frederick douglass said literacy unfit a child for slavery. that's one of the greatest lines, about what literacy will do. it will make you uncomfortable with being a subordinate to somebody or something and not learning. learning your way out of it is the most brilliant approach one might imagine. it was updated with george clinton. we said free your mind and your - - will follow. [applause] for me, frederick douglass was extremely important. we set up your talking about virtuosity. in the book i talk about a lot of virtuosity that - - spoke about in one of the greatest rappers i heard was hamilton and - - but he talks about virtuosity and the pursuit of that. who was more virtuous with the word than frederick douglass? what to the negro is the fourth of july? in asking these questions and poignantly raisingpraising them subsequent generations to learn from. even his evolution where he became a bit more conservative at the end of his life is instructive about how we mature and grow and what things can and cannot occur to those were involved i

but that is the case with frederick douglass. it is a complicated story, how often does that happen? thatethods of resisting enslaved people have, the methods of resisting slavery -- you know about one of the biggest slave rebellions, that is what turner is about. turner givesnat up his life and that is troubling to masters, because if he is willing to die to attack slavery, this is a challenge to slavery they don't normally get. the normal challenge is people run away, or they will burn down a building. what is that? when you run away, you are not risking your life in the way that turner risked his life. so from the master class point of view, all of these methods of undermining slavery don't strike at the heart of the matter from the master's point of view. the enslaved point of view is quite different. but from the master's point of view, it doesn't come up because it does not show the person who is enslaved is honorable and acting in honorable ways. that would be the real challenge. they have to reinterpret turner and make an

america was in that revolt that frederick douglass had complained about 100 years before. but nevertheless, he offered optimism, every single time. i think that's the most distinctive thing about dr. king is the timbre of his voice, you hear the struggle between realism and hope in his voice and it comes out as a him for hope every time. and i think we have to be careful to do that too, to figure out ways to offer optimism so that we too have a chance to take the legacy of equal souls, equal votes forward again. bob moses, give speeches occasionally and he does every one of them. he said i wish every candidate, every debate would begin simply by recapturing the astonishing, breathtaking, audacity and optimism of our form of government and every citizens responsibility. simply by reciting the first sentence in the constitution. is very easy, but when you think what's piled up there from 1787, is pretty breathtaking. we the people of the united states, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, defied dish provide for the common de

i think using frederick douglass in the column is kind of mess playing. go ahead. >> laura, laura, this isn't a zero-sum game. you can be of any race in america, that is the beauty of america, and you can feel ashamed to sing the song. there are some times when black people are getting shot down on the street that you don't feel as if -- i'm talking about getting shot down by police -- they do don't feel as if like that national anthem has risen to its standard. now honestly tell obviously during the civil rights movement -- >> laura: martin luther king marched to it. alveda king, we talked to today, she couldn't join us tonight but she said, her uncle was extremely patriotic, and all the marches you see with the american flag is always there. he always insisted that it be there. that was her point today. horace? >> laura, kareem abdul-jabbar and these multimillionaire coddled individuals that rather than using -- >> why is it about the money? >> let me finish. rather than using their time constructively to pursue whatever social justice causes they want,

at one point he even meets a delegation led by frederick douglass who remember has met lincoln hand has been received by lincoln, johnson meets him and calls it the dark delegation, when they leave nowadays we have hot microphones and catch people saying things that are crude and awful. sometimes they said openly. but his secretary reported this -- recorded this. johnson said about this black delegation that had come to plead with him for black rights, led by frederick douglass, he said, these are his exact words, he was a pretty crude guy, one of the crudest american presidents actually, he said -- i know douglas, he would sooner cut a white man's throat the not. this is the president of the united states talking about a black delegation headed by red lick douglas, -- frederick douglass. early have we seen president talk in that manner. his racism is acute. and johnson very quickly, he has these amnesty proclamations where he, the moment he comes into power, one republican says this is richard for a man for man made president by an assassin's bullet to be so arrogant, congress is not i

