amy: i want to go back to jeff sessions at the foot of the edmund pettus ridge saturday. -- of the edmundy. senator sessions, why not make voting easier for those in this country? let people vote early, longer days. the whole issue of opening up the voting assess so that people can feel welcomed. >> i am uneasy about this long free voting. things happened between two weeks or more before election day, and oftentimes people are urged to go to vote and vote before they are ready to vote. so i think there is nothing wrong with voting on election day. that is the way we have had it since the founding of the republican. amy: it is hard in a working day to be able to get out. >> you can vote absentee, and if you are unemployed you can vote absentee, and you can vote absentee if you are ill or a number of other reasons. so i am not just stamping the time -- amy: same-day registration? >> i think same-day registration is very dangous. amy: because? >> because of the fraud that can occur with people voting more than once. amy: what about felons? in some states, people who have served tir time are

this time edmund pettus infamous for being a member of the kkk. gentlemen, thank you so much. president johnson ended his speech by saying we shall overcome. did we? >> yes in the sense that african-americans are able to vote in the south. not right away, but over time it has. and i think we have think it shows that we have an african-american president. >> randall pinkston? >> he has overcome the barriers in southern states to allowing african-americans to vote. in alabama george wallace was fond of saying that there is no law that says negroes can't vote. there is no law that says that negroes can't vote. but what there was were restrictions. because of johnson at that time and what the americans and the world saw at edmund pettus bridge, the law was changed. >> we're still talking about a supreme court and congress that is making changes to the voting rights acts. and there are critics who say that it's making it harder not easier to vote. you can go anywhere in the world with a card to take out money and the bank knows as much money is coming out of your account but with v

the most recognizable man from the -- the edmund pettus bridge in 19 65.st courageous civil rights foot soldiers of american history, and what it must feel like for this president. the first african-american president, to now, who also gave credit to the civil rights soldiers years ago, that he is standing on their shoulders and now here he is in historic selma, what it feels like for him. there's an incredible crowd here. as i mentioned, this is a city of 20,000 but today perhaps it's 25,000 30,000 or more. no telling how many thousands turned out for this but guess what? in the thick of it all, our own ryan young is there finding out where so many have come from and, ryan i met people from minnesota, arizona, new york. what have you encountered? who have you encountered? >> i think i have you beat. i'm talking to a guy here who flew in from vietnam to come back for this celebration. in fact, he's one of three soldiers who came back after bloody sunday, felt the call to action years ago. you have a picture here from back then. can you show us everybody? >

msnbc's melissa harris perry is standing at the edmund pettus bridge.make their way across the bridge. so many people have come out that it's going to take a little while. >> reporter: it is. as we've been watching the crowd, we're right at the foot of the bridge. we're watching the crowd as i oohs coming from the church where the church service was. folks are coming and starting to cross over the bridge. i'm recognizing some of the faces from brown chapel this morning. initially it was folks who had staged themselves on this side. but at this point there's a whole group who have made the pilgrimage, the same pilgrimage that the initial activists made from brown chapel here to the foot of edmund pettus. >> so as you speak with people out there, especially the young people -- because this is more than just marking history. this is passing it on as well. are young people understanding the torch that is being passed on to them? >> reporter: i think so. i mean in fact part of what is so important about the number of people here the age of the people here an

edmund pettus was in the kkk and was clearly against racial equality. bridge named pr him was in and of itself was a symbol 50 years ago to move away from that particular history. so now to be in a space for the president at that place he's both marking what was and what potentially could be. >> thank you, melissa. coming up, that city's current police chief and. that's up next. be sure to stick with msnbc throughout the weekend for live reports of the events. to be honest, i thought a lot of toothpastes were pretty much the same. but then my husband started getting better dental checkups than me so i did what he did i went pro with crest pro-health advanced. my mouth is getting healthier. my teeth are getting stronger. crest pro-health advanced gives you a healthier mouth, and is superior in these key 5 areas. this is going to go well. i know it. i guess all toothpastes aren't the same. at ally bank no branches equals great rates. it's a fact. kind of like mute buttons equal danger. ...that sound good? not being on this phone call sounds good. it's not

