to register unregistered blacks in mississippi. there's a line that connected k connects that movement here today. so willie my friends it's not about the naming of the bridge but the historical context within this naming occurs. several years ago dr. king said i need you to go back to california because jessie wants to meet with me i don't know what it is boo about so it met with jessie. you know, first of all, i thought that was a strange name and i learned i did my homework he's a powerful dude. we talked about but during the course of this meeting he talked

about this young man he thought so much of willie brown junior. so i got back to doctor king but he likes this willie brown junior. did you meet him, no. several years later my point is there is a line that connects what is happened so much in this country to the work that this extraordinary public servant has done. now i was the corporate bank lawyer in the investment business so i have to ask a question. i don't know which side of the bridge is being named but it is the same side as they collect

the money (laughter) now i don't want to diminish the accomplishment but i learned it in wall street and especially with martin follow the money. i want to say personally and i have the beneficiaries 83 years i've been the beneficiary but to be here and be able to speak about you and to speak where your mature friend andrew young could be is one of the great privileges. thank you for giving me the opportunity to salute you thank you very much

(clapping.) >> you know it takes courageous people to do courage things so, now i want to talk about the man who managed the journey through the state assembly the binding resolution that gave life to alice dream and the installation of the prominent size we'll see about midday the sign should be unveiled and you should be able to see it if you're traveling in the right direction. tb the 64 district of los angeles please welcome assemblyman i see demeanor hall. (clapping.) >> an old man going along the

highway came at the evening cold and gray to which was flowing a tied. the old man crossed in the twilight dim and the stream had no dim but he built a bridge to span the tide. old man said a fellow pilgrim you're wasting your strength from building here you never again shall pass this way you've crossed here deep and wide why willie would you build this bridge. the bear in mind lifted up his heady said again friend they'll follow after me a needy youth who must come this way it's to

that spearheaded youth my may a pitfall be he too must cross in twilight dim good friend i'm building this bridge for him indicative of willie brown junior (clapping.) good morning speaker brown, lieutenant newsom and attorney general harris and the chair woman and holly mitch and the members of the legislative caucus please stand by holly mitchel our chairperson (clapping.) mayor ed lee and distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen if you haven't noticed this day is

about a day named willie l brown junior but it's not about willie brown but a boy from texas but this day is not about a boy from the south east texas area it's about a man who broke down barriers of class and race of political lodge to build a city and state that continues to be the envy of the world. (clapping.) so like i said this day is not about speaker brown but a lot more. my name is that i see demeanor hall it's a privilege to thorough ac r-65 the resolution

naming the western span the willie l brown bridge for which we celebrate today. i need not repeat speaker brown's credentials. his history is etched in stone and the sideline of this great city and the halls of the state capital the 41th black mayor of san francisco (clapping) the first african-american speaker of the california state lover and the longest ever in the history of california (clapping) but i don't need to tell you about a resolution honoring one the san francisco's and california's greatest sons went from a no brainier to one of

california's biggest battles the naming of this bridge. it was indeed bavrm by fire. it was pure old school san francisco politics. it was classic willie l. brown junior. (clapping.) many local dignitaries may not recognize me. well, this is likely true since i proudly live and represent the good people of compton california and the surrounding areas of south los angeles but when alice the president of the naacp approached me honoring speaker brown i asked maimed brown how big will the sign be?

quite honestly the first conversation was let's make it happen. bay area and media reports were be clever to figure out that compton was down the road if san francisco and why would a black boy be honoring this area. they began to quay what is a black man doing. the answer is quite simple. ladies and gentlemen, i stand before you to let you know that willie brown has impacted more people outside of san francisco. it has impacted and changed the lives of san francisco and throughout this great nation. willie brown will forever be a legacy for people across the world. and so me sponsoring a bill from

compton ooip i've been touched by the man willie brown (clapping.) from the did you say thank you train station to the community gardens ♪ the farmer's market in watts to the streets of compton. willie brown is now and will be forever enter linked in the history of california with his name on the most traveled bridges of america. i shouldn't be standing before is as a member of the california state will you ever but for people statistically as an african-american male in my early 40s i should be raised in compton i should be in jail

think drugs or to death dead. state of california willie brown should never h have graduated from school but he choose ladies and gentlemen, a different path. we're here because of the path he choose and because people like willie brown who is a forerunner for people of color across this nation he said the status quo was not acceptable and he challenged the rules about who could succeed. my mother was raised in the sdrathd texas who like mr. brown was living in a nation too long wanted them to be separate - but

called equal. the story of willie brown is of any minorities of many backgrounds and why today's i naming is so important to those who look different than the founder of this great nation. while this resolution received overwhelming support in both the assembly and the state senate the final vote didn't reflect the behind the scenes work. and this resolution went through the legislature process i was frankly ladies and gentlemen, quite surprised that in spite of the of speech brown's credentials and in spite of of his contributions to the people of california and in spite of of him building helping people up when others were tearing them down and opening downstairs and

