dr. martin luther king jr.'s speech calling for equality, there has been change on the national level, but what about here in california? political analyst larry gerston joins us with a look at the past century, and what have we seen in terms of racial ecallty in california? >> we have seen change, kris, no doubt, but not without a struggle, lots of struggles. a couple moments come to mind. in 1963, that's the same year as king's speech, the california legislature passed something very innovative, the fair housing act, which made it illegal to discriminate against african-americans and other racial minorities hoping to buy houses. in those days, it was very, very important. in 1964, the voters repealed that act through proposition 14. that was a bitterly contested ballot initiative sponsored by the california real estate association. and just a year or so later in 1966, the state supreme court declared proposition 14 unconstitutional, and in the process, restored the legislation. now, that was an incredibly big

dr. martin luther king jr. changed history with his i have a dream speech. he had a vision for equality and economic progress and issued a challenge to america -- to live up to its democratic ideals. how does america measure up today? i'll ask our guests, civil rights pioneer and georgia congressman john lewis, mayor of newark, new jersey, cory booker, and develop nor of louisiana, bobby jindal. also, we'll explore the overall state of american dream -- civil rightses, the struggle of the middle classes, issues at the heart of our political debate. our roundtable weighs in. host of msnbc's "politics

dr. martin luther king jr. delivered his iconic "i have a dream" speech. today, president obama plans to honor the man and his legacy. nbc's tracie potts is on the national mall. any early arrivers you've seen this yet. >> reporter: richard, good morning. on the national mall to show you where everything is happening today, president obama delivering a speech on the same steps of the lincoln memorial where dr. king delivered his "i have a dream" speech. thousands moving to the memorial for that and on the tom joyner radio program the president talked about what he is go to say "when it comes to the economy, when it comes to inequality, whether it comes to wealth when, it comes to, you know, the challenges that inner cities experience, he would say that we have not made as much progress as the civil and social progress that we've made and that it's not enough just to have a black president". >> reporter: and take a look at this. the bell from the 16th street baptist church in birmingham has been brought in to be part of the program. it's the bell that rung

dr. martin luther king jr. was born in 1929 in atlanta, georgia. he became a leader who dedicated his whole life to fighting racial discrimination. he delivered his "i have a dream" speech at the lincoln memorial in washington, d.c., on august 28th, 1963. >> i have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. i have a dream today. >> his historic speech electrified millions of americans who were fighting for civil rights. he received the nobel peace prize the following year for his tireless work, but during a visit to tennessee in 1968 he was shot and killed. he was just 39 years old. on saturday, thousands gathered in washington to commemorate his historic speech. >>> the vision laid out by dr. king has been remembered and celebrated around the world. in tokyo, a concert was held to honor his dream. ezra brown is a saxophone player from the state of mississippi. he arrived in tokyo on august 28th to commemorate the historic day. th

dr. martin luther king jr. walked in and he said i just left your hometown, and i'll never forget, he said your parents wanted me to check on you to make sure you guys were okay. are you guys okay? and sat down and talked with us for 20, 30 minutes. he wanted to know what our dreams and thoughts were, what did we want to do, what we wanted to be. >>> coming up, worrying about the worst. >> they put the national guard on standby. they had a draft drawn up declaring marshal law. anyone have occasional constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating? yes! one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. live the regular life. phillips'. >>> freedom now movement, hear me, we are requesting all citizens to move into washington to go by plane, by car, bus, any way that you can get there. walk if necessary. please join. go to washington. >> while we have a feel for 100,000, and i think we'll have that many and go over that figure. >> bayard rustin

dr. martin luther king jr. walked in and he said i just left your hometown, and i'll never forget, he said your parents wanted me to check on you to make sure you guys were okay. are you guys okay? and sat down and talked with us for 20, 30 minutes. he wanted to know what our dreams and thoughts were, what did we want to do, what we wanted to be. >>> coming up, worrying about the worst. >> they put the national guard on standby. they had a draft drawn up declaring marshal law. uh-oguess what day it is!is?? huh...anybody? julie! hey...guess what day it is?? ah come on, i know you can hear me. mike mike mike mike mike... what day is it mike? ha ha ha ha ha ha! leslie, guess what today is? it's hump day. whoot whoot! ronny, how happy are folks who save hundreds of dollars switching to geico? i'd say happier than a camel on wednesday. hump day!!! yay!! get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. i'm bethand i'm michelle. and we own the paper cottage. it's a stationery and gifts sto