a statue of frederick douglass, for example. we have to make a balance. going to stay, let's do something that educates the public about the history. these people revere these confederates. they were treasonous when you look at it. i think the discussion is important to have about these monuments. for years, we took it for granted that we were looking at these white man. what about my culture? about what my people did it for the united states? anchor: you've been talking about the importance of education. as i said it, when you have a president who has made it clear it's not a priority for him, how do you go about educating people when you hear from the top it's not a priority? >> he's not jesus christ. threen have one or two or people who are negative,e, you hahave thohousands who are posi. the education is looking at his policy and understanding they are not positive. what he is saying is not good for the country. the education starts where it's quite obvious. we don't have to give him power. we were hearing what he is saying. there is another side of t

he at one point even meets a delegation led by frederick douglass who has met lincoln, has been received politely by lincoln. johnson meets him and he calls it the darky delegation, right? when they leave his secretary records this, nowadays we have hot mics, right, that catch people saying things, politicians sometimes are caught saying things that are really crude and awful, sometimes they just say it openly, but his secretary recorded this and johnson said about this black delegation that had come to plead with him for black rights, the right to vote, led by the great frederick douglass. he says -- these are his exact words and i pardon my french because he was a pretty crude guy. one of the crudest american presidents, actually. he says, those damn sons of bitches thought they had me in a trap. he is talking about a black delegation. rarely have we seen presidents talk in that manner. so his racism is acute. and johnson very quickly he has these sort of amnesty proclamations where he, you know, the quote he comes to power, one republican says this is rich for a man to be made preside

frederick douglass, i mean, was a powerful orator, and certainly you look at him for, to read through his writings, it's stirring. it really is. and i think part of what's challenging is, you know, he stands up with a great social critique in the south, and i mentioned earlier the bible often times has been used for oppression as well as liberty. i mean, he's living in a society where in the south oftentimes, you know, many of these folks are preachers that are saying that god has ordained, you know, slavery and appealing to sections of the bible like with noah and this curse on ham and saying that, you know, god has cursed a people. and as they apply it to their own context as the white, you know, southerners that are benefiting from the persecution of other people. and so i think, you know, for douglass he had an important critique at his time of saying, you know, you use that argument, but is that really the heart of what the bible's trying to argue? isn't it -- what about the ideas of justice for all people? and so douglass is calling for justice and mercy in dispute to, you know,

even in churches so that jordan anderson, along with articles about haiti and spread the -- frederick douglass, it radicalize is a lot of the students. we never knew this was possible. the bible itself, reading for oneself is radical, and now here were all these black political victories. overnight, their children had a chance. virginia child's vision and that of jordan anderson was moving faster than congress was. they dramatically passed the amendment that abolished slavery right at the beginning of 1865. it takes almost a whole year to get it ratified. kentucky is a holdout, they were trying to preserve slavery to the last. finally, the amendment passes but it comes in stages. three consecutive amendments. the 14th amendment, because you have a radical republican majority in congress, you can override a former conservative interjected in the presidency, and the 14th amendment ratified in 1868, and then we have the 15th amendment ratified in 1870, which gives african american men devote. took over -- african-american men the vote. it took over hundred and 50 more years to get women the vote.

but i imagined it in the same sense like people with frederick douglass and martin delaney. people who my ancestors resisted but to be a voice with a black community. and to direct that in a resisted way so that consciousness created in the black community could restore that and build that. that's what i attempted to do. >> why did julie the black panther party? >> the easiest way to say it is it was time. that doesn't give you information. i left the black panther party at a time that the party was transitioning into something else. the interesting thing is that i was a defense captain in baltimore. i went out to california because i probably had ten people in baltimore under charges were in jail. but there people facing life sentences who are i believe to be facing those life sentences. they had promised legal help. we'll talk about it get some support in that never happened. were waiting to talk to get legal support back here and it never happened. it just read reached the point i realized i was in the wrong place with the wrong people. i left and came back. i was disconn