it's an ame church about a mile from the edmund pettus bridge.he likes of dr. king and malcolm x the week before he was killed met at brown chapel, met with young activists organized like john lewis, members of the non-violent coordinating committee to strategize and plot and plan out what would be the voting rights campaign. so this morning the congressional delegation arrived at brown chapel and they met inside. they met with the daughter of a woman killed around the time of bloody sunday and she talks about what it meant for her family to be involved and she said when people ask her why her mother came to selma to help support the fight for voting rights she said why wasn't everyone here? she shouldn't have been the only one. so when i talked to congressional members they said it was so touching that this woman, this is a commemoration of the signing of the voting rights act and the commemoration of bloody sunday but also the 50th anner have of her mother's murder by klansmen. so for her to speak up asking them to heed the call, to come down h

that is the famous or infamous edmund pettus bridge. pettus a general in the civil war who was elected to the senate in alabama. there were reports that he may have been part of the kkk. but today there is a different situation taking place than 50 years ago when it became known as bloody sunday when alabama state troopers attacked members of the civil rights movement who were trying to cross that bridge. now infamous in history our tony harris is there in selma right now. tony as you stand there on this moment a short while ago the president of the united states arrive. describe to me what happened next. >> yes, it was a terrific moment moment. can you imagine this president who has walked over that bridge last time i believe in 2007, when avenues candidate he drives over this bridge as the first african-american president of the united states. it's the infamous edmund pettus bridge a name that conjures up so many images of very dark days in this country. so think about that. i think the video is rolling now. the president of the united

the president making remarks and the backdrop is the edmund pettus bridge. >> will live on forever. >> tony harris randall pinkston, you have been part of that group that we see poised on the back of that truck getting ready to follow that historic march across the bridge. tell us what it's like to be in the white house press corp on a day like today. >> if i am not mistaken, del, the people on the truck for the most part are photographers and they would not -- they would kick me off of the truck if it's not a photographer. i would be somewhere else. obviously, it's a big deal. it's fun for the press corp. they won't follow the president. they will be proceeding in front of him captioning his image as he crosses the bridge. and when they get to the other side the members of the press corp will move to their press vans. there may be -- i suspect there will be time for what you call filing reports. >> will be done at the press center or in the vehicle, itself. in the old days, we had to go to a place that had telephone lines. >> take the receiver. >> you don't have to do that any more b

everyone sitting here today has their own edmund pettus bridge to cross.might be of the water cooler when you hear the word "nigger" and you know you should cease -- say something. it might be in gaveling all where you see -- in gambling halls where you see the trafficking of women. it might be with the homeless where you see people sleeping outside and have nothing to eat. it might be in your own home when your husband is beating you end domestic violence is a part of your lifestyle. that is your edmund pettus bridge. i'm here to tell you today that we feed the hungry. we serve over 140,000 people per year. that is because the movement continues. so don't just get on the bridge. don't just crossed the bridge. but finish the work so that their lives will not have been given in vain. thank you. [applause] >> good afternoon. my name is doug. i'm with the faith and politics institute. [applause] 50 years ago today, brave souls 600 strong, followed their america -- followed their faith in the promise of america across this bridge. and with john lewis they marc

. >> one of the leaders of the historic march across the edmund pettus bridge in selma alabama returned to reflect on the moment. president barack obama was one of the leaders who celebrated the movement. 50 years ago the marchers were attacked by police after crossing that very bridge. a terrible day led directly to the voting rights of 1965, and the president honored the courage of those men and women. >> we honor those who walked so we could run. we must run so our children soar and we will not grow weary, for we believe in the power of an awesome god and we believe in this country's sacred promise. >> tonight, tony harris is live in selma, where he watched the day's events on this powerful day. tony, good evening to you. >> thomas, indeed, a powerful day. it's great to welcome you to selma, alabama as many as 40,000 people converged on this wall town today to commemorate to mark one of the seminal moments of the civil rights moments. [♪ singing ♪] >> on a sun-splashed day in selma, alabama georgia congressman, a man who was beaten on the bring, was here speaking about the here and n

who was edmund pettus, he was a confederate general in the civil war, pettus was also a virulent racistd dragon of the ku klux klan. there is now a petition to rename that bridge. >>> one of the fiercest opponents of civil rights in the 1960s was alabama governor george wallace. wallace had vowed to stop the march. sat down to speak about her legacy. >> my father never built a bomb or hit anybody with a billy club but he created a climate that allowed other people to go and do those things. >> peggy wallace kennedy is the daughter of george wallace the alabama governor who built his reputation fighting against civil rights. >> and i say segregation now segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever! >> so when you listen to your father say segregation now and all of that, and -- >> that's probably the most racist thing i've ever heard him sais. >> that wasn't the only time her father's words and actions betrayed racial bias. wallace stood in the door of the university of alabama, to deny entrance to two african americans. receiving threats of violence and death. >> i actually answered th