dr. martin luther king jr. >>> a day of celebration and tonight a call to action. good evening. m doreen gentzler. >> i'm jim vance. 50 years after dr. martin luther king jr. told us his dream for america, we are reminded of how far we have come and how far we still have to go. just as 50 years ago today started with a march. thousands of people walking, some hand in hand, demanding jobs and justice. >> on the steps of the lincoln memorial where dr. king gave his most famous speech, we heard from congressman john lewis, the last surviving speaker from the 1963 event. members of the king family and former presidents bill clinton and jimmy carter also addressed the crowd. >> bells rang across this country at 3:00 this afternoon. 50 years after dr. king called upon america to let freedom ring. president obama honored those who marched for all that we have today but he also said the march isn't over. >> the universe may bend toward justice but it doesn't bend on its own. to secure the gains this country has made requires constant vigilance not complacency. whether by challenging thos

dr. martin luther king jr. walked in and he said i just left your hometown, and i'll never forget, he said your parents wanted me to check on you to make sure you guys were okay. are you guys okay? and sat down and talked with us for 20, 30 minutes. he wanted to know what our dreams and thoughts were, what did we want to do, what we wanted to be. >>> coming up, worrying about the worst. >> they put the national guard on standby. they had a draft drawn up declaring marshal law. i'm beth... and i'm michelle. and we own the paper cottage. it's a stationery and gifts store. anything we purchase for the paper cottage goes on our ink card. so you can manage your business expenses and access them online instantly with the game changing app from ink. we didn't get into business to spend time managing receipts, that's why we have ink. we like being in business because we like being creative, we like interacting with people. so you have time to focus on the things you love. ink from chase. so you can. exciting and would

dr. martin luther king jr. appeared on nbc's "meet the press." >> i don't think our society h rise to its full maturity until we come to see that men are made to live together as brothers and that we can have again win intergroup and interpersonal living and still be in the kind of society which we all long to achieve. >> this sunday, 50 years after that interview, nbc will air a special edition of "meet the press" "remembering the dream." i spoke. moderator david gregory about the special and he says it's a look back and a look forward. >> it is referencing and seeing this appearance on "meet the press" and then 50 years later talking about what the american dream means now. not just in terms of civil rights and equality for african-americans, but for all americans since the american dream and the promise of the country. that's what i think the resonance is about and understanding the extent to which americans were grappling with what democracy meant back in 19 63. >> during the special you can watch the "meet

dr. martin luther king jr. spoke "i have a dream," and changed the course of hit. e march on washington, dc for civil rights and dr. king's speech are commemorated in the capitol. this is a picture from there where three presidents, including president obama, will be speaking this afternoon. in 1963, hundreds of thousands descended peacefully on washington to hear king's inspirational and galvanizing speech with the listen "let freedom ripping" observed at 3:00 eastern time by the ringing bells. >> breaking news from the southland, we have had self fires this week but this doesn't involve a grass fire but, instead, is a massive fire involving two warehouses in santa ana. >> it appears there are chemicals, hazardous material teams, on site, and we are hearing there have been some explosions and firefighters say this is an industrial complex so tonightly, no homes in the area right there in santa ana but there are 100 firefighters, more than 100, trying to put this out. we will keep you informed since the chemicals have exploded. >> now the weather. >> we have low clo

dr. martin luther king jr. delivered one of the world's most memorable messages. >>> good morning, everybody, i'm betty nguyen. >>> senior u.s. officials tell nbc news a u.s.-led military strike against syria could be launched as early as tomorrow. momentum for action against the alleged chemical attacks appears to be building globally. british prime minister david cameron called his parliament back to debate a response. an emergency vote will be held thursday. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu says israel will respond with force if syria does anything to harm israel. the arab league is blaming the syrian government, demanding international trials. but venezuela president nicolas madura, a close ally of president assad, says military action could essentially be the beginning of a great international firestorm. nbc's chief foreign correspondent richard engle has the story. >> reporter: washington says this is not about regime change, that the united states doesn't want to get involved in syria's civil wa

dr. martin luther king jr.'s legacy, then and now, the highlights of today's big event, remembering the march on washington. you're not made of money, so don't overpay for at insurance. geico, you're not made of money, see how much you could save. too small. too soft. too tasty. [ both laugh ] [ male announcer ] introducing progresso's new creamy alfredo soup. inspired by perfection. >>> welcome back. time for a quick check of the headlines. a military jury is sentencing army staff sergeant robert bills to life in prison for killing 16 afghan civilians. relatives of the victims say they are far from satisfied with the sentence. the south african government saying former president nelson mandela's health has become unstable at times. the 95-year-old antiapartheid leader was admitted to a hospital in june because of a recurring lung infection. >>> and a memorial service held for the mother and brother of hannah anderson today, police saying family friend james dimaggio killed the pair and kidnapped hannah triggeri

