selma was prime for this. selma has deep river access to the port of mobile. selma has access by river to montgomery and the rail lines to the east, rail lines to the west. it also is a very short distance from the cahaba river valley coal and iron fields so we had an almost inexhaustible supply of coal and iron. we also had woodlands supplying timber for ships. we also had agricultural areas that was essentially part of the bread basket of the confederacy nearby so selma had many positives going for it so it was moved to selma and shortly after that an existing foundry in selma, able to secure contracts with the new government to produce heavy cannon, iron plating and munitions. and that foundry would later develop in 1863 into a joint navy-erm venture and eventually just a navy venture which would become known as the selma naval gun foundry and ordnance works. at that time it gave selma the focal point of manufacturing as well as distribution. the naval gun foundry was actually located on the site where we are today. we're on the side of the selma dallas cou

the other was in selma. selma was producing major artillery.e of the most fearsome canons of the time, also of course simple artillery shells, bullets. they were producing wide range of weaponry. selma was not a secessionist stronghold. stephen douglas who of course was the northern democrat candidate for president campaigned through the south the last month of the leading up to the vote. he went down to alabama river, and his last major speech was in selma, went up the steps and he made a speech about basically trying to save the union. he knew he wasn't going to win by the hope whoever one would hold the union together. he was mistaken, but he tried. i was interested in how enterprising some of selma was go-getters were. there were those who were against secession but one group, by golly, they got a petition suggesting that the capital of the confederacy should be moved to selma because, an ideal location of the railroads, the alabama and mississippi river running over to the direction and the alabama and tennessee running up another directio

selma, alabama. you are watching american history tv, all weekend every weekend on c-span3. >> during the civil war, soma became the second largest manufacturing and distribution point of war material within the confederate states of america. ,n the latter part of the war it is estimated soma supplied a half to two thirds of half -- of and supplies used in the western portion of the confederacy. at the time of selma's capture, the inventory of the arsenal was cataloged and made a matter of record and at that time within the arsenal was over a million small arm cartridges, over 60,000 artillery shells on, and on and on so selma was not insignificant. at the beginning of the war, selma was not involved in the manufacturing process. they weren'tme even being looked at as becoming such a manufacturing and distribution site. as the federals began to tighten the news on the confederacy, proving the lock that through the blockade and the mississippi river, the confederacy realized they needed to move their

left selma -- the destruction of selma was almost complete.l troops brought in, that they rode in on, they were broken wereand unusable, and killed and replaced with animals captured here. when they did this, they killed them where they stood. the common area was full of dead and dying animals. the locals had no way to move them. they had to bring ox is to drive them into the river. federals could not use in the food stocks, they destroyed it. almostple here were left with starving conditions when they left. selma had gone far from being at the beginning of the war a very wealthy, rich agricultural area to wine, at the end of the war, was destitute and unable to care for itself. but, through the intrepid miss of the people, they quickly , byilt and became what was the latter part of the 1800s, the political and economic center of the state of alabama. not much was heard of the battle dayuse selma felt the same generally was forced out of petersburg. that thethe same day federal troops left selma, april 9, 1865, was the same day the general lee

selma, alabama.banks of the alabama river in the heart of the state's black belt, the area was key to the cotton industry in the 19th century. during the 1960s the city was at the center of the fight for civil rights with several marches and protests including the martha became known as bloody sunday -- march that became known as bloody sunday. >> we understood a plan had been worked out where the marchers would be allowed to go from brown chapel church across the pettis bridge to about 200 yards beyond the bridge. they would stop there and kneel and pray and then go back to the church. >> when we topped the bridge and saw what was beyond that, and sheriff's deputies, posse members, state troopers and so forth, we looked at each other and said, we have a problem because plans were not going as we had been told they would be. >> the help of our spectrum cable partners, for the next hour we will learn about the city's history from local authors. we begin our special feature with a visit to the jackson

