>>> THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS 
UNITED AND DRAWN TO THE NATIONAL
MALL IN THE NAME OF RACIAL 
JUSTICE. IT'S A MARCH ON 
WASHINGTON DUBBED THE GET YOUR 
KNEE OFF OUR BACK MARCH. I'M 
LIBBY CASEY AND THIS IS A 
SPECIAL REPORT FROM THE 
WASHINGTON POST ON THE 57th 
ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE MOST 
ICONIC BEACHES IN AMERICAN 
HISTORY. 
IN 1963 REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER 
KING JR. TOLD US ABOUT HISTORY, 
AND TODAY AMERICANS ARE 
CONVENING ON THE STEPS OF THE 
LINCOLN MEMORIAL TO SAY THAT 
AMERICA HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO 
MAKE THAT DREAM COME TRUE. IT'S 
GOING OUT TO MY COLLEAGUE NICOLE
ELLIS, WHO JOINS US FROM THE 
NATIONAL MALL IS A SPECIAL 
GUEST. NICOLE? 
>> Reporter: HI, BABY. I'M ON 
THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LINCOLN 
MEMORIAL WHERE -- REPRESENTATIVE
AL GREEN. ESTHER KING, SEVEN 
YEARS AGO YOU STOOD IN YOUR 
FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS. WILL HE BE 
STANDING AGAIN TODAY? AND YOU 
SAID YOUR FATHER STREAM HAS YET 
TO BE REALIZED. WHAT NEEDS TO 
HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR AMERICA TO 
REALIZE THAT DREAM, AND HOW DO 
YOU HOPE TODAY'S MARCH WILL MOVE
THAT FORWARD? 
>> THE LAST PART OF THE QUESTION
I DID NOT HEAR. 
>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU THINK 
TODAY'S MARCH WILL MOVE YOUR 
FATHER STREAM FORWARD? 
>> I PROBABLY USED TO SAY THAT A
FAULTLESS PEOPLE IS A POWERLESS 
PEOPLE AND THE ONE UNUSUAL 
DYNAMIC ABOUT THE ANNIVERSARY IN
ADDITION -- HOWEVER, WHAT MOST 
PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW IS REVEREND 
AL SHARPTON AND I DID A MARCH 
FOR THE 37th, THE SAME TIME WE 
WERE ABOUT TO GET LEGISLATION 
AROUND POLICE BRUTALITY 
AND MISCONDUCT, AND THE 9/11 
OCCURRED AND THAT REUPHOLSTERED 
LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE 
FEARS EMERGED. THE QUESTION HOW 
DO WE ACHIEVE THE DREAM, WHICH 
IS A FREEDOM OF JUSTICE AND 
EQUALITY, IS A NUMBER OF WAYS. 
WE FIRST HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN 
THE PROCESS, THE ELECTORAL 
PROCESS. WE HAVE TO ELECT NEW 
WOMEN AND MEN INTO OFFICE, 
PARTICULARLY IN THE SENATE. AND 
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE COMMANDER 
IN CHIEF SECOND THING WE HAVE TO
DO IS WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO 
GET THE SENATE TO VOTE ON THE 
GEORGE FLOYD AT THAT CONGRESS 
HAS PASSED, BUT THE SENATE AND 
THE JOHN LEWIS PHOTO RESTORATION
ACT THAT CONGRESS HAS PASSED AND
THE SENATE HAS NOT. THEN, WE 
HAVE GOT 
TO FIND WAYS TO CREATE A CLIMATE
FOR OUR NATION TO BE REEMPLOYED,
BECAUSE OVER 30 MILLION PEOPLE 
HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS IN THIS 
PANDEMIC IRONICALLY IN 1963, THE
TONE WAS JOBS AND FREEDOM. TODAY
WE 
ARE SAYING GET YOUR FOOT OFF OUR
NECK. THAT IS VERY GRAPHIC. 
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS 
WHO SUPPORT WHAT WE ARE DOING. 
YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT ABOUT HOW 
GRAPHIC THIS MOMENT IS, AND IN 
OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS SEVEN
YEARS AGO YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW 
LOVE, FORGIVENESS, AND EMPATHY 
ARE SO CRUCIAL IN THESE MOMENTS.
I'M WONDERING IN THIS TIME WHERE
PEOPLE ARE BEARING WITNESS TO 
SEEING THEIR LOVED ONES, 
FRIENDS, AND PEOPLE WHO LOOKED 
JUST LIKE THEM GET SHOT AND DIE 
ON CAMERA IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE 
NEVER SEEN BEFORE. HOW DO LOVE 
AND FORGIVENESS FACTOR INTO THIS
MOMENT? 
>> SO, YOU KNOW, EVERY NOW AND 
THEN GOD SHOWS US WHAT 
LOVE IS. NOT JUST EVERY NOW AND 
THEN, REALLY IT IS SHOWN EVERY 
DAY, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN IT 
REARS ITS HEAD. I DON'T KNOW IF 
YOU GOT TO SEE MR. BLAKE JACOBS,
BLAKE'S MOTHER THE OTHER DAY, 
SHE COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. SHE 
WAS HURTING, BUT SHE TOLD US 
ABOUT LOVE. SHE TOLD US ABOUT 
WORKING TOGETHER. THESE ISSUES 
ARE 
SO COMPLEX
. AND MY FATHER ALWAYS SHOWED US
AN EXAMPLE. HE UNDERSTOOD. I 
WILL SAY, HE USED TO SAY RIOTS 
OR THE LANGUAGE OF THE UNHEARD. 
SO, HE NEVER CONDONED VIOLENCE, 
BUT HE UNDERSTOOD WHY PEOPLE 
WERE PUSHED TO VIOLENCE. I THINK
IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WHAT WE 
HAVE TO DO IS KEEP PROVIDING 
EXAMPLES OF HOPE AND 
INSPIRATION. I WAS 10 YEARS OLD 
WHEN MY FATHER WAS GUNNED DOWN. 
I WAS 16 YEARS OLD WHEN MY 
GRANDMOTHER WAS GUNNED DOWN IN A
CHURCH WHERE 
I PRAYED THE LORD'S PRAYER. I 
WAS ABLE TO WATCH PEOPLE WHO 
PERSONIFIED LOVE A GRANDFATHER 
AND A MOTHER AND FATHER, AUNTS 
AND UNCLES. MY GRANDFATHER USED 
TO SAY I REFUSE TO ALLOW ANY MAN
TO REDUCE ME AND I LOVE EVERY 
MAN AND EVERY PERSON'S BROTHER. 
WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DISLIKE 
THE EVIL ACT BUT STILL LOVE THE 
INDIVIDUAL. THAT IS WHAT DAD 
PERSONIFIED. EVERYONE MAY NOT 
GET TO THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO 
CONTINUE TO PUT THAT IN A 
POSITIVE WAY OUT INTO THIS 
COMMUNITY. 
WE SAW JACOB BLAKE'S MOM TALKING
ABOUT THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING 
TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES IS IF WE
DO IT TOGETHER.  
>> Reporter: IT'S NOTICEABLE AND
UN-IGNORABLE THAT THIS MARCH IS 
HAPPENING ON THE HEELS OF THE 
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. 
HE OBVIOUSLY MENTIONED THAT 
THERE IS A HOPE THAT THIS MARCH 
CHANGES POLICIES AND POLITICS IN
AMERICA, AND IN VERY SPECIFIC 
WAYS. WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR 
PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT SHARE YOUR 
VIEWS, WHO MAY BE WATCHING THIS 
MARCH AND WATCHING WHAT YOU HAVE
TO SAY AND WHAT THE OTHER 
SPEAKERS HAVE TO SAY? 
>> THE ONE THING WE HAVE NOT 
EMPLOYED AS A COMMUNITY THAT 
WE COULD, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE 
HUGE THINGS HAPPENING JUST A 
COUPLE OF DAYS AGO THE NATIONAL 
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION, NBA, 
BASKETBALL PLAYERS DECIDED NOT 
TO PLAY. PARTICULARLY THE 
MILWAUKEE BUCKS THAT IS A FORM 
OF PROTEST. AGAIN, NONVIOLENCE. 
HOWEVER, BLACK PEOPLE SPENT $1.4
TRILLION IN THIS ECONOMY 
LAST YEAR. IF WE DECIDE AS A 
COMMUNITY AS A STRATEGY, AND FOR
SOME LITTLE PERIOD OF TIME THAT 
WE ARE GOING TO WITHDRAW FROM 
THIS IDEA OF DIVEST, WHICH IS 
WHAT COULD BE DONE, THEN I 
THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BEGIN 
TO SEE 
CHANGES EXPEDITIOUSLY. CORPORATE
AMERICA, THE THINGS SOCIETY 
UNDERSTANDS IS CAPITALISM. IF 
PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING
IF WE DON'T HOLD THEM 
ACCOUNTABLE. SUPPORTIVE 
CORPORATIONS, THEN YOU MUST COME
SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK 
THAT'S A STRATEGY AND A TACTIC 
THAT COULD BE EMPLOYED THAT HAS 
NOT BEEN. 
>> YOU AND YOUR WIFE HAVE A 
DAUGHTER, 
YOLANDA KING, WHO YOU TOLD ME 
AND REMINDED ME BEFORE HAS A 
MIND OF HER OWN. I WANTED TO ASK
YOU, YOU KNOW YOUR GRANDFATHER'S
DREAM AND YOU WILL BE STANDING 
UP ON THE STEPS FOR THE FIRST 
TIME TODAY. WHAT IS YOUR 
DREAM? 
>> MY DREAM IS, MY GRANDFATHER 
TALKED ABOUT THE TRIPLE EVILS. 
POVERTY, RACISM, AND HE CALLED 
IT MILITARISM, BUT IT CAN ALSO 
BE KNOWN AS VIOLENCE. WE NEED TO
DEMOLISH ALL 
OF THAT. WE ARE THE WEALTHIEST 
NATION ON EARTH. IT IS 
UNACCEPTABLE THAT PEOPLE ARE 
LIVING IN THE STREET. IT'S JUST 
UNACCEPTABLE. AMERICA ALWAYS 
TALKS ABOUT HOW GOOD OUR ECONOMY
ALWAYS IS, AND IN THE BUSINESS 
PERSPECTIVE, THE ECONOMY WOULD 
BE BETTER IF SOME PEOPLE HAD 
HOUSING AND FREE HEALTHCARE. WE 
ALSO NEED TO VIOLENCE, SUCH AS 
GUN VIOLENCE. KIDS SHOULD NOT 
HAVE TO FEEL SCARED TO GO INTO 
SCHOOLS IN THE MORNINGS. THAT'S 
JUST UNACCEPTABLE. MANY PEOPLE 
SEE SCHOOLS, OR EVEN THEIR OWN 
HOME, UNFORTUNATELY. THE MOVIE 
THEATER, YOUR HOME IS SUPPOSED 
TO BE A SAFE SPOT, OR A PLACE OF
WORSHIP. THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE 
A REAL SAFE SPOT THE FACT THAT 
PEOPLE ARE DISRESPECTING THAT 
TELLS US THE TRUE COLORS OF 
THIS NATION. WE JUST NEED TO -- 
WE NEED TO REALLY DO BETTER, AND
WE NEED TO TEACH THIS TO KIDS AT
A YOUNG AGE. IF THEY SEE THE 
ROLE MODEL OF CERTAIN PEOPLE, 
LIKE EVEN GROWN-UPS OR THE OLDER
YOU ARE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ROLE 
MODELS, SO CHILDREN COULD BE 
ROLE MODELS AT THIS ONE BECAUSE 
THE PEOPLE MANAGING OUR COUNTRY 
HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY CAN'T TAKE 
ON THE RESPONSIBILITY. SO, WE 
NEED A NEW WAY OF MANAGEMENT. WE
NEED A WHOLE NEW PLAN, A WHOLE 
NEW GENERATION WITH FRESH IDEAS.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, WE NEED TO 
TEACH THIS IN OUR SCHOOL 
CURRICULUM. THIS IS JUST AS 
IMPORTANT AS LANGUAGE, 
LITERATURE, AND SO ON. THIS 
MIGHT BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT 
BECAUSE WITHOUT THOSE SKILLS 
SOME PEOPLE CAN'T GET A JOB 
BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR 
SKIN, OR THEY CAN'T GET HIRED 
BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR 
SKIN, EVEN IF THEY WENT TO 
THE SAME SCHOOL AS A WHITE PEER,
WHICH MIGHT BE THE BEST SCHOOL 
IN THE COUNTRY, THEY STILL DO 
NOT GET THE JOB. THEY NEED TO 
TEACH PEOPLE AT A YOUNG AGE AND 
I NOTICED EVEN FOUR-YEAR-OLDS, 
THEY DON'T SEE PEOPLE AS BLACK 
AND WHITE. THEY SEE EVERYONE AS 
CHILDREN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE 
NEED TO SEE. ALL LIVES DON'T 
MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER 
OR PEOPLE OF COLOR 
LIVES MATTER.
>> IS A FULL-TIME FREEDOM 
FIGHTER AND HIS FIGHT FOR 
FREEDOM HAS TAKEN HIM ACROSS THE
GLOBE. HE'S BEEN TO INDIA WHERE 
HE TRACED HIS 
FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS. HE HAS MADE 
A DIFFERENCE, AND I WANT TO LET 
THE WORLD KNOW THAT HIS BEING 
HERE TODAY IS HELPING TO 
GALVANIZE THE SUPPORT THAT WE 
NEED TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT. THE 
STRUGGLE ISN'T OVER. IT WILL 
CONTINUE. HE MENTIONED LOSING 
HIS FATHER AT THE AGE OF 10. HE 
COULD HAVE GIVEN UP. HE COULD 
HAVE WALKED AWAY, BUT HE DECIDED
TO STAY, AND I'M PROUD TO CALL 
HIM A FRIEND AND TO KNOW THAT 
HE'S A FULL-TIME FREEDOM 
FIGHTER. 
>> Reporter: LIBBY JOINED HERE 
BY REPRESENTATIVE GREENE AND THE
KING FAMILY, WE WILL BE HEARING 
FROM ALL OF THEM TODAY. SO, WE 
WILL KEEP YOU POSTED AND YOU CAN
EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF THIS, 
THIS AFTERNOON.
>> THANKS SO MUCH. NICOLE ELLIS 
REPORTING LIVE RIGHT BY THE 
LINCOLN MEMORIAL. 
>>> JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT 
TODAY'S MARCH AND ALL THE EVENTS
LEADING UP TO IT ARE MY COLLEGE 
NATIONAL REPORTER VANESSA 
WILLIAMS, CAPITOL HILL REPORTER 
RHONDA COLEMAN AND NATIONAL 
POLITICAL REPORTER ROBERT 
SAMUELS. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE ALL
OF YOU. RHONDA COLEMAN, QUICK. 
FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN 
COVERING POLITICS ALWAYS FROM 
THESE CONVENTIONS TO THIS 
MOMENT. IT REALLY DOES CREATE 
THIS KIND OF HISTORIC COLLISION 
OF EVENTS. WE WILL TALK POLITICS
LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW, JUST TAKE 
US THROUGH WHAT PEOPLE ARE 
EXPECTING TODAY, WHAT WE ARE 
GOING TO SEE. 