dr. martin luther king jr.'s legacy, then and now, the highlights of today's big event, remembering the march on washington. you're not made of money, so don't overpay for at insurance. geico, you're not made of money, see how much you could save. too small. too soft. too tasty. [ both laugh ] [ male announcer ] introducing progresso's new creamy alfredo soup. inspired by perfection. >>> welcome back. time for a quick check of the headlines. a military jury is sentencing army staff sergeant robert bills to life in prison for killing 16 afghan civilians. relatives of the victims say they are far from satisfied with the sentence. the south african government saying former president nelson mandela's health has become unstable at times. the 95-year-old antiapartheid leader was admitted to a hospital in june because of a recurring lung infection. >>> and a memorial service held for the mother and brother of hannah anderson today, police saying family friend james dimaggio killed the pair and kidnapped hannah triggeri

dr. martin luther king jr.'s attorney and adviser.ou appear in the new documentary the march, which is airing on pbs stations in the country. thank you so much for being with us, sir. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >>> much more ahead about this huge national ceremony and about, of course, the potential for military action in syria. which is the other story going on in the midst of this commemoration today which is itself a huge, huge deal. >>> part of the thing about being president is that some days you get to take time off. you get a few days vacation, and while you're taking those few days, everybody on the other side of the aisle loses their mind and screams about you taking those days off. then when you go back to work, sometimes your workdays are just nuts. some days you have to go straight from the steps of the lincoln memorial, where you have to give the speech honoring the greatest modern american speech in history, given from that exact spot 50 years ago to the minute. you have to go straight from that not at all intim

dr. martin luther king jr's i have a dream speech. h was delivered on the steps of the lincoln memorial. but there was another message from dr. king that historians agree set in motion a revolutionary movement, one which lead to the march on washington. tonight the story of the letter from a birmingham jail. >> when you were coming to birmingham in 1963, you were coming to ku klux klan country. birmingham had nor unsolved bombings of negro homes and churches than any other city in the nation. the ku klux klan and racial segregationalists were not about to let some negro preacher from atlanta or some group of demonstrators either in birmingham or outside the state to come and change their way of life. this is our place. this is our power. how dare you come in and want to take -- share our power from us. >> it was some very dark days in birmingham, alabama. >> in birmingham then the police fear. >> they had intimidated the working black people, and dr. king knew that. the movement was stagnated. it was dead. >> i'm going to say to you, w

dr. martin luther king, jr.rested and put in jail in birmingham, alabama, the charge, protesting without a permit. there he writes the famous letter from the birmingham jail that was the moral duty to break unjust laws that images of brutality of broadcast around the world, gaining sympathy thought civil rights movement. naacp field operator medgar evers is murdered outside his home. dr. king gives the speech, that famous i have a dream speech. on july 2, 1964, president johnson signs the civil rights act of 1964, which was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since reconstruction. later today, history will come full circle. president obama is going to address the nation. he is the nation's only black president, and he will speak at the very moment that dr. martin luther king gave his speech. joining us now to assess the king legacy is dr. thomas jackson, a king biographer and associate professor at the university of north carolina. more black men are in jail now than when dr. king was alive, the unemploym

martin luther king jr. dr. martin luther king jr.eps of the lincoln memorial and paula deen with all of her racist comments and everything coming up lately, right? all right. let's have a little show of applause here. and it's not just that she wins. she wins. she crushes them. 73-59%. tell me what you think. what this says and you know what? god forbid, the thought would cross my mind. do you think it would be that different in other states in the south? god, i would hope so. >> i'm with you. i hope so but i don't know. >> bill: other states around the country. i'm telling you, you know, we don't allow states to secede from the union but are we allowed to throw some states out? >> you know what? i mean -- now is a good time to think about it. >> bill: or maybe some people from some states out. again, 1-866-55-press. before we take a break, a quick call from chicago. joey, what do you think? isn't that appalling? joey. >> caller: good morning, bill. good morning, everybody. my father wasn't a smart man but did he tell me this one tim

