this is a gospel hymnal that harriet tubman owned. what is powerful if you remember when harriet tubman would go south, often to alert the enslaved it was time to go, she would sing various hymnals, "sing low sweet chariot," "steal away sweet jesus." harriet tubman couldn't read, but the fact that she carried this hymnal with her throughout a large part of her life is a very powerful and moving piece. and it seems to me that this museum has to tell what is one of the most painful stories of america which is the story of enslavement. and there is -- there are few things as powerful as a shackle. these were the kind of shackles that were used during the period of enslavement, and what people forget is that slavery is also about control and violence and triing trying to coerce people to do unpaid labor. i think what we want to do is to be able to interpret slavery both as a system that helped the country economically and is a system that was shaped by the people who lived it, but also recognizing that the enslavement of people continues

when harriet beecher stowe wrote this story, what do you think was in her mind? was she trying to not be offensive or trying to be enlightening? what was she thinking? here we go. >> i think that he was trying to shock people and she's an abolitionist. she was trying to slow the evils of slavery. >> absolutely. now, in her doing that, she painted -- this is an early review of her work. she painted a very, very simplistic view of slavery. you had the kind of good -- i don't know why i'm going to mr. beckette when i say that, the good slave owner and then you had the evil slave owner. okay? and you had the evil slave catcher. and that was basically what slavery was about. you never knew -- you were at the whim of somebody. it was power. okay? you were under somebody's sway. you were in fact, a slave. nothing was your own. it tells about the worst parts of slavery, okaying? what would be the worst thing then to a mother to have her child sold away from her and she did talk about that. the cover we saw -- wait a minute. there's a cover. i believe of little eva crossi

but the high point came just last year when he inherited 39 items that belonged to harriet tubman. escaped but returned to the south nearly 20 times leading hundreds of others to freedom on what came to be known as the underground railroad. some of charles blockson's ancestors were rescued by tubman. >> what was your reaction when these artifacts from harriet tubman came into your hands? >> nearly every item i picked up i started to cry. the tears just came. my emotional armor erupted. >> the items include a silk shawl that was given to tubman by queen victoria and tubman's book of gospel hymns. blockson, though says it felt wrong to keep them. >> so it felt like a burden momentarily. >> afterward. an awesome burden. an awesome burden. >> so he donated the tubman artifacts, most of them too fragile to be handled to the national museum of african-american history and culture. this animation shows what it will look like. lonnie bunch is the founding director. >> when he called me and said i have harriet tubman material, i didn't believe him. when he pulled out the hymnal, everybody s

we're going to start off our discussion talking about the use of the n-word in both harriet -- harriet beacher stole's very famous classic, "uncle tom's cabin" and we'll be talking about mark twain's "huckleberry finn" is correct. there has been recent controversy talking about a publisher who is changing the n-word to slave and they're changing the injun word to indian because a lot of people offended by that. this is not a controversy that just started, this is a controversy that's been going on since day one. these novels came out in the 1860s, and the idea is that since that point in time there's beb been a little bit of controversy. we're going to start with the history, because many times in class, you have to have a sense of literature to understand history. if you don't understand what motivated people to do what they did, you really kind of lose it when we talk about potatoetry, we talk about drama, when we talk about history. let's look at cart to the cartoe board. he was 1950s's greatest and a little kid in the back said gangsta rappers. that's the only way he has connection

they belong to the world. >> reporter: harriet tubman died 99 years ago.and the story of the african american people from slavery to segregation to civil rights and beyond will be told on the national mall where america honors its heroes. chip reid, cbs news, washington. >> pelley: that's the "cbs evening news" for tonight. for all of us at cbs news all around the world, good night. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >>> now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. >>> whitney houston in her casket. the new photo controversy today. >> this picture is on every grocery store checkout stand. >> i think it's disgraceful. >> a tabloid publishes a picture taken at the viewing. whitney in a purple dress and diamonds. . >> the photo appears to be snapped by a camera phone. >>> and how much money did they make. >>> and bobbi kristina living inside this atlanta home.

they belong to the world. >> reporter: harriet tubman died 99 years ago. and the more signs of economic recoy g up in silicon valley. >>> good evening, i'm dana king. >> i'm allen martin. more signs of economic recovery springing up in silicon valley and the signs say, help wanted. that's not the only good news for job seekers. new at 6:00, len ramirez shows us employers are changing their game and playing for keeps. about time, len. >> reporter: you know, there were a lot of temporary jobs in silicon valley but now we're talking about permanent jobs with benefits and this is one of the places where you can find work. >> we have the help wanted job out. >> reporter: brendan harrington has more than a few. >> we need to hire probably 20 people immediately and within the next six months probably another 20 or 30 people on top of that. we're expecting a lot of growth. >> reporter: he runs a successful fast growing luxury car dealership. this one it will sell 400 cars and expecting growth 30 to 35% until the year. >> positive signs in the valley. the high-end