>> THAT'S RIGHT, LIBBY. TODAY'S 
MARCH COMES AFTER THE PROTEST 
OVER THE GEORGE FLOYD KILLING. 
IN FACT, AL SHARPTON AT ONE OF 
THE MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR GEORGE
FLOYD ANNOUNCED THAT THIS MARCH 
WOULD BE HAPPENING ON THE DAY TO
COMMEMORATE THE ORIGINAL MARTIN 
LUTHER KING I HAVE A DREAM 
SPEECH. THIS HAS BEEN IN THE 
WORKS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS 
AND THE SUMMER. 
AL SHARPTON'S NATIONAL ACTION 
NETWORK IS SPEARHEADING THIS, 
BUT OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS 
ORGANIZATIONS ARE PART OF THIS 
AS WELL, INCLUDING THE NAACP. 
THE NAACP IS GOING TO BE 
OFFERING A VIRTUAL MARCH TO GO 
ALONG WITH IT, SO PEOPLE WHO 
WANT TO WATCH AND FOLLOW ALONG 
AND ALSO HAVE OTHER PROGRAMMING 
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MARCH, THEY
WILL BE ABLE TO LOG ON THE 
NAACP'S WEBSITE AND BE A PART OF
THINGS. TODAY THE SPEAKER LIST 
IS GOING TO INCLUDE ELECTED 
OFFICIALS, ALSO INCLUDE MEMBERS 
OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S 
FAMILY, AS WE JUST HEARD HIS SON
AND GRANDDAUGHTER ARE GOING TO 
SPEAK. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE 
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HAVE 
BEEN PRETTY ACTIVE IN 
LEGISLATION 
DEALING WITH RACIAL INJUSTICE. 
SHEILA JACKSON LEE WILL BE AMONG
THEM. SHE HAS BEEN A PART OF 
EFFORTS TO HAVE A REPARATIONS 
PANEL GET STARTED IN CONGRESS TO
LOOK AT REPARATIONS TO BLACK 
AMERICANS COULD BE PROVIDED. 
ALSO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM 
KAREN BACK WHO LEADS THE 
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. SHE 
HAS BEEN SPEARHEADING A BILL 
THAT WILL DEAL WITH POLICE 
REFORM. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR 
FROM THEM. YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO 
HEAR FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION. 
THERE IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE 
BIT OF POLITICS, OR MAYBE A LOT 
OF POLITICS INVOLVED IN THIS. OF
COURSE, THE CORONAVIRUS IS 
HANGING OVERHEAD OF THIS MARCH. 
WE ARE HEARING FROM REPORTERS ON
THE GROUND THAT THERE 
ARE STILL LONG LINES TO GET IN 
AT 17th STREET AND CONSTITUTION,
BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING 
TEMPERATURE CHECKS FOR ALL THOSE
WHO HAVE PREREGISTERED TO COME 
TO TODAY'S EVENT. IN FACT, YOU 
CANNOT GET IN UNLESS HE DID GO 
THROUGH A REGISTRATION PROCESS. 
SO, THAT IS A PART OF SOME OF 
THE PROCEDURE IN TODAY'S EVENT. 
>> RHONDA, KAMALA HARRIS 
SCHEDULED TO SPEAK TODAY ON THE 
LIVE LOG IF PEOPLE CAN BE 
FOLLOWING ALONG AT HOME BOTH TO 
OUR VIDEO AS WELL AS OUR 
REPORTERS COMPILING AND WRITING 
ABOUT TODAY'S EVENTS. THIS IS SO
INTERCONNECTED, AND WE SAW A 
WITNESS OF IT 
LAST NIGHT AS A REPUBLICAN 
NATIONAL CONVENTION WAS WRAPPING
UP. THERE WERE SO MANY 
PROTESTERS OUT AT BLACK LIVES 
MATTER PLAZA HERE IN WASHINGTON,
D.C. THERE HAVE JUST BEEN SO 
MANY VISUAL EXAMPLES OF THE 
NATION 
POLITICAL IDENTITY COMING TO 
TERMS AT 
THIS MOMENT. 
>> IT'S REALLY STUNNING. THE 
LAST DAY OF THE LAST 24 HOURS WE
HAD THE PRESIDENT WRAP UP THE 
RNC AT THE WHITE HOUSE WHERE 
THERE WAS A FIREWORK SHOW. JUST 
ABOUT 10 MINUTES AWAY WALKING 
BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA YOU HAD
PEOPLE WHO WERE COMING INTO TOWN
FOR THIS EVENT, AND ALSO SIDE 
EVENTS 
TO HIGHLIGHT RACIAL INJUSTICE. 
JUXTAPOSING THOSE TWO THINGS, 
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO WATCH
AND REPORT ON, AND YOU WONDER IF
THIS EVENT TODAY IS KIND OF 
GOING TO BRING PEOPLE'S 
ATTENTION BACK TO UNRESOLVED 
ISSUES WITH RACE AND UNRESOLVED 
ISSUES WITH POLICE REFORM. 
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AS WE SAT 
HERE AND COVERED THE REPUBLICAN 
NATIONAL CONVENTION, WE TALKED A
LOT ABOUT HOW REPUBLICANS AND 
DONALD TRUMP SURROGATES KIND OF 
WANTED TO PAINT A GLOSSY PICTURE
OF HOW THINGS ARE AND SAYING 
THAT, YES, THERE'S TROUBLE, BUT 
WE ARE GOING TO PROGRESS THROUGH
THAT. THAT IS PROBABLY NOT WHAT 
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ATTENDING 
TODAY'S MARCH BELIEVE AND FEEL, 
AND THAT'S NOT THE MOTIVATOR FOR
WHY THEY CAME OUT TODAY. WE ARE 
SEEING A LOT OF DIFFERENT 
IDEOLOGIES BE HERE IN 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 
>> THANKS SO MUCH, RHONDA. 
ROBERT SAMUELS, LET'S GO TO YOU.
WE JUST HEARD MARTIN LUTHER KING
THE THIRD TALK ABOUT THE NBA AND
THE STRIKE THAT PLAYERS WASTED 
THIS WEEK AND SO MANY ATHLETES 
STACKING UP AND SAYING THEY'RE 
NOT GOING TO PLAY IT IS 
UNAVOIDABLE FOR AMERICANS TO SEE
WHAT IS GOING ON. TALK TO US 
ABOUT THIS CULTURAL 
RECKONING MOMENT AND THE POWER 
THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO USE TO
GET FOLKS TO 
PAY ATTENTION. 
>> LIBBY, WHAT WE ARE SEEING 
TODAY IS ONE OF THE LONGEST AND 
MOST SUSTAINED MOVEMENTS IN THE 
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT 
OUT THAT IN 2014 AFTER THE 
SHOOTING OF MIKE BROWN IN 
MISSOURI, ONLY 41% OF PEOPLE 
THOUGHT THERE WAS A LARGER 
BROADER ISSUE WITH RACE AND 
POLICING. AFTER THE DEATH OF 
GEORGE FLOYD, THOSE NUMBERS SHOT
UP. 
THE FIRST POLL SHOWED ABOUT 69%,
AND THEY KEPT ON GOING. OVER THE
PAST FEW YEARS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN
IS THIS STEADY GROWTH OF A 
MOVEMENT POWERED BY CAMERA 
FOOTAGE, CULTURAL MOMENTS ON 
TWITTER, POWERED BY MOVIES LIKE 
THE 13th, AND SHOWS 
LIKE BLACKISH THAT HAVE GONE TO 
TRY TO EDUCATE LARGER 
SWATHS OF AMERICA ABOUT SOME OF 
THE INJUSTICES THAT WE HAVE BEEN
SEEING. AND THEN OF COURSE, THIS
SUMMER WE SAW A BATTERY OF THOSE
INJUSTICES CONTINUING. AND THAT 
REALLY RAISED PEOPLE'S ATTENTION
WHILE THEY WERE ISOLATING AT 
HOME. FIRST THEY SAW THE 
DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBERS OF 
BLACK AMERICANS DYING OF 
COVID-19, THE DISPROPORTIONATE 
WAYS  IT AFFECTED PEOPLE'S 
EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS, AND 
THEN AGAIN, PEOPLE BREATHING 
THEIR LAST BREATH AT THE HANDS 
OF POLICE. ALL THESE THINGS HAVE
CONVALESCENT INTO THIS MOMENT AT
A YEAR WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY 
TURNED TO THE MOOD OF THE 
COUNTRY BECAUSE OF POLITICS. FOR
THIS LONG-STANDING TRADITION 
OF MARCHING IN HOPES TO CONTINUE
THE MOMENTUM AND ACTUALLY MAKE 
CHANGE. 
>> VANESSA WILLIAMS, LET'S TALK 
TO YOU AND BRING YOU INTO THE 
CONVERSATION. WE DID SEE A 50th 
ANNIVERSARY MARCH BACK IN 2013 
AND SOME OF THE GREATS OF THE 
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WERE ABLE 
TO BE THERE AND STILL 
PARTICIPATE IN IT. WHAT DO YOU 
SEE AS HAVING CHANGED IN SEVEN 
YEARS, OR NOT CHANGED SINCE THAT
50th ANNIVERSARY MARCH, AND 
TODAY 
>> HI, LIBBY. YOU ARE CORRECT. 
THERE WERE HISTORICAL FIGURES 
THAT WERE THERE. CERTAINLY ONE 
THAT EVERYBODY WILL REMEMBER HIS
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN LEWIS, WHO 
DIED LAST MONTH. MANY PEOPLE SAW
THAT AS THE END OF AN ERA. BUT 
OTHERS ARE CONTINUING TO CARRY 
ON HIS LEGACY AND SOME OF THOSE 
PEOPLE WON'T NECESSARILY BE OUT 
HERE TODAY BECAUSE PART OF THE 
MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES IS 
ONGOING ON 
A LOCAL LEVEL AS OPPOSED TO A 
BIG NATIONAL MARCH. IN FACT, 
SOME GROUPS ARE NOT HERE AND 
THEY ARE NOT SO MUCH PROTESTING 
AS THEY ARE ENGAGED IN LOCAL 
EFFORTS TO SORT OF ENGAGE YOUNG 
PEOPLE AND ALLIES, IF YOU WILL. 
IN FACT, TONIGHT THERE IS GOING 
TO BE A VIRTUAL MEETING OF 
NATIONAL PARK CONVENTION TO 
HAMMER OUT AN AGENDA, A 
POLITICAL AGENDA THAT ACTIVISTS 
HOPE PEOPLE WILL TAKE, 
ESPECIALLY 
LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE 
PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED TO 
REGISTER TO VOTE, AND ONCE 
PEOPLE ARE ELECTED TO HOLD THEM 
ACCOUNTABLE. IF ANYTHING HAS 
CHANGED, I WOULD SAY THE 
MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES HAS 
MATURED AND HAS CONTINUED TO BE 
THIS MOVEMENT 
THAT DIFFERS LOCAL FOLKS AND IS 
ENERGIZING YOUNG PEOPLE AND HAS 
SEEN A RESURGENCE THAT ROBERT 
POINTED OUT WITH SO MANY 
INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE 
AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE EITHER BY 
POLICE OR VIGILANTES 
>> VANESSA MENTIONED THE LATE 
JOHN LEWIS. LET'S LISTEN TO A 
TAPE 
OF HIM AT THE 50th ANNIVERSARY 
OF THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON. A 
REMINDER THAT HE WAS THE 
YOUNGEST SPEAKER AT THE ORIGINAL
MARCH. LET'S LISTEN. 
>> 50 YEARS LATER WE CAN RIDE 
ANYWHERE WE WANT TO RIDE, STAY 
WHERE WE WANT TO STAY, THOSE 
SIGNS THEY SAY WHITE AND COLOR 
ARE GONE. AND YOU WON'T SEE 
THEM ANYMORE. A STEP IN A MUSEUM
AND A BOOK ON A VIDEO. THERE ARE
STILL INVISIBLE SIGNS BURIED IN 
THE HEARTS OF HUMANKIND THAT 
FORM A ROUGH BETWEEN US. TOO 
MANY OF US STILL BELIEVE OUR 
DIFFERENCES DEFINE US, INSTEAD 
OF THE DIVINE -- THAT RUN 
THROUGH ALL OF HUMAN CREATION. 
THE SCARS AND STAINS OF RACISM 
STILL REMAIN DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN 
AMERICAN SOCIETY. WHETHER IT IS 
STOP AND FRISK IN NEW YORK OR 
INJUSTICE IN TREY VON MARTIN 
CASE IN FLORIDA. THE MASS 
INCARCERATION OF MILLIONS OF 
AMERICANS IN FEAR IN THE CENTER 
OF OUR SOCIETY, UNEMPLOYMENT, 
HOMELESSNESS, HUNGER, OR THE 
RENEWED STRUGGLE FOR VOTING 
RIGHTS. I SAY TO EACH ONE OF US 
TODAY, WE MUST NEVER, EVER GIVE 
UP. WE MUST NEVER, EVER GIVE IN.
WE MUST KEEP THE FAITH AND KEEP 
OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE 
>> THE LATE CONGRESSMAN JOHN 
LEWIS SPEAKING AT THE 50th 
ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARCH ON 
WASHINGTON. THIS IS LIVE 
COVERAGE ON "THE 
WASHINGTON POST"
WILL GO TO THE EVENT SHORTLY AND
WE WILL BRING YOU THAT 
PROGRAMMING. ON THE BACK END OF 
THINGS, WE WILL COME BACK TO 
ANALYSIS AND TALK TO OUR 
REPORTERS WHO ARE OUT SPEAKING 
WITH MARCHERS TODAY. RHONDA:, WE
HEARD JOHN THE WAS TALK THERE 
ABOUT HISTORY, BUT ALSO 
CHALLENGES OF THE PRESENT. IT 
WAS STRIKING THIS WEEK AT THE 
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION 
HOW WHEN RACIAL TURMOIL WAS 
TALKED ABOUT, WHEN 
DISCRIMINATION WAS TALKED ABOUT,
IT WAS USUALLY REFERRED TO IN 
THE PAST TENSE. SLAVERY IN THE 
PAST TENSE, DISCRIMINATORY 
PRACTICES IN THE PAST TENSE. 
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE HAS BEEN
THE BEST PRESIDENT FOR AFRICAN 
AMERICANS SINCE ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
>> HE DID SAY THAT, AND OUR FACT
CHECKERS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT 
HISTORIANS WOULD SAY THAT LBJ 
WAS AMONG PRESIDENTS WHO HELPED 
BLACK PEOPLE THE MOST HAVING 
SIGNED IN THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT,
AND ALSO THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. 