became, whenever alabama a state he was a founder of the city of selma and he named selma a city in some of his scottish poems in. moving alabama was towards statehood he was chosen to be in the constitutional huntsville, alabama, where he helped to write the state constitution for state of alabama and from there he was chosen as one of the two senators to represent there in tate washington, d.c. william rufus king was very much a unionist. of course, he was in all of this events of cessation a the civil war, but he was firm unionist and when separatism ambulance to blow he rooted in the sense we must stay together. we must not separate. close friend of james buchanan. they were close senators and they lived together in years ton for about 20 before he returned to alabama. >> there was speculation that had more than just a friendship relationship, but basis and no proof to that there. has never been any kind of letters found or anything like that. in 1852, he was chosen as the running mate to franklin pierce, and they won the election. he had developed tb and was ill he went to cuba unde

king actually brought three things when he came down to selma.ought money from the sclc and their donors who were able to get a lot of people bailed out of jail, and motivation. when you have a big figure like dr. king coming into a small city like selma, he was already seen as someone who can lead the masses, speak eloquently and inspire people. he brought motivation with him, and was the inspiration for a lot of adults to get involved with the movement. he also brought the media. the media is what put the nail in the coffin of the voting rights movement here. they were able to show even though these protesters were nonviolent and only practicing civil disobedience, they were still being mistreated because of sheriff clark's attitude toward them. [video clip] from have made our way brown church to the bridge. this is a movement that african-american protesters here in selma during the voter rights movement would have made three separate times. the first was what was known as bloody sunday. on march 7, 1965, protesters gathered right in the playg

we continue now with the history of selma. ♪ >> many people think the selma to montgomery march sprungp overnight, and was a one-off i dea. there had been a voting rights movement brewing here ends the 1930's. ♪ >> here in selma, alabama, in many places throughout the south, african-americans were denied the right to vote not because it was the constitutional right, but because there were folks throughout the south in positions of power that did not want these folks to have the right to vote. that way they could be considered second-class citizens. poll taxes and literacy tests were two uses to deter african-americans. poll taxes was a 60 price you had to take -- was a fixed price you had to pay per year. i make $60 a year. we may have rent that is $40 a year. my entire $60 of your income goes to the rent. we have to get clothes and comforts for my kids. there aren't many black people that are going to have money left over to pay a poll tax. let's say on some whim i have an extra dollar and i go to the dallas county courthouse, and i show up saying i'd like to register to vote. i would

selma ande moved to married a local girl. the alabamaattended secession convention in montgomery, alabama. he voted to secede from the union because he was a strong state right supported. he felt that the federal government was overstepping its bounds and trying to regulate slavery in the state of alabama and other southern states. he voted to secede along with the majority from the union and he rose to the rank of general. he was sworn in as a senator, and probably two of the most important things he was known for was he was known as an expansionist. he was very much in favor of the united states acquiring a wide cuba and philippines and also the second thing, he is known as the father of the panama canal because he very much thought that the united states should be involved in a canal system that went through central. the french had started the panama canal and he was instrumental in working with theodore roosevelt and making sure that the other states were instrumental in finishing the panama canal. he did reconstruction,

in 1855, he moved to selma and married a local selma girl. he voted to secede from the union. he was a strong states rights supporter. he felt the federal government was overstepping its bounds by regulating slavery in alabama and other states. he voted to secede. in 1866 -- two of the most important things he was known for was an expansionist. he was in favor of the united states acquiring hawaii, cuba, and the philippines. he felt the u.s. should be involved in a canal system. the french started the panama canal. they give up on it. he was instrumental in working with theodore roosevelt and was finished. during reconstruction, john tyler morgan was focused on trying to rebuild the state of alabama. he was not in support of rights for african-americans. he was in favor of maintaining jim crow laws in the south in order to keep society stable. he served six terms in the united states senate and died in some in 1807. we are standing at the grave of budgeting sterling turner. -- of benjamin sterling turner. a wood were recognized -- a wi dower recognized his intellectual abiliti

this way, selma. you either drive your course you left and went to selma. once you make this turn, we see the first minister here preached to enslaved people in cahawba. he had a separate church built for them. when the civil war ended, when white people abandoned this town, the church was left. the ame or african methodist episcopal church moved in and use this. former slaves that were shipped as methodists became ame methodists. after the civil war, this was a town of emancipated slaves. it was 90% african-american. they did three things. they had their own church. they started their own schools. they registered to vote. the way they voted, they were all republicans. that was the party of lincoln. african-americans voted as republican. they would hold political rallies in the courthouse. in selma, they called this place the mecca of the radical republican party. this church continued as an ame church until 1954 when the church caught on fire and burned. depending on who you talk to, if you talk to local african american people, they say it was a church bu