dr. martin luther king jr.'s attorney and adviser.u appear in the new documentary the march, which is airing on pbs stations in the country. thank you so much for being with us, sir. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >>> much more ahead about this huge national ceremony and about, of course, the potential for military action in syria. which is the other story going on in the midst of this commemoration today which is itself a huge, huge deal. [ beeping ] ♪ [ male announcer ] we don't just certify our pre-owned vehicles. we inspect, analyze and recondition each one, until it's nothing short of a genuine certified pre-owned... mercedes-benz for the next new owner. ♪ hurry in to your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for 1.99% financing during our certified pre-owned sales event through september 3rd. pre-owned sales event nascar is ab.out excitement but tracking all the action and hearing everything from our marketing partners, the media and millions of fans on social media can be a challenge. that's why we partnered with hp to build th

dr. martin luther king, jr. ng you live to the lincoln memorial, 50 years after the march on washington and dr. martin luther king, jr.'s, i have dream speech. and president obama will stand on those same steps. it brought change at a time protesters were fighting for equal treatment under the law. live at the lincoln memorial with a look at today's events. hello, doug. >> reporter: hi, shannon, the crowd is beginning to build despite the rain and uncomfortable humidity today. building in perhaps in preparation for president obama's remarks at 2:45. he is the absolute personification of the struggle that began in 1963 and ended with his presidency. it is difficult to overstate the importance of this presidency to so many in this crowd. we spoke to a guy 84 years old a park ranger here in 1963 to watch the march and so many other people like the mother and daughter you're about to meet right here finds this to be a tremendously emotional experience. listen up. >> it's so important to share this day with my daughte

dr. martin luther king jr.'s attorney and adviser. appear in the new documentary the march, which is airing on pbs stations in the country. thank you so much for being with us, sir. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >>> much more ahead about this huge national ceremony and about, of course, the potential for military action in syria. which is the other story going on in the midst of this commemoration today which is itself a huge, huge deal. ♪ ♪ we go, go, we don't have to go solo ♪ ♪ fire, fire, you can take me higher ♪ ♪ take me to the mountains, start a revolution ♪ ♪ hold my hand, we can make, we can make a contribution ♪ ♪ brand-new season, keep it in motion ♪ ♪ 'cause the rhyme is the reason ♪ ♪ break through, man, it doesn't matter who you're talking to ♪ [ male announcer ] completely redesigned for whatever you love to do. the all-new nissan versa note. your door to more. ♪ [ male announcer ] from the last day of school, back to the first. they're gonna make everything from posters to do it yourself tattoos. so make sure the

dr. king were alive today, i believe he would be broken hearted about what has happened to the traditional family, and not only among blacks. >> we feel the spirit of dr. marlt martin luther king jr. who would challenge us to honor the sacred charters of our liberty. >> i believe that gun appreciation day honors the legacy of dr. martin luther king. >> i'm not asking you for a sort of definitive historical account of who would not be in the graces of the departed. but it is now a game in american politics to appropriate the legacy of your father for these different political lines. >> actually, it is. that is good and bad. >> how is it good? >> it's good because everyone can sort of immerse themselves and say we do believe in dr. king. now, it's upon others of us, must challenge them to enforce what dad wanted to happen, and not to try to say, well, dr. king fits -- dr. king is against affirmative action, that just is not true. even though he wanted to see the day when his children would be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. reality is, i as an older person am judged by the content of my character. trayvon martin was profiled and tragica

dr. martin luther king, jr., ladies and gentlemen, martin luther king iii. father dr. martin luther king, jr., stood upon this hallowed spot. and the spirit of god spoke through him and summoned the nation to repent and to redress the shameful sins long visited upon its african american brothers and sisters. you50 years ago, he delivered a sermon on this mountain which crystalized like never before the painful pilgrimmage and aspirations of african americans yearning to breathe free in our own homeland. with martin luther king's lamenting were not an aspiring diatribe of true conditions of the day. no, indeed, his words are etched in eternity and echo through the ages to us today were a tribute to the tenacity of an intrepid people who though oppressed refused to remain in bondage. those words of martin luther king, jr., were a clarion call to all people of good will to rise up together, to make this nation live out the true meaning of its creed and to perfect within us a more perfect union. and so i stand here today in this sacred place in my father's foots