participating in flavor but he articulated the principles of democracy and freedom i which frederick douglass and abraham lincoln and the rest of the --on would overthrow savory overthrow slavery and defeat white supremacy and usher in prospects for a more perfect union. what matters is not where jefferson would be today as a is,on, but what matters where are the principles which he set forth for our country? and those principles, equal liberty, universal rights, the democratic consent of the government, created the space reconstruction movement, the civil rights movement, the labor rights movement, the women's movement, and all the movements of our nation's history to succeed. and that is who we are today. of civilization and american history. [applause] i know we are nice people, but please do not confuse nice with weak. if anyone thinks we are going to roll over and allow skinheads dixieeppy fascists and politicians from minnesota ofning for governor virginia, counterfeit confederates and arranged conspiracy theorists and online inisionists of the new town parkland massacres, and moral equ

so that jordan anderson, along with articles about haiti and frederick douglass, it radicalizes a lot of the students there. we never knew this was possible. the bible itself reading for one self was radical and now here are these black political figures that overnight showed children they had a chance. childs' vision and that of jordan anderson was moving faster than congress was. now the movie lincoln, they dramatically pass the 13th amendment which will abolish slavery late in the beginning of 1865 and in january of 1865 but it takes almost a whole year to get it rad fied. kentucky is a union hold-out, trying to preserve slavery and will do so to the last. so finally 1865, the 13th amendment but it has to come in stages. three consecutive amendments. the 14th amendment, because you have a radical republican majority in congress and you can override a conservative andrew johnson and the presidency and we get the 14th amendment ratified in 1868 to grant citizenship and then the 15th amendment that ratified in 1870 which gives african-american men the vote and it will take 50 years to

"and coming in at number 74, we've got 'trump thinks frederick douglass is still alive.' ( laughter ) dedicated to little dylan pickle." so-- ( applause ) so, trump's walk-back yesterday was more of a shamble. and you would have to be some kind of idiot to buy it. jimmy, roll the idiots. >> i thought yesterday was a step forward and i'm glad that it occurred. >> i'm glad the president retracted, or sort of corrected his statements. >> i'm just glad he clarified it. >> i think he cleaned it up today. >> i take him at his word. >> stephen: which word? ( laughter and applause ) "would" or "wouldn't"? because the president doesn't even take the president at his word. ( laughter ) but there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why republican leaders won't stick up for democracy. they're scared. according to one g.o.p. strategist, "i'm furious republicans are cowardly about trump, but here is what they say in private: trump is a disgrace. i give fiery press conference tomorrow saying that. nothing changes, trump remains nuts and remains president. a nut beats me in the next primary. so,

sigmund freud, mark twain, william shakespeare, even frederick douglass.nly did douglas have a beard, but the president said douglas dowels an amazing job and getting recognized more and more. the beard helps. who doesn't want to be in that kind of company? so i say, rick gates, don't succumb to the pressure. chin up, let the 5:00 shadow last around the entire clock. maybe it's time for me to let my hair down as well. isn't that what a sharp-dressed man would do? parrot. that is quite the family. quite a lot of colleges to pay for though. a lot of colleges. you get any financial advice? yeah, but i'm pretty sure it's the same plan they sold me before. well your situation's totally changed now. right, right. how 'bout a plan that works for 5 kids, 2 dogs and jake over here? that would be great. that would be great. that okay with you, jake? get a portfolio that works for you now and as your needs change from td ameritrade investment management. are you one sneeze away from being voted out of the carpool? try zyrtec®. it's starts working hard at hour one. an