i can't tell harriet i had a headache. let's go ahead and go to memphis. two weeks later, he came to memphis. he was still depressed, though. he was just fatigued. you have to understand that b biographers had researched his life. he had three kids at home in alabama. every dime he made, that money had to go back into the movement to get kids out of jail. people lost jobs, he gave money for food, he was constantly trying to refuel the movement financially. so he had no money. he was not a wealthy man. he also had offers to be presidents of universities. he could have made a lot of money had he stepped away at that particular time. but he came back into memphis and he came to the lorraine motel. and everybody was going to do a mass rally that evening at mason temple. his mountaintop speech, which was his last speech, was to us his speech of prophecy and sort of his self-preached eulogy because he started in 1955 with his first movement as a 26-year-old young man in montgomery, alabama. and he walked the crowd all the way up through his entry in memphis, ten

from harriet tubman to slave porters in the underground railroad, to michelle obama and today's white house. the footprints on history from african-americans cannot be washed away. and the bells of greatness, ingenious, artistic talent, philanthropy, and leadership cannot be on rum -- cannot be unrung. we have come this far by faith. we celebrate and embrace this theme of the african american women, culture, and history. wellcome will not allow me in this discourse to call the role of great women in african american history. let me pray that their numbers are many, and the stories of them tell the truth of women, african american women, in culture and history. for our women have been on the move. our women have refused to be moved. and our women continue to move mountains in african american history. and now, in closing, let me cradle this month's celebration in the history -- in the city of st. francis, with a sense of gratitude and neutral respect. the we black, white, brown, or red, we are all god's children. mavis in vacation -- may this invocation be accepted and the record show

he did what harriet tubman did with the underground railroad, what frederick douglass did, the american soldiers did when they joined the union army. they joined to help make this country a better place. so i wanted to say that in the beginning because i think that right there puts a very important opening on how we begin this discussion about the centennial. time has changed in the united states and changed for good reasons, changed for the better, and i think the -- the moral of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice. i want to say as we start, and let me back up for a minute and say the african-american civil war museum located here in washington, d.c. has african-americans who joined president lincoln in civil war to help him save the nation, keep the united under one flag and end slavery. lists the names of 2,500 hispanic surnames. these were mixed up with these african-american soldiers. there's also 7,800 names of the officers, white officers who commanded these soldiers, african-americans couldn't be officers, those names were listed among the regiment and one was sha

and harriet tubman said god ain't going to let president lincoln win until he does the right thing. now south carolina started this war and they say that the constitution of the united states in the article provides as follows. this was south carolina's article of secession. no persons held to service or labor in one state under the laws thereof escaping to another shall in consequence of any law or regulation therein be charged from service of labor but shall be delivered upon claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due. and then they go on to say that if that provision -- as a matter of fact, let me finish the next sentence. this stipulation was so material to the compact -- now they're talking about the compact that forms this nation, that without it that compact would not have been made. the greater number of the contracting parties held slaves and they had previously in their estimate of the value of such of the stipulation of making the condition in the government of this territory seceded by virginia, which now composes the state north of the ohio river. now t

harriet beecher stowe's "uncle tom's cabin" and we'll be talking about mark twain's huckleberry finn. there has been recent controversy, please excuse me, recent controversy talking about a publisher who is changing the "n-word" to. >> slave. >> slave and they're changing the engine word to indian because obviously a number of native americans are offended by that. this is not a controversy that has just started. this has been going on since day one. they came out in the 1860s and the idea is that since that point in time there's been a little bit of controversy. what we're going to do is start in the history because, as i said many times in class, you have to have a sense of history to understand literature. if you don't understand what the people were going through, what they were feeling, what motivated them to do what they did, you lose it when we talk about drama, poetry, and fiction. let's talk about this. it's from ""the new york times"" from january of this year. mark twain used the "n-word" 219 times in huk fin. he was one of 1960s greatest? and little black kid said gangster

we were able to find harriet tubman's hymnal when she went to the south to help rescue the slaves, she would sing. we also collected nat turner's bible, he used that bible to read revolution to say now is the time to strike a blow for freedom. and we have a painful set of slave shackles, made for a child and you'll also see louie armstrong's trumpet. what we want to see is moments that you'll ponder, and moments that you'll fly on the resiliency of this community. >> what about president obama, something from his inauguration, perhaps. >> what we have done is we have collected his campaign because we know how important this is, and what we will do, at the end of his tenure, we will ask him, tell me what represents america to you? for me, president obama is definitely going to have an important place in this museum. >> what about areas of rec reconciliati reconciliation? i thin aboll legs, abolition, do you think it's -- >> i think it's important for that story to be told. for this generation and the generations yet unborn, to see how it happened, how we resolved the question of slavery