dr. martin luther king, jr., ladies and gentlemen, martin luther king iii. five decades ago, my father dr. martin luther king, jr., stood upon this hallowed spot. and the spirit of god spoke through him and summoned the nation to repent and to redress the shameful sins long visited upon its african american brothers and sisters. 50 years ago, he delivered a sermon on this mountain which crystalized like never before the painful pilgrimmage and aspirations of african americans yearning to breathe ree in our own homeland. with martin luther king's lamenting were not an eye spiring diatribe of true conditions of the day. no, indeed, his words are etched in eternity and echo through the ages to us today were a tribute to the tenacity of an intrepid people who though oppressed refused to remain in bondage. those words of martin luther king, jr., were a clarion call to all people of good will to rise up together, to make this nation live out the true meaning of its creed and to perfect within us a more perfect union. and so i stand here today in this sacred place i

dr. martin luther king jr.ed himself as a towering force in the civil rights movement. >> pressure was on to deliver a transformative speech. he had to try something new, but the words "i have a dream" were practically an afterthought. abc's diane sawyer has the story. ♪ freedom >> reporter: at the feet of abraham lincoln they sang and they waited. offstage, the 34-year-old reverend martin luther king seemed a little tired as he told abc news he hoped to reach the hearts of good people of all races everywhere. >> now that conscience allows and is a result of this discipline, dignified and determined protest and demand for freedom now. >> reporter: but at first when king walked to the podium he seemed restrained and read from a prepared speech. suddenly, singer mahalia jackson burst forth. >> i see her i see her, when her voice comes, i say, tell them about the dream, martin. tell them about the dream. >> reporter: the dream, his dream. a refrain he had been using in speeches on the road. but it was not part uh

dr. martin luther king, jr.is history changing i have a dream speech and prominent leaders returned today to pay tribute. >> and as we, the people continue to honor the dream of a man and a movement, a man who in his short life saw suffering and injustice and refused to look the other way, we can be inspired and we too can be courageous by continuing to walk in the foot steps of the path that he forged. he's the one who reminded us that we will never walk alone. >> on that day, martin luther king, jr. made a speech built he also delivered a sermon. he transformed these marble steps of the lincoln memorial into a modern day pulpit. he changed us forever. we didn't go to jail. but we got the civil rights act. we got the voting rights act. we got our fair housing act. but we must continue to push. we must continue to work. >> i'm greatly honored to be here and i realize that most people know that it's highly unlikely that any of us three over to my right would have served in the white house or be on this platform h

dr. martin luther king jr. delivered his now famous vision. the unforgettable voice paved the way for this moment. president obama, the nation's first black president, spending exactly where dr. king stood, reflecting on the progress and the work that remains. >> no one can match king's brilliance, but the same flame that let the heart of all who were willing to take the first step for justice, i know that flame remains. >> jim crow had a son called james crow jr. esquire. he writes voting suppression laws, and puts it in language that looks different but the results are the same. >> reporter: standing between three presidents on one side, and the king family on another, congressman john lewis, the last surviving speaker of the '63 march, challenged the nation, as dr. king did to make good on its promise. >> unemployment, poverty, and hunger, or the new struggle for voting rights. i say to each one of you today, we must never, ever give up. >> reporter: president obama and others pointed out the original march was about jobs and justice. noting

dr. martin luther king jr.'e volunteer he had a coveted spot near the podium. how far away from dr. king were you standing? >> i was to the left of dr. king, i would suggest, probably seven or eight security people away. >> from every mountain side. reporter: just having a front row seat to such a momentous occasion is a memory worth talking about. but george's story really begins with what happened after the speech. >> free at last, free at last, thank god all mighty, we are free at last. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: so what did you do when he finished? >> people started to stand. i have no idea why i walked over. he was just folding the paper. and i said, "dr. king, can i have copy of the speech?" >> reporter: did he hesitate? he turned and handed it to me. just as he did a rabbi on the other side came up to congratulate him and it was over. it happened that quick. >> reporter: that's right. george was handed one of the greatest speeches in american history by martin luther king himself. and so this is

dr. martin luther king jr. delivered his now famous vision. the unforgettable voice paved the way for this moment. president obama, the nation's first black president, spending exactly where dr. king stood, reflecting on the progress and the work that remains. >> no one can match king's brilliance, but the same flame that let the heart of all who were willing to take the first step for justice, i know that flame remains. >> jim crow had a son called james crow jr. esquire. he writes voting suppression laws, and puts it in language that looks different but the results are the same. >> reporter: standing between three presidents on one side, and the king family on another, congressman john lewis, the last surviving speaker of the '63 march, challenged the nation, as dr. king did to make good on its promise. >> unemployment, poverty, and hunger, or the new struggle for voting rights. i say to each one of you today, we must never, ever give up. >> reporter: president obama and others pointed out the original march was about jobs and justice. noting

