my hand could be dirty. the chief of staff to say, you are doing a good job, i feel proud. they take a lot of pride in the fact that they take care of the beauty of the white house, and it reflects on them, and the stuff with a lot of their heart and soul into what they do, and i am proud to be able to work with. -- with them. >> every spring and fall, there is a garden tour. at whiteheck it out house.gov. we took a look at the anniversary of the national park service. you can watch that online at c-span.org. we will continue the conversation tomorrow morning, including a conversation with christine anderson. she will be talking about millennial voters. erika will talk about the availability of affordable housing. on the issue of

disaster awareness and the government's role when it comes to disasters. i would topics and guests tomorrow on "washington journal." "newsmakers" is next. hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. have a great week. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] >> next, "newsmakers" with naacp president and ceo, cornell william brooks. protect theto nation's infrastructure. after that, henry clinton at a campaign rally in reno, nevada. republican nominee donald trump at a rally in des moines, iowa. >> on your screen is cornell

william brooks, who has been since 2014 the ceo and president of the naacp. he is running is from baltimore, the organization's hometown. mr. brooks: thank you, it is good to be here. >> let me introduce the two reporters. jesse holland is a race and reporter. and making her first appearance is kimbriell kelly. in 2015, she had her team shared a pulitzer prize for the reporting on police killings. nice to have you with us, and you are asking the first question. go ahead. theriell: you have seen in headlines last years, particularly around the black lives matter movement, and i feel like as an organization focused on civil rights, where does the naacp play in terms of relevance these days, in your opinion? mr. brooks: the naacp is at the heart of relevance in 2016

america. that isn organization over 100 years old with over 2000 branches across the country. wherever there is a policing crisis, wherever there is a crisis in terms of civil rights, we are on the ground. by being on the ground, what i mean is a multi generational army of social justice activist. the naacp represents your parents and your grandparents, but also your children and grandchildren as the largest civil rights organization comprised of young people. we have at least 70,000 college students, hundreds of college schools, units in high were represented in every state of the country, hundreds and hundreds of small towns, we are where the crises happen in civil

rights, so in terms of relevance, we are the organization that governors call, that mayors call when there is a crisis in their midst. we are not only the first responders of civil rights, that is to say an organization that people call when it is a challenge, but we are the primary care physicians of civil rights. that is to say we are on the ground in the state legislature in corporate offices when the cameras are present and when the cameras are not present. we are at the heart of civil rights in america in 2016. jesse: it is interesting that you set the naacp is who governors call and mayors call, but as the naacp the organization that the people on the street call first? we see a lot of people from black lives matter and justice league out there immediately on the streets. in whenes the naacp sit it comes to the young people out on the streets?

we have seen a lot of protests and movements from you people that did not seem to be led by the naacp. they seem to be led by other groups. how are you fitting in where the people are on the streets? mr. brooks: certainly. the naacp is on the ground and in the streets all across the country. with the tragic death of michael brown in ferguson, the naacp was on the ground that they after he was killed. we let a march of 1000 people, mostly grade schoolers, high schoolers, young adults, ferguson.s in we marched from the home of michael brown to the home of the governor, 134 miles. we press for and were successful in pushing for the passage of a bill which capped municipal fines, that breaks the election

between predatory policing and predatory taxation. the naacp in ferguson was the organization that passed the racial profiling law that made the pattern and practice investigation report and settlement possible. when we look across the country, not only are we the organization that stands with the justice league with black lives matter activists and activists with the aclu or the urban league, we are the organization that works in concert. it point being here is that is not a matter of which organization is out front on every march, but it is a matter of who gets the work done. also, in atlanta, only a few weeks ago, we had thousands of people on the ground in the streets shutting down a major highway, lifting up the notion

of the idea that black lives matter. side-by-sideod with black lives matter activists. the point is that it is not a matter of who is first portal's s firstut rather -- who i or last, but rather who is standing against injustice in any way. it is not only was prominent in front of the camera. is what about who is prominent and persistent and who ultimately prevails in the state legislature in congress in terms of passing legislation to bring about serious reform. that is the question of people ask -- that people ask. we don't have to be pitted against one another. we don't have to compete for prominence. cooperate ultimately and collaborate together to bring about reform. kimbriell: let me just ask very

has the naacp in the past leverage your own financial resources to align yourself with some of the activism of black lives matter? have you done and ask him and you see yourself doing that in future -- done that in a past, and do you see yourself doing the future? mr. brooks: we have done that in the past. we have worked with black lives matter activists. in addition to that, we have let our staffers to work with and alongside blm and other young activists across the country. the point being here is we are not an organization of infinite resources, but the modest resources we have, we give and share generously all across the country because of the end of the day, the naacp relative to black lives matter with the urban league, we are a sister

