lynching that still continues in the south in counties like forsyth? >> i do not know about different cities. different cities have different demographics. in atlanta, -- i speak about atlanta because that is where my son lives, in atlanta, georgia. in atlanta, you have the african-americans who go away and they come back. they are educated, and they are more goal-oriented. they are more goal-oriented, and therefore, if you teach the children to reach for the sky, and they will study hard. most people from atlanta are a

little more conservative. >> do you have something you would like to add to that about economic situations? >> i definitely think -- this is -- you know, the old saying, it is not rocket science? some of this stuff is harder than rocket science because it involves people, and we do not always act in a logical, decisive way. elaine brown i heard say a little while ago that she lived in atlanta, and we always talk about how great atlantic is doing, but we do not own nothing in atlanta. they look like they are doing good, they have the cosmetic liberation, right? cosmetic change, cosmetic liberation, but when you look at who owns most of the city, right? who is in control of the power in the city?

it may be marginally better for black votes in some other places, but there are still fundamental issues with the school system. look at the endowment of emory compared to some of the black universities and colleges in atlanta. entrepreneurship is a big part of it. i did not understand and nobody told me what is involved with buying your own home until i was in my second law school, where is the my counterparts, the white students i was in class with, they had had that information coming up. it was just second nature. i asked the guy across the hall from me what his folks did. but told him my mom was a nurse and my dad was a teacher, a soldier before. he said his father was the deputy prime minister of jordan. i was like, "ok." minute court partner -- my moot

court partner, he said his father owned three swiss banks. i think even before entrepreneurship, it is financial literacy. we need to educate ourselves about what these resources are. it is financial literacy and really wealth literacy, understanding that there are different kinds of wealth beyond just monetary wealth, but you need to understand monetary wealth, spiritual well, the social capital we have and understand how to cultivate those things and invest them properly. those are important skills. at the same time, i do not think black capitalism is the solution to the problems of black folks who have been the victims of capitalism's boot. >> making sure that that kind of information becomes available. that could be the subject of what we deal with in black history month.

you know? hal the wealth is developed. who developed it. loans what? how one gets to own it. we could do that. it could be touchy, but it could be useful. i'm just saying that we could use occasions for teaching about things that could make a difference. so i just say raise questions, and sometimes, raise hell when you raise the questions. [applause] >> i wanted to know if there was an african-american district attorney working in texas to review some of the cases that were -- i guess, tried, and some of the evidence was not valid. looking through investigating some of those cases to find out if they should be released because of the false information that was acquired. >> the attorney who has been the lead on the team that i have

been in communication with is a guy by the name of morris moon, and he would be the person i could ask to find out the answer. there is actually a be a working on that, but i know there have been so many cases -- there is actually a d.a. working on that, but i know there have been so many cases that have been exposed, especially with dna testing. it is almost like every other week. there does need to be somebody looking into it from that angle. of the top of my head, i do not know, but i could definitely get that information. >> how can we make it not just black history day, not just black history month, but every day be black history and honor that? thank you. and how do we really teach our children, our students really not what the media portrays, not what -- but really, what

happened? i did get a chance to experience "eyes on the price" and i thought that was just the tip of the iceberg -- experience "eyes on the priceze." >> i do not know how to go about it, but what i would suggest is the reason why i did what i did, why i was brave enough and courageous enough to not give up my seat, because so much history was in my mind, and one of the things they were always asking me was why i did not get up when i was asked, and my answer would always be history had me glued to the seat. [applause] i think that what is left out of american history -- you should

not be ashamed to say that we enslaved these people and mystery these people, a race of people. it should be included in the american history, and it would be every day. [applause] >> really quickly, it jolla i went to school with named sol williams said, "stealing as was the smartest thing you ever did. too bad you do not teach the true to your kids." that line says so much. -- a scholar i went to school with. it is not just about changing lives of black people, but changing the lives of everybody by teaching true history, which

includes jim crow and slavery before it -- but before that, the first people to walk the planet and develop situation -- civilization came along the nile river valley. if we teach african history as human history, history will require that you incorporate our story and tell it the right way. [applause] >> just to say that in terms of how teaching history can make a difference to these test scores that we are also obsessed with, i had a piece of news from mississippi where the book, "putting the movement back into civil rights" -- are you familiar with that? the superintendent has agreed -- and your piece is in it, awele -- the superintendent has agreed that it be used districtwide. just this week, i was hearing

that the rigor and relevance of the material actually got students engaged and got the score is up. while the score is being up is not the only thing, i do want to say there is real value in making curriculum relevant, truthful, and rigorous, and one of the ways of doing that would be to embed all of this into all subjects all year for all the students. [applause] >> if i could just show that on friday, ms. colvin spent the whole day at alameda county juvenile hall, and i think we saw eight different units of young men and women, 14 to 18, medium-security, and they were riveted to their seats. when we were looking like we were running out of time, we were told not to worry about the time. they shared poetry. one young woman suggested how --