learned it from a different perspective i think that reading accounts of slavery from slaves like frederick douglasswas eye-opening for me because i never had that perspective that blew my mind that that happened it was a recent than i realized my i realized my mother was a child during that time and it wasn't so far in the past and that time could be measured in the wrinkles on my mother's skin not geological time. and that really did blow my mind >> so go to trinity first you have an experience of imposter syndrome? like the professor chooses you like you have potential. >> yes they really helped me. i applied because he told me i should i should and then i did not get in. he wrote them and said i think this person has learned a lot. she she is really behind but she will catch up and they did so i do oh him a lot. >> have you talked to him about that? >> no. what did you see in me? [laughter] i have never i sent him what i had written but i did not. but i have no idea. >> but like i don't belong heree but there are things it seems there is a turning point at trinity will you start hearing about po

if you go back and read frederick douglass, you will see that he fights a dual -- duel. when he slapdash stands up to the slave -- stands up to the breaker, douglass said, i do not care if i die and i will not take it anymore, and he does. he does a fight to a draw. read that section of douglas' au tobiography carefully. he sees that as his moment of liberation. he does not and slavery until he runs away from slavery and gets liberated that way, but it is in that fight. knows what is in the s mine.eaker' that is the case with douglas. it is a complicated story of how often it happens. think about this, the methods of resisting that the enslaved people had, the methods of resisting slavery. know of one of the biggest slave rebellions, that is what turner isr -- nat all about. he gives up his wife, that is a -- that is why it is so troubling to the masters. he is the sort of guy that will die to attack slavery, this is a challenge they do not normally get. the normal challenge of slavery is that people run away or burned down a building. when you run away you are not riski

frederick douglass met with andrew johnson in 1856, a former slave holder to work out issues.ay to make progress s by meeting, talking and pushing through legislation. it was absolutely necessary. we need them to stop delaying the bill. we need less talk, more action. >> you are a civil rights p.torney. this is about getting things done. but americans see on television this kind of action of people trying to ruin, as dimensioned, they knew, it's like let's ruin this guys happiest day in his life. you realize that you are not winning people -- this is not a way to win friends and influence people, that this conversation about things americans generally agree on, we are all affected by a justice system that's unfair. but isn't this the kind of thing just keeps people distracted away from real solutions? you have to admit that. >> unfortunately these are the things in america that get attention. there has been more attention on this story than there was with the 17 pastors meeting with president trump last week to push prison reform. >> tammy: you've been talking to the mainstrea

he-- at one point, he even meets a delegation led by frederick douglass who, you remember, was received politely by lincoln. he meets douglas. he calls them the darky delegation. you know, we don't have open mikes. you know, politicians are caught sometimes with open mikes. and. his secretary recorded this. the black delegation coming for the right to vote. these are his exact words. parked my french. he was a pretty crude guy. one of the crudest american presidents. he said those damn sons of thought they had me in a trap. that douglas, he -- this is the president of the united states talking about a delegation coming to him. rarely have you seen a president talk in that manner, right? and, so, his racism is acute. and johnson, very quickly, he has the amnesty proclamation where the moment he comes to power, you know, one republican says, this is victory for a man who is made president by an assassin's bullet. congress is not in session. he issue as proclamation saying that southern states can reenter the union. as long as they accept that, you know, they are against secession, that sl

o frederick douglass was a powerful orator. f look at him and it is stirring and had to stand up with a great social critique. and often used with thei impression. south and living in a society in the o southf and they are preachers that say they have ordained slavery and sections of theh bible. and that god has cursed a people as they apply to their own context that benefit from the yk persecution of other people.no that is that the heart of what the bible tries to justice argu? what about the ideas of justice for all people? dis calling for justice and mercy in dispute to these ministers andao the representatives of what the bible is teaching it is a while powerful example how at the same time and same place forrand i different purposes. really and say what do i really think?l that whole goal is to engage anu douglass was a great example of trying to think through what isf the bible saying at a time like this? a as african americans are being persecuted.odington. >> butts so the question goes to understanding the bible with t