YES, THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD 
ALL WHEAT. IN FACT, THESE THINGS
ARE BEHIND US, OR AT LEAST WE 
NEED TO STOP LOOKING AT THE PAST
AND BE IN THE PRESENT. IF YOU 
LOOK AT JOHN LEWIS'S WORDS RIGHT
THERE, THAT WAS SEVERAL YEARS 
AGO. SOME OF THE THINGS HE NAMED
AND LISTED ARE THE SAME REASONS 
PEOPLE ARE RIGHT NOW GOING TO 
THE NATIONAL WALL AND GOING UP 
TO MARCH TODAY. IT'S STUNNING TO
SEE TAPES FROM THE PAST SAY 
EXACTLY THE SAME THINGS PEOPLE 
ARE DEMONSTRATING ABOUT RIGHT 
NOW. YES, THIS IS A 
COMMEMORATION OF MARTIN LUTHER 
KING JUNIOR'S ORIGINAL I HAVE A 
DREAM MARCH, BUT IT'S 
THE CONTINUATION, ALMOST, OF THE
SAME EXACT RACIAL ISSUES THAT WE
ARE STILL SEEING TODAY. 
>> THANKS SO MUCH, RHONDA. 
VANESSA WILLIAMS, CORONAVIRUS IS
USUALLY KEEPING A LOT OF PEOPLE 
AWAY FROM THE MARCH YOU 
OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE WANTED TO 
COME THERE'S QUESTIONS OF 
WHETHER BUSES CAN COME INTO THE 
CINDY BECAUSE CONCERNS WHETHER 
THEY WOULD HAVE TO QUARANTINE. 
ORGANIZERS ARE ENCOURAGING 
PEOPLE TO WATCH ON LINE, TO BE A
PART OF IT. OR AS YOU TALKED 
ABOUT, THERE'S SO MANY OTHER 
GROUPS UNIFYING TO HAVE SEPARATE
EVENTS. SO, WE WILL BE WATCHING 
TO SEE WHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY
PEOPLE ARE GATHERING. BUT LET'S 
TALK ABOUT CORONAVIRUS. NOT JUST
WHAT IT MEANS FOR TODAY, BUT 
WHAT IT HAS BEEN FOR AFRICAN 
AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY, 
BECAUSE THAT DOES ALSO FACTOR IN
TO DISCRIMINATION AND EQUALITY. 
>> INDEED THE VIRUS HAS AFFECTED
AFRICAN-AMERICANS AT 
DISPROPORTIONATE RATES ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY AND ALSO IT HAS 
AFFECTED AFRICAN-AMERICANS 
DISPROPORTIONATELY ECONOMICALLY.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE 
DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED 
IN LOWER WAGE JOBS WHERE YOU 
EITHER LOST HER JOB BECAUSE THE 
RESTAURANT OR STORE CLOSED OR IN
JOBS THAT FORCED YOU TO GO TO 
WORK. YOU ARE A FRONT-LINE 
WORKER. THOSE PEOPLE ENDED UP 
BEING MORE EXPOSED. WE LEARNED. 
IT HAS BEEN A DOUBLE WHAMMY, IF 
YOU WILL, FOR THE BLACK 
COMMUNITY. YES, SOME PEOPLE ARE 
STAYING AWAY BECAUSE OF THE 
VIRUS AND BECAUSE OF CONCERNS 
FROM THAT. AS I POINTED OUT, 
FOLKS ARE ORGANIZING AND RAISING
THEIR VOICES IN OTHER WAYS TO 
ADDRESS THESE ONGOING 
DISPARITIES. I WROTE RECENTLY 
ABOUT A STUDY THAT TALKED ABOUT 
THE WAYS THAT RESIDENTIAL 
SEGREGATION PLAYED INTO THE 
DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT ON 
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THE VIRUS 
HAS LAID BARE LONG-STANDING 
INEQUALITIES, INEQUITIES, 
DISPARITIES THAT WERE IGNORED OR
PAVED OVER IN HEALTH AND 
HOUSING, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND IT'S 
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS THAT ANY 
PEOPLE BELIEVE THE CIVIL RIGHTS 
MOVEMENT, IF YOU WILL. 
>> ROBERT SAMUELS, YOU REPORTED 
FROM MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN IN THE
SPRING WITH THE FOCAL POINT OF 
SO MANY OF US AS WE WATCHED WHAT
HAPPENED IN KENOSHA. YOU START 
YOUR STORY BY TALKING ABOUT AND 
DESCRIBING THIS SEGREGATED 
SECTION OF AMERICA. 
>> YES. WHAT WE FIND WITH 
CONSTANT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 
AND EARLY FLARES ABOUT HOW THIS 
VIRUS IS DISPROPORTIONATELY 
AFFECTING BLACK AMERICA BECAUSE 
IN WISCONSIN WE SAW IN THE EARLY
STAGES, ALTHOUGH BLACK WERE 6% 
OF THE STATE, THEY CONTRIBUTED 
TO 
BEING 50% OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
DYING IN THOSE EARLY DAYS. WHAT 
WE SEE IN PLACES LIKE WISCONSIN 
IS THAT THE VIRUS WAS NOT THE 
SYMPTOM OF THE PROBLEM, BUT A 
PRODUCT OF A LARGER PROBLEM WITH
SEGREGATION IN THIS COUNTRY. AND
THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF THINGS
THAT VANESSA WAS ALLUDING TO. 
WHAT WE KNOW 
NOW THROUGH REPORTING THAT HAS 
BEEN DONE OVER THE COURSE OF 
THIS PANDEMIC IS THAT THE CALLS 
FOR HELP TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY 
WITH CORONAVIRUS WERE CONSISTENT
WITH THE CALLS OF SO MANY OTHER 
PROBLEMS AND THAT THEY WERE 
UNHEEDED. AND SO, WHEN YOU SAW 
JACOB BLAKE  DIE IN KENOSHA, IT 
ONCE AGAIN HIGHLIGHTED THIS DUAL
SYSTEM THAT MANY BLACK AMERICANS
FEEL WE ARE LIVING IN TODAY IN 
WHICH THAT EVEN WITH EVERYTHING 
GOING ON, THEY ARE CONCERNED 
THEIR LIVES ARE LESS VALUED. 
THERE'S MORE OF A SUSPICION, AND
THAT WHEN IT COMES TO 
IDENTIFYING SOME OF THE ISSUES 
THAT MAKE LIVES HARDER FOR BLACK
AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY, THE 
FIRST QUESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WHY 
IS IT YOUR FAULT? WHY ARE YOU 
DOING BETTER? WHEN THERE'S SUCH 
A STRONG MOVEMENT NOWADAYS TO 
TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE MOST 
SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS
THAT PREVENT BLACK AMERICANS 
FROM LIVING FULL UNFILTERED 
LIVES IN THIS 
COUNTRY. 
>> RHONDA:, ONE THING WE MADE 
HERE TODAY IS A CALL TO 
PARTICIPATE POLITICALLY, A CALL 
TO VOTE WE CERTAINLY HEARD IT 
FROM DEMOCRATS DURING THEIR 
CONVENTION LAST WEEK. IT'S TALK 
ABOUT EFFORTS TO EXPAND MOTOR 
REGISTRATION, AND ALSO COMBAT 
EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS VOTING BY 
MAIL AND ABSENTEE VOTING. 
>> VOTING IS PART OF THE CRUX OF
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. WE 
ALREADY HEARD MARTIN LUTHER KING
THE THIRD THERE ALREADY START 
TALKING ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS WHEN
HE DID HIS INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE
A LITTLE BIT AGO. IT WILL 
PROBABLY BE A PART OF TODAY'S 
EVENT. KRISTIN CLARK, WHO IS 
FROM THE LAWYERS COMMITTEE ON 
CIVIL RIGHTS, SHE HAS BEEN AN 
ADVOCATE FOR ACCESS TO THE POLLS
AND TALKING ABOUT 
SUPPRESSION TACTICS, A LOT IN 
THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I 
INTERVIEWED FOR HER FOR A PIECE 
I DID A FEW WEEKS AGO ON VOTER 
REGISTRATION AND WHAT IT LOOKS 
LIKE IN THE AGE OF THE PANDEMIC,
AND SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW GROUPS 
LIKE HERS ARE WATCHING CAREFULLY
BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY NERVOUS 
THE SUPPRESSION TACTICS WILL BE 
A PART OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
AND SO THIS EVEN TODAY IS GOING 
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT VOTING DOES 
MATTER, ACCESS MATTERS, AND FROM
SOURCES THAT I TALKED TO FOR THE
STORY I WROTE A FEW WEEKS AGO, 
WORKED ON A FEW WEEKS AGO, THEY 
ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING 
TO BE THERE TODAY AND TRYING TO 
REGISTER PEOPLE, TRYING TO 
REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE 
DEADLINES AND TO KNOW WHAT THOSE
DEADLINES ARE. THAT DEFINITELY 
IS GOING TO BE A PART OF TODAY'S
RALLYING CRY. 
>> ROBERT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 
BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND 
PERCEPTION OF THIS. REFRAME IT 
IN THE CONTEXT OF SPORTS, 
SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF 
AMERICANS ARE VERY DEDICATED TO.
COLIN KAEPERNICK JUST A FEW 
YEARS AGO WAS CRITICIZED. HIS 
CAREER WAS ESSENTIALLY RUINED. 
HE WAS DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD 
BY NATIONAL POLITICIANS EVEN. 
NOW WE ARE SEEING SUCH AN 
INCREDIBLE CHANGE JUST THIS WEEK
EVEN AS ATHLETES SHOW AMERICANS 
THAT THEY CANNOT IGNORE THE 
PROBLEM OF RACIAL INJUSTICE AND 
POLICE KILLINGS IN AMERICA. CAN 
YOU TALK ABOUT THAT EVOLUTION 
FOR US? 
>> WELL, THE BLACK LIVES MATTER 
MOVEMENT USED TO BE SUCH A 
CONTROVERSIAL THING. EVEN 
DEMOCRATS IN 2014 WERE NERVOUS 
ABOUT EVEN UTTERING THE PHRASE. 
NOW WE SEE SOMETHING VERY 
DIFFERENT. WE SAW PEOPLE LIKE IT
ROMNEY MARCHING WITH BLACK LIVES
MATTER PROTESTERS, AND THEY ARE 
SEEING ATHLETES LEADING THE 
CHARGE IN THE VERY PUBLIC WAY. 
WHAT WE SAW IN THE NBA WITH 
PLAYERS BOYCOTTING GAMES. THE 
BLACK AMERICAN -- WELL, BLACK 
AND JAPANESE AMERICAN TENNIS 
PLAYER SAYING THAT SHE CAN PLAY.
WHAT ALL THIS IS DOING IS IT'S 
TRYING TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE 
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KEEP THIS 
THING ON THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS. 
WHAT PEOPLE SAW HAPPENING 
ORIGINALLY AFTER THE DEATH OF 
GEORGE FLOYD WAS AN OUTBURST OF 
INTEREST AND ALSO AN INCREDIBLE 
AMOUNT OF ANGUISH, GUILT, AND 
SHAME THAT CAME FROM WHITE 
AMERICANS WERE NOT TAKING THE 
CALLS THAT BACK LIVES HAD VALUED
AS SERIOUSLY. IN THE AFTERMATH 
WHAT WE SAW WAS PRETTY STRIKING.
WE SAW BOOKS LIKE HOW TO BE AN 
ANTIRACIST AND WHITE FERTILITY 
ROBIN D'ANGELO FLY OFF THE TOPS 
OF BOOKSHELVES. SAW COMPANIES 
FROM NIKE TO THE PRODUCERS OF 
FRUIT BY THE FOOT, THE SNACK 
FOOD PUTTING OUT STATEMENTS 
SAYING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO 
TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IS IN THIS COUNTRY NOW IS
A NEW AWAKENING ABOUT RACE AND 
HOW IT OPERATES WITHIN US. AND 
IT WAS HAPPENING ON ALL FORMS OF
CULTURAL FRONTS WHAT WE ARE 
SEEING NOW IS -- THE CHALLENGES 
NOW WHETHER OR NOT THOSE 
MOVEMENTS WILL SUSTAIN AND 
WHETHER SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS 
ABOUT DEFUNDING THE POLICE, 
WHICH IS A PHRASE THAT CAME OUT 
OF THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK LIVES 
AND SOME OF THE RHETORIC THAT 
COMES FROM REPUBLICANS THAT 
WE SAW VERY HEAVY AT THE 
CONVENTION THIS WEEK ABOUT THE 
DESTRUCTION OF AMERICAN CITIES 
BECAUSE OF PROTESTERS WILL 
RESONATE AND STIFLE SOME OF THE 
MOVEMENTS. 
>> THIS MARCH WAS PLANNED AS 
RHONDA: SHARED WITH US MONTHS 
AGO. WE HEARD, AS SHE SAID, IT 
DISCUSSED AT ONE OF THE 
MEMORIALS FOR GEORGE FLOYD BY 
RUTLAND AL SHARPTON. JUST THIS 
WEEK ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A MAN, A
BLACK MAN IN AMERICA SHOT BY 
POLICE, HURT BY POLICE THE 
SISTER OF JACOB BLAKE JUNIOR,  
THE MAN SHOT BY POLICE REFLECT 
-- LET'S LISTEN TO HER WORDS. 
>> I AM MY BROTHER'S KEEPER. AND
WHEN YOU SAY THE NAME JACOB 
BLAKE , MAKE SURE YOU SAY 
FATHER. MAKE SURE YOU SAY 
COUSIN. MAKE SURE YOU SAY SON. 
MAKE SURE YOU SAY UNCLE. BUT 
MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKE SURE YOU 
SAY HUMAN. HUMAN LIFE. LET IT 
MARINATE IN YOUR MIND. A HUMAN 
LIFE, JUST LIKE EVERY SINGLE ONE
OF YOU ALL. WE ARE HUMAN, AND 
HIS LIFE MATTERS. SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME, TELLING 
ME THEY ARE SORRY THAT THEY 
HAPPENED TO THIS FAMILY. WELL, 
DON'T BE SORRY, BECAUSE THIS 
ISN'T HAPPENING TO MY FAMILY FOR
A LONG TIME. 
>> THAT IS THE SISTER OF JACOB 
BLAKE. HE IS NOW , WE HAVE BEEN 
TOLD, PARALYZED. HE IS IN THE 
HOSPITAL SHOT AT LEAST SEVEN 
TIMES BY POLICE ON SUNDAY IN 
WISCONSIN. WAS GOING OUT TO 
NICOLE ELLIS WHO WAS IN THE 
NATIONAL MALL COVERING TODAY'S 
MARCH. NICOLE? 
>> Reporter: HI, LIBBY. I AM 
WITH ANTONIO HUGO WHO HAS BEEN 
ORGANIZING PROTESTS 
IN DC. I WANT YOU TO TELL ME A 
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. 
>> SO, LAST NIGHT DC POLICE WERE
ASSAULTING US, PUSHING US TO THE
GROUND. THE VIDEO 
IS VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA RIGHT 
NOW, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, ALL 
THAT. I HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL TO
GET MY LEG CHECKED OUT. IT'S 
WRAPPED UP RIGHT NOW. I HAVE 
TORN LIGAMENTS FROM HER THE 
DOCTORS TOLD ME A LOT OF PEOPLE 
FEARED IT MAY BE IN BROKEN OR 
FRACTURED BECAUSE IT GOT CAUGHT 
BETWEEN TWO OF THEIR BIKES AND 
INSTEAD OF PUSHING ME DOWN AFTER
HITTING ME WITH HIS BIKE AND THE
LIEUTENANT WAS STANDING RIGHT 
THERE. 
