cheap, but i think it's true that each and every one of us in our own way should once again reaffirm to ourselves and our posterity that we love this nation, we love america. [ applause ] but take heart, my fellow americans, this is not the first

time that our nation has faced a challenge to its life and its purpose. and each time that we've had to face these challenges, we have emerged with new greatness and with new strength. we must make this moment of crisis. we must make it a moment of creation. as it has been said in the worst of times, a great people must do the best of things and let us do it. we stand at such a moment now in the affairs of this nation

because, my fellow americans, something new, something different has happened. there is an end of an era and there is the beginning of a new day. [ applause ] and it isn't special genius of the democratic party that it welcomes change, not as an enemy but as an ally. not as a force to be suppressed, but as an instrument of progress to be encouraged. this week, our party has debated the great issues before america in this very hall. had we not raised these issues, troublesome as they were, we would have ignored the reality

of change. had we just papered over the differences between us with empty platitudes instead of frank, hard debate, we would deserve the contempt of our fellow citizens and the condemnation of history. yes, we dared to speak out, and we have heard hard and sometimes bitter debate. but i submit that this is the debate and this is the work of a free people. the work of an open convention and the work of a political party responsive to the needs of this nation.

democracy affords debate, discussion and dissent. but my fellow americans, it also requires decision. and we have decided here not my force, but my ballot. majority rule has prevailed, but minority rights are preserved. [ applause ] there is always the temptation, always the temptation to leave the scene of battle in anger and despair, but those who know the true meaning of democracy accept the decision of today but never

relinquishing their right to change it tomorrow. [ applause ] in the space about a week, this convention has literally laid the foundations of a new democratic party structure in america from precinct level to the floor of this convention, we have revolutionized our rules and our procedures. and that revolution is in the proud tradition of our party. it is in the tradition of franklin roosevelt who knew that america had nothing to fear but fear itself. and it is in the tradition of

that one and only harry truman who let them have it and told it like it was. [ applause ] and that's the way we're going to do it from here on out. and it is in the tradition of that beloved man, stevenson who talked sense to the american people. and, oh, tonight, how we miss

this great, good, and gentleman of peace in america. and my fellow americans, all that we do and all that we ever hope to do must be in the tradition of john f. kennedy who said to us -- who said to us ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country. [ cheers and applause ]

>> and my fellow democrats and fellow americans, in that spirit of that great man, let us ask what together we can do for the freedom of man. and what we are doing is in the tradition of lyndon b. johnson who rallied a grief stricken nati nation. [ cheers and applause ]

>> who rallied a grief stricken nation when our leader was stricken by the assassin's bullet and said to you and said to me and said to all the world, let us continue. and in the space -- and in the space of five years since that tragic moment, president johnson has accomplished more of the unfinished business of america than any of his modern predecessors. and i truly believe that history will surely record the greatness

of his contribution to the people of this land and tonight to you, mr. president, i say thank you, thank you mr. president. ♪ ♪ >> yes, my fellow democrats, we

have recognized and indeed we must recognize the end of an era and the beginning of a new day. and that new day -- and that new day belongs to the people, to all the people everywhere in this land of the people, to every man, woman, and child that is a citizen of this republic. and within that new day lies nothing less than the promise seen a generation ago by that poet thomas wolf, to every man his chance, to every man regardless of his birth his shining golden opportunity, to every man, the right to live and to work and to be himself, and

to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him. this is the promise of america. [ applause ] yes, the new day is here across america, throughout the entire world the forces of emancipation are at work. we hear freedom's rising chorus. let me live my own life, let me live in peace, let me be free say the people. and that cry is heard today in our slums, on our farms and in our cities. it is heard from the old as well as from the young. it is heard in eastern europe

and it is heard in vietnam. and it will be answered by us in how we face the three realities that confront this nation. the first reality is the necessity for peace in vietnam and in the world. [ cheers and applause ] the second reality -- the second reality is the necessity for peace and justice in our cities and in our nation. and the third reality is the

paramount necessity for unity, unity in our country. let me speak first then about vietnam. there are differences, of course, serious differences within our party on this vexing and painful issue of vietnam. and these differences are found even within the ranks of all the democratic presidential candidates. but might i say to my fellow americans that once you have examined the differences, i hope you will also recognize the much larger areas of agreement.

let those who believe that our cause in vietnam has been right or those who believe that it has been wrong agree here and now, agree here and now that neither vindication nor repudiation will bring peace or be worthy of this country. [ applause ] the question is not the yesterd yesterdays, but the question is, what do we do now. no one knows what the situation in vietnam will be when the next president of the united states takes that oath of office on january 20th, 1969.

but every heart in america prays that by then we shall have reached a cease-fire in all vietnam and be in serious negotiation towards a durable peace. meanwhile, as a citizen, a candidate, and vice president, i pledge to you and to my fellow americans that i shall do everything within my power, within the limits of my capacity and ability to aid the negotiations and to bring a prompt end to this war. not all of our lives in

uncertainty and challenge and peril. the words of a prophet, yes. the words of a president, yes. the words of the challenge of today, yes. and the words of john kennedy to you and to me and to posterity. last week, we witness once again in czechoslovakia, the desperate attempt of tyranny to crush out the forces of liberalism by force and brutal power, to hold back change. but in eastern europe as elsewhere, the old era will surely end and there as here a new day will dawn.

