minneapolis at lakewood cemetery, his tombstone has this on it. "i have enjoyed my life, i have loved my country in a way that some people considered sentimental and out of style, i still do, i remain optimist and with joy." that's hubert humphrey's gravestone. >> we are going to show you a bit of a video from that very unusual sessions in the house of representatives chambers. he was invited back to a tribute and a celebration of his long political and legislative career. thanks for being with us. [ applause ]

>> we ask you here so we can tell you that we love you. [ applause ] >> knowing full well of what i am about to do, i yield as much time as he wishes to consume to the senator of minnesota. [ applause ] >> i know where i am standing. i am standing where the president of the united states gives the state of the union address. my goodness, how i want that opportunity. [ applause ]

we have more about the life of hubert humphrey coming you shortly. up next is the 1968 democratic nomination acceptance speech about 40 minutes featured a archival footage of the presidential campaign of the 1968. american history tv airs on c-span 3 every weekend of interviews and visits to historic locations. this month, american history tv in primetime to introduce you programs that you can see every weekend. our features including visits to college classrooms across the country and american history artifacts. real america revealing the 20th

century. to learn about their politics, policies and legacies, all this month in primetime and every weekend on american history tv on c-span 3. road to the white house rewind continues with hubert humphrey at the 1968 democratic convention in chicago. it was a turbulent for the democrats with president lyndon johnson dropping out of the race and senator robert kennedy's assassination. demonstration outside the convention hall over shadows the proceedings as protesters and anti-vietnam war. >> humphrey lost to republican nixon and of the general election of less than 1% of the popular vote separating the two. 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 america americans, my democrats, i proudly accept the nomination of our party. [ applause ]

this moment, this moment is one of personal pride and ratificati ratification, 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 ever occurred. [ applause ]

>> it cannot be condoned whatever the source. i know that every delegate to the 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 o f the prayer of saint francis of the cc, words which i think may help heal the wounds, ease the pain, and lift our hearts. listen to this immortal state 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 my nomination of

this year that i have spoken. knowing that the months and years ahead will severely test our america. might i say that as this america is tested, once again we give our testament to america and i do not think it is sentimental, nor is it cheap. i think it is true that reach and everyone of us in our own way should once again reaffirm to our solelves and our prospery that we love this nation and we love america. [ applause ] >> my fellow americans, this is not the first time that our

nation has faced a challenge to its life and its purpose. each time that we had to face these challenges, we have eme e 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, great people must do the best of things and let us do it. [ applause ] we stand in such a moment now of 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. it is a special genius of the democratic party, that it welcomes change. not as an enemy but as an allie, not as a force to be suppressed but as an instrument of progress to be encouraged. this week our party as debated the great issues before america in this very hall and had we not raise these issues, troublesome as they were, we would have ignored the reality of change. had we just papered over the

differences between empty attitudes and instead of hard debates, we would deserve the contempt of our fellow citizens and the condemnation of history. [ applause ] . yes, we have spoke out. this is the debate and the work of free people. the work of the political party responsive to the need of this nation. [ applause ]

my fellow americans, we have decided here, not by force but by ballots. [ applause ] majority rules has prevailed but minority rights are preserved. [ applause ] there is always the temptation and always the temptation to leave the scene of battle in anger and despair but those who know the true meaning of democracy except the decision of

today but never changing it tomorrow. [ applause ] this convention has literally the foundation of a new democratic party structure in america from precinct levels to this convention, we have revolution revoluti revolutionized our rules and procedures. [ applause [ applause ] that reivolution is in the prou party. america had nothing to fear but fear itself. [ applause ]

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

great good and gentleman of peace in america. [ applause ] 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 to you, but what you can do for your country." [ applause ]

my fellow democrats and america americans, let us ask together what we can do for the freedom of man. [ applause [ applause ] what we are doing is in the tradition of lyndon b. johnson who rallied the nation.