>> YOU HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING 
PROTESTS FOR TWO MONTHS. WHAT 
WAS THE MOTIVATING FACTOR? YOU 
CAN LEAVE YOUR MASK ON. 
>> IT'S JUST SPIRIT. I HAVE TWO 
KIDS AS WELL AND I DON'T WANT TO
SEE THEM GROW UP IN THIS CHAOS. 
IF I HAD A CHECK ABOUT IT TODAY,
THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE TO BE 
STATIONED WITH. THAT'S MY 
MOTIVATION. OF COURSE EVERYONE 
ELSE, BLACK FAMILIES, BLACK 
LIVES MATTER ALWAYS. THAT'S 
REALLY WHAT IT IS. 
>> Reporter: OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE 
HERE TO SHOW SUPPORT TO THE 
NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK AND THIS
MARCH AND ALL THE OTHER 
CO-COLLABORATORS. WHAT IS YOUR 
HOPE FOR A MARCH OF THIS SCALE? 
CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT THAN THE 
MARCHES YOU HAVE BEEN 
ORGANIZING. 
>> IT'S DEFINITELY 
MORE PEOPLE. STRENGTH IN 
NUMBERS, LIKE THEY SAY, AND 
MAKING MORE PEOPLE AWARE. 
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S CLOSER 
NOW TO ELECTION SEASON, I CALL 
IT. GETTING MORE PEOPLE OUT HERE
SO THEY CAN BE AWARE AND 
MOTIVATE MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE, AS
WELL. GET THIS PRESIDENT OUT OF 
HERE BECAUSE HE'S NOT DOING A 
GOOD JOB. HE HASN'T EVEN 
ADDRESSED ANYTHING WITH JACOB 
BLAKE, WHICH IS VERY DISRESPECT 
WILL AND ANYTHING WITH GEORGE 
FLOYD. IT'S SAD, AND WE NEED 
CHANGE. 
>> Reporter: YOU MENTIONED YOU 
HAVE TWO KIDS, YOU HAVE TWO 
DAUGHTERS? 
>> KNOW I HAVE A DAUGHTER AND A 
SON. 
>> Reporter: A DAUGHTER AND A 
SON. WHAT IS THE HOPE FOR THE 
CHANGES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE 
MADE IN AMERICA FOR WHEN THEY 
ARE YOUR AGE? 
>> I DON'T WANT THEM TO GO 
THROUGH ANY OF THE STUFF. STUFF 
JACOB BLAKE HAD TO GO THROUGH , 
EVEN WITH HIS KIDS RIGHT THERE. 
HE GOT SHOT WITH HIS KIDS RIGHT 
THERE. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM 
HAVE TO EXPERIENCE AND/OR 
WITNESSED NONE OF THIS. I HAVE 
TO HAVE TALKED WITH MY DAUGHTER 
RIGHT NOW. I HAVE TO HAVE TALKS 
WITH HER ABOUT THE STUFF. SHE 
SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON HER 
COLORING BOOKS AND CAMP, BECAUSE
THE STUFF IS HAPPENING. I TALKED
TO HER ON FACE TIME WITH HER I 
MARCHING OR WHATEVER, SHE'S IN 
FEAR LIKE THAT IF SHE'S GOING TO
MAKE IT HOME. THIS IS WRONG. 
IT'S WRONG. 
>> Reporter: IN MANY WAYS YOU 
ARE AT THE FRONTLINE AND IT ALSO
SOUNDS LIKE THE POSSIBILITY OF 
LOSING YOUR LIFE IS AT THE FRONT
OF YOUR MIND CONSIDERING YOU 
HAVE TWO KIDS. HOW DO YOU 
PROCESS THAT AND WHY DO YOU 
CONTINUE TO PROTEST WITH THOSE 
FEARS IN MIND? 
>> IT'S OUT OF CONTROL, 
UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE, THINK 
ABOUT IT. WHAT I PROTEST OR 
DON'T, IF I'M IN A CAR AND I'M 
DRIVING AND I HAVE A BROKEN TAIL
LIGHT, WHO'S TO SAY POLICE 
PULLED ME OVER IF I MAY EVEN, 
EVEN IF I MAY HAVE DONE 
SOMETHING WRONG, ANYTHING, THAT 
I MAY MAKE IT TO JAIL. I MAY BE 
THE NEXT HASHTAG. OR IF I DO 
SOMETHING WRONG OR DON'T DO 
SOMETHING WRONG, 
YOU STILL BE ANOTHER HASHTAG. 
THINK OF ALL THE BLACK LIVES 
MATTER, THE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW, 
NAMES WE HAVE TO SPRAY IN THIS 
PROTEST. UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE 
TO 
DO IT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO MARCH
BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE ARE STILL 
DYING AND BEING KILLED. WE 
SHOULD NOT SCREAM BREONNA 
TAYLOR'S NAME. SHE SHOULD BE 
ALIVE RIGHT NOW. WE SHOULD NOT 
HAVE TO SCREAM JACOB BLAKE. HE 
SHOULD NOT BE PARALYZED  NOW. 
AND THEY JUST SAY THEY 
HANDCUFFED HIM TO HIS HOSPITAL 
BED EVEN WHILE 
HE'S PARALYZED. GEORGE FLOYD, HE
SHOULD BE HERE RIGHT NOW. HIS 
DAUGHTER'S NOT HAVE TO CRY AND 
WONDER WHERE THAT IS AT WORK. IT
IS SAD IT'S NOT CHANGING. THAT 
IS WHY THESE PEOPLE IN DC ARE 
SET UP. LIKE WHAT THEY DID TO ME
AND OTHERS LAST NIGHT. HOW DO 
YOU EXPECT US TO RESPECT THE LAW
WHEN THE LAW IS NOT RESPECTING 
US? WE PAY OUR TAX DOLLARS FOR 
THEM TO TREATISE LIKE THAT? AND 
THE MAYOR, SHE'S NOT DOING 
NOTHING ABOUT IT. SHE'S NOT. 
>> Reporter: OBVIOUSLY YOU SAID 
YOU ARE TUNED IN AND PAYING 
ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING 
NOW. YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT 
NOVEMBER AND THE PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION. WHAT IS 
YOUR HOPE FOR HOW THESE PROTESTS
OR HOW COMING OUT HERE RIGHT NOW
WILL TRANSLATE AT THE VOTING 
BOOTH? 
>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A 
BIG EFFECT IT'S GOING TO BE A 
BIGGER EFFECT THAN USUAL. THE 
LAST ELECTION A LOT OF US DIDN'T
VOTE, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO 
BE A BIGGER EFFECT NOW BECAUSE A
LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE DYING NOW, 
WHETHER MALE, FEMALE, KIDS. THE 
AWARENESS IS A LOT HIGHER IN 
EVERYBODY'S MORE ON THE SAME 
PAGE NOW. EVERYBODY IS ANGRY 
THERE'S EVEN SOME ALL-WHITE 
PEOPLE THERE UPSET. THEY ARE 
FIGHTING WITH US AND FOR US AS 
WELL. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE
THE CHANGE NOW TO HOW IT WAS 
THEN. 
>> Reporter: THANK YOU, ANTONIO.
LIBBY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO 
REPORT FROM THE GROUND. BACK TO 
YOU, AND I'LL BE IN TOUCH. 
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, NICOLE 
ELLIS. REALLY 
APPRECIATE IT. RHONDA:, LET'S 
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE SPEAKERS 
TODAY WHO WILL SPEAK FROM A VERY
PERSONAL PLACE OF LOSS. 
>> YES, AFTER AL SHARPTON DOES 
HIS INTRODUCTION AND HIS SEGMENT
OF SPEECHES, HE'S GOING TO 
INTRODUCE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED BY POLICE BRUTALITY. WE
ARE NOT SURE HOW MANY FAMILIES 
OR WHO THEY MIGHT BE, BUT ONE 
THING THAT SEEMS TO HAVE COME 
OUT OF THE GEORGE FLOYD 
SITUATION IS THAT THERE'S MORE 
EMPHASIS ON HUMANITY, ON THE 
VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE 
JUST 
HEARD FROM JACOB BLAKE'S SISTER 
SAYING CALL HIM A BROTHER, CALL 
HIM A SON, CALL HIM A HUMAN , 
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SEEMS 
TO HAVE ADDITIONALLY ADDED TO 
THE MOVEMENT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE 
NOW SEEING THESE VIDEOS. THE 
VICTIMS AS PEOPLE, AND IT'S 
RESONATING. THAT IS GOING TO BE 
SOMETHING THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN
PROGRAMMING. THE FAMILY MEMBERS 
ARE GOING TO CLOSE OUT THE 
SPEAKING PORTION OF TODAY'S 
MARCH. 
>> ROBERT SAMUELS, LET'S GET YOU
BACK IN THE PROGRAM HERE BEFORE 
WE LET YOU GO I'M INTERESTED IN 
WHAT YOU WILL BE WATCHING FOR IN
TERMS OF NEXT STEPS. WE HEARD 
THE GENTLEMAN WHO NICOLE WAS 
INTERVIEWING TALKING ABOUT HE 
HOPES HOW THIS TRANSLATES TO 
PEOPLE BEING MORE MOTIVATED TO 
VOTE AND GET INVOLVED MEDICALLY.
WHAT WILL YOU BE WATCHING AT THE
GRASSROOTS LEVEL, AS WELL AS THE
NATIONAL LEVEL FOR WHAT THE TAKE
AWAY IS FROM IS A LIKE THIS? 
>> WELL, THIS IS A REALLY 
INTERESTING TIME IN AMERICAN 
HISTORY. HOW DO YOU HAVE A 
MOVEMENT WHEN THERE ARE 
LIMITATIONS TO HOW WE MOVE 
BECAUSE OF 
THE VIRUS? AND SO THERE ARE A 
FEW THINGS THAT WE ARE REALLY 
INTERESTED IN FIGURING OUT. ONE 
IS WHETHER OR NOT THE DIVERSITY 
AND THE BROAD SUPPORT OF THE 
MOVEMENT CONTINUES, PARTICULARLY
AS THE POLITICAL SEASON BECOMES 
MORE AND MORE HEATED. HOW THAT 
IS AFFECTED AND HOW THAT HAPPENS
WILL REALLY BE TELLING. THE 
SECOND THING THAT I THINK IS 
REALLY INTERESTING TO NOTE IS 
HOW THIS AFFECTS VOTING NUMBERS.
THERE'S BEEN A LARGE MOVEMENT 
EVER SINCE THE ELECTION OF 
DONALD TRUMP TO HARK HIM AND 
HONE IN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS JOINING, AND 
MORE OF THEM VOTING AND NUMBERS 
THAT WOULD MATCH OR EXCEED THE 
OBAMA ELECTIONS IN 2008 
AND 2012. BUT THE THIRD THING 
THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT
AND CAN OFTEN BE OBSCURED WITH 
ALL OF THIS SHOUTING IS WHETHER 
OR NOT THERE IS ACTUAL -- THERE 
ARE ACTUAL ARRESTS AND 
CONVICTIONS FOR COPS WHO HAVE 
BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SHOOTINGS 
OF GEORGE FLOYD AND BREONNA 
TAYLOR, THE SHOOTING OF JACOB 
BLAKE. I THINK THAT  AND HOW 
JUSTICE HAPPENS, OR IS PERCEIVED
WITHIN OUR STRUCTURE OF THE 
AMERICAN COURT SYSTEM IS GOING 
TO BE INCREDIBLY TELLING FOR HOW
THIS MOVEMENT EVOLVES, 
HOW IT SUSTAINS, AND HOW IT 
CONTINUES. 
>> ROBERT SAMUELS, THANK YOU SO 
MUCH. VANESSA WILLIAMS, IN 
LOOKING WHAT OUR REPORTER 
COLLEAGUES ARE TELLING US FROM 
THE NATIONAL MALL, SOME OF THE 
VERY FIRST INVESTIGATE IN LOT 
TODAY ARE MOTHERS WHO SAY THEY 
HAVE LOST SON TO POLICE 
BRUTALITY. AND A REMINDER, THEY 
ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH A 
TEMPERATURE CHECK TO GET ON THE 
MALL. THIS IS NOT JUST A FREE 
FOR ALL EVENTS. THIS DOESN'T 
EVEN HAVE THE NORMAL ACCESS 
AREAS THAT A BIG NATIONAL PARK 
SERVICE PERMITTED EVEN 
WOULD HAVE PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO 
TAKE A LOT OF PRECAUTIONS, BUT 
THESE ARE MOMS WHO TRAVELED FROM
AROUND THE COUNTRY TO BE HERE 
TODAY TO BE A PART OF THIS, AND 
THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS
IS PERSONALIZED IN THE EXACT 
SAME WAY THAT WE HEARD JACOB 
BLAKE'S SISTER TALKING ABOUT. 
>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. ONE OF 
THE MAIN ARGUMENTS, IF YOU WILL,
OF THE MOVEMENT IS THE LACK 
OF HUMANITY WITH WHICH 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, PARTICULARLY 
BLACK MEN, ARE SEEN. AS ROBERT 
POINTED OUT, THAT IS GOING TO BE
INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS 
PLAYS OUT IN THIS POLITICAL 
SEASON. THE CURRENT 
ADMINISTRATION WILL SAY, YOU 
KNOW, WE DON'T CONDONE WHAT 
HAPPENED TO GEORGE FLOYD, THEN 
THEY SORT OF EQUATE THE PROTEST 
TO TERRORISM AND AS YOU POINTED 
OUT WITH -- I'M 
SORRY, MR. BLAKE'S SISTER, THESE
ARE REAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE REAL 
FAMILY MEMBERS AND THEY HAVE 
REAL 
PAIN, AND THE CURRENT 
ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT DONE A 
GOOD JOB OF RECOGNIZING THAT 
HUMANITY AND, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK
AT THESE FAMILIES AND YOU SAY, 
WE UNDERSTAND THEIR PAIN, BUT 
SOME 
OF THE THIS REAL THAT IS THROWN 
AT THEM ONLINE IS 
JUST INCREDIBLE. YOU CANNOT SEE 
THE HUMANITY AND UNDERSTAND THAT
THIS IS PAINFUL AND NONE OF US 
AS CITIZENS IF THESE UNDERTHINGS
HAPPEN TO ANYBODY. I THINK THAT 
IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING 
ISSUE IN THIS UPCOMING CAMPAIGN 
TO SEE HOW WE 
NAVIGATE THAT. 
>> THERE IS AN EFFORT TO PUT 
GUILT ON PEOPLE. THE QUESTIONING
OF SPECULATION, WHAT WAS JACOB 
BLAKE DOING, FOR EXAMPLE. WHY 
WERE THE POLICE THERE? DID HE 
HAVE A KNIFE IN HIS CAR? A LOT 
OF PEOPLE POINTED OUT HAVING A 
KNIFE IN YOUR CART ISN'T NOTHING
THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE. THAT'S 
WHAT OF BLAMING THAT CAN HAPPEN 
>> EVEN WITH GEORGE FLOYD THERE 
WERE PEOPLE WHO SAY HE SHOULD 
NOT HAVE RESISTED. AND ANOTHER 
THING IS, THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF 
HOW TO STOP THESE KINDS OF ACTS.