when he moved to selma, he became a lawyer. work with,ful lawyer defendant, or represented white vastho owned slaves and tracts of land growing cotton. upthe civil war, he joined and rose through the ranks to become of brigadier general. by the end of the war, he was commanding multiple regiments. he suffered a major injury andrd the end of the war became a hero. he had led men in battle. he comes back and settles in powerful rises as a lawyer. he runs the democratic state convention for many years. anyone who wins to go to washington has to work with him. he served as a senator until his 1907.in he became a spokesperson. like many men of his time in , he was part of the white power plan. tenure, he famously stripped most blacks and many one whites of the rights during the civil war. it was a powerful vehicle for local politicians to manage black people. the tremendous black-white ratio. blacks outnumbered whites. the state constitution was to strip blacks of any political power, to ensure whites could select the leaders for ge

but, in selma, at that time, selma had a self-contained community, and in that community, there was a movie theater in the black community. there were drugstores, we had , so we, we had dentists could get the things we needed without having to go downtown. to live in the jim crow south as well, there were places where african-americans could not eat. downtown,a business that sold hamburgers, and blacks had to go to the back to a little window to order hamburgers. i never went because my mother made the hamburgers at home. goingid, before she was to subject her doctor to that kind of treatment, she would make hamburgers, whatever they we wanted, and not have to allow us to go downtown and experience that treatment. those are the kind of things that happened, but i don't remember --my memory from the not impacted, because i did not realize the want in what i was missing because it seemed like i had everything. 1965, i was 15 years old and a junior in high school. my mother was a teacher at the high school, and could not vote. every time she went to the courthouse, to attempt to register

came to selma king got involved in the movement in selma. the movement came with a that involves marching to the courthouse every day, and holding what we call a picket line, holding signs. during thegy, workweek week, when adults had to go to work, they start encouraging students -- walk out of school and go to the picket line. that is what we would do. we would walk out of school, we would go to line up at the church, we would get outside and march from the church down to the courthouse. we would stand in front of the courthouse saying give our appearance -- our parents the right to vote or we want freedom or whatever the sign said. when those school buses showed up to take folks to jail, they put everyone in the line on those buses. they did not let nobody leave. they would put you on the bus, they would write you around the corner to the jail, take you off the bus, take everybody up to the second floor. where the cells are located. they would always separate the boys from the girls. they would pack about 20 boys, each one of these little

not much was heard of the fall of selma because april 2, when selma fell, was the same day general lee was forced out of petersburg and the evacuation of richmond began. the same day that federal troops left selma, april 9, 1865, was the same day general lee surrendered to grant at appomattox so selma was rendered to a footnote at the end of the war but had the loss of selma occurred six months or a year earlier, without a doubt the war would have ended sooner. cities city stuart taft -- tour staff recently traveled to selma, alabama. you can find more on c-span.org/ citiestour. american artifacts take us to historic places to learn about history. --mas jefferson travis mcdonald talks about the site's history we go to the current renovation project to show the historic trade of >> what you see behind me is jefferson's most perfect work of art. this is the villa retreat. he started billing this when he was president. -- building this when he was a president. it is not known very much because jefferson kept it a secret. it was lived in privately until 1979. since 1984, it has been a hous

learn more about selma all weekend here on american history tv. >> during the civil war, selma became the second largest manufacturing and distribution point of war material within the confederate states of america. in the latter part of the year, the last year and a half of the war, it is estimated that selma supplied a half to two-thirds of all the munitions and supplies used in the western portion of the confederacy. at the time of selma's capture, the inventory of the arsenal was cataloged and made a matter of record and at that time within the arsenal was over a million small arm cartridges, over 60,000 artillery shells on, and on and on so selma was not insignificant.