>>> continuing coverage now of the president's speech at the foot of the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama. it is the 50th anniversary of the bloody sunday march. welcome to a brand new hour inside america's news headquarters. i'm arthel neville. >> hello, i'm eric shawn. an historic event and gathering going on as you see live right now at the foot of that bridge in selma, alabama. as thousands gathering to commemorate that day 50 years ago today when 600 people bravely stood up in the face of hatred and violence and demanded the right to vote and honoring them, of course, the first african-american president, barack obama. the president also awarded the congressional gold medal to all the bloody sunday marchers who were injured there along with those who then marched on tuesday and then the final march that completed the selma to montgomery effort two weeks later. and ultimately, all that effort leading to the historic passage of the voting rights later that year. >> the americans who crossed this bridge, they were not physically imposing but they gave courage to millions. they

bush just crossed the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama.ion to mark the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday when civil rights activists were beaten by police trying to march to montgomery. before that, the president gave a passionate speech noting much progress made in the past half censutury since that day but saying race still casts its long shadow on america. back to "caught on camera." >>> in texas, a tow truck driver and young father-to-be fears for his life, wondering if this is the end. january 24th, 2010. 21-year-old edward wiley makes his usual rounds, just after midnight at an apartment complex in southeast houston. the company he works for is contracted to inspect the complex daily and remove any illegally parked vehicles. he's worked at red light wreckers for two years. he enjoys the job and the steady paycheck, especially with a child on the way. company owner chris hoffmeister says edward is one of the company's best drivers at the time. >> he was a young gentleman, very energetic, very eager. at one point, he worked at walmart.

we get to the highest point on the edmund pettus bridge.aw a sea of blew of alabama state troopers. a man smoke up and said i'm with the alabama state troopers. this is an unlawful march. you will not be allowed to continue. i'll give you three minutes to disperse and return to your homes or to your church. a young man from dr. king's organization walked beside me, helping to lead the march. he said, major give us moment to kneel and pray. he said troopers advance. and you saw sheriff clark's posse on horseback. they came towards us, beating us with night sticks, shredding us with horses. releasing tear gas. i still don't understand it. how could people be so vicious to beat their fellow citizens? we were ordinarily. we were peaceful. we were not even saying anything. we were walking on the sidewalk, on the bridge. >> you were beaten so many times during the civil rights movement movement. >> i grew up accepting that peace was the way of life, the way of living. i never had a desire to strike back. i became convinced that the way of love, t

that is the edmund pettus bridge.ack and white images of what became known as "bloody sunday." it was not just one march but three. three marchs with one design ending in montgomery provoking the johnson administration to speed up passage of the voting rights act. all started at brown church but the march for unexplained reasons was stop. the march across the bridge stopping at points where no one knew exactly what to expect along the way. there were three campsites. they gathered in lonsboro and mount sinai and then they stopped in montgomery where dr. martin luther king demanded that those who marched along side him and other blacks in the country be allowed to vote. we want to take you live to the scene on the ground in selma alabama. this is the new mayor of sell marks mayor george evans. >> i say to president barack obama, thank you for coming to selma once again on behalf of the city council and to all of the citizens of selma we thank you with open arms and heart for you being here today and on this historical

cbs news, selma alabama. >> and thereby a walk tomorrow across the edmund pettus bridge. >>> nonrepublicans hopefuls split on immigration in a forum. >> and a food truck caught fire send the white house on lock down. we will have that story coming up. at perdue, we know fresh chicken. well, not that kind of fresh. but we do take extra steps in our farms, trucks that deliver daily and everywhere in between... ... to bring you a fresh tasting chicken. perdue. we believe in a better chicken. ♪ building aircraft, the likes of which the world has never seen. this is what we do. ♪ that's the value of performance. northrop grumman. at perdue, we know fresh chicken. well, not that kind of fresh. but we do take extra steps in our farms, trucks that deliver daily and everywhere in between... ... to bring you a fresh tasting chicken. perdue. we believe in a better chicken. protests and demonstrations in madison wisconsin after a police officer fatally shot an unarmed man last night. police say the man assaulted the officer as craigwell reports the officer is on administrative leave pending the results