SOME PEOPLE ARE QUICK TO SAY, 
IT'S JUST A FEW BAD APPLES. WE 
SEE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND 
I DON'T THINK WE AS 
A COUNTRY HAVE COME TO TERMS 
WITH HOW TO ADDRESS THIS, WHICH 
IS WHY, AS I PUT IT OUT EARLIER,
SOME OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE, SOME
OF THE PEOPLE WERE REALLY 
ENGAGED IN THE MOVEMENT FOR 
BLACK LIVES ARE WORKING ON A 
LOCAL LEVEL. YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE 
SURE YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT MAYORS
AND THE RIGHT DAS AND THEY HIRE 
THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO RUN 
THE DEPARTMENT. IS IT BETTER 
FRAMING, IS A CAMERAS? I THINK 
WE ARE STILL TRYING TO WORK IT 
OUT. I THINK WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO
SEE IS SOME RECOGNITION THAT, 
YES, WE HAVE A PROBLEM, AND IT'S
NOT ALWAYS THE VICTIM'S FAULT. 
WE HAVE A SYSTEMIC COLUMN THAT 
WE NEED TO ADDRESS. 
>> INKS SO MUCH, VANESSA. RHONDA
COLEMAN, LET'S WRAP UP WITH YOU 
BEFORE WE GO LIVE TO THIS WASH 
ON MARCH 
ON WASHINGTON. WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SHOULD 
ALL BE WATCHING FOR IN A COUPLE 
OF WEEKS HERE AS WE GALLOP 
TOWARD THE NOVEMBER ELECTION? 
>> I THINK I WILL BE LISTENING 
FOR THE VICTIMS FAMILY MEMBERS 
WHO WILL BE SPEAKING AND HOW 
THEY ARE GOING TO BRING A SENSE 
OF HUMANITY TO THE ISSUE OF 
POLICE BRUTALITY AND RACIAL 
INJUSTICE. I'M ALSO JUST LOOKING
AT THE VISUALS. WE CAN ALREADY 
SEE RIGHT THERE ON THE SCREEN 
THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE 
GATHERING, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE 
STILL ON A PANDEMIC. WHEN YOU 
SEE THIS MANY PEOPLE COALESCE 
AROUND A CAUSE, THERE IS A SENSE
OF UNITY. EVEN THOUGH THE ISSUES
THEY ARE MARCHING FOR ARE PRETTY
SOMBER AND DARK AND A 
CONTINUATION OF MANY, MANY YEARS
OF STRUGGLE TO SEE MANY PEOPLE 
COME HERE TODAY ON A VERY HOT --
I WILL ADD THE TEMPERATURE 
OUTSIDE IS GOING TO BE VERY HOT 
AND HUMID TODAY, BUT THEY ARE 
THERE FOR THIS COMMON CAUSE. I 
THINK THIS DOES REDIRECT 
ATTENTION BACK TO THIS 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS THAT PEOPLE 
ARE STILL LOOKING FOR A POLICE 
REFORM BILL COMING OUT OF 
CONGRESS THAT APPEARS TO BE 
SOLVED, AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING 
FOR THEIR LOCAL LEGISLATORS TO 
DO SOMETHING THIS ALL RINGS US 
BACK TO AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE 
JUST NOT DEALT WITH. 
>> RHONDA COLEMAN, THANK YOU SO 
MUCH. A REMINDER FOR PEOPLE WHO 
ARE WATCHING THE SCENES MAKING 
EFFORTS TO SOCIAL 
DISTANCE, DOING TEMPERATURE 
CHECKS UPON REENTRY. WHILE THIS 
WAS ORIGINALLY PERMITTED FOR 
HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE, THEY 
ARE EXPECTING ABOUT HALF THAT 
RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE EFFORTS 
BEING MADE TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. 
THIS PROGRAM IS UNDERWAY, SO I 
WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY 
GUESTS FOR BEING WITH US THIS 
MORNING. ANISSA WILLIAMS, RHONDA
COLEMAN, ROBERT SAMUELS, AND 
NICOLE ELLIS LIVE AT THE 
NATIONAL MALL. THANKS TO YOU 
WATCHING AT HOME. PLEASE TAKE A 
MOMENT TO SUBSCRIBE TO "THE 
WASHINGTON POST QUOTE 
WAS QUOTE. WE WILL BE BACK WITH 
YOU AFTER THE SPEECHES THIS 
AFTERNOON. WE ARE ESTIMATING 
AROUND 1:00 TODAY, BUT WE WILL 
SEE EXACTLY WHEN THEY WRAP UP 
THE SPEAKER PORTION OF THE EVENT
AFTER SPEAKERS THERE WILL BE A 
MARCH SEGMENT AND WE WILL COME 
BACK WITH OUR REPORTERS TO TALK 
ABOUT ALL THE DAYS EVENTS. LET'S
GO NOW TO THIS 57th ANNIVERSARY 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON HAPPENING 
NOW AT THE NATIONAL MALL. 
>> LEAD ORGANIZER FOR THE 2020 
MOCK WALK FROM MILWAUKEE TO 
WASHINGTON, D.C. TO STAND IN 
SOLIDARITY WITH THE NATIONAL 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON, PLEASE 
WELCOME -- 
>> HELLO, I'M SANDY SOLOW FROM 
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. I'M HERE 
WITH ACTIVIST 
TORI LOW. WE TALKED HUNDRED 50 
MILES TO GET 
TO HEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO THINK OUR 
PHOTOGRAPHERS, VIDEOGRAPHERS, I 
WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE 
MARCHERS WHO MARCH WITH US, AND 
THE CARAVAN AND MEDIC CRUISE 
THAT CAME WITH US. LOVE YOU AND 
GOD BLESS YOU. 
>> HOW YOU ALL DOING OUT THERE? 
MY NAME IS FRANK DIDDY. THEY 
ONLY GAVE ME TWO MINUTES SO I'M 
NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY 
JOURNEY, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT I CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT. 
AS ACTIVISTS AROUND THE COUNTRY,
WE NEED TO GET ORGANIZED. EVERY 
THREE MONTHS ON A BLACK PERSON 
GET KILLED, THERE SHOULD NOT BE 
THE ONLY TIME WE FIND OUT ABOUT 
THAT PEOPLE GETTING KILLED BY 
THE POLICE. WE NEED TO GET 
DEVISED TOGETHER. WE NEED TO 
DEMAND CHANGE, NOT ASK FOR 
CHANGE. THEY THINK THIS IS AN A 
CAUCHY VISION. I'M TIRED, ARE 
YOU TIRED? BECAUSE I'M TIRED. 
MY GRANDSONS AIN'T GOING TO BE 
MARCHING FOR THE SAME STUFF MY 
GRANDDADDY MARCHED FOR. THIS 
REVOLUTION, ALL RIGHT? WE JUST 
MARCH 750 MILES FROM MILWAUKEE, 
WISCONSIN, 24 DAYS TO GET YOUR 
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP
UNTIL WE GET CHANGE. THAT'S WHAT
WE NEED IN THIS COUNTRY. ALL YOU
ALL THAT CAME TODAY, I KNOW YOU 
ALL BEEN MARCHING IN EUROS 
CITIES. DON'T STOP MARCHING. 
WORK ON ORGANIZED BECAUSE THEY 
DON'T EXPECT THAT. WE ARE GOING 
TO COME TOGETHER. WERE GOING TO 
DEMAND CHANGE. WE ARE NOT GOING 
TO HAVE OUR KIDS MARCHING, THIS 
IS IT. WE'VE BEEN MARCHING FOR 
THE SAME STUFF FOR 60 YEARS. 
BLACK PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE 
MARCHING FOR THE SAME STUFF 
MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS MARCHING 
FOR. I'M TIRED. I'M TIRED, AND 
I'M TIRED OF ASKING FOR JUSTICE.
I WANTED TO STOP. WE DON'T WANT 
JUSTICE, THAT'S AFTER RACIST 
POLICE DO SOMETHING TO US. WE 
NEED THEM OUT OF THE POLICE. WE 
NEED ALL THESE RACIST PEOPLE 
GONE. WE NEED CHANGE, AND WE CAN
GET THERE BY VOTING. WHILE WE 
MARCHED 750 MILES, EVERYBODY 
THAT CAME AND CHASTISED US, 
EVERYBODY THAT CAME WITH 
SHOTGUNS, EVERYBODY THAT CAME 
MESSING WITH US HAD TRUMP SIGNS.
TRUMP 2020. THAT IS THE NEW WAVE
IN THIS COUNTRY, SO WE GOT A 
VOTE TRUMP OUT OF OFFICE. WHEN 
IT'S TIME TO VOTE WE GOING TO 
VOTE. AND IF YOU WILL SEE ME UP 
HERE, IF YOU ARE ACTIVISTS, STOP
ME OUT THERE SO WE CAN ORGANIZE.
IT'S TIME. THAT'S A REVOLUTION. 
THIS IS 
THE REVOLUTION. 
>>  7
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID 
FLUTIE. HE IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE BLACK ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, 
THE NATION'S ONLY COALITION OF 
BUSINESS LEADERS AND -- 
PROSPERITY IN THE BLACK 
COMMUNITY WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS 
ON WORK, WAGES AND WEALTH. 
BEFORE JOINING, DAVID LED THE 
STATE AND LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM AT 
JPMORGAN CHASE AND COMPANY. HE 
IS A GRADUATE OF HOWARD 
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW WHERE 
HE WAS EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE 
LAW REVIEW AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW 
YORK AND SITS ON THE BOARD OF 
THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE. 
PLEASE WELCOME DAVID 
G CLOONEY. 
>>  7 
>> I'M DAVID CLOONEY. I LEAD THE
BLACK ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, A GROUP
OF BLACK BUSINESS LEADERS AND 
ALLIES DEDICATED TO IMPROVING 
WORK, WAGES, AND WEALTH FOR 
BLACK PEOPLE. WE KNOW THE 1963 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON WAS A MARCH 
FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM AND OVER 50
YEARS THE WEALTH GAP BETWEEN 
BLACK AND 
WHITE AMERICANS HAS NOT CHANGED 
SIGNIFICANTLY. BY SOME MEASURES,
IT'S EVEN WIDER TODAY. BUT WE 
ARE AT AN INFLECTION POINT. IT 
MAY HAVE TAKEN 400 
YEARS PLUS EIGHT MINUTES AND 46 
SECONDS TO GET HERE, BUT THERE 
IS AN INCREASING RECOGNITION 
THAT SYSTEMIC RACISM CONTINUES 
TO OPPRESS BLACK PEOPLE IN EVERY
PART OF AMERICAN LIFE. WHAT DO 
WE DO WITH THIS MOMENT? OF 
COURSE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO 
FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, BUT WE
ALSO NEED TO FIGHT FOR ECONOMIC 
JUSTICE FROM OUR ELECTED LEADERS
AND IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. 
WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR BETTER 
WORK, WAGES, AND WEALTH FOR 
BLACK PEOPLE. SKILLS TRAINING 
FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK, CLOSING 
THE BLACK/WHITE PAY GAP, AND 
BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR
BLACK FAMILIES. RIGHT NOW WE 
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO VOTE. 
CONGRESS PASSED THE JOHN LEWIS 
ACT TO ENSURE 
FREE ELECTIONS, AND JUST LIKE WE
ARE SHOWING UP TO MARCH ACROSS 
AMERICA, WE HAVE TO SHOW UP TO 
VOTE. OVER 40 STATES WILL ALLOW 
EARLY VOTING THIS YEAR, SO VOTE 
EARLY IF YOU CAN. WE OWE IT TO 
THE CIVIL RIGHTS GIANTS WHO 
MARCHED, BLED, AND DIED FOR US. 
WE OWE IT TO THE FAMILIES OF 
COUNTLESS BLACK PEOPLE TO 
UNCHECK INSTITUTIONAL RACISM. WE
OWE IT TO AMERICA TO HELP KEEP A
PROMISE TO ALL OF US. I AM SO 
INSPIRED BY THE DEMAND 
FOR JUSTICE EMANATING FROM EVERY
CORNER OF AMERICA RIGHT NOW. WE 
HAVE TO CONTINUE THIS MARCH ON 
EVERY PLATFORM WE HAVE. IN THE 
STREETS, IN THE HALLS OF 
CONGRESS, IN THE CORPORATE BOARD
ROOMS, AND WITH OUR VOTE SO WE 
CAN FINALLY ACHIEVE SOCIAL AND 
ECONOMIC JUSTICE. THANK YOU. 
>>  7
>> COMING TO 
THE STAGE IS PORTIA TAYLOR. 
SHE'S A BRAND BUILDER, MUSIC 
LOVER, WRITER, PORTIA TAYLOR IS 
THE FOUNDER OF BLACK 
GIRLS RIDE, A MAGAZINE AND 
COMMUNITY ORIGINALLY LAUNCHED AS
A PLACE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR WHO 
RISE, WHICH HAS SINCE GROWN TO 
INCLUDE 
ALL WOMEN. IT WAS A LACK OF 
REPRESENTATION THAT SHE SAW WHEN
SHE STARTED WRITING, ESPECIALLY 
LONG-DISTANCE. WHEN NOT 
DEVELOPING BRAND CAMPAIGNS OR ON
HER WEIGHT UP TO QUOTE OCCUPY 
THE GYM, PORTIA CAN BE FOUND 
ROLLING IN HER PINK -- I KNOW I 
SAID THAT WRONG. I DON'T EVEN 
RIDE AND ALWAYS LIVING HER BEST 
LIFE PLEASE WELCOME 
PORTIA TAYLOR. 
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M PORTIA 
TAYLOR, AND I'M HERE AS A 
REPRESENTATIVE OF BLACK GIRLS 
RIDE MORE THAN A MAGAZINE, WE 
ARE A MOVEMENT OF WOMEN 
PASSIONATE ABOUT MOTORSPORTS. 
OVER 100 WOMEN RODE ACROSS 
AMERICA TO BE WITH YOU HERE 
TODAY WE ARE OUR ANCESTORS 
WILDEST DREAMS. WOMEN OF COLOR 
ON THE GROUND TRAVELING ACROSS 
THE LAND OF 
THE FREE WE ARE YOUR MOTHERS, 
YOUR GRANDMOTHERS, YOUR AUNTS, 
YOUR SISTERS, AND YOUR 
DAUGHTERS. OUR RIDE STARTED 
MONDAY IN LONG BEACH, 
CALIFORNIA. AS WE RODE THROUGH 
TEXAS, I THOUGHT ABOUT SONDRA 
BLAND AND HOW A SIMPLE TRAFFIC 
STOP ENDED IN HER DEATH. WE ALL 
WITNESSED GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH. 
THE HEARTBREAKING DEATH OF 
RIHANNA TAYLOR AS SHE SLEPT IN 
HER HOME. AND LESS THAN A WEEK 
AGO, JACOB BLAKE WAS SHOT 
SEVERAL TIMES IN THE BACK AND 
PARALYZED WITH EACH ACT OF 
SENSELESS VIOLENCE, WE FEEL A 
STIRRING IN OUR COLLECTIVE SOUL.