martin luther king jr. two days after the march on washington. . >>> up next, the fbi's reaction to the martin luther king jr. speech. to them, dr insurance rates are probably gonna double. but, dad, you've got... [ voice of dennis ] allstate. with accident forgiveness, they guarantee your rates won't go up just because of an accident. smart kid. [ voice of dennis ] indeed. are you in good hands? to get our adt security system. and one really big reason -- the house next door. our neighbor's house was broken into. luckily, her family wasn't there, but what if this happened here? what if our girls were home? and since we can't monitor everything 24/7, we got someone who could. adt. [ male announcer ] while some companies are new to home security, adt has been helping to save lives for over 135 years. we have more monitoring centers, more of tomorrow's technology right here today, and more value. 24/7 monitoring against burglary, fire, and high levels of carbon monoxide starting at just over $1 a day. and now get adt installed for just $99. isn't your family worth america's number-one security company? current adt customers call f

dr. king with their own march on washington. >> 50 years ago, u.s. civil rights leader dr. martin luther king jr. gave his famous "i have a dream" each of the march on washington. today, thousands returned to the national mall to celebrate that anniversary. >> it was a very exciting day on the mall, despite a bit of rain. people came from all over the country to reflect on dr. king's legacy and take stock of what still needs to be done to make his dream a reality. on a rainy afternoon, 50 years later, dr. martin luther king's famous words still echo through the steps of the lincoln memorial. >> i have a dream. >> for michael howard andrea miller, who traveled from california for the 50th anniversary of the march on washington, the dream is still very much alive. >> it was a dream to think i would live to see a black president. or even a dream to believe that there would be there or better treatment for african-americans. >> u.s. president barack obama, along with former u.s. presidents bill clinton and jimmy carter, joined the civil rights leaders and the king family to celebrate the legacy of t

dr. martin luther king, jr. >> everyone wanted him to speak first because they figured the first speakersended up speaking last. >> we will not be satisfied as long as a negro in mississippi cannot vote and a negro in new york believes he has nothing to vote. >> as he is reading the text, halia jackson is sitting on the platform, and she shouts at him, interrupts him and says tell them about the dream, martin. tell them about the dream. >> i still have a dream. >> i said, oh, i thought it was a mistake to use that, but how wrong i was. it had never been used on a world stage before. >> and whoever was standing next to me, i said to that person, they don't know it, but those people out there -- i said they don't know it, but they're about ready to go to church. >> i have a dream that one day on the red hills of georgia from the former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. >> it was like you could hear a pin drop because, i guess, everybody in the audience at that time felt he was actually speaking to them. >> i have a drea

dr. martin luther king jr.'s "i have a dream" speech. thin the hour, president clinton and president carter will deliver remarks at the lincoln memorial, the sacred spot where dr. king addressed a crowd of over 250,000 people at the march on washington, marching for jobs and freedom. moments from now an american many say is the living testament to dr. king's dream, oprah winfrey, will address the crowd. earlier, speakers ranging from national urban league president to actor jamie foxx addressed the crowd. >> i stand here today to call on this great and mighty nation to wake up, wake up to unfair legality parading as morality. wake up to insensitivity to the poor. >> everybody my age and all the entertainers, it's time for us to stand up now and renew this dream. that's what we got to do. >> we come today to not only celebrate and commemorate, but we come as the children of dr. king. >> we celebrate today that we have become a country that believes in equality, and we recommit ourselves to be a country that acts on that belief. >> and join

dr. martin luther king, jr.'i have a dream speech we are remind about unfinished business here and abroad. >>> what we know is an attack could begin as early as tomorrow important,ly in conjunction with england, france and other allies and could last for three days. white house press secretary jay carney says none of the options are aimed at regime change. rather the intention is clearly to respond the use of chemical weapons. still that is not enough to win over critics including senator john mccain. >> isn't it contradictory two years ago he said he must go and now he said this isn't aimed at regime change. if it isn't aimed at regime change what is it aimed at? we can send them a diplomatic note that we don't agree with what they are doing. >> joining us now from cairo is ahmen. we seem to be caught between a rock and a hard plains terms of what to do here and consensus building. senator mccain say there will be no boots on the ground but on the other hand advocating for regime change. it's hard to complete re