we're talking about the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama.s marking this 50th anniversary of that day that became known as bloody sunday. in 1965 marchers demanding equal voting rights and treatment were beaten brutally by alabama state trooper. the president spoke about equality in this country and what still lies ahead. >> the single most powerful word in our democracy is the word "we." we the people. we shall overcome. yes, we can. that word is owned by no one. it belongs to everyone. oh what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. >> congressman john lewis spoke in front of that bridge as well. he was there. he marched. he was 25 years old. he marched alongside the others fighting for exactly the same thing, equal treatment. our athena jones is joining us from selma, alabama. give me a sense of what it has been like for you to be there today. >> reporter: hi poppy. i feel so lucky to have been able to be here to cover this event. it's a big anniversary, the 50th anniversary. there are people l

on this day, all roads will lead to the foot of the edmund pettus bridge. throughout the day, the crowd grew in size. america's diversity on display. the young, the young at heart those here for the first time. and those here 50 years ago. >> i came down on a bus. they support the costs for voters rights for people down here. >> what are your thoughts 50 years later? >> it's emotional but where we are at. we have a black president. overlooking a congress that is not working real well now. we are not addressing the issues that are totally impacting people of colour in particular because we are at the bottom of the food chain right now. >> little known that on the first friday of march 1965 martin luther king junior was here in selma. he decided to leave to head back to atlanta that sunday at ebenezer church. part of the reason was he was frustrated with a lack of progress from efforts in selma. obviously, the first sunday of march, 1965 changed everywhere. by late this afternoon there was barely room to breathe on the bridge. human traffic moved at less than

its namesake edmund pettus was a u.s.enator in the early 1900s, prior to that he had been the grand dragon of the alabama ku klux klan. there is a fitting if unintended sim tree in what took place here 50 years ago when the divide between black america and white america could be denied no longer. sunday, march 7th 1965 voting rights activists learned some 600 marchers out of selma bound for the state capitol in montgomery. the march was inspired by the shooting of a young civil rights worker jimmy lee jackson. >> this is an unlawful assembly, your order to disperse or go to your church. this march will not continue. >> osgood: they made it only to the edmund pettus bridge where authorities set upon them. the violence that have bloody sunday was broadcast across the nation. martin luther king, junior came to selma soon after and completed the march. young cbs news reporter bill plante was there. >> they have six miles to go on the four lane highway then they hit the two-lane highway for another eight miles today. >> osgood

as many as 20,000 came to walk the edmund pettus bridge in selma today. what happened in 1965 became the catalyst for the voting rights act. it was in selma 50 years ago when police assaulted some 600 protestors. they were trying to march from selma to montgomery. the weekend celebrations also came with caution. even after 50 years the fight for equality is far from over. tony harris begins our coverage tonight. >> brown chapel ame church. the organizational muscle of the selma marches was the epicenter of thirst and activists. >> we brought down a bus load of children. >> freedom ride! >> we had a chance to vote, we had a chance to do so many things because so many people walked across that bridge, cried across that bridge, bled across that bridge. politics gets who what when where and how. >> 50 years ago, the names were james orange, malcolmx and martin luther king, jr. providing fuel for future civil rights campaigns. >> i'm concerned because our voting rights have been december pated -- december maded. -- decimated. >> we will march on to that bright

standing on the foot of the edmund pettus bridge.r american rights and being in a community where people lost their lives. but it also touches home. people have lived here and have family members who suffered greatly, again, for our rights to vote. and, so, as the president and the first family took to the stage, you kind of felt that swell of excitement and every one applauded. now, i'm sure once he's finished talking, people are going to be, you know, dealing with a mix of emotions because this is the anniversary weekend of such a tough weekend. i actually want to bring someone in. sir, i wonder, what brought you here today. we're moments away from hearing the president speak. >>