WHEN A CALL TO MARCH WAS ISSUED,
WE KNEW IT WAS TIME TO MOUNT UP 
WE PACKED UP OUR BIKES AND RODE 
THOUSANDS OF MILES IN PROTEST 
AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY. WE 
RIDE UNAPOLOGETICALLY FOR BLACK 
LIVES AND WE RAISE OUR THROTTLE 
HAND INTO THOSE ON THE FRONTLINE
OF OUR STRUGGLES. WE RIDE TO 
ENSURE THE FREEDOM OF OUR FUTURE
LEADERS. WE HAVE COME A LONG 
WAY, BUT OUR JOURNEY IS NOT 
OVER. IN NOVEMBER, BLACK GIRLS 
RIDE WILL LEAD THE RIDE TO THE 
POLLS AND FILL BALLOT BOXES OF 
THIS NATION TO CHOOSE A LEADER 
THAT WILL PROVIDE THE UNITY OUR 
COUNTRY DESPERATELY NEEDS. WE 
INVITE YOU TO JOIN IN THIS AND 
VOTE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON 
IT. 
THANK YOU.
THE POWER. DRIVING AND 
INFORMING POLICYMAKING. PRIOR TO
HER BEING ELECTED TO CONGRESS 
SHE SERVED ON THE BOSTON CITY 
COUNCIL FOR EIGHT YEARS. WAS THE
FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR ELECTED TO 
THE COUNCIL IN ITS 100 YEAR 
HISTORY. PLEASE WELCOME 
THE CONGRESSWOMAN.
>> GOOD MORNING BELOVED. TODAY I
AM THINKING OF THE ANCESTORS. 
NOT JUST THE ONES RECORDED IN 
OUR HISTORY BOOKS BUT THE 
ONES OMITTED FROM THOSE PAGES. 
THE JUSTICE SEEKERS AND THE 
FREEDOM WRITERS AND THE 
ORGANIZERS AND THE COMMUNITY 
BUILDERS. EVERY LOVED ONE THAT 
PASSES A BROWN 
BAG LUNCH. ENRICH THEIR LIVES 
AND LIVELIHOOD. THEIR SACRIFICE 
AND SELF-DETERMINATION SHAPES 
HISTORY. AND BROUGHT US TO THIS 
MOMENT. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER 
IS WE ARE BECAUSE OF THEM. WE 
ARE BLACK WITH A B. WE HAVE A 
MESS STATION WHEN THE STATION OF
THE MOVEMENT. WE ARE 
CULTURAL PROGRESS. IF MY 
GRANDDADDY THE REVEREND E JAMES 
ECCLES WERE HERE HE WOULD 
WHISPER IN MY EAR AND SAY 
GRANDBABY, MAKE 
IT PLAY. I INTEND TO DO JUST 
THAT. MAKE 
IT PLAY. WE ARE IN UNPRECEDENTED
AND UNCERTAIN TIMES. WE ARE 
CHALLENGED BY THE STATE OF 
FRANKLIN RICHARDSON.
>> 
GOOD AFTERNOON.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US. WE LAY 
OURSELVES ON THE LINE BECAUSE 
THIS IS IMPORTANT. ON BEHALF OF 
THE BOARD 
OF NATIONAL DASHA WANT TO 
THANK THE FORMER ORGANIZATIONS 
WHO HAVE COLLABORATED WITH US. 
WE CELEBRATE OUR PRESIDENT ALL 
SHARPTON. AND MARTIN LUTHER 
KING III.
WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS. A 
CROSSROADS IN AMERICAN HISTORY. 
AT THE INTERSECTION OF PARIS OR 
PROMISE. WE FAILED TO DELIVER. 
WE 
WILL PERISH.
WE ARE IN A MOMENT THAT ALL WE 
HAVE 
FOUGHT FOR IS AT RISK OF 
BEING LOST. WE CANNOT PERISH. WE
MUST STAND UP 
AND FIGHT. WE STILL BELIEVE IN 
AMERICA'S PROMISE.
EVERY PERSON, BLACK OR WHITE, 
YELLOW OR RED. MALE 
OR FEMALE. LBGT, 
EVERY DIMENSION. IS IN THE 
PROMISE 
OF AMERICA. I CHALLENGED US ALL 
TO BELIEVE IN A BETTER DAY. TO 
MAKE SURE WE GO BACK TO OUR 
CITIES. AND CALL OUR FRIENDS. 
WILL BE A SHAME IF WE FAIL. THIS
WILL 
BE MOCKERY. IF WE DO NOT DELIVER
OURSELVES TO THE POLLS. IT WILL 
BE A DISGRACE. IF WE FAIL TO 
ENGAGE 
OUR RESOURCES.
GOD BLESS YOU 
LET'S GO.
ALL OF US MUST BE ENGAGED. GOD 
BLESS YOU.
>> STEP WELCOME CIVIL RIGHTS 
ACTIVISTS, 
MAYA BARRY.
>> YOU LOOK AMAZING REVEREND AL 
SHARPTON THANK YOU FOR 
YOUR LEADERSHIP. TO 
THE FAMILIES, I AM SO SORRY FOR 
THE PAIN YOU HAVE BEEN FORCED 
TO INDOOR. ON MARCH THE SIDE YOU
TODAY AND EVERY DAY. 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE 
AMERICAN INSTITUTE. ON BEHALF OF
3.7 AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
I STAND HERE TODAY WITH YOU AND 
DEFEND BLACK LIVES. WE DO SO 
BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT. AND 
REGRETTABLY BECAUSE IT IS 
NECESSARY. TO DECLARE THAT BLACK
LIVES MATTER. WE DO SO BECAUSE 
WE UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL THE 
KILLING OF BLACK MEN WOMEN AND 
CHILDREN STOPS, UNTIL SYSTEMATIC
RACISM AND ANTIRACIST 
IS ADDRESSED, IT CANNOT BE 
REALIZED. FOR EACH LIFE TAKEN, 
EACH FAMILY DESTROYED, IT EACH 
NEIGHBORHOOD 
BRUTALLY PATROLLED. EACH 
POSTTEST ARE TAKING TO THE 
STREETS TO 
DEMAND -- JUSTICE WILL NOT 
BE SERVED. HERE IS THE SIMPLE 
TRUTH. IT'S BEEN 168 DAYS SINCE 
BREONNA TAYLOR WAS KILLED AND 
HER OWN HOME. NO CHARGES HAVE 
BEEN FILED. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT 
BROKEN. IT IS WORKING AS IT WAS 
DESIGNED. WE MUST CHANGE IT. 
TODAY WE MUST RECOMMIT TO DEFEND
BLACK LIVES
JUSTICE IN 
1963 MARCH.
THE PASSAGE OF THE JOHN LEWIS 
BUILDING RIGHTS. AND ATE GEORGE 
FLOYD JUSTICE AND 
POLICING ACT.
PLEASE WELCOME TO THE STAGE DR. 
JAMAAL BRYANT. HE'S A VISIONARY 
RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND 
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.
HIS ABILITY TO REACH ACROSS 
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC AND 
POLITICAL BARRIERS. HE HELPS 
PEOPLE NOT ONLY EXPERIENCE 
BY CHANGING DASHES MINISTRY HAS 
BECOME AN INCUBATOR FOR 
ENTREPRENEURS 
AND HOMEOWNERS.
>>
59 ACCOMPLICES.
TODAY WHILE IT IS THAT YOU STAND
JACOB FINDS HIMSELF PARALYZED 
FROM THE 
WAIST DOWN. DR. KING SAID WE AS 
PEOPLE TO NOT FIND OURSELVES 
CAUGHT IN THE PARALYSIS OF 
ANALYSIS IN 
OTHER WORDS IT'S IN VAIN IF WE 
JUST TALK ABOUT 
THE PROBLEM.
IF ONLY THEY KNEW THEY WERE 
SLAVES THEY COULD'VE BEEN 
RENDERED FREE. WE DO NOT REMAIN 
PARALYZED. WE CAN'T BE 
PARALYZED. WE WILL SUPPORT THE 
VERY FIRST BLACK FEMALE BLACK 
PRESIDENT IN THE 
UNITED STATES. DON'T TELL ME 
ABOUT WHAT IT IS SHE DID IN 
THE PAST. AND YOU DON'T TALK 
ABOUT WHAT SHE DOES IN AMERICA 
IN THE FUTURE. SHE WANTS TO MAKE
SURE -- THAT THERE ARE NO MORE 
MANDATORY MINIMUMS.
WE CANNOT BE PARALYZED. WE 
CANNOT ALLOW EVANGELICALS TO 
PARALYZE US THEY CANNOT SUPPORT 
OUR AGENDA. 
PARK PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THE 
STREETS LIKE DOGS. WE CANNOT 
BE PARALYZED. YOU CANNOT BE 
PARALYZED. SAYING YOU WILL NOT 
SAID PORT BLACK LIVES 
MATTER BECAUSE OF THREE BLACK 
SISTERS WHO HAPPEN TO BE 
LESBIANS. WE HAVE TO LOVE OUR 
LBGTQ COMMUNITY. REALIZING THAT 
BOTH ARE OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
WE CANNOT 
BE PARALYZED. THIS IS THE TIME 
WHEN WE GOT TO SUPPORT 
BLACK BUSINESSES.
WE DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE 
SERVICE. WHAT AMERICA HAS TO 
KNOW ABOUT THE TENACITY OF BLACK
PEOPLE IS THAT EVEN WHEN YOU 
RENDER US PARALYZED WE STILL 
KNOW HOW 
TO CRAWL.
IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE MAILBOXES 
WE STILL 
DON'T CRAWL.
BEFORE I WILL BE A SLAVE I WILL 
BE IN MY GRAVE. I WILL GO HOME 
TO THE LORD AND 
BE FREE. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT
US THAT UNDERSTANDS THAT AS WE 
STAND TODAY REALIZING THAT EVEN 
IF WE FIND 
OURSELVES PARALYZED AND WE FORCE
OURSELVES TO CRAWL WE ARE LIKE 
BUTTERFLIES. BUTTERFLIES ONLY 
HAVE TWO OPTIONS. THEY CRAWL AND
THEN THEY FLY. WE UNDERSTAND IN 
THIS OUR THIS IS THE HOUR OF 
BLACK PEOPLE 
TO FLY. 
WE RISE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW MY 
ANGELO THE LEASE YOU CAN 
DO -- BLACK PEOPLE FROM HERE 
UNTIL NOVEMBER 3 WE HAVE TO WALK
IT LIKE WE TALK IT. WE HAVE TO 
KEEP MOVING 
UNTIL OUR GENERATION CHANGES THE
COUNTRY AND MAKES AMERICA GREAT 
FOR THE VERY 
FIRST TIME.
>>
WE ARE STARTING THE FOURTH 
TWO TURN.
SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE EN 
MASSE 
INPATIENT NATIONALIST.
PLEASE WELCOME 
THOMAS WILLIAMS.
>> I AM A BLACK MOTHER. WHO 
HAPPENS TO BE A CONGRESSWOMAN. I
AM A BLACK MOTHER WHO HAPPENS 
TO UNDERSTAND THAT BLACK LIVES 
DO MATTER EVERY SINGLE DAY OF 
MY LIFE. GRABBING ONTO THE 
HISTORY OF WITH THE LINCOLN 
MONUMENT MEANS. I UNDERSTAND THE
WORDS THAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER 
KING SAID.
WE PUT MONEY IN 
THE BANK. I SAY TO YOU WHY WE 
CAN'T WAIT. THOSE SIGNED TO 
PROTECT AND SERVE ARE ABLE 
TO 
BEAR T-SHIRT -- WE 
CANNOT WAIT. THOSE WHO HAVE 
SIGNED HIM PROTECT AND SERVE 
MORE THAN NEON IS MET. AND THEN 
WE KNOW WE HAVE TO CHANGE THIS 
NATION WHEN WE HAVE BREONNA 
TAYLOR AND TRAYVON MARTIN AND 
ERIC CONNOR MICHAEL BROWN AND 
MANY OTHERS. TODAY WE COME TO 
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ASK AMERICA 
NOT 
TO --
WE ARE STANDING HERE TODAY IS TO
SAY WE 
CANNOT WAIT.
WE WANTED CHIEF WHO UNDERSTANDS 
THAT MOTHERS PAIN AND UNDERSTAND
YOUR PAIN. OF COURSE WE WANT TO 
MAKE SURE THAT AS WE DO THIS WE 
KNOW THAT WE ARE INTERTWINED 
WITH THE BILL OF 
HEALTH RIGHT. HERE WE ARE TODAY 
ASKING THE QUESTION HOW DID THIS
HAPPEN? BECAUSE OF INSTITUTIONAL
RACISM. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU WE 
MUST HAVE THE PERMISSION TO 
STUDY 
AND DEVELOP. SEPARATION 
PROPOSALS. WE MUCH MUST ADD TO 
THE CALL OF 
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM. WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE SOCIAL 
ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AND 
SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL 
GOVERNMENT SANCTION AND 
INSTITUTIONAL OF RACISM STOPS 
RIGHT NOW. 
TODAY THIS ATTACK ON US AS 
PEOPLE OF COLOR WILL BY UNDER 
BATTLES OF WARFARE. THEY WILL 
STOP TODAY.
WE WILL HEAL THE NATION. WE WILL
NOT STOP UNTIL BLACK 
LIVES MATTER AND REPARATION ARE 
PAST THAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT 
CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION. NOW IS
THE TIME. WHY WE 
CAN'T WAIT.
>> LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE 
CONGRESSWOMAN. PREPARATIONS NOW 
. ARE NEXT SPEAKER FROM OHIO IS 
A POWERHOUSE. WHO STANDS WITH 
THE PEOPLE. SERVING AS VICE 
CHAIR OF THE BLACK CAUCUS AND 
FIRST EVER CHAIR OF ADVERSITY 
AND INCLUSION 
SOME COMMITTEE.
150 MOST POWERFUL 
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE UNITED 
STATES. SHE HAS WRITTEN 93 
PIECES 
OF LEGISLATION AND OVER 
1600 BILLS. SHE IS CALLING ON 
CONGRESS TO RECOGNIZE RACISM IS 
A 
NATIONAL CRISIS.
SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE -- PLEASE
WELCOME CONGRESSWOMAN. 
>> THANK YOU. I 
AM -- WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE 
PEOPLE -- WE ARE HERE TODAY 
BECAUSE 67 YEARS AGO PEOPLE 
MARCHED FOR JOBS 
AND FREEDOM. WE 
ARE HERE BECAUSE GEORGE FLOYD 
HAD 
A KNEE ON HIS NECK FOR EIGHT 
MINUTES AND 46 SECONDS BLACK 
LIVES MATTER. WE ARE HERE, AND 
I STAND, 64 MEMBERS. WHO 
UNDERSTAND SILENCE IS NOT AN 
OPTION. BLACK PEOPLE FACE 
A SYMBOLIC -- EVERY TIME 
WE WALK.
