i was like maybe the klu klux klan. that was their reaction. oh, and then it got quiet for a long time. it was the kind of quiet like that might be good for ratings, but he might die, but that might be really good for ratings. when i pitched that idea, i don't think they'd let me do it. i was trying to be edgy and get the job. i thought we'd negotiate it down to the rodeo. you know? they're just riding a horse. horses are weird. i thought we'd end up there. i never thought in a million years cnn would let me go talk to the kkk, but they did. >> as a comedian, i made a living finding humor in the parts of america i don't understand, and now i'm challenging myself to dig deeper. i'm on a mission to reach out and experience the cultures and believes that add color to this crazy country. this is the united shades of america. learning about america means sometimes reaching across the aisle, and this time i'm reaching way across the aisle to the klu klux klan. hopefully when i'm done reaching i still have my hand. my first stop is to meet with an ark

imagine this, when the klu klux klan inspired dylann roof to kill nine people in a church in charlotte -- not charlotte -- charleston, we don't assume that all white males have to apologize or explain themselves about it. we don't -- no one comes up to white males and say, hey, look, man, do you condone this. we assume they reject that horrific behavior. and that is all people in the muslim community want. is to say, look, i'm a person. and of course we are absolutely against daesh. they are threatening to kill us if people don't know. so the thing is that this is an important question that we do contend with a lot. i'll just wrap up with this. whenever you hear about people -- refugees fleeing raqqa and iraq or you hear about bombings in iraq or you hear about these kind of things, who do you think they are killing? they are killing muslims. most of the blood on their hands of daesh and al qaeda and these maniacs are people who are muslim. there is no love for these people. or al sab ab. when they kill people in somalia, who are they killing. do you think boko haram care about the rel

you can't say that people who enslave people and join the klu klux klan and murdered women and children in their homes because of race, that -- well, anybody that goes to donald trump universal humanity, these are issues that in jesse james' life and custer's life are the center of their lives. i'm not going to sit here -- i have my own political views but not here as a political pundit, and -- i do think these issues, though they're not exactly the same, i'm not going to sit here and condemn one group of americans and praise another for their political views-but certainly those tensions, i think, are still playing out in -- analysis a different way, but those tensions and the struggles go right book to the civil war era. >> yes, sir. >> i imagine as a biographer, 3,000 references might be a little intimidating in doing your research, but i was wondering if you are a modern historical biographer looking forward, whether you would envy or be relieved at the plethora of information out there that you would have to try and assimilate with all the videos and facebook postings and articles o

i was like maybe the klu klux klan. that was their reaction. long time. it was the kind of quiet like that might be good for ratings, but he might die, but that might be really good for ratings. when i pitched that idea, i don't think they'd let me do it. i was trying to be edgy and get the job. i thought

that station only station in the country, that was blown off the air by the klu klux klan. it was only months into weeks and into its operation, when klan strapped dynamite to the transmitter and blew it up. i think he blew it up in the middle. they got back on their feet and rebuilt the translator. the klan strapped 15 times of the dynamite and blew up again. finally go back on the air january 1971. pbs was returning -- i can't remember if it was the grand dragon. he said it was his proudest act. i think that's because he understood how dangerous independent media can be. dangerous because it allows people to speak for themselves. when you hear someone speaking from their own experience whether it is palestinian child or israeli grandmother whether it's iraqi uncle when asked in afghanistan, whether it's a child in the south bronx or in ferguson, missouri. that breaks down stereotypes and caricatures that fuel the hate group. i think the media can be the greatest force for peace on earth instead all too often it's a weapon of war. that's why we have to take it back. >> her