when the president stood at the foot of the edmund pettus bridge he said there was nothing more american than the protest march that took place 50 years ago. to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of bloody sunday let's look at how the seeds of that protest are manifesting today. long before the protests in ferguson missouri -- >> i can hear my brother cryin' i can't breathe. >> reporter: before young people by the thousands filled city streets marching under banners demanding that black lives matter youth in the deep south were fighting for voting rights, facing the violence and death. >> i had made up my own mind that i wasn't going to let nobody turn me around. >> reporter: from the countless foot soldiers from the 1965 voting rights campaign some weren't old enough to vote let alone leave the house. known as the smallest freedom fighter, she was 8 years old when she and hundreds were attacked on the edmund pettus bridge. >> i saw hundreds of policemen with tear gas masks, state troopers on horses. i saw dogs policemen with billy clubs. >> the lord looked and saw me and said i want yo

that day in 1965, many in a crowd of 600 were beaten by state troopers as they tried to cross the edmund pettus bridge. >> the nations first african-american president walking in the footsteps of the freedom fighters who paved his future and altered history 50 years ago today. thousands gathered in selma to remember that day in 1965, when peaceful protesters marched across the edmund pettus bridge, demanding equality. >> you are order to disperse. reporter: state troopers armed with clubs and tear gas. it was a tipping point that prove the power of nonviolence to start change and get congress to pass the voting rights act. >> it was not a clash of armies but a clash of wills. a contest to determine the true meaning of america. reporter: for all the progress made, echoes of selma remain. in the shooting deaths of unarmed black man by white police officers to the rolling back of the voting rights act. the president enlisted the next generation who came to witness this moment in history to come together, to be foot soldiers for change. president obama: we know the march is not over. we know the ra

amy: from the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama, this is democracy now! >> 50 years our march is not yet finished. but we are getting closer. 239 years after this nation's founding, our union is not yet perfect, but we are getting closer. our job is easier because somebody already got us through that first mile. somebody already got us over that bridge. amy: tens of thousands of people marched on sunday in the largest rally ever, commemorating 50 years ago, when hundreds of people led by, among them, a young john lewis, 25 years old now a congressman and one of the leaders of the student nonviolence coordinating committee, marched in nonviolence over the bridge. >> this city gave birth to the movement that changed this nation forever. our country will never, ever be the same because of what happened on this bridge. amy: all that and more coming up. amy: welcome to democracy now, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. we are broadcasting from alabama. tens of thousands of people traveled to selma alabama, this week and the 50th annive

standing on the foot of the edmund pettus bridge. fighting for american rights and being in a community where people lost their lives. but it also touches home. people have lived here and have family members who suffered greatly, again, for our rights to vote. and, so, as the president and the first family took to the stage, you kind of felt that swell of excitement and every one applauded. now, i'm sure once he's finished talking, people are going to be, you know, dealing with a mix of emotions because this is the anniversary weekend of such a tough weekend. i actually want to bring someone in. sir, i wonder, what brought you here today. we're moments away from hearing the president speak. >> we initiate the movement back in '63. >> how does it feel to be back here? >> back here, for the feeling to be back here and to go back 50 years and we as kids had we would free america. we didn't know this. we were fighting. racism. just what we were fighting. but coming back today and looking at 50 year and evaluating what we came on 50 years

host: a look at the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama. history tv. taking a few more of your calls also taking in the sights and sounds, some of the dignitaries who are on hand and continued to arrive and wait for the president's remarks. charles in aurora, colorado. caller: go ahead. i appreciate giving you the time to voice my opinion. i think it's an insult to a lot of people's intelligence that the leadership of the republican party, john boehner and mitch mcconnell are not here at this historical anniversary. until the leadership of the republican party show that they want to make changes, they're not going to be changes. once again, thank you very much. host: let's go to lynnwood, washington. leo. caller: hello, this is leo. i have a question with a related comments. it's my understanding that all the invitations that one out to government officials were bipartisan and that none of the gop accepted the invitation to attend. considering this is one of the salvation of the law the land, the civil rights voting act of 1965, i consider

the weekend ended with a march across the edmund pettus bridge. right to vote is now under siege. >> without adequate political power and representation people of color continue to be margin marginalized and stigmatized. >> on saturday president obama and first family led a way across the edmund pettus bridge. >>> testimony resumes on the boston marathon bomber accuser dzhokhar tsarnaev. one testified last week who one lost both legs. prosecutors are seeking the death penalty that killed three people and injured more than 260. >>> a police forensic expert on the stand today in aaron hernandez's trial. dna of hernandez's was found at the crime scene. >>> a protest rally will be held this morning on the university of oklahoma campus after a video showing fraternity members showing racist chants. chanting a slur suggests that blacks would never been admitted to the fraternity. the fraternity leadership has apology. the national leadership saying it is disgusted a member would act in such a way. vile stuff. >>> the noise you heard on sunday was the si