WE MUST TEAR DOWN THE WALLS 
OF INJUSTICE. I AM STANDING HERE
AND SAYING AS MARTIN LUTHER KING
JUNIOR SAID, IN AMERICA A RIGHT 
IS THE LANGUAGE OF UNHEARD 
PEOPLE. WHAT IS IT THAT AMERICA 
HAS FAILED TO HERE? PROMISES AND
FREEDOM. AND JUSTICE 
FOR ALL. SAY THEIR NAMES, AHMAD,
BREANNA, GEORGE AND JACOB AND 
THE LIST GOES ON. BLACK 
LIVES MATTER.
LET US PASS THE GEORGE FLOYD 
JUSTICE AND POLICING ACT. NO 
IMMUNITY FOR OFFICERS WHO LOOK 
OLD INTO CELL PHONE CAMERAS AS 
THEY KILL OUR BROTHERS AND 
SISTERS. MANDATORY 
DATA -- A BAND ON CHOKE HOLDS 
AND NO KNOCK WARRANTS. ERIC 
GARNER AND BREONNA TAYLOR YOUR 
WOULD STILL BE ALIVE TODAY. WE 
ARE PUSHING TO RECOGNIZE RACISM.
AT THE 
NATIONAL CRISES. WE ARE FIGHTING
FOR JOBS AND HOUSING RELIEF AND 
ACCESS TO CAPITAL 
AND RELATIONS. A BLACK MAN WHO 
WROTE THE FIRST 
STEP ACT. KNOW THAT IT IS A 
POWERFUL BLACK MAN IN LEADERSHIP
WHO LEADS THE JOHN LEWIS RIGHTS 
LEGISLATION. DEMAND, DEMAND. TO 
PASS THE JOHN LEWIS BUILDING 
RIGHTS ACT. IT RESTORES JUSTICE.
IN EQUAL ACCESS TO THE BALLOT 
BOX. I SAY STAND WITH US AND THE
REVEREND AL SHARPTON. AND THE 
NATIONAL 
ACTION NETWORK. AND DEMANDING WE
GET PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE. 
AND THAT WE COMPLETE OUR CENSUS.
SAY IT WITH ME. GO VOTE. 
GO VOTE. AND LET ME SAY TELL 
THEM TO GET THEIR KNEES OFF OF 
OUR NECK.
>> 
THANK YOU.
AS WE SAID BEFORE GOING BACK TO 
1963 
HERE IS
THE --
NURSES AND ALL HEALTH 
CARE PROFESSIONALS.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU AND 
MARTIN LUTHER KING. I AM 
HERE TODAY.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE. WE 
ARE A DIVERSE UNION. WE ARE FROM
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 
ALL VILLAGES.
EVERY AMERICAN DESERVES A GOOD 
JOB AND 
DECENT PAY. EVERY SINGLE PERSON 
DESERVES THAT. IN UNIVERSAL 
HEALTH CARE. WE BELIEVE IN 
UNIVERSAL HOUSING AND EDUCATION 
AND UNIVERSAL AND EQUAL JUSTICE 
UNDER 
IT ALL. THAT MAKE PEOPLE LIVE 
BETTER. WE 
BELIEVE THAT.
AND NOT 
SUPPRESS US WE ARE HERE TODAY TO
LET YOU KNOW WE WILL STAND 
WITH YOU. WE CAN DO 
THIS TOGETHER.
I DO NOT 
FEEL TIRED. I'M READY TO MARCH 
AND MOVE AND MAKE 
A DIFFERENCE.
>> GOING UP WITH THE FATHER AND 
MOTHER WHO LOOKED LIKE ME, BLACK
LIVES MATTER, 
DON'T THEY? I STAND ON THE 
SHOULDERS OF 
MY FATHER.
WE CELEBRATED THE 100th 
ANNIVERSARY OF 
LOCAL 1332. THAT IS ONE OF OUR 
UNIONS THAT WAS A DIVISIONAL 
AVERAGE UNION. THEY COULD NOT BE
IN THE REGULAR UNION. 100 YEARS 
LATER 
STILL UP. AND A PART OF OUR 
ORGANIZATION. OPPORTUNITY 
FOR US. WHEN I SEE THE STREETS I
DON'T SEE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE 
ME. I SEE AMERICA. THIS IS OUR 
OPPORTUNITY TO GO FORWARD. A 
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE COUNTRY 
THAT HAS THE VISION THAT WE 
HAVE. ALL LIVES MATTER, BUT 
BLACK LIVES MATTER 
ON TOP. BLACK LIVES 
MATTER FIRST. BLACK 
LIVES MATTER.
>>
THERE 
IS PAIN. HOW MANY TIMES OVER HOW
MANY DECADES CAN I JOIN IN 
THIS JUSTICE? A LABOR MARCH FOR 
JOBS 
AND JUSTICE. KING SAID WE HAVE 
COME TO TRAUMATIZE A 
SHAMEFUL CONDITION.
AMERICAN, A HIGHER RATE OF 
DEATHS 
FROM ASTHMA. GEORGE FLOYD WAS 
SUFFOCATED. AT THE HANDS 
OF AUTHORITIES. JUSTICE AND 
FREEDOM MUST APPLY 
TO ALL.
WE NEED 
TO BE REAL ALLIES AND REAL 
LISTENERS AND 
REAL SUPPORTERS. AND IS 
A SOME THE SONG IS REJECTED AS 
WE ARE CUTTING THE CORNERSTONE. 
THERE IS ROOM 
FOR US.
MY FRIENDS AND MY COLLEAGUES IT 
IS COMING. WE NEED TO VOTE AND 
HAVE HOPE. WE NEED 
A 
PRESIDENT --
THANK YOU. WE RECOGNIZE THE 
POSTAL UNION. 
>> 
THANK YOU.
>> LET'S HEAR IT, GIVE THEM A 
ROUND 
OF APPLAUSE.
SECRETARY OF LABOR AND NOW TODAY
HE IS THE CHAIR OF THE 
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE. 
OUR FRIEND AND BROTHER 
WELCOME TOM. 
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU 
REVEREND SHARPTON. PICKETED THE 
NATIONAL ACTION.
ELIJAH CUMMINGS PASSED AWAY. 
BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY HE 
REMINDED US ALL OF OUR 
CIVIC DUTY. HE SAID WELL WE ARE 
DANCING WITH ANGELS THE QUESTION
WILL BE ASKED WHAT DID WE DO TO 
MAKE SURE WE KEPT OUR 
DEMOCRACY INTACT? DID WE STAND 
BY AND SAY NOTHING OR DID WE 
FIGHT BACK? DID WE FIGHT BACK 
FOR JUSTICE? DID WE FIGHT BACK 
FOR EQUALITY? DID WE FIGHT BACK 
FOR BLACK LIVES BY BEING HERE 
TODAY YOU ARE ANSWERING ALL OF 
THOSE QUESTIONS. WITH A 
RESOUNDING YES. WE ARE ALL 
FIGHTING BACK. ARE FIGHT DOES 
NOT END HERE. WE MUST MARCH TO 
CONGRESS. TO THE UNITED STATES 
SENATORS PARTICULAR. TO DEMAND 
PASSAGE OF THE JOHN LEWIS CASH 
IN THE GEORGE FLOYD IN 
POLICING ACT. WE MUST MARCH TO 
THE BALLOT BOX. OR THE MAILBOX. 
TO DEMAND A LEADERSHIP THAT WE 
DESERVE. WE MUST EXERCISE THE 
RIGHT AND PROTECT ALL OTHERS. 
THE RIGHT TO VOTE. AS YOU KNOW 
OUR NATION IS HURTING 
RIGHT NOW.
THE CANCER OF 
THE SOUL. 
LEADERSHIPS THAT TREAT THEM LIKE
THEIR LIVES DON'T MATTER. 
PRESIDENT LINCOLN YOU WOULD NOT 
RECOGNIZE TODAY'S 
REPUBLICAN PARTY. ARE 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN BROTHERS AND 
SISTERS ARE 
NOT ALONE. IN THIS MOMENT OF 
CRISIS SO MANY AMERICANS ARE 
BOUND TOGETHER. IN THE USUAL 
STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE. DIGNITY 
AND OPPORTUNITY. AND THE NATIVE 
AMERICAN TRIBE.
STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY. WE CAN 
CHANGE ALL 
OF THIS. WE CAN DO DESPAIR AND 
DREAMS. QUALITY AND RESTORE OUR 
NATION. ONLY IF WE DO IT 
TOGETHER 
DEVELOPMENTS -- THEY 
ARE 
BUILT --
JOHN LEWIS LEFT US 
WITH ORDERS.
>> I 
WAS BORN INTO A FAMILY WHERE MY 
PARENTS AND AUNTS AND UNCLES 
PUSHING ME IN A STROLLER THROUGH
THE AREA STREETS MARCHING FOR 
JUSTICE IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING 
THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON. THIS 
MOMENT IS A REMINDER THAT WE 
WILL ALL HONOR THE SACRIFICE OF 
THE LEADERS WHO MADE THAT MARCH 
HAPPEN. IN THE NAMES WE KNOW 
LIKE RANDOLPH AND FARMER AND 
YOUNG AND KING. TO EVERYONE WHO 
WAS BEHIND THE SCENES AND 
SACRIFICED QUIETLY AND 
PROFOUNDLY. I HAVE 
TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE WITH US
TODAY. THEY WOULD SHARE A ANGER 
AND FRUSTRATION. AS WE CONTINUE 
TO SEE BLACK MEN AND WOMEN SLAIN
IN OUR STREETS. AND LEFT BEHIND 
BY AN ECONOMY IN JUSTICE SYSTEM 
THAT TOO OFTEN DENIED BLACK 
FOLKS ARE DIGNITY AND RIGHTS. 
THEY WOULD SHARE OUR ANGER AND 
PAIN BUT NO DOUBT THEY WOULD 
TURN INTO FUEL. THEY WOULD LACE 
UP THEIR SHOES AND LOCKING ARMS 
AND CONTINUING RIGHT 
ALONGSIDE US. WE DON'T HAVE TO 
WONDER IF WE ARE MAKING 
THEM PROUD.
SOUTHEAST AND TIKTOK. NOW WE 
MUST 
MASTER OURSELVES. LESS THAN A 
YEAR BEFORE HE WAS ASSASSINATED,
MY GRANDFATHER PREDICTED THIS 
VERY MOMENT. HE SAID THAT WE 
WERE MOVING INTO A NEW PHASE OF 
THE STRUGGLE. THE FIRST PHASE 
WAS THE CIVIL RIGHTS. AND THE 
NEW PHASE IS IN ANY QUALITY. 
GENUINE A QUALITY IS WHY WE ARE 
HERE TODAY. AND WHY PEOPLE ARE 
COMING TOGETHER ALL ACROSS THE 
WORLD, FROM NEW ZEALAND TO NEW 
JERSEY. HE SAID THAT WE MUST NOT
FORGET THE DAYS OF MONTGOMERY. 
WE MUST NOT FORGET THE FREEDOM 
RIDE, THE FARMING HAND MOVEMENT 
AND SELMA.
MY GENERATION HAS ALREADY TAKEN 
TO THE 
STREETS PEACEFULLY AND WITH MASS
AND SOCIALLY DISTANCED TO 
PROTEST RACISM. AND I WANT TO 
ASK THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE TO 
JOIN ME IN PLEDGING THAT 
WE HAVE ONLY -- TO FIGHT AND 
THAT WE CAN BE THE GENERATION 
THAT MOVES FROM ME TO WE. WE ARE
GOING TO BE THE GENERATION THAT 
DISMANTLES SYSTEMIC RACISM ONCE 
AND FOR ALL, NOW AND FOREVER. WE
ARE GOING TO BE 
THE GENERATION THAT CALLS AN END
TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND GUN 
VIOLENCE NOW AND FOREVER. WE ARE
GOING TO BE THE GENERATION THAT 
SAVES OUR PLANET ONCE AND FOR 
ALL, NOW AND FOREVER. AND WE ARE
GOING TO BE 
THE GENERATION THAT ENDS POVERTY
HERE IN AMERICA. THE WEALTHIEST 
NATION ON EARTH. ONCE AND FOR 
ALL, NOW 
AND FOREVER!
WE ARE THE -- OF OUR 
GRANDPARENTS, OUR GREAT 
GRANDPARENTS AND ALL OF OUR 
ANCESTORS. WE STAND AND MARCH 
FOR LOVE AND WE WILL UNVEIL MY 
GRANDFATHER'S DREAM. SO SHOW ME 
WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE! THIS 
IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE! 
SHOW ME WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS 
LIKE! CHANTS [ CROWD 
CHANTING ] SHOW ME WHAT 
DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE! THIS IS 
WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE! OKAY,
THEN LET'S 
SHOW THEM.
>> A PROUD DAD. LET ME THANK GOD
THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO 
ASSEMBLE TODAY AND TO THANK 
REVEREND SHARPTON AND THE 
NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK AND ALL 
OF THE CONVENERS THAT ACTUALLY 
ARE HERE TODAY AND MOST OF ALL, 
THESE FAMILIES THAT HAVE 
BEEN IMPACTED BY POLICE 
BRUTALITY 
AND MISCONDUCT. SO WE HAVE COME 
TO BEAR WITNESS, TO REMAIN 
AWAKE, TO REMEMBER WHERE WE 
HAVE COME AND TO CAREFULLY 
CONSIDER WHERE WE ARE GOING PICK
WHETHER YOU ARE HERE IN PERSON, 
ONLINE, OR WATCHING ON MSNBC AND
OTHER NETWORKS, THANK YOU FOR 
JOINING US FOR THIS MARCH 
ON WASHINGTON. TOGETHER, WE ARE 
TAKING A STAND AND WE ARE TAKING
A GIANT STEP FORWARD. LET ME 
ALSO THANK AL GREEN FOR THE VERY
WARM INTRODUCTION. MY DEAR 
FRIEND. WE ARE TAKING A 
STEP FORWARD IN GETTING ON 
AMERICA'S ROCKY BUT RIGHTEOUS 
JOURNEY TOWARDS JUSTICE. AUGUST 
28 IS A DAY TO REMEMBER THE 
TRIUMPHS AND TRAGEDIES THAT HAVE
TAKEN PLACE IN OUR HISTORIC 
STRUGGLE FOR 
RACIAL JUSTICE. TODAY, WE 
COMMEMORATE THE MARCH 
ON WASHINGTON IN 1963 WHERE MY 
FATHER DECLARED 
HIS DREAM
, BUT WE MUST NEVER FORGET THE 
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE OF RACIST 
VIOLENCE EXEMPLIFIED WHEN EMMITT
TILL WAS MURDERED ON THIS DAY IN
1955 IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE 
SYSTEM FAILED TO CONVICT 
HIS CALIPHS. 65 YEARS LATER, WE 
STILL STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE. D 
MILITARIZING THE POLICE. 
DISMANTLING MASS INCARCERATION. 