if you go back and read frederick douglass, you will see that he fights a duel. he doesn't call that, but when he stands up to the slave breaker, he's given over to the slave breaker who will beat him until he succumbs and takes on the role of an enslaved person. douglass said, i do not care if i die. i will not take it anymore, and he does. he does a fight to a draw. read that section of douglas' s' space autobiography carefully. he sees that as his moment of liberation. he is still technically a slave. he does not end slavery until he runs away from slavery and gets liberated that way, but it is in that fight. no one is calling that a duel. knows what's in the slave breaker's mind. that is the casethat is the cas. it is a complicated story of how how often does that happen? think about this. the methods of resisting that the enslaved people had, the methods of resisting slavery. you know of one of the biggest is slave rebellions. that is what nat turner is all about and other people who engage in it. someone like matt turner gives up his life. that is why it is

that later he became with frederick douglass and to the effect that he was called the black eagle of illinois admiring by douglas and became one of the longest radical republicans in fighting for civil rights. all this was due to his experience in sherman's innovation and he wasn't alone. it wasn't just logan, it wasn't just charles wells, half as many men that were in the fight. it was the fact that politicians from lincoln on down understood, began to understand the fight was more about just the unions, it was more than about punishing the secession. it was about wiping out a surge of human decency and front everything the constitution was supposed to represent and went about advancing the cause of civil rights we begin to affect the goals, the dreams that were established early in those founding documents and this is not quite of course we are still having today. it's an ongoing struggle and that's why i think this particular subject, mark is so critical because of the impact it had on the culture of the north . now, this wasn't the only era, i could go into further regarding the

ask we just finished four weeks of figures of reconstruction, frederick douglass, john bingham, who wrote4th amendment and callie house, the african-american seamstress who advocated for labor rights and telling those stories on the podcast and this exhibit and creating the civil war was a great way to connect. so telling the stories is crucial and if we can do that james madison musical, we'll be in great shape. >> you can definitely do governor mars who wrote the "we the people" in the beginning. he has a sexy story. >> amazing story. it's c-span so i will -- he has a wooden leg and the story was that he jumped out of a window after a carriage accident after assignation. >> husband came home. >> well, he lost his leg, and i think it was john adams who said, i wish he had lost another appendage. [ laughter ] >> he was searching for the original more perfect union. >> see, we've got the beginning of the morris musical right here. >> and then he married nancy randolph who was accused of murder. so it was quite a -- he was quite a character. you could definitely do something with him. >> so

we went to the grades of harriet tubman, frederick douglass, susan b. anthony, all people that dedicated their life to freedom and the right to vote for american citizens. i cannot think of anything more important than this hearing, and i must say it is a national scandal that we've been asking for it ever since the election, to find out what happen with the tampering of trying to interfere and prevent people from having their votes. the evidence is absolutely clear that the russians tampered with our elections. nothing is more important, and hope, mr. chairman, is is the first admin hearings focusing on preserving the integrity of our boats and of our election system. i don't think anything is more important in our country. i'd like to start first by asking mr. krebs, has read the indictment from mr. mueller? yes or no. >> was yes, ma'am. >> and the indictment, the object of one of the russian conspiracies was, i'm quoting from the indictment, to hack into the computers of u.s. persons and entities involved in the 2016 u.s. presidential election, steal

respect to important issues it has always been difficult to achieve, whether you are looking at frederick douglass martin luther king jr. those are pressing issues of the time and they weren't always easy to have. but we have to make the effort. brian: you have a lot of people line van jones when the white house called me up i have been very critical. but when you talk about prison reform i care more about prison reform than i do politics. what else it going to take. >> if it's about the american people, if it's about addressing issues that are critical in terms of improving their quality of life, then we have to put political differences aside and say we are willing to make an effort to listen and understand. brian: why don't we? >> because we get caught up with the views and values that we hold dear. that makes it very difficult for tours reach across the aisle and say i'm interested in gaining a deeper understanding. brian: i hear this. we don't want to legitimize the president. >> exactly. brian: he won. >> in this case i have to say i respect the effort that he made to bring these leaders tog