had we had somebody to keep that going, selma would be in a better place. we have failed to teach our children what the movement was about. they are products of voting. >> c-span continues its special feature on selma with a tour of old live oak cemetery. [birds chirping]

king into selma in 1965. that is my political intel. that is the guy -- i was cut from that cloth. 9062 was the first time blacks --e elected to the council 1962 was the first time blacks were elected to the council. it was the first time -- it's ,haped a lot of my views opinions, and thoughts. my initial campaign run was in 1992. it was not successful. i ran again in 1996. i was not successful. again, in 2000 and was successful. from the time i initiated the process and the time i became, very little change politically. at the time had to turned into a 65 percent or 75% african-american base of published in the city. it should did the demographics. what is causing a shift in the current seating mayor at the -- he was the mayor during the 9065 movement. he refer to the gut -- the 1965 movement. he referred dr. king as the guy -- he remained in office in 2000, when he was defeated. he was an interesting guy. he was a machine politician. he was very savvy and his politics. .- savvy in his politics he controlled this town. populistre of a

then a visit to the edmund pettis bridge that they played in selma after the battle of civil rights >> err on the goes over this bridge, they see the name, and they want to have the past and the present come together, they have a modern bridge with the name of a key voice of white supremacy here in the south. watch c-span city tour of selma, alabama saturday at 5:30 pm eastern and sunday at 1:30 pm on american history tv on c- span three. working with our cable affiliates as we explored america. emergency meeting on the israeli palestinian conflict and recent violence on the gaza border. in which dozens of palestinians were killed. this portion of the meeting includes statements by u.s. ambassador nikki haley. also the israeli ambassador and palestinian ambassador. it is an hour. >> thank you, madam president. members of the security council, 4:00 the people of gaza, yesterday was a day of tragedy. there are no other words which -- with which to describe what actually happened. there is no excuse, certainly does not serve the cause of peace.

one was enrichment of course the other was in selma. someone was producing major arbitrary i was one of the more fearsome canons of the time. they were producing wider range rep injury the irony of it. it was not a stronghold. stephen douglas of course was a northern democrat kind for president campaigned through the south he went on to down to the alabama river. and it was the last major speech was. they went up the steps. basically trying to save the union. he hoped to everyone would hold it together. he tried. i was interested at how enterprise aids enterprising some of the go-getters were. and by golly they got that suggesting that the capital should be moves because it was the ideal location of the railroads. and the alabama and tennessee running up the direction. so that they can bring down the iron ore from shelby in middle alabama and make the weapons and then ship them out. to mississippi and georgia of course. i think about 400 young men from the surrounding dallas county went off to join those rates. and whoever else they tho

in selma. my name is james perkins, jr. i was born here in selma, educated in selma, first met i was fortunate enough to become the first african-american mayor to serve. i was living in selma in 1965. i did participate in the marches, in the movement. as a child, we were not marching to get the right to vote. we were trying to, we wanted to, you know, go to the local restaurant, eat a hot dog inside. we didn't want to go to the back window anymore. we wanted to sit in a movie theater on the ground floor. we just wanted basic human rights. that is really what we were thinking about.

than the work that drew men and women to selma is now complete. we don't need the ferguson report to know that's not true. why does need to open our minds and our ears and our hearts to know that this nation's racial history still can assist long shadow upon us. on the bridge in selma many share the same feeling many still have the impression of living in a racist country. black people are popular anywhere not in america not in france on any ice this is a little different because we were former slaves so that mentality is still there even though we're not currently slaves we can still be viewed as slaves sometimes. and this white has a slogan black people i can breeze the last words of every gonna strangled by the n.y.p.d. . my god. why did you well this shot today because we can't breathe either way because for black. berry gone his mother was also they. had to get up here to feed you write a business and are right. this is a commemoration not a celebration and now we have to go forward with this we shouldn't stop until everybody gets justice you