dr. martin luther king jr. xt weekend many people will begin commemorating the 50th anniversary of the march on washington, and dr. king's famous speech "i have a dream." today in "beyond a dream" we look at the impact king's dream and life still has on the world. on the campus of morehouse college in atlanta, students are reminded of dr. martin luther king jr.'s legacy. he completed his under graduate degree at morehouse. students there are mindful of king's belief that education is a vital tool to escape poverty. former president of morehouse, dr. robert franklin, talked to me about the impact of king's dream on the school's campus and the nation. >> we hope that every man of morehouse who graduates and becomes a morehouse man will take with him those virtues that we seek to instill, commitment to academic excellence, to community service, to ethical leadership. we often talk about the 5 wells that these men are well read, well spoken, well traveled, well dressed, and well balanced. >> you're actually meeting

dr. martin luther king jr. his famous i have a dream speech on the steps of the lincoln memorial, today thousands rallied in washington paying tribute to historic anniversary. today's march is not just about martin luther king jr. it's about remembering and paying tribute to an unforgettable moment in time when the civil rights movement was the national conversation. cnn's chris lawrence has extraordinary moments from today's march on washington. >> reporter: for thousands of people from all over the world each with their own story to tell and reason for coming here, it's hard to sum it all up, so here's a look at some of the sights and sounds from today's event at the national mall. >> keep dreaming of the constitutional right to vote, stop the madness in texas, keep dreaming. keep dreaming about the war in poverty. keep dreaming. to go from stop and frisk to stop and employ. stop and educate. stop and house. stop and choose schools over jails. keep dreaming. >> as we gather today, 50 years later, their march

dr. martin luther king, jr. began that historic speech. >> there will be a singer here for just a moment before the president begins his speech today. and, again, this will be a key moment not only in this day, but for president obama himself too, john. >> that's right. president obama has not made civil rights a centerpiece of his presidency. remember that he was trying to get elected in 2008 and 2012 by appealing to a very wide swath of the electorate. there are some moments that's so big, the trayvon martin case a few weeks ago was one of those when the president finally came out to make some remarks on it. here's a happy occasion when he can come out and commemorate the progress that's been made but also note the progress that hasn't been made. we were talking about that before the bell started pealing. you have african-americans with a persistent income gap with white americans. in 1965 blacks earned 55 cents on the dollar now today 65 cents. african-american unemployment is almost twice the rate of white a

dr. martin luther king, jr. delivered his famous "i have a dream" speech. today's rallies raise awareness to social issues. the four year anniversary of the march is wednesday. the bay area will have several events commemorating the march today. in san rose the naacp is holding a short meeting followed by a one-mile march. begins at 9:00 at st. james park. in oakland the bay area black worker center is sponsoring a rally at 1:00 on webster street. in san francisco an lbgt coalition is holding a meeting on city hall. it will pay tribute to openly civil rights gay leader mr. ruston. >> now on to a video that's gone viral. it appears to be a toxic chemical attack on civilians and people in syria. allen wong has the story. >> about 100 members of the syrian american council in san jose urged the u.s. to respond to what appears to be a toxic gas attack on syrian civilians and residents. >> 67% of those killed are children and women, according to the syrian medical society. it's not rebels, it's children. >> the u.s. and the united nations are calling for an inve

dr. martin luther king jr. ers expect thousands to turn out to show that dr. king's dream still lives on a day that will begin with prayer at the shiloh baptist church before another march to the national mall. >> we were over behind where dr. king's shoulder was in this close enough to be able to hear all the speeches. >> lynn french was 16 years old when she attended the 1963 march on washington. she hopes today's speeches inspire generations to fight for justice. >> what's disturbing to see even with a black president we still have a long way to go. >> reporter: congressman john lewis was there too. then a young student organizer, one line from dr. king's speech still resonates today. >> let freedom reign. i think people all across america -- in their hearts, believe that freedom should reign forever and ever. devon dwyer, abc news, washington. >> the 50th anniversary of the march on washington leads us to the facebook question of the day. what cause would you march for today? we look forward to seeing your c