and to speed this day, we must go far beyond where we've been, beyond containment to communication, beyond the emphasis of differences to dialogue, beyond fear to hope. we must cross those remaining barriers of suspicion and despair. we must halt the arms race before it halts humanity. [ applause ] and is this -- is this a vain hope? is it put a dream? i say the record says no. within the last few years we have made progress. we have negotiated a nuclear test ban treaty. we have laid the groundwork for

nuclear nonproliferation treaty. we have reached agreement on banning weapons in outer space. we have been building patiently stone by stone each in our own way the cathedral of peace. and now we must take new initiatives. new initiatives with prudence and caution, but with perseverance. we must find the way and the means to control and reduce offensive and defensive nuclear missile systems. the world cannot indefinitely hope to avoid nuclear war which one rash act, one error in judgment, one failure in communications could unleash upon all humanity and destroy all of mankind.

but the search for peace is not for the timid or the weak. it must come from a nation of high purpose, firm, without being belligerent, resolute without being bellicose, strong without being arrogant. and that's the kind of an america that will help build the peace of this world. [ applause ] but the task of slowing down the arms race, of halting the nuclear escalation, there is no more urgent task than ending this threat to the very survival of our planet.

and if i am elected as your president, i commit myself body, mind, and soul to this task. now our second reality is the necessity for peace at home. there is, my friends, let's see it as it is, there is trouble in america. but it does not come from a lack of faith. but it comes from the kindling of hope. when the homeless can find a home, they do not give up the search for a better home. when the hopeless find hope, they seek higher hopes. and in 1960 and again in 1964, you the american people gave us a mandate to awaken america to its unmet needs.

you asked us to get america moving again, and we have. and america is on the move. and we have -- we have awakened expectations. we have aroused new voices and new voices that must and will be heard. we have inspired new hope in millions of men and women and they are inpatient and rightly so. inpatient now to see their hopes and their aspirations fulfilled. we have raised a new standard of life in our america. not just for the poor, but for every american, wage earner, businessman, farmer, school child and housewife. a standard by which the future progress must be judged. our most urgent challenge is in urban america where most of our people live.

some 70% of our people live on 2% of our land. within 25 years, 100 million more will join our national family. i ask you tonight, where shall they live? how shall they live? what shall be their future? we are going to decide in the next four years those questions. the next president of the united states will establish policies not only for this generation but for children yet unborn. our task is tremendous and i need your help. [ applause ] the simple solution of the frustrated and the frightened to our complex urban problems is to lash out against society. but we know and they must know that this is no answer.

violence breeds more violence. disorder destroys. and only in order can we build. riot makes for ruin. reason makes for solution. nor can there be any compromise with the right of every american who is anxious and willing to learn to have a good education. and it is to these rights, the rights of law and order, the rights of life, the rights of liberty, the right to the job, the right of a home and a decent neighborhood, and the right of an education, it is to these rights that i pledge my life and whatever capacity and ability i have. [ applause ]

but we cannot be satisfied with merely repairing that which is old. we must also move beyond the enclosures of our traditional cities to create new cities, to restore our present cities, yes, and we must bring prosperity and modern living and opportunity to our rural america. opening new opportunities for america in open land. i say to this audience, we have invested billions to explore outer space where man may live tomorrow. we must also be willing to invest to develop inner space right here on earth where man

may live today. [ applause ] and now that third reality. essential if the other two are to be achieved, is the necessity, my fellow americans, for unity in our country, for tolerance, for holding together as a family. and we must make a great decision. are we to be one nation or are we to be a nation divided, divided between black and white, between rich and poor, between north and south, between young and old? i take my stand. we are and we must be one nation united by liberty and justice for all. one nation under god, indivisible with liberty and

justice for all. this is our america. [ applause ] there can be no compromise on securing of human rights. if america is to make a crucial judgment of leadership in this coming election, then let that selection be made without either candidate hedging or equivoca equivocating. winning the presidency for me is not worth the price of silence or evasion on the issue of human rights. [ applause ] and winning the presidency, and

listen well, winning the presidency is not worth a compact with extremism. [ applause ] i choose not simply to run for president. i seek to lead a great nation. and either we achieve true justice in our land or we shall doom ourselves to a terrible exhaustion of body and spirit. i base my entire candidacy on the belief which comes from the very depths of my soul, which comes from basic religious

conviction that the american people will stand up, that they will stand up for justice and fair play, and that they will respond to the call of one citizenship, one citizenship open to all for all americans. the american presidency, the american presidency is a great and powerful office. but it is not all powerful. it depends most of all upon the will and the faith and the dedication and the wisdom of the american people. [ applause ] and i know as you know there is an essential strength in the american people. and tonight, i call you, i call

you, the american people, not to be of one mind, but to be of one spirit. i call you, the american people, not to a life of false security, false promises and ease, but to a new sense of purpose, a new dedication, and a new commitment. remember that those who founded this republic said that in order to secure these rights of life, liberties and the pursuit of happiness, they pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. i submit by fellow americans, we dare do no less in our time if this republic is to survive. [ applause ] so i call you forth, i call forth that basic goodness that

is there. i call you to risk the hard path of greatness. and i say to america, put aside recrimination and descension. turn away from violence and hatred. believe, believe in what america can do, and believe in what america can be. and with the help of that vast unfrightened dedicated faithful majority of americans, i say to this great convention tonight and to this great nation of ours, i am ready to lead our country. [ applause ] ♪

american history tv in prime time continues tonight with a look at the life and legacy of 1968 presidential candidate h e hubert humphrey. that's followed by hubert humphrey's 1968 democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech. later, road to the white house rewind of the 1968 presidential campaign. road to the white house rewind brings you arrest kai value coverage of presidential races. up next, a u.s. information agency film on the 1968 campaign titled a private decision. it chronicles the race from the first primaries in new hampshire to the surprise withdrawal of president lyndon