tens of thousands marched in unity across the edmund pettus bridge in selma alabama.ing 50 years in the fight for civil rights. >> battling boko haram, chad and nigers launches an offensive as deadly attacks are undertaken >>> rallies across the globe calling for on end to oppression and violence. >> 4 years since the civil war, and the countries seem as far from peace as

it's a personal honor for me to join in today's historic occasion on the edmund pettus bridge that hasome a monument in itself to the ridge struggle for civil rights over the past 50 years.stre this bridge represents the strength of the determination, c the loss and the pain that have come to define the civil rights a movement in america.mo and it's an honor for me to stand here among you today on behalf of the state of alabama. acros 50 years ago, approximately 600 people marched across this very bridge on their way to montgomery to demand the right to vote. those marchers, many who were nameless, had a bold vision to change the culture of america. selma stood poised center stage as a series of historical events unfolded around us as the fight for civil rights met one of its hardest struggles right here on this bridge. bloody sunday was a difficult day in our nation's history as the route to montgomery was met with violence. we've all seen the images and heard the stories of those men nded b and women whyo desired the right to vote. this nation was founded by men of many nations and b

walked across the edmund pettus bridge in selma, alabama commemorating bloody sunday 50 years ago whenat peaceful demonstrators demanding voting rights for african/americans and rob reynolds reports. ♪ the day began with prayer and song giving thanks for freedoms won, remembering the cause and lives, blood and broken bones. thousands marched across the span that made selma a synonym for oppression a half a century ago demanding the right to vote were clubbed down by police. a few blocks away from the speeches and celebrations he enjoyed a quiet family gathering and remembers that day in 1965. >> when they charged us with the horses and tear gas and they was beating us with sticks and cow prows and sticking us with cow prows and my teacher they hit her in the head and we were crossing the bridge and i had to grab her and escort her back over the bridge. >> reporter: people traveled around the country to be in selma this day. >> i don't have to face hostility or that level of oppression and so i feel that as an african/american woman i need to be mindful of the struggles. ♪ but amid the

that's when police beat and teargassed peaceful demonstrators at the edmund pettus bridge. cbs's bill plante was there 50 years ago, and he is back this morning. ♪ when the saints go marching in ♪ >> reporter: thousands jammed the edmund pettus bridge marching and singing to remember the struggling for voting rights. monique davis wanted her four children to know how things have changed. >> they've got to realize if they didn't do what they did 50 years ago obama would not be president today. >> reporter: 50 years ago police beat back an unresisting group of demonstrators with clubs and tear gas. two weeks later under federal protection dr. martin luther king marched from selma to montgomery and the steps of the capital where governor george wallace had declared segregation forever. wallace wallace's daughter peggy stood on the same spot and embraced congressman john lewis who was badly beaten on bloody sunday. >> there are opportunities for all of us to raise the call for justice in our lifetime. >> reporter: lewis joined armed with peggy wallace kennedy and led dozens of

in fact, the march took place on this structure you see right behind me, the edmund pettus bridge. that's where president obama is expected to deliver his remarks just a few minutes from now. in addition to president obama and former president george w. bush, the event has drawn approximately 100 members of congress including representative john lewis who suffered severe beatings while marching here 50 years ago. thousands of visitors have descended on this small alabama town to relive history. >> i'm so excited. 50 years later to see to where we have arrived to see the first black president it almost brings tears to my eyes. it's a great day. what would martin say if he were here today? >> residents and visitors gathered at the brown chapel a&e church. it was a rallying cry including for martin luther king jr. we found out what the movement needs to accomplish 50 years later. >> as we assemble this weekend to celebrate i don't know that we can celebrate without legislating. we need legislation that makes it easier to vote and not more difficult. as in some communities that seems t