dr. martin luther king jr. to go home and help our families and help our communities. and we did that. >> reporter: in 1963, they rode a bus from arkansas, this time, many of their children and grandchildren and families made that trip. >> all of those who sacrificed their lives, made it for us today. it seems to be slipping away from us, we need to recapture it. >> coming from all walks of life. it represents us. >> i would say if you can't take a bus ride for justice, then you know, you don't deserve it. >> right. >> so i'll ride that three or four times if i have to. >> exactly. >> thank you for this trip. >> reporter: the bus broke down on the way, but nothing could break their resolve to get here. sarah and diana were waiting to welcome them. >> you said you would get here. >> sure did, sure did. thank you. yeah. >> reporter: emotionally, where are you today compared to 50 years ago in. >> emotionally, 50 years ago i was sad and angry. sad because living in arkansas, and being treated as a second class cit

dr. king's dream. then and now. >> when dr. martin luther king, jr., was assassinated in tennessee in 1968 he hadden working with sanitation worker striking for better wages, recognition of their union. the day before he was killed he sfo with workers urging them to adhere to nonviolence, warning looting that broke out at a march diverted the story away from the injustices they were facing. it was part of the american federation of state, county and municipal employees, now the country's largest union for employees, 1.6 million working and retired members. joining me now is the current president of that union and the first black man to hold the title, lee saunders. he addressed those gathered for the march yesterday. lee, i think people forget this was a march for jobs and freedom. tell me why there's been such an attack on labor in recent years. >> i think they want to move labor out of the way completely. they have attacked private sector unions, private member down to 6%, public sector membership and unions is about 35%. they want to come after us

martin luther king iii talks to me about his father's legacy and where to go from here. also young activist hoping to follow in dr. king's footsteps. >> august 28th, 1963, dr. martin luther king, jrhousands of others marched on washington for jobs and freedom. congressman john lewis was the youngest speaker. and now 50 years later i am the youngest speaker. >> you go youngest speaker ashawn johnson. he'll be here in nerdland when we come back. more at the top of the hour. [ male announcer ] this is brad. his day of coaching begins with knee pain, when... [ man ] hey, brad, want to trade the all-day relief of two aleve for six tylenol? what's the catch? there's no catch. you want me to give up my two aleve for six tylenol? no. for my knee pain, nothing beats my aleve. pcentury link provides reliable yit services like multi-layered security solution to keep your information safe & secure. century link. your link with what's next. >>> welcome back. i'm melissa harris-perry. we're live this morning from washington, d.c. where thousands gathered yesterday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 march on washington for jobs and freedom. perhaps one of the most notably moment wa

dr. martin luther king jr.'s i have a dream speech before a crowd of a quarter million people in washington and millions more on television watched on that 1963 day. his remarks galvanized the civil rights movement. president obama called it one of the five greatest speeches in american history. >> when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city. we will be able to speed up that day with all of god's children, black men and white men, jews and gentiles, protestants and catholic, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old knnegro spiritual, freet last, free at last, thank god almighty, we are free at last. >> to think the most famous part of the speech was ad libbed. at this hour, thousands are retracing the steps of the original marchers heading down constitution avenue to the washington memorial and the national mall. two hours from now, a program commemorating the march and the speech will begin. then some time after 2:00, president obama and former pre

dr. martin luther king jr.'he march on washington. >>> on this day in 1977, brazilian star pele led the new york cosmos to victory in the north american soccer championship. in 1968, a group of investors set up the league after england won the world cup. founders wanted to bring the excitement of the game to north america where soccer was not nearly as popular as other sports. to build the interest, the cosmos packed the team's roster with some of the greatest international players. when pele joined the club it put soccer on the map in the united states. entire league would follow a few years later. in 2009, the new york cosmos just recently rejoined the nasl, but pele and company won it all 36 years ago today. that is how "fox report" this wednesday august 28th, 2013. i'm harris faulkner in for shepard smith. >> the o'reilly factor is on. tonight -- >> the change has always been built on our willingness, we, the people, to take on the mantel of citizenship. >> amidst a number of racial controversies the preside

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dr. martin luther king king jr. gave his speech 50 years ago.eak, oprah winfrey and two former presidents, presidents clinton and president carter and the man who gave a speech there 50 years ago, congressman john lewis, the day began shortly but of course the headliner is the president. 50 years ago today about a quarter people washed on the national mall on washington to demand change. dr. martin luther king jr. sharing his dream for america from the steps of the lincoln memorial, his indelible words a watershed moment in the civil rights movement. today thousand also gather to commemorate the famous words that forever changed our country. our country should be a better people. we still have a distance to go. that distance front and center today and the nax's first black president will add his vision as the marquee speaker at the anniversary celebration. president obama acknowledges that, while a lot of progress has been made, king would not be satisfied. >> we have not made as much progress as the civil and social progress that we've made, an