. >> madame tussaud's unveiled a work today of harriet tubman.-great nephew and her oldest living descendants were speechless. >> this is incredible. you can see the determination in her house. >> my heart has run over. i feel so [unintelligible] >> children from harriet tubman elementary attended the event. she was born into slavery on the eastern shore and after escaping she led countless lives out of the south to freedom through the underground railroad. >> amazing. switching gears now. for all you "lost" fans of theirof their. "the river" premieres. his loation beacon sends out a signal and his family and crew go looking for him. >> is that you? i am here. open it. >> the clothes from the inside. >> it is welded shut. tight all around. >> why would someone do that? >> steven spielberg is the producer. it is followed by abc7 news and 11:00 p.m. have you heard of him? >> she has had a couple of things. >> should be interesting. >> we have a look ahead. >> it is a long way to 1144 delegates which is what the candidates need to be though the nomi

culture, menino of the historical accomplishments of the african- american women, phyllis wheatley, harriet tubman, leader of underground railroad. ida wells, the unyielding upon it to a lynching. rosa parks, of course, the mother of the modern civil rights movement and on and on. gwendolyn brooks, tommy morrison -- toni morrison. wonderful writers. awe still have a ways to go, we hav a long ways to go. as an author to have helped our human rights commission read the agenda we have a ways to go. [applause] that is why i look at the audience, i see a lot of people that will help us get there. our board of supervisors are here, our other elected officials, the treasure is here. members from all the other communities are here. because it is not just something the african-american community can do. the chinese -- a chinese person can help with the advantage to agenda. a latino person can help. a korean person can help. a gay person can help. everyone can help accomplish the unfinished agenda for everyone. i often talk about partnerships. we have to partner with our african-american community to

betty shabazz, and harriet tubman, a soldier of the underground railroad.d also come these stories. shirley chisholm, the first african-american woman elected to the u.s. house of representatives and the first african-american to run for president. charlayne hunter-gault, a decorated journalist who helped integrate the university of georgia. sonia sanchez, a university professor and renowned poet. and frances watkins harper, one of the first abolitionist speakers of the 1800s. all of these women trailblazers and crusaders and proof that progress is defined by greatness, not gender. >> the international struggle for human rights is a struggle for all people. and the exhibit here definitely shows the contribution that women, particularly black women have played in that struggle. >> it touched me hard because you know, we struggle every day. every day's a struggle now. and it kind of put a fire inside of me to keep going, you know? >> i learned about black women and the stuff they did to make women now have rights and be equal. >> reporter: even this very room

weeks later harriet decided to withdraw and we calmed the storm. not without damage. >> greg: that is a good point. a scandal doesn't matter if it's the other side. it's when people on the other side, on the side of the scandal, the democrats, when they start raising issues then you know it's over. >> dana: i think that there were some senate democrats or people other democrats that are running for office that started to let the white house know, i'm not going to be able to defend this. >> bob: bob casey of pennsylvania is an example. pro-life republican -- democratic catholic. i think, greg, you were the one who said last week or early this week as an example if this were a muslim organization, right and you were forced to eat pork, let me ask in reverse. what if you are a muslim patient in catholic hospital? >> dana: cared for. >> greg: pork on the menu, don't eat it. >> kimberly: they would be sensitive to that and they wouldn't give you that. be honest. >> greg: cair would get involved. >> dana: as a patient, you chose to go there. as provider

. >>> they have taken artifacts from frederick douglas and harriet tubman.t's a beautiful day that turned into a beautiful night. let's check in with wyatt everhart. >>> very nice out there. temperatures in the upper 50s. we're headed to the upper 60s in spots tomorrow, including right here in downtown. you see some clouds have moved in. the days are getting much longer now with these harbor cam shots still showing some daylight remaining, the dusk going another 10 or 15 minutes. almost 60. winds south at six. they've been gustier than that. i want to compare that to our statistical normal. the old record high 74. so tomorrow we're going to add five, six degrees. all right. looks like our cameras are still loading up. where you're seeing the precipitation is northwestern maryland, garrett county. if you're driving 68 west, you see a few drops and it's over before it starts. perhaps just a few rain drops from new freedom toward york, very, very limited precipitation. most of us sitting dry and most of us stay dry. though later tonight another line could come

this candle and shawl belonged to her. >> harriet tubman would often signal to the enslaved populationa night we were going to try to flee by singing a song whether it's swing low sweet chariot or steal away jesus. >> reporter: and the anticipation that the museum is building, one recent afternoon the chief architect took a group of howard university architecture students on a tour of the site. >> hopefully when we're done, the building is going to have its own presence and it's going to be magnificent, but it's also going to feel like it if it's in. >> reporter: architect bill freeland explains they designed a water feature for the museum people will notice arriving from the metro. >> right over there within a stone's throw of our sight, that's important. >> reporter: groundbreaking is set for february 22nd. curators and project staff are looking forward to it as a way to let the whole world know african americans had a central role in making the united states what it is today. this museum along with the martin luther king memorial are supposed to be the last buildings and monuments t

. >>> a tribute to harriet tubman. hundreds of slaves to freedom was unveiled today in washington. many of her descendents were president at the wax museum. students from washington's harriet tubman elementary school were also there. >>> the life and times of benjamin franklin are coming to life again. a new exhibit called, benjamin franklin, in search of a better world, is opening at the national archives. the program includes letters from the founding father, journals from the continental congress, as well as other documents from his brilliant life. a rare 1787 printed version of the constitution is also going to be on display. the franklin exhibit is free and it opens to the public this friday. >>> fresh off her halftime appearance, madonna is coming to washington. the material girl is bringing her world tour to the verison center. the show scheduled for the 23rd of september. when madonna went on the road the last time, she went on the record for the highest grossing. tickets go on sale next monday. >>> still ahead