. >>> thousands of public figures, government leaders and veteran marchers crowded the edmund pettus bridge in selma today. the second day that they were commemorating the 50th anniversary of the brutal alabama police assault on civil rights advocates 50 years ago. marley hall takes a look at what it took to stop racial discrimination at the ballot box. >> reporter: star whitley drove with her family from atlanta so they could all retrace the historic walk across the edmund pettus bridge. >> my daughter was concerned in the beginning before we started marching. she was wondering if we were going to get beat up, and i said no, that was 50 years ago. >> reporter: 50 years ago this is where police used brutal force to stop a march for voting rights. the violence of what became known as bloody sunday became a turning point for the nation. president lyndon johnson signed the voting rights act into law five months later. there is a sea of people lined up for blocks for a chance to walk across this iconic bridge named for a leader believed to be a ku klux klan member. 9-year-old jenny newto

drove with her familiarly from atlanta so they could all retrace the historic walk across the edmund pettusridge. >> my daughter was a little concerned in the beginning, you know, before we started marching she was wondering if we were going to get beat up and i said no. that was 50 years ago. so things have changed since then. >> reporter: 50 years ago this is where police used brutal force to stop a march for voting rights. the violence of what became known as bloody sunday became a turning point for the nation. president lyndon johnson sign the voting rights act into law five months later. >> there is a sea of people lined up for blocks for a chance to walk across this iconic bridge named for a couldn't federal general believed to be a clue clucks clan leader. many of the original marchers crossed yesterday alongside president obama. 89-year-old jenny newton wanted to be among the crowd commemorateing her sacrifice. >> it feels nice. because it means they still remember what things were about. >> reporter: before the walk, worshipers gathered at brown chapel ame church. they heard from t

he was there for the 50th anniversary of bloody sunday, and this time he stood on the edmund pettus bridge as the first african-american president. >> the americans who crossed this bridge, they were not physically imposing. but they gave courage to millions. they held no elected office but they led a nation. they marched as americans who had endured hundreds of years of brutal violence, countless daily indignities, but they didn't seek special treatment, just the equal treatment promised to them almost a century before. what they did here will reverberate through the ages, not because the change they want was preordained, not because their victory was complete, but because they proved that nonviolent change is possible, that love and hope can conquer hate. >> the speech ended up running for more than 30 minutes, covered quite a bit of ground, president obama addressing the recent department of justice. >> on the ferguson police department, the report that came out just last week. >> just this week i was asked whether i thought the department of justice's ferguson report shows that with re

the march across the edmund pettus bridge became a watershed moment.sident obama is just minutes away from landing in selma after departing washington. there also president bush and over 100 members of congress will be in attendance to commemorate not only the event but the people behind it. jonathan sunseri is live in selma, alabama with that iconic brick behind him. >> it is ike nim indeed. the organizers could not have asked for better weather today it's sunny, certainly warming up after a deep freeze we went through temperatures now in the 60s today. the president will be speaking at that psych nick structure that you described behind me, the edmund pettus bridge this event is attracting thousands of visitors and among those 100 members of congress that you mentioned, representative john lewis will be among them. he of course suffered severe beatings while marching here in selma 50 years ago. among the events kmem rating the movement visitors gathered to a service at brown chapel ame church. there was a rallying point for demonstrators and lead loo

tomorrow some of the original marchers will return to selma's edmund pettus bridge to mark what's viewed a turning point in the civil rights movement. a among them president obama. his appearance comes as a new cnn poll gives a snapshot on america's views on raisins he was elected. 15% say relations have gotten better over the last eight years while 39% say they've gotten worse. 45% say race relations remain the same. one of the activists whose work in selma and beyond paved the way for president obama is andrew young. he's the former mayor of atlanta and u.n. ambassador. he talked with my colleague fredricka whitfield on the eve of the milestone. >> reporter: in selma the edmund pettus bridge represents the painful beginning and hopeful end. it helped coordinate the mompgts movements for change. andrew young walked across the bridge and was beaten that sunday march 7th 1965 but he was on the other side helping to coordinate the hundreds of people who had turned out. today reverend andrew young is 82 and he says pushing for voting rights with this small alabama city as the back drop help

we saw the thousands that were marching across the edmund pettus bridge. let me clarify under section 5 under the jurisdiction of voting rights act of 1965 and voting rights act of 2015, has proposed that the changes are not retro gress i have and will not have the effect of denying or bridging the right to vote. we have expanded that to go by acts, by occurances that would keep someone from voting. i believe that this past weekend or the weekend of blood sunday was a moving moment that would draw together that would allow us to understand h.r. 885. many of us would be willing to have teach-ins to make sure that the col colleagues understand this. earlier today, i stood on the floor and asked for a bipartisan approach to the approval of the attorney general nominee by the other body. i say this from the spirit of recognition of the three branches of government, a president has nominated a well qualified, distinguished member of the bar, loretta lynch, to be the next attorney general of the united states of america. we understand the differences of opinion.