they share how they are trying to transform their lives, and listening to her story and transformation, and it was a very powerful date. >> this is for one of my heroes, claudette colvin. and a local hero of mine, because we have freedom fighters right here in our midst, and we do not always celebrate them. francisca sanchez, who is seriously about her business about getting the shackles off. i want to do this to honor them, and to thank you for being here. give yourselves a big round of applause. [applause] all i've got is some fish and a few loaves of bread. and a whole lot of folks have got to get fed. but seven seats were made in

under seven days, the first man was forgiven when he missed the hague, the branch was taken by a dove to a book that was built before a flood, if a rainbow sent out a sign, if someone was told to sacrifice his own son and told to hold up before he was done, then the fish and bread that i just said is all that i've got, is all that i need for me to get fed and for me to feed a whole lot of folks in need because they set me on fire. when they look back, i was chilling. i had to fight like 10 older brothers, and because i had this dream, so they sold me out to a band of bandits and one day was commanded to stop, drop, when i got this fish that i found while fishing around, under water with the daughter of the pharaoh, the child was chosen to force the pharaoh to free his folks from a foreign land, repair everywoman,

prepare every man, prepare every child, all you've got is that right in your hand. all i've got is some fish and a few loaves of bread, and a whole lot of folks have got to get fed, but i believe. i believe i can part the sea now and then, and then put it back together again. i believe i can kill any giant dead if i believe in my heart. back when we were kings, back when we were able to see processes. when a whole woman with no vote because she conceived immaculate, and a good baby daddy was something even got to be, where we could heal the sick and make the blind see. we believe in believing, so i believe in believe, and i believe they can come in the night like a thief and knocked out each of uncertainty's teeth and take away all your

disbelief because the fate that lived through leprosy is a fate that will live through a chevy, a fate that can make amounting get out of bed is a phase i believe that i believe can spread fish and a few loaves of bread. i believe i can make wine out of tap water, and i believe i can go break dancing and walk on water. i believe i can fly. i believe i can soar. i never thought i could be so free, but i believe on flying away on a wing and a prayer, and who could it be? believe it or not, it is just me. believe it or not, the fish that we got and the bread i just said is all that we got, is all that

we need for us to get fed and for us to feed a whole lot of folks in need. thank you. [applause] >> let me ask the audience to thank our two guests on stage. [applause] and then, i'm going to invite awele to come up. thank you for your questions today and your participation.

>> you are very welcome. >> before we go, i have one announcement and thank you, and then, we want to acknowledge the sponsorship for today's program. i want to give a big thank-you to linda brooks burton. [applause] because linda brooks britain last march invited me to plan this program, and i want to thank helen, who i work with in san francisco unified because she introduced me to bryonn bain, and she always introduces me to the various artists that come in to work in the school district. as i learned about bryonn and experienced his presence and i was thinking about putting together this program, it just clicked -- why not bring the two together to bring this link from the past unsegregated jim crow

to what is happening in the 21st century and that has been happening? i think i was inspired by michele alexander's booke." >> it is my pleasure to say, ms. colvin, without you we would not be where we are. [applause] thank you for sharing your story, and keep telling your story because we need to know, and our children need to know, and our children's children need to know your story. and we want to thank our sponsors today. we have the san francisco unified school district. we have marked as bookstores, who will be selling this -- ms. colvin's book, written about her, by philip house. we have sponsorship from the

african diaspora, and the friends of the san francisco public library. i serve as part of the african- american interest committee that helped put this program together, and i want to thank all of you for coming, and i want to thank sfgtv for taking the program today. we want to thank the department here at san francisco public library, and we are having a reception in l58, and we want to thank read your catering for providing some delicious food for us to nibble on today, so will you please join us and say thank you again to mrs. colvin and also to byrin bain for telling his story, but thank you for coming so that we can say thank you to miss colvin for being a living history maker.

join us. thank you. ♪ lift every voice and sing >> i'd like to welcome ing everybody here today, october 25, for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of coit tower. [applause]

to begin our production today, the san francisco fire department is going to perform an official ladder-raising ceremony. to explain specifically what the activities are is retired captain jack mccloskey. >> thank you very much. this ladder's been in use in the san francisco fire department for many years, predating area ladders. this particular one is built in 1925 by our central shops and they do a fantastic job out there. the foreman of this ladder crew is larry mcdonald with the american flag on his back. as the ladder goes up it weighs 550 pounds, takes 10 people with the ropes and can reach a height of six stories the >> to sing the national anthem we are very honored to have andrew bidlock, an adler fellow

from the san francisco opera. >> ♪ orgse say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed ♪ at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ory 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 ♪ ♪ oh say does that star

spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ oer the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ >> good afternoon. what an exciting day for san francisco. when we can all come together to be reminded of our traditions and the courage of our first responders. i'm so excited to be here with the fire chief. he's been remembering how the fire department helped us out of the earthquake some few

years before coit tower was built and also of course with our fire chief remembering the important role that the first responders play. telegraph hill has always been a place that our citizens gather in san francisco, the beautiful vantage points over which christopher column buss looks out. as an italian american i take special pride in the fact that columbus is here. and over the years i took my children and more recently visitors and members of the congress to telegraph hill to see this incredible monument to love of san francisco. to see the murals inside which are a tribute to the working man. some find that controversial. i don't and i think it's time to remind ourselves of that at this time and to remember that those were projects of the w.p.a. but they were also

projects of the arts projects encouraging artists to be part of the infrastructure that we were building. i'm delighted to be here with mayor newsome, who takes such special pride in this city shall this great city of san francisco, and every aspect of it, its beauty, its history and its future and i thank him and senator feinstein, another former mayor, for being honorary co-chairs of this event and making it such a success. and i want to thank the chairman of the board of supervisors, aaron peskin, for being here as well. it's great to be with you, aaron and state senator leno who is with us as well. so many distinguished leaders in our community. it's also great to be here with ken nelly, who is so

responsible for making today important. and ann hallstead. you probably think i'm going to name every single person who is here. it probably feels that way. i want to just acknowledge jarrod. the acting head of the parks and rec who guarantees that all this will be as beautiful as ever. but let me tell you on a personal basis what coit tower means to me and special gratitude to the coit family here today the coit tower when i am in san francisco, and it's not as much as i would like to be, is the firstsite -- first sight i see in the morning and the last sight i see at night. since i work in a bicoastal way, i'm up early and see the sun come up and the first thing that comes into view is coit tower from my home and the sun, when there is sun, glistening off coit tower, is a beautiful,

beautiful opening of the day and a reminder of how blessed we are to live in this great place. honoring our history, enjoying our present and future. and then at night, at night when the city goes dark, coilt tower shines from its own lights, not a reflection of the sun. but when it gets to be 12:00, the lights go down in the city and the lights go off on coit tower and we all know the day has come to an end. so it is a beautiful reminder of the -- all that goes on here morning, noon, and night and probably beyond, that is, it is a reminder to anyone who sees it that it is a symbol of san francisco and it's thrilling to see this great symbol of san francisco. so as we again come here to observe the 75th anniversary of

the personality and dynamism of lily coit, we pay tribute to her family, the spirit of san francisco that she so exemplified and the courage of our first responders which we are constantly reminded of. so on behalf of my colleagues in the congress of the united states, waint to congratulate san francisco and the mator and the officials of our city on this beautiful, beautiful occasion and when congress comes into session again i will be sure to tell them of this wonderful day as a matter of public record of the pride we take in san francisco and of our people, our monuments, and of today, of coilt tower. thank you for allowing me to be part of this special event. >> all right. it's all right.

only the speakev of the house of representatives could compete against this. so thanks again, speaker pelosi. and to everybody. how many fomings here are -- folks here are from out of town? and how many of this it's first time you've been up here? you have chosen wisely and picked an outstanding day. welcome. i want to thank obviously all of you for taking the tame -- time to be here and be part of this rather extraordinary day and i know we say that often. we tend, though, to only say it around the end of september and throughout the month of october when the weather actually cooperates. so it's appropriate and wise to do that. but this is an extraordinary moment because it marks an extraordinary moment in time in the history of san francisco some 75 years ago. in so many ways reflective of the challenges around the world today as it relates to credit crisis, relates to the economy. this was built in the midst of

the great depression. this was a gift from someone who passed away just months after the infamous stock market crash that led to that great depression. this was parted of the renewal and rebirth of not only the city and county of san francisco but that commitment to this new deal and investing in people and workers and investing in our communities and rebuilding the infrastructure of not only our great city but this state an the nation and so much of that is reflected in the leadership of nancy pelosi and the leadership that we are looking forward to in the future come this november adds we vote for real change. -- as we vote for real change in this country. i can't help myself. you know, i'm a little bit biased on the topic. it's also a celebration of our community in san francisco that is a living example of lily

coit's contribution. the stew ards of our community, the people like ann halstead, ken bailey, the friends of pioneer park, who oftentimes have stepped up when government cannot and kept this place maintained, vibranted -- and kept the elected officials focused on the importance of coit tower to the life of the city not only in its picturesque back drop but it's also a very proud symbol for san franciscoans and a very vibrant part of the life of our city so i want to thank all of friends and neighbors that helped not only today but every day are organizing a contribution to coit tower. a big round of applause to ken and ann and the entire team.