sealing glasses and opening up pave way for people to become successful the resolution almost didn't get out of the first policy committee. they said it was something about the rules. they said it was something about speaker brown still being alive. (laughter) i said rules about being alive? well, that's new because as i began to research california has honored any sons and daughters who are alive and contributing to our state. however, he is the on african-american in the state of california with the bridge or any structure state structure named after himself him he will

be the first in the history of california (clapping) is he alive? yes, he he is. is is deserving of this bridge. yes, he is. i need not recite the names of those who are alive and have a courthouse or street named after them but take my word the list is longer. they include former members of congress and state legislators but when this was brought up in committee it was the republican who made the motion much to the objection of the chair it was a republican making a motion to name this great bridge for the great work that willie brown is doing and has done for the

people of california. it was the latest example willie brown was able to build his own bridges across political allegiance to find common ground. you don't need to be from san francisco to know this is an international icon. as people run and come from all over the world and invest this city my extraordinary state and building our community educating the next generation and carrying the eventually. as people gaze upon the trickling lights and the cables of willie brown bridge from now and into the future we need not know reason of this as a bridge named after willie brown.

willie brown junior is the bridge that makes the ends connect (clapping) and from this day forward people will cross that bridge minority and a people of color and the like and ask themselves what makes that man so great and it's transforming this stooifk and the capital into the institution we know it as of today. we're honored speaker brown and willie brown to stand with you as we cross those bridges together. god bless you and god bless the state of california. god bless you

(clapping.) well, now we know why we're here (laughter) he was leading the battle, of course, we're here. thank you very much assemblyman i see demeanor hall. i want to mention a couple of other elected officials. supervisor kim is here and supervisor cowen and dennis is here. he was the supervisor he was a mayor of san francisco. and he's now our lieutenant governor he is the person here representing the k4ru6 branch of california i'm talking about our lieutenant governor and we know that is gavin newsom (clapping.) hell i was supposed to do the

introduction eleanor what was that i've got nothing left (laughter) >> seriously i was about to walk away. you're welcome to come back and finish your speech. damn (laughter) that ain't right (laughter) i was trying to figure out how the hell we got here today. i got to thinking it make sense; right? this bridge brings people together and casts a big shadow. it's very, very expensive to maintain (laughter) and when theirs gridlock it's the first thing we complain about.

that make sense. the real shadow that's been cast it's fun; right? what's jerry brown going to do about this. it's on your mind. i know it's on my mind. man. (laughter) you know, and i've been paepgs. i imagine you guys as well. there's a little bit up manship between governor jerry brown and governor chris thank you. last year wasn't right governor chris thank you referred to our governor as a retread and it was responded to by john he said i exchange governor christie to do stand ups in a heated race.

so, now you're thinking about this after that jp morgan washington bridge closures for two lanes i'm worried about my commute today (laughter) the chances of jerry shutting down the entire bay bridge and biking it back to where he came from thank you,

very much (laughter) that is what he thinks he is so why is that hard. i'm just delighted you came to help celebrate and this occasion. i must tell you that i'm overwhelmed but all of you. i think i would have to pause for a moment and ask every

person who's here that served with me in the california legislation or the assembly during those tumultuousus thirty years if you'll rise and let people see who you are. obviously, we can't introduce all of you, please rise and let people see who you are

my mother minnie. many years ago (clapping) passed on she would have been a one hundred and 5 here today, the 11th of february. at one time when she was evidenced some degree of illness we decided to have a reunion every february 11th to let her know how much we loved and respected her. we had no idea thechs faking it it took those 11 years or more but the family hadn't been together frankly and that's in many, many years. when president huffman and the

assembly members in the black caucus led by mr. hall said they were going to do this bridge thing and they did it now let's have the unveiling of the sign they said no let's wait until black history month and do it on my mothers birthday and that will mean something to family and the american people. so my family came from whatever they were my sister has 12 children and another sister 9 boys. one sister had one brother and one brother had none but they were willing all here so, please give my family a round of applause for sharing this day

and moment (clapping) you want them to stand up. why do i have to also give orders. only about half of them stand up (laughter) they came in as early as saturday and they've been here all the days moving around renewi renewing friendships because they've traveled with me and i share this moment with them on this occasion of bridge naming. i also share it with a whole host of number one family members. i have treasured my friendships with a collection of people from around the country politically

and socially and culturally and educationly and business world you name it. and those friendships and those relationships have just meant a whole lot and you who have shown up on this occasion a couple of you i didn't know were alive and you showed up. even earlier this morning i walked through the door and said wait a minute where do did you come from. but i'm floored with the incredible level of you who have shown up for this occasion and i'm deeply honored. you made it possible for me really to begin to brag

legitimately (laughter) now, mr. mayor, mr. mayor craig surone-on-one was on the command staff when i was mayor i don't understand why he didn't have better control now but he's cheap (laughter) it has been frankly