organization in a common struggle for justice. i was simply note this. would simply note this. what our activists were in a post retirement age, 80 years, that is ou how old our commitment is. students are on the front lines across the country come on university campuses, university of missouri, yale university, oklahoma university. we are on the front lines. the point being here is not only do we collaborate in terms of lending support in terms of staffing, but our people stand side-by-side. think about this. only a few weeks ago in roanoke, virginia, we had a group of high who sats, adolescents in the office of congressman forwarde's to move

voting rights in this country. might use in college division director and myself were with young people. there is no millennial or generations when it comes to social justice. we are all together. we have to be in it together. jesse: the reason why some people would say groups like black lives matter's and justice league exist is because going back to trayvon martin, we have seen these publicized shootings of african-american men and women, not just shootings, death at the hands of police, and it does not seem to stop. how do you as a leader of a civil rights organization, what can you tell people to say this is how we are going to get this to stop? because we have seen it over and over for the last four or five years, but it does not seem to stop. how do you as the head of the naacp look at your constituents and say, this is how we're going

to get this to stop? mr. brooks: we have to be very honest with people. the naacp, being in business for well over a century, we are aware of the lines that led to the creation in the last century before the decade after decade after decade, and we brought into an end. we buy into and through federal legislation, state legislation, vigorous law enforcement. withwe are in this century violence called police misconduct. the naacp is taking a multilevel approach. number one, we are pushing for federal legislation. we have mobilized and continued to mobilize people for the support and passage of the legislation. the passage of the law enforcement trust and integrity act. what are we pushing for here? body cameras, a natura national standard for excessive use of force, a retooling, a

change in the model and modality of policing. we have seen over the last several years 1000 people die at the hands of police year in and year out. we have seen a young black man more likely tos lose his life at the hands of police that his white counterparts. we know that there is a serious problem, but we also know all across the country, there are police departments that are getting it right or coming closer to getting it right. for state legislation, federal legislation. we push for the preserve and protect our lives pledge. we asked about m both presidential candidates to push for the legislation i is spoken, to push for the reporting of data. that is to say you cannot solve

a problem unless you are able to measure the problem. we have also asked residential candidates to push for civilian review boards. the point being is we know what we have brought on the number of place involved shootings. we know we have been able to tune things around. the point is we have to push forward these reforms at the federal level and the state level, and we know that they work because our places in the country where they have worked. the point being here is we cannot conclude that not having solved the problem in a few years that we are not able to solve the problem. i want to emphasize here. we may not have confidence in our politicians, but we at the end of lease ep being in business for 100 years have wefidence in our capacity,

have confidence in the capacity of our young people to bring about reform in voting, activism , syllabus lazaridis, legislative advocacy. we have the tools at our disposal. we can get up done, and we can get in our time. we are possessed with the fierce urgency of now. i believe we can get it done. our history suggests we can get it done. we don't need to conclude on the basis of the difficulties that we face the moment that we cannot get into. -- get it done. kimbriell: you mentioned consent degrees which are a tool of the apartment justice to reform police departments, and we know the justice department over the last 20 years has investigated dozens of police departments across the country for use of excessive force. however, we know there are 18,000 police departments in the country, and the justice department cannot be everywhere. they have acknowledged their limited resources financially, their staff.

in terms of the naacp, what do you see as a limitation in trying to address the civil rights issues today and going forward into the next few years? mr. brooks: our limitations are these. all volunteer army of nearly half a million. while we are everywhere. while we are the largest civil rights organization in the country, we are not as large as the problem. , acknowledging our limitations, we acknowledge our resources. our resources are these. we have a strong history. we have imagination and creativity of our activists, and

also, we have the determination and the will of this present moment. what we are seeing across this country is generally unprecedented. we see thousands of activists in s.e streets for you if looking back on history, if we do not underestimate the capacity of change in this country during the era of martin luther king or rosa parks, let us not underestimate our capacity for change in the present moment. we have to raise money, resources, the will to bring about change in police and culture in this country, but it can be done. the country is not nearly where it should be, but it is certainly not where it was. while we may be resource-constrained, the fact of the matter is our people have

done a whole lot more with a whole lot less, so we refuse to be discouraged and disheartened, even with the present circumstances. jesse: you brought up the presidential campaign earlier, but first, did you get a response from any of the presidential candidates to the pledges you asked them? second, where does the naacp stand as far as this year's presidential election goes because it has been a long conversation around the country about voting rights? there has been a long conversation recently about how t the political candidates relate to the african-american community. where as far as voting rights goes? have you heard anything from the political candidates back on the pledges you mentioned? where does the african-american community stand as far as this year's campaign goes? is anything we need to hear from the political candidates this year that i have not talked about? mr. brooks: certainly.