>> said to you and said to me and said to all the world, let us continue. [ applause ] >> in the space -- and in the space of five years since that tragic moment, president johnson has accomplished war of the unfinished business of america than any of its predecessors. i truly believe that history

records the greatness of this contribution and the people of this land and tonight, to you, mr. president, i say thank you. thank you mr. president. [ applause ] >> yes, my fellow democrats, we

have recognized and indeed, we must recognize the end of an era and the beginning of a new day. that new day belongs to the peop people, to all the people, everywhere of this land of the people to every man and woman and child that's a citizen of this republic. [ applause ] within that new day, lies nothing less than the promise seen a generation ago by that poet, tomas wolfe, his shining golden opportunity. to every man of the right to work and live and be himself and

to become whatever thing his manhood and vision can combine to make him. this is the promise of america. [ applause ] yes, the new day is here across america. we hear freedoms rising course, let me live my own life, let me live in peace, let me be free say the people. [ applause ] it is heard from the oldest as

well as the young, 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 the world. [ applause ] and the third reality, is the

paramount necessity for unity. unity in your country. [ applause ] let me speak first then about vietnam. there are differences, of course, serious differences within our party on this painful issue of vietnam and these differences are pound even in the ranks of all the democratic candidates. 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.

[ applause ] let those who bleed that have been wrong are -- agree here and now that neither indication oro country. [ applause ] the question is not the yesterdays, the question is what do we do now? no one know what the situation of vietnam will be and what the next president of the united states takes that oath of office on january 20th, 1969, but every

heart in america praised that by then, we shall have reached a cease-fire in all vietnam and negotiations towards a durable peace. [ applause ] meanwhile as citizens, 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 the ability to aid and negotiations to bring a prompt end to this war. [ applause ] not all of our lives and

uncertainty and challenge and apparrel. the words of the challenge today and yes. the words of john to you and me and prosperity >> last week, we witnessed once again in czechosolvakia by force and brutal power to hold that will change but in eastern europe, elsewhere, the old area will surely end and there as here of a new day will dawn.

we must go far of where we have been, the containment of communication. beyond the emphasis of differences to dialogue. beyond fear to hope, we must pause those remaining barriers of suspicion and despair. we halt the arm of race before it halts humanity. [ applause ] is this 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 ground work for

a nuclear proliferation. we have reached agreement on banning weapons and outer space. we have been building patiently stone by stone each in our own way of the cathedral apiece. now, we must take new initiatives. new initiatives, with prudence and caution but with perseverance. we must find the way and ts and means to control and reduce offensive and defensive nuclear systems. the world cannot indefinitely hope to avoid nuclear war which one rash act, one era judgment or one failure communication could unleash all of humanity

and destroy all of mankind. [ applause ] but, the search for peace is not for the timid for the weak. it must come from a nation of high purpose, firm without being belligerent. resolute without being -- strong without being arrogant and that's the kind of america that helps build the peace of this world. [ applause ] the cast of slowing down the arm race and halting the escalation, there is no more urgent task than ending this threat to the

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

you have america moving again and we have, america is on the move. [ applause ] we have a weaken expectation. we have aroused new voices that must and will be heard. we have inspired new hope of millions of men and women. they are impatience and rightly so, impatience to see their hopes and aspirations fulfilled. we have raised the new standard of life of america, not just the poor but for every american, farmers and school child and housewives. 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 living on 2% of our land and 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 of those questions, the next president of the united states will establish policies and not only this generation but for children yet unborn. our task is tremendous and i need your help. [ applause ] the simple solution. we know and they must know that this is no answer.

violence breathes more violence. disorder destroys and only in order can we build riot makes for ruin and reasons make for solutions. nor can there be any compromise with the rights of every american who is anxious and willing to learn to have a good education. it is to these rights, the rights of law and order and the rights of light. the rights of liberty. the rights of a job. the right of a hold of a decent neighborhood and the rights of education. it is to these rights that i claim my life and whatever capacity that i have. [ applause ]

we cannot be satisfied with merely recaring that which is old. we must also move beyond the enclosures of our traditional city to create new cities to restore our present cities, yes. we must bring prosperity and modern living and opportunities to our rural areas. we must design and open america, opening new opportunities for new americans in open land. i say to this audience, we have invested billions to explore outer space where a man may live tomorrow. we must also bell williwe willi

invest right here on earth where man may live today. and now that third reality, essential of the other two are to be achieved. is t is it the necessity. for holding together as a family. 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 and rich and poor and between north and south and young and old? i kick my stand. we are and we must be one nation. and by liberty and justice for all, one nation under god in

visible, injustice and liberty and for all. this is our america. 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, winning the presidency for me is not worth the price of silence or invasion on the issue of human rights. [ applause ]

winning the presidency and listening well, winning the presidency is not worth a compact with extremism. i choose not simply to run for president. i seek to lead a great nation. even we achieve true justice in our land or we shall doom yourselves to a terrible exhaustion and body and spirit. i base my entire candidacy on the believes that come from the depths of my soul w