. >> what happened after selma. >> a woman was shot on the highway by some thugs, people are shot in washington, dc and philadelphia everyday. >> governor, you cannot say no one got hurt during the march. >> eight people got hit in the head. >> i am talking about the march seventh march. >> who got hurt. >> i would estimate conservatively, 15 people were hurt. >> 15 out of 35,000. >> did one have to go to the hospital? >> yes, sir. >> how many. >> we are talking about five years ago. >> one person went to the hospital. eight got hurt at the selma bridge, then the next week, 50 people were killed in detroit and los angeles, a few people got their heads skimmed in selma with 35,000 people there and you call that the breakdown of law and order. when you talk on these programs, you talk about selma, lets take your word for it, 15 people got hurt, in six weeks, in washington, dc the other day, over 1,000 people got injured in one day, so the breakdown of law and order has not been in alabama. it's been in washington, dc and detroit and new haven and other places outside of alabama. i will

martin luther king jr., used for his selma headquarters as he planned the march. it is featured in the book "the house by the side of the road." photographer here who worked for "life magazine" at the time and who was embedded in the house. he wanted to capture dr. king's emotions as he watched on television president johnson committing to signing voting rights act. this is the chair dr. king was sitting in the night watching the television. president johnson addressed the nation. meet the first african-american fire chief in the city. chief henry allen talking about his book "marching through the flame." sunday among: 30 p.m. eastern on american history tv, a look at the voting rights movement that started in the 1930's and visit several locations around the town that were integral to the movement carried then, it is meant to the edmund pettus bridge, looking at the role it played in selma before and after the battle for civil rights. >> anyone who got over this bridge would see this name and what evoke was the past and present coming together. watch c-span citie

andas to link montgomery the black belt here in selma. an entry point for people leaving the black belt and going into the capital. to theople would come capital to secure favor or make a political speech. white planners would come to attempt to restrict black labor. design. their own the bridge was a modern marvel for this part of alabama. structure andn then came this modern steel that evoked midcentury modernism. beamsare a series of supported by a span, but it very

we knew the eyes of the world were on selma. we were hoping and praying the voting rights bill was passed. that would be the final fruition of what we had done in the march to montgomery. i think we can learn from the movement that when people come together for a common cause and change can be effected and people believe strongly in a cause, they can work together to change things.

we continue now with the history of selma. ♪

selma is in a place where we rebuild. i won't say ecome, complacent, but when the over, there was no selma continue vein that it was in. movement. of the there were no programs to keep anching people about life in integrated society. think had we had somebody to keep that going, then selma would be in a better place. we have failed to teach our children what the movement was all about. and the importance of voting. c-span continues its specialty on selma with a tour old live oak cemetery. founded in ery was 1829. originally the cemetery was outside

i was born here in selma, educated in selma, first met that fortunate enough to become the first african-americanayor to serve. i was living in selma in 1965. i did participate in the marches . as a child we were not marching , to get the right to vote. we were trying to, we wanted to, you know go to the local , restaurant, eat a hot dog inside. we didn't want to go to the back window anymore. we wanted to sit in a movie th

. ♪ >> many people think the selma to montgomery march sprung up overnight, and was a one-off idea.here had been a voting rights movement brewing here ends the 1930's. ♪ [video clip] >> here in selma, alabama, in many places throughout the south, african-americans were denied the right to vote not because it was the constitutional right, but because there were folks throughout the south in

the first african- american mayor to serve in the city of selma, i was living in selma, 1965. i was 12 years old, i was a student protester and participated in the marches and movements. we were not marching to get the right to vote as children, we wanted to go to the local restaurant and eat a hot dog inside, we did not want to go to the back window, we wanted to sit

i wish all of that was filmed here in selma. but i think it was a win for the city of selma.art of terrorism. people see the film and then come here to take part in history. people come all across the world to walk across that bridge. , tothing we are working on capture that tourism. busloads of people come in every day. iten the challenges we have is hard to capture all of the tourism. one thing they say is history cannot be manufactured. we are known for our history that we are trying to create a city or we can be known for our future treat it is when you take younger mines being part of the creation of such a city. reach ouring to history with the future. whather city and offer selma has to offer. that is what we are working on. at our table this morning, jeff fortenberry, republican of nebraska. he is a member of the appropriations committee. you have introduced the rural health insurance act. what is it? guest: one of the things we're struggling with across the country is the need for health care repair. in the rural communities, many of which i represent, one health car