let's talk about the pledge. our pledge to protect and preserve our lives, we crafted this pledge with five key elements. we reached out to both presidential candidates from the major parties. secretary clinton came to our convention, addressed the pledge at length and in detail. we have not heard from mr. trump whatsoever. he declined our invitation to come to our convention. he declined the invitation of the association of black journalists. he declined the invitation of the urban league and a number of groups. we have not heard in depth and detail with respect of his plans in terms of criminal justice reforms, whether it be policing, sentencing, any of the challenges that face us in the realm of the injustice in the justice system. in terms of the plants, we continue to press forward with candidates,that all

we seek their commitment to bring about those reforms and bring about those reforms and make significant progress in the first 100 days. beyond that, in terms of voting rights, when you ask where is the naacp? the naacp is in the courts, streets, and state legislatures. when you look at the recent cases from texas to georgia to north carolina, in each instance, the naacp has both been in the courts as either and in thethe client streets as activists and advocates for legislative reform. we are also in the congress in terms of our washington bureau passing for a fix to a badly broken voting rights act. this is the first presidential election in 50 years without the protection of the voting rights act. we have seen in the wake of shelley versus older this machiavellian frenzy of voter disenfranchisement.

we have seen a strong doubl naap on the winning side. our north carolina state conference was a plaintiff in that case where the fourth circuit found intentional dissemination in terms of voter suppression, intentional racial discrimination in terms of voter suppression in the state. we are going to be on the winning side in the state legislature and in the federal congress in terms of pushing for the reform of a budding rights act. that is to say the passage of the voting rights advancement act. the naacp only a few weeks ago, we were arrested in roanoke, virginia, in an act of civil disobedience to get congressman virgil goodlatte to free that legislative hostage called the voting rights advancement act from the judiciary committee in the house. all across the country, whether

it be georgia, north carolina, texas, over and over again, the naacp has been in the lead on this issue with partners. make no mistake, we stand with partners, but we have to be clear about this. marched in alabama to washington, d.c., on what we call america's journey for justice, 1004 miles in the heat of the summer. why? we were pushing for the reform and the protection of divine voting rights act in terms of the voting rights advancement act. this organization has given more sacrifice in terms of securing the franchise. that their question here is, where are we with respect to this presidential campaign? we reached out to both candidates. we have asked them to debate the issues.

we have engaged in twitter storms. we have petitioned certainly the debate commissions to put the right questions on the agenda. during the primary season, we pushed for these candidates to debate the issues of not just black america are african-american america, but america in terms of our civil rights agenda, and we continue to press the case. as we enter into the final days of the campaign with 70 something days left, we will press the candidates again and again. we will call them out for a lack of specifics, for generalities when it comes to civil rights in this country. the point being here is we will make it clear. you don't get to the white house unless you travel through the doors of the naacp. more importantly, you don't get to the white house without addressing the nation's civil rights in general. we cannot i have candidates not speaking about the voter rights

act, racial profiling, not saying it loud and with clarity that black lives matter. line? wh-- why? unless black lives are said to matter, all lives cannot matter. point being here is the naacp, we are the nations watchdog when it comes to civil rights, and we will do our job in terms of ensuring that these candidates speak to the issues. we can be counted on to do that. jesse: a real quick follow up. you said secretary clinton addressed the pledge. did she sign it? mr. brooks: she did not sign it. we are calling on her to sign it. by signing it, that means you will by executive order, by regulation, or by congressional youon, legislation, that

will make significant progress within the first 100 days on things like collecting data, establishing civilian review boards, ensuring we have a minimum standard of conduct when ,t comes to law enforcement that we not find lot -- fund live with agencies that engage in a pattern, so we don't subsidize discrimination. we defund law-enforcement departments that engage in that conduct. we are asking her to sign it. as importantly, we are asking mr. trump to take note of it, then sign it, then speak to the nation's civil rights agenda in depth and in detail. kimbriell: i just want to pivot to baltimore for a second. there is a lot has happened there recently with the department of justice investigative findings, but as well as the outcomes of the officers were on trial for the death of freddie gray. what are your thoughts on what that moment meant, before the

trial and as a nation what we should take away from that? secondly, do you feel that officer misconduct and the death of black lives is the most pressing matter numbe number onl rights issue? >> we have about a minute and a half. mr. brooks: in short, we believe that these officers not being found guilty and charges being dismissed is certainly disappointing, but at the end of the day, to bring about system and reform, you cannot look to individual verdicts, so we continue to push for systemic reform in baltimore. the number one issue is voting rights because if our ability to vote is impaired, our ability to hold police department accountable is rendered mute. >> let me ask you as we close are since these issues going and police relations with the black community have reached something of a tipping point over the past years, what do you think barack obama's legacy as