when the head of the klu klux klan, when automatic these weird groups come out in favor of the candidateher they're not republicans or i'm not. i've thought about just not voting in this election, just staying home, but you can't do that because that's saying you don't care who wins. and i do care. i think my party made a bad mistake in san francisco, and i'm going to have to vote against that mistake on the 3rd of november. >> vote for president johnson on november 3. mistakes are too high for you to stay home. >>> one of the most compelling political ads of all time. don't you want to know what that guy would think of this year's republican race? he's here! seriously, that actual guy, i swear. stay right there. he's here next. >>> i thought about just not voting in this election, staying home. you can't do that. that's saying you don't care who wins and i do care. i think my party made a bad mistake in san francisco and i will have to vote against that mistake on the 3rd of november. >> vote for president johnson on november 3, the stakes are too high for you to stay home. >> joining u

klux klan. >> imperial wizard of the keystone knights of the klu klux klan? >> yes, sir. m president of the organization. >> you're the president. >> mm-hmm. >> first of all, thanks for meeting with me. >> okay. >> i guess my first question is klan historically, as i'm sure you know, has been a group associated with violence. >> i'm not associated with violence. >> i know. i'm saying historically. >> we have to look at the klan in the 21st century. >> don't you think by wearing the same robes it's hard to separate the two different klans? >> i have an opportunity to wear a klansman's robe. why? because i'm white and i believe in the ideas, rituals and beliefs of the ku klux klan. i was raised that way. this is always going to be klan regalia. >> all right. >> there's no ifs, ands or buts about it. so we understand each other. >> yes. >> the klan has a purpose in life. and that is to recruit qualified christians that are of good moral character standing. >> what means qualified? what qualifies something -- >> must be white and you must be a christian. jews will never be in

when the head of the klu klux klan, when automatic these weird groups come out in favor of the candidatether they're not republicans or i'm not. i've thought about just not voting in this election, just staying home, but you can't do that because that's saying you don't care who wins. and i do care. i think my party made a bad mistake in san francisco, and i'm going to have to vote against that mistake on the 3rd of november. >> vote for president johnson on november 3. mistakes are too high for you to stay home. >>> one of the most compelling political ads of all time. don't you want to know what that guy would think of this year's republican race? he's here! seriously, that actual guy, i swear. stay right there. he's here next. you both have a perfect driving record. until one of you clips a food truck. then your rates go through the roof. perfect. for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. liberty mutualnsurance. dad, yoh no, i'll take you up to me off rthe front of the school. that's where your friends are. seriously, it's

. >> american history tv, the 1966 slaying of civil rights act viss at the hands of the klu klux klan told by widow and his eldest son domer, jr. >> for what reason did anybody want to come and kill my dad. they came as a result of the orders from the head of the clan, sound, said go annihilate them and they came to kill a whole family. >> and learn about the freedom summer school program during the summer of 1968 when volunteers from around the -- 1964 when volunteers taught method of nonviolent resistance and encouraged voter registration. >> there were meetings held throughout the city and various churches preparing the residents and informing them of their political rights and getting ready to register to vote. >> this weekend, watch c span's city's tour to hattiefsburg mississippi and sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. on c-span 3. our campaign 2016 bus continues to travel throughout the country to recognize winners from this year's student camp competition. recently the bus stopped in massachusetts to visit several winning students from that state. they went to the same school where

imagine this, when the klu klux klan inspired dylann roof to kill nine people in a church in charlotte -- not charlotte -- charleston, we don't assume that all white males have to apologize or explain themselves about it. we don't -- no one comes up to white males and say, hey, look, man, do you condone this. we assume they reject that horrific behavior. and that is all people in the muslim community want. is to say, look, i'm a person. and of course we are absolutely against daesh. they are threatening to kill us if people don't know. so the thing is that this is an important question that we do contend with a lot. i'll just wrap up with this. whenever you hear about people -- refugees fleeing raqqa and iraq or you hear about bombings in iraq or you hear about these kind of things, who do you think they are killing? they are killing muslims. most of the blood on their hands of daesh and al qaeda and these maniacs are people who are muslim. there is no love for these people. or al sab ab. when they kill people in somalia, who are they killing. do you think boko haram care about the rel