. >>> this weekend c-span cities tour takes you to selma, alabama. with the help of our spectrum cable partners we'll cross the iconic edmund pettus bridge with a town known for its involvement in the civil war and civil rights movement. saturday, 5:30 p.m. eastern on booktv we'll visit the home of martin luther king, jr. used in the headquarters. it is featured in the book, the house by the side of the road. >> there was a photograph here who worked for "life" magazine who was embedded in the house. he wanted to capture dr. king's emotions as he watched on television president johnson committing to signing the voting rights act. this is the chair that dr. king was sitting in that night watching that television. president johnson addressed the nation. >> we'll meet the first african-american fire chief in the city, chief henry allen, talking about his book, "marching through the flame." on sunday, 1:30 p.m. eastern on american history tv we'll look at the voting rights movement that started in the 1930s and visit several locations around the town tha

learn more about selma and other stops on our tour at c-span.org/citiestour. you're watching american history tv all weekend, every weekend on c-span3. >> former philadelphia mayor frank rizzo, and the concerns of white working class voters in the 1970's, is the topic of the interview coming up next. american history tv was at the organization of american historians annual meeting in sacramento, california, where we spoke with professor timothy lombardo. he compares pennsylvania politics in the 1970's to today's political climate. this is about 20 minutes. >> timothy lombardo is a philadelphia native, professor of history. your book coming out in september, blue collar conservatism, frank rizzo's philadelphia and populace politics. what's the premise of the book? >> it's a way to look at changes in white working and middle class politics in the 1960's and 1970's. i use frank rizzo, a key figure in the city in that era, as sort of a gateway to look at his supporters, these people who love him and supported him through his time as police commissioner in the late

as a consequence, selma needs help. i am absolutely convinced washington owes selma a debt that is not been paid. >> ♪ i woke up this morning with my mind set on freedom i woke up this morning with my mind it was setting on freedom hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah ♪ >> welcome to selma, alabama.

used to plan the selma march. a photographer here who wrote for life magazine at the time who was embedded in the house. he wanted to capture dr. king's emotions as he watched on television president johnson committing to signing the voting rights act. this is the chair that dr. king was sitting in that night, watching that television. president johnson addressed the nation. >> a w

. >> what happened after selma. >> a woman was shot on the highway by some thugs, people are shot in washington, dc and philadelphia everyday. >> governor, you cannot say no one got hurt during the march. >> eight people got hit in the head. >> i am talking about the march seventh march. >> who got hurt. >> i would estimate conservatively, 15 people were hurt. >> 15 out of 35,000. >> did one have to go to the hospital? >> yes, sir. >> how many. >> we are talking about five years ago. >> one person went to the hospital. eight got hurt at the selma bridge, then the next week, 50 people were killed in detroit and los angeles, a few people got their heads skimmed in selma with 35,000 people there and you call that the breakdown of law and order. when you talk on these programs, you talk about selma, lets take your word for it, 15 people got hurt, in six weeks, in washington, dc the other day, over 1,000 people got injured in one day, so the breakdown of law and order has not been in alabama. it's been in washington, dc and detroit and new haven and other places outside of alabama. i will

martin luther king, jr., used as selma headquarters as he planned the selma to montgomery march. it's featured in the book the house by the side of the road. >> there was a photographer here, frank who worked for life magazine at the time who was embedded in the house and he wanted to capture dr. king's emotions as he watched on television president johnson committing to signing, voting right's act. this is the chair that dr. king was sitting that night watching television. president johnson addressed the nation. >> we will meet the first african american fired chief in the city, chief henry alan talking about his book marching through the flame. on sunday at 1:30 p.m. eastern on american history tv, we will look at the voting rights movement that started in 1930's and -- >> you see those movements, -- monuments, symbols do matter, but those symbols sent a strong message and you know why we know they sent a strong message, because they were intended to, after i did quick research and i'm a lawyer by trade, i think i'm a pretty good lawyer, i found out a lot of stuff that i did no

used as his selma headquarters as he planned the selma to montgomery march. it is featured in the book, the house by the side of the road. >>> there was a photographer here. he worked for life magazine at the time, who was embedded in the house. he wanted to capture dr. king's emotions as he watched on television, president johnson, committing to signing the voting rights act. this is the chair that dr. king was sitting in that night, watching that television. president johnson addressed the nation. >> we will meet the first african-american fire chief in the city. chief henry allen, talking about his book, marching through the flame. on sunday at 1:30 pm eastern on american history tv. a look at the voting rights movement that started in the 1930s. and, visit several locations around the town that were integral to the movement. and then, of the -- visit to the edmund pettis bridge. before and after the battle for civil rights. >> they seen his name. -- a sense of the past and present come together. they have a modern bridge with the name -- here in the south