president will be on these issues? mr. brooks: i believe the president's legacy will be that he spoke candidly to the issues. he had two attorney generals who had been on the forefront, but he leaves a legacy on this issue that needs to be completed. we look forward to a new president, a new congress to take up the mantle and to make it clear to the nation that the notion that black lives matter is a moral premise to the ethical conclusion that all lives matter. unless we can save the lives of our children is safeguarded in the streets, little can be said about this country. naacp, we will continue to stand for the nation civil rights agenda, and we will stand with anyone and everyone who was to work with us as we seek to better the country. >> cornell brooks, think you for being with c-span on our mnewsmakers" programs thids

this week. i am wondering since you both really spent so much time reporting on the issues that we talked about with mr. brooks, what is it about the past three to four years where these issues have been so much in the forefront in our society? what has brought them to the forefront? is there more happening or something about the reporting that has changed? jesse: the first thing we can say is that we know these issues existed before the last half decade, but what is happening is that the technology has changed, where we actually are seeing that of the incidents people in the black community have been talking about for years. instead of it being anecdotal evidence, someone said that this ,appened,, we are now seeing it which is bring the conversation to america's forefront. before, it was a conversation

between the african-american community and the police or the african-american community and the courts. the videos we have seen have allowed that conversation to hit the mainstream. >> cell phones and social media have changed everything? kimbriell: absolutely. not only do you have, and i would go a step further and say it provides evidence, if you will, in court for prosecutions. if you have a police officer say five or 10 years ago who was prosecuted for some sort of you mayct in the court, not have that evidence, and now, you see an increase in the prosecutions and the ability to and his the officer testimony may differ than what the evidence shows, and that is something you are seeing that as different as well. >> what is the justice department's agenda on these issues to address them during the waning days of the obama administration? jesse: that is an interesting question. we have seen it in baltimore,

but the question is, how much further can they take it in the waning days of the administration? depending on who will become president will set the agenda of the justice department for the coming years so it will be interesting to see what general lynch can do. can she make any sort of change, impact on these about for the last five years or so? she also knows that her days leading the justice department are numbered, what type of movement can she lead that can be permanent? >> that is a good question because over the last few years -- what yourlier years, saw is, the department of justice investigating police departments, but really, they had the remedies that were necessarily current force. what you see is a federal judge has been selected to oversee the

implementation of these reforms and that is something that has been critically different in the last administration, and that could change in the administration to come. you might not see investigations in which the reform has a federal monitor. >> is congress likely to fund body cameras? >> it is hard to say. it will depend on what congress looks like, next year. congress all depend on who is in charge of congress. it will be interesting to see who is in charge and what their priorities are. one of the things mr. brooks data, thateed that is one thing we really don't have from the police department, what their data is on how many people have been killed, how many people have been shot, because they are not required to report it. if there is something that can be done to help change the situations we have seen, it is a

mandate for that data to come into the government so we can be analyzed. year inis our second tracking officer-involed shooting's, and that is important because there is no federal accounting of this information, but i think resources is just one aspect of the body cameras. you see time and time again that being able to chronicle and archive the data from these cameras is going to be a big issue, going forward, so it is not just in getting the funding how youe cameras, but analyze what you find. >> that is an issue we are having with a lot of the -- a lot of departments, or they have this film, but do not want to release it, then you have to fight the police department to get the data that shows what happened. >> am going to go over by 30 seconds because i cannot and

without talking about donald trump's campaign. he is making his appeal. the wall street journal editorial page said he was right in not going to speak to the naacp because the constituency is not his, and just provides video of a stonefaced audience listening to his message. you think about his campaign and his possibilities for success? >> there is some difference of opinion about the messaging. you hear people say the messaging is not for black people. there is the perception that it is, but it is for his constituents and reassurance that he has stronger feelings for the black community than those that may exist. it was not just the naacp, that he turned down, it was the national association of black journalists, he had trouble getting his message out in chicago. seeill be interesting to

how an iterative his messages -- histrative's messages -- message is. >> -- it is commendable that he wants to try, but it is going to take more than just the mentioning of the african-american community into his speeches for it to actually be effective in bringing more votes to his campaign. we don't know what he is going to do in the future, maybe there is some plan or outreach or something more than just a few lines of speech, but right now, it is hard to see those few words changing many people's minds. >> we have so much going on with hillary clinton, unfortunately the clock is not our friend. thank you so much. >> thank you.

tonight on cuba day, of onee was an average racial lynching a week in the south, and it was a brilliant psychological device to hold down a race because if you were black, you were afraid this could happen to you. >> talks about his little -- talks about his literary career, and the book, the lynching, about the trial following the 1981 killing of a 19-year-old i the kkk in mobile, alabama. ,> mike was this teenager training to become a brick layer, the youngest of seven children. he is home with his mother and his aunt asks him to go out and get a pack of cigarettes. buicks out, this old pulls up behind