the steps that helped secure equal voting rights 50 years ago thousands of people walk over the edmund pettuselma alabama commemorating the 1965 bloody sunday march. hundreds of peaceful activists were beaten by white officers, hit with batons and targeted with too far gas. >> today's demonstration part of a larger series of events marking a major turning point in the civil rights alabama. >> reporter: local churches are holding services commemorating the events of bloody sunday one service in particular taking place at brown chapel a.m. e church a central immediate meeting point during the civil rights struggles of the 1960s that church inviteed attorney general eric holder as one of the main speakers at that service. >> within these walls they spoke of equality of opportunity of justice. they also spoke of promises unkept. they made brave and perilous plans to realize a dream that had been too long deferred. >> reporter: this comes a day after president obama former president george w. bush and scores of other politicians and civil rights leaders participated in a ceremony al march over the

at the foot of the edmund pettus bridge, just going out of your shot -- the camera shot there. and today, president obama and other dignitaries will be speaking as part of the commemoration of 50 years ago bloody sunday. here on c-span3, "american history tv," we are pleased to have the reverend bernard left yet joining us. he was one of the leaders of the leaders in alabama. and we will give you a chance to call in, ask questions to reverend lafayette, and also post your questions on facebook and twitter, as well. the phone lines if you are in the central or eastern time zones. you can post a facebook -- they comment on facebook. or go to twitter. you can tweet us at c-span history. but, mr. lafayette, take us back 50 years ago. what ideas led to the march? reverend lafayette: -- >> we will try again to see if we can get the audio straightened up there. reverend lafayette having a little trouble hearing us today. a lot of dignitaries, you can see. we will show some of the sights and sounds around the foot of the bridge. there is jesse jackson. quite a few members of congress a

the edmund pettus bridge is named for a confederate general who escaped three times from capture.e was also grand dragon of the alabama ku klux klan, as well as a u.s. senator. the group students unite have launched a petition to change the name of the edmund pettus bridge. when we come back on the we go to chicago to speak with the challenger of the current mayor rahm emanuel, jesus chuy garcia. stay with us. ♪ [music break] >> amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with juan gonzalez. a shout out to the students who have come to visit us today from democracy prep high school in harlem, new york. juan: we turn now to chicago, where jesus "chuy" garcia, the son of mexican immigrants and an immigrant himself, shocked the nation's political establishment last week by forcing chicago's powerful mayor rahm emanuel into a run-off election. now, the race has turned into what could be the next big fight for the soul of the democratic party. many experts had predicted emanuel would easily win the primary because of his political background

there are new calls to rename the edmund pettus bridge. up. >>> isis destroys ancient treasures. that tops our look at stories around the "newsnation." this time isis bulldozed the site of an ancient city that dates back nearly 3,000 years. this is file footage of the site near mosul in northern iraq the bulldozing comes a week after a video shied isis militants using sledgehammers to obliterate sculptures and artifacts in the mosul museum. >>> the jury is deliberating in the trial over the hit song "blurred lines." closing arguments, attorneys for marvin gaye's family say the artist lied how they created the song and should be punished financially for using the song. >>> and reminder set your clocks ahead an hour when you fall asleep saturday night. daylight savings begins 2:00 a.m. sunday. 's just you and your honey. the setting is perfect. but then erectile dysfunction happens again. you know what? plenty of guys have this issue not just getting an erection but keeping it. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. ask yo

it was violence that met the peaceful protesters at the edmund pettus bridge right? that's why we have this term bloody sunday. we have to look at a time when there's no more bloodshed, right? that's the vision that we get to continue to hold up as a nation as protesters as law enforcement officials, as elected officials. all of us together really ought to be looking forward to working together in that way towards that end. >> thank you so much for being with me. >> thank you. my pleasure. >> i appreciate it. >>> still to come in the "newsroom," the secret service suffers more embarrassment. we're at the white house this morning. >> reporter: another scandal here involving the secret service. two high profile agents under investigation after driving and drinking then crashing through a barry katd here at the white house. all those details coming up. when account lead craig wilson books at iaquinta.com. he gets a ready for you alert the second his room is ready. so he knows exactly when he can settle in and practice his big pitch. and when craig gets his pitch down pa