." ♪ >> on march 21, 1965, marchers left selma to make the trek to montgomery.hen they reached the capital, the marchers had grown to 25,000. up next, we learned about the edmund pettus ridge, -- bridge, the starting point. >> would you name a bridge after james pettus, several things happen.

this weekend, "american history tv is featuring selma, alabama. s staff -- the city was founded in 1820 and given its name by alabama's only u.s. vice president. learn more about some of all

more about selma on our tour at c-span.org/city tour. you're watching american history tv. all weekend every weekend on c-span 3. up next, founder and managing director of the witness to war foundation tom beatty talk about the combat veteran interviews in their vietnam war collection. which are airing here on american history tv. he discusses the foundation's mission and origin. this is about ten minutes. >> tom beaty was the witness to war foundation. we're about to air interviews that you conducted with those on the front line combat. how did this project come about? >> i grew up big history buff. i didn't grow up in the military family by -- i loved hearing the stories of soldiers in combat. i went on to be in college at the university of north carolina. i was a military history major. i began to realize it's part of history that i really love. it's not the geopolitical side. i began to seek that out and take them to breakfast and lunch and hear they are story. >> these are first hand accounts what they say. the horrors of war. how did it come about you permanently? you

selma abdel aziz, thank you so much for that. this hour. i'm rosemary church. i will be back with more world news right after the break. you're watching cnn. stick around. you wouldn't accept an incomplete job from any one else. why accept it from your allergy pills? flonase relieves your worst symptoms including nasal congestion, which most pills don't. flonase helps block 6 key inflammatory substances. most pills only block one. flonase. the smoother the skin, the more comfortable you are in it. and now there's a new way to smooth. introducing new venus platinum. a premium metal handle boosts control... to reveal up to 100% smooth skin. venus i had a very minor fender bender tonight! in an unreasonably narrow fast food drive thru lane. but what a powerful life lesson. and don't worry i have everything handled. i already spoke to our allstate agent, and i know that we have accident forgiveness. which is so smart on your guy's part. like fact that they'll just... forgive you... four weeks without the car. okay, yup. good night. w

used as an selma headquarters as he planned the selma to montgomery march, it's featured in the book "the house by the side of the road." >> there was a photographer here, frank dandrigge who was embedded in the house and he wanted to capture dr. king's emotions as he watched on television president johnson committing to signing the voting rights act. this is the chair that dr. king was sitting in that night watching that television. president johnson addressed the nation. >> and we will meet the first african-american fire chief in the city, chief henry allen talking about the book "marching through the flame." on sunday at 1:30 p.m. eastern on american history tv we will look at the voting rights movement that started in the 1930s and visit several locations around the town that were integral to the movement. and then a visit to the edmund pettus bridge looking at the role the bridge played in selma before and after the battle for civil rights. >> anyone who goes over this bridge they see this name and what is evoked is a sense of the past and present, they come together to you hav

♪ selma where it all began we're marching to the promised land ♪ ♪ selma where it all began we're marchingmarching to the promised land ♪ ♪ we're marching to the promised land ♪ ♪ we're marching to the promised land ♪ ♪ we're marching to the promised land ♪ ♪ to the promised land to the promised land ♪ ♪ marching marching marching to the promised land ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> good morning, y'all. >> you did it. well, i could do this every day. performing on national tv. i'm so happy to have janna haines, the author of "selma." tell us what this story is all about, what this musical is about. >> it's the story of a bridge, a family, in a town who absolutely refused to quit. i was so grateful for the opportunity to be able to write this production and it ia timeless tale, soul stirring performance. check it out because these guys are phenomenal. >> you are phenomenal. we'll be right back. thank you. at tphenomenal. we'll be right back. >>> "gma's" summer concert series sponsored by king's hawaiian foods. irresistible since 1950. by king's hawaiian foods. make ross your destination for sa