AND DECLARING -- AS WE CAN THAT 
BLACK 
LIVES MATTER. IN OUR STRUGGLE 
FOR JUSTICE, THERE ARE NO 
PERMANENT VICTORIES. FOR ON 
THIS DAY, 12 YEARS AGO, I WAS 
HONORED TO ADDRESS THE 
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION 
IN DENVER. AND ON THAT NIGHT, IN
THE EVENING, OUR SPIRITS WERE 
SOARING AS THE DEMOCRATS 
NOMINATED 
BARACK OBAMA. WHO WOULD GO ON TO
BECOME THE FIRST 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT OF 
THESE UNITED STATES. BUT THE 
PROGRESS WE CELEBRATED THEN IS 
IN PERIL 
YET AGAIN. AND NOW, WE HAVE 
MARCHED TO THE BALLOT BOX IN THE
MAILBOXES TO DEFEND THE FREEDOMS
THAT EARLIER GENERATIONS WORKED 
SO HARD TO WIN. IN SO MANY WAYS,
WE STAND TOGETHER 
TODAY AND THE SYMBOLIC SHADOW OF
HISTORY. BUT WE ARE MAKING 
HISTORY TOGETHER RIGHT NOW. WE 
ARE MARCHING WITH THE MOST 
ACTIVE 
MULTI GENERATIONAL
MOVEMENT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS SINCE 
THE 1960s. FROM HIGH SCHOOL 
STUDENTS TO SENIOR CITIZENS, 
BLACK AS WELL AS WHITE. LATINO, 
ASIAN-AMERICAN, NATIVE AMERICAN.
PACIFIC ISLANDERS. AMERICANS ARE
MARCHING TOGETHER. MANY FOR THE 
FIRST TIME. AND WE ARE DEMANDING
REAL LASTING STRUCTURAL CHANGE. 
WE ARE MARCHING TOGETHER FOR 
TIME-HONORED GOALS AND IN TIMELY
WAYS. WE ARE COURAGEOUS, BUT 
CONSCIOUS OF OUR HEALTH. WE ARE 
SOCIALLY DISTANCED, BUT 
SPIRITUALLY UNITED. WE ARE 
MAKING MASKING 
OUR FACES. WE ARE TAKING OUR 
STRUGGLE TO THE STREETS AND ON 
SOCIAL MEDIA. THE NATION HAS 
NEVER SEEN A MODERN-DAY 
INCLINATION OF WHAT MY 
FATHER CALLED THE COALITION OF 
CONSCIOUS. AND IF WE MOVE 
FORWARD WITH PURPOSE AND 
PASSION, WE WILL COMPLETE 
THE WORK. THAT WAS SO VULNERABLE
HE BEGAN IN THE 1960s. WE ARE 
MARCHING TO OVERCOME WHAT MY 
FATHER CALLED --, RACISM AND 
VIOLENCE. IN TODAY, THOSE HAVE 
BEEN EXACERBATED FOR MAJOR 
CHALLENGES THAT CURRENTLY FACE 
OUR COUNTRY. FIRST, COVID-19 
TRAGICALLY HAS KILLED MORE THAN 
175,000 AMERICANS. 
DISPROPORTIONATELY 
AFRICAN-AMERICAN. 
LATINO AND LOW-INCOME PEOPLE OF 
EVERY BACKGROUND. BACK THEN, 
MORE THAN 
30 AMERICANS
UNEMPLOYED BACK THEN, 
DISPROPORTIONATELY OF COLOR. 
COVID-19 HAS LAID BARE THE 
STRUCTURAL AND CULTURAL 
INEQUALITIES THAT KEPT TOO MANY 
PEOPLE TRAPPED IN THE 
DEPTH AND INEQUALITY. THIRD, 
POLICE BRUTALITY AND GUN 
VIOLENCE ARE KILLING SO MANY 
UNARMED AFRICAN-AMERICANS. 
TODAY, WE MARCH WITH THEIR 
FAMILIES AND WE SAY THEIR NAMES.
GEORGE FLOYD, BREONNA TAYLOR, 
ERIKA GARNER, -- ERIC GARNER. 
TIM 
BIERE RICE, CHELAN MARTIN. 
AHMAUD ARBERY. 
ELIJAH McLEAN. AND SO MANY 
OTHERS. AND FORTH, OUR VOTING 
RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK. WE MUST
VIGOROUSLY DEFEND OUR RIGHT TO 
VOTE 
BECAUSE THOSE RIGHTS WERE PAID 
FOR THE BLOOD OF THOSE LYNCHED 
FOR SEEKING TO EXERCISE THEIR 
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. THEY WERE
PAID FOR WITH THE BLOOD BY CIVIL
RIGHTS WORKERS.
BENNETT LEE JACKSON, VIOLA -- 
JAMES REEVES, THOSE LIVES WERE 
PAID FOR THROUGH 
THE SACRIFICES MADE BY HEROES 
SUCH AS CG VIVIAN, BETTY LOU 
HAMER, JOSE WILLIAMS AND JOHN 
LEWIS. BUT SINCE THE UNITED 
STATES SENATE HAS 
FAILED TO RENEW THE VOTING 
RIGHTS ACT, WE HAVE HAD TO 
OVERCOME A WHOLE NEW TRICK BAGS 
OF TACTICS TO SUPPRESS OUR 
VOTES. DISCRIMINATORY VOTER I.D.
REQUIREMENTS, CUTBACKS IN EARLY 
VOTING AND VOTE 
BY MAIL, VOTER PURGES, TARGETING
THOSE WHO HAVE MISSED SEVERAL 
ELECTIONS IN DISENFRANCHISING 
THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME
AND PAID THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY. 
AND NOW, COVID-19 IS MAKING A 
DANGEROUS, EVEN DEADLY TO STAND 
IN LINE AT POLLING PLACES. WE 
SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RISK OUR 
LIVES TO CAST OUR VOTES. WE NEED
TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT PRESIDENT 
TRUMP DOES. GO STRICTLY BY MAIL.
BUT NOW, WE ARE STRUGGLING TO 
OVERCOME THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
FOR 
THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF 
SUPPRESSING OUR VOTE. WITH ALL 
THE STRESSES IN OUR LIVES AND 
LIBERTIES, OUR CHALLENGE IS TO 
USE THIS MOMENT. A MOVEMENT THAT
NOT ONLY RAISES 
HIS VOICE, BUT CASS IS VOTES, 
PURSUES HIS VISION AND MAKES 
LASTING CHANGE. THE SCRIPTURE 
SAYS, WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, 
THE PEOPLE PERISH. 
OUR PEOPLE -- OUR VISION IS BEST
EXPRESSED BY A PHRASE WE MUST 
NEVER FORGET. THAT IS A BELOVED 
COMMUNITY. FOR THOSE WORDS, MY 
FATHER, JOHN LEWIS, ROSA PARKS 
AND SO MANY OTHER WOMEN AND MEN 
IN AMERICA WHOSE DRAMATIC 
PRACTICE IS AS GOOD AS THIS 
PROMISE. 
IN AMERICA WITH POVERTY, RACISM 
AND VIOLENCE WILL BE REPLACED BY
PEACE, JUSTICE AND SHARED 
ABUNDANCE. AND WHERE HEAT AND 
FEAR FINALLY GIVE WAY TO HEALTH 
AND LOVE. TO ACHIEVE THAT, 
AMERICA, WE NEED TO RAISE OUR 
VOICES AND CAST OUR VOTES. OVER 
THE WEEKS AHEAD, CULMINATING ON 
ELECTION DAY, WE NEED TO VOTE AS
IF OUR LIVES AND OUR 
LIVELIHOODS, OUR LIBERTIES 
DEPEND ON IT. BECAUSE 
THEY DO.
NO PERSON, NO PEOPLE ARE MORE 
KEENLY AWARE OF THE RISKS OF 
DISENFRANCHISEMENT THAN THOSE 
WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM IT. THERE
IS A UPON THE NECK OF DEMOCRACY 
IN OUR NATION CAN ONLY LIVE SO 
LONG WITHOUT THE OXYGEN OF 
FREEDOM. THE STRENGTH MUST BE 
EXERCISED BY 
MORE THAN MARCHING. THE SIMPLE 
CHALLENGE BEFORE US IS THAT 
EVERYONE CAN CAST A BALLOT AND 
EVERYONE WHO CAN MUST CAST A 
BALLOT. THAT VALID THAT IS CAST 
MUST BE TRANSPARENT AND KNOWN TO
THE WHOLE WORLD. SO TODAY, I CAN
CALL AND 
EVERYONE WITH -- AND MEANS. TO 
MAKE A PLAN 
FOR YOURSELF. FOR THOSE 
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES THAT
CARE ABOUT DEMOCRACY. I CALL ON 
YOU TODAY TO OFFER YOUR 
RESOURCES AND YOUR CAPACITY TO 
MAKE SURE THAT EVERY BALLOT 
GETS COUNTED. IF OUR FOREFATHERS
WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR THE 
RIGHT TO VOTE, WE CAN WORK FOR 
THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND I WILL 
CONTINUE TO CALL ON YOU TO ASK 
IN THE 
COMING DAYS, WHILE STANDING IN 
SOLIDARITY WITH POOR 
WORKING PEOPLE, SANITATION 
WORKERS 
WHOSE STATEMENT I AM A MAN WERE 
ASKING FOR SAFE WORKING 
CONDITIONS, POOR LIVING WAGE FOR
RECOGNITION OF THEIR 
UNION AND HUMAN DIGNITY. THEY 
SUMMED UP THEIR STRUGGLES WITH 
THOSE FOUR WORDS. I AM A MAN. 
THAT'S SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL 
SLOGAN AND POWERS MOVEMENTS 
TODAY FROM FIGHT LIVES MATTER, 
AND 
TO THE ME TO STRUGGLE AGAINST 
SEXUAL 
ABUSE. MOVEMENTS OF MARGINALIZED
AMERICANS ARE STILL TRYING TO 
CLAIM THE DIGNITY THEY'VE BEEN 
DENIED. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., 
VOTE FOR THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND
THAT SITE IS NEVER ENDING. IN 
1963, THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON 
DEMANDED -- IN 1963, THE 
SANITATION WORKERS DEMANDED THAT
WORKING PEOPLE DID 
NOT LIVE AND LAY IN POVERTY. 
THOSE FIGHTS FORESHADOW OUR 
STRUGGLE TODAY TO MAKE THE 
MINIMUM WAGE A LIVING WAGE. NOT 
A POVERTY WAGE. AND WE ARE 
FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THE 
FRONT-LINE WORKERS. SANITATION 
WORKERS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, 
GROCERY WORKERS, TRANSPORT 
WORKERS, FOOD SERVICE WORKERS 
AND SO MANY MORE. THEY ARE 
PRAISED FOR BEING ESSENTIAL, BUT
THEY ARE TREATED AS IF THEY 
ARE EXPENDABLE. WHILE STANDING 
WITH SANITATION WORKERS IN 
MEMPHIS, DAD SAID SO OFTEN 
WE OVERLOOK THE WORK AND THE 
SIGNIFICANT OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT
IN PROFESSIONAL JOBS OR THOSE 
WHO ARE NOT IN SO-CALLED THE BIG
JOBS. BUT LET ME SAY TO YOU 
TONIGHT, THAT WHENEVER YOU ARE 
ENGAGED IN DESERVES HUMANITY AND
IS FOR THE BUILDING OF HUMANITY,
IT HAS DIGNITY AND WORTH. NOW WE
HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO ASSESSES 
GREATNESS FOR GRANDIOSITY. BUT 
MY FATHER 
KNEW BETTER. EVERYONE, HE SAID 
CAN BE GREAT BECAUSE EVERYONE 
CAN SERVE. HE UNDERSTOOD THE 
HUMAN YEARNING FOR RECOGNITION 
AND IN 
HIS FAMOUS SPEECH, HE EXPLAINED 
THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO BE THE 
LEADER OF THE MARCHING BAND. AND
HE CHALLENGED US TO CHANNEL OUR 
DRUM MAJOR INSTINCT INTO 
BECOMING MAJORS FOR JUSTICE. 
WHILE WE HONOR OUR HISTORY, WE 
MUST BE A LIVING MOVEMENT, NOT 
A MONUMENT. AND IF DAD WERE HERE
TODAY, I'M SURE HE WOULD 
IMPLORE US TO NOT SELECTIVELY 
QUOTE HIM WHEN CONVENIENT. HE 
WOULD WANT US TO BE DRUM MAJORS 
FOR JUSTICE. 
SOCIALLY QUALITY. BUT TO LIVE 
IN -- FOR FEARS, URGENCY 
AND NOW. SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING 
FOR A SAVIOR, GET UP AND FIND 
THE MIRROR. AND US MEANS ALL 
OF US. AFTER MY FATHER SPOKE IN 
1963, BYRON -- ASKED 
PARTICIPANTS TO JOIN AND THEY 
PASSED STRONG VOTER LAWS. MORE 
THAN HALF A CENTURY LATER, WE 
MUST DEMAND THAT THE UNITED 
STATES SENATE STOP BLOCKING 
PASSAGE OF THE GEORGE FLOYD 
JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT AND THE 
JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS 
RESTORATION ACT. AND SO, WHEN WE
CONCLUDE TODAY, LET'S 
REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A 
COMMITMENT MARCH IN THE SPIRIT 
OF 1963. I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN
PLEDGING TO ACT IN THREE WAYS. 
FIRST, THE HUMAN RIGHTS THAT ARE
AT STAKE DURING THIS ELECTION, I
ASK THAT YOU NOT ONLY REGISTERED
TO VOTE, BUT MAKE SURE ONE OTHER
PERSON REGISTERS AND VOTES. I 
ASK YOU TO COMMIT TO SERVICE IN 
YOUR COMMUNITY FROM VOTER 
REGISTRATION TO WHEEZING -- 
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE. TO G 
MILITARIZING 
THE POLICE. AND THIRD, I ASK YOU
TO PLEDGE AS MY FATHER AND JOHN 
LEWIS DID TO GET IN THE GOOD 
STRUGGLE INTO IT NONVIOLENTLY. 
REMEMBER THAT IN THE FIGHT 
AGAINST NON-JUSTICE, NONVIOLENCE
DIDN'T MEAN PASSIVE ACCEPTANCE. 
IT MEANS PEACEFUL RESISTANCE. WE
MUST COME TOGETHER AND JOIN THE 
BLACK LIVES MOVEMENT TO RAISE 
OUR VOICES AND SAY ENOUGH IS 
ENOUGH! WE 
MUST COME WITH THE POOR PEOPLE'S
CAMPAIGN. THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT. 
THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS MARCH AND ME 
TO MOVEMENT. WE 
MUST MUCH FOR OUR LIVES AND SAY 
THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! MARTIN 
LUTHER KING JR. FAMOUSLY SAID 
THAT THE
-- OF THE UNIVERSE IS LONG, BUT 
THEY RESTORE JUSTICE. BUT HE WAS
THE FIRST TO SAY THAT IT IS 
EMBEDDED ON ITS OWN. WE MUST DO 
SOME WORK OURSELVES. AND 
FINALLY, HE WROTE IN HIS LAST 
BOOK, WHERE DO WE GO FROM 
HERE:CHAOS 
OR COMMUNITY? IN THIS DEFINING 
MOMENT, FOR OUR HISTORY AND OUR 
COUNTRY, WE MUST ANSWER DR. 
KING'S QUESTION. 
WILL A -- OR COMMUNITY. WILL IT 
BE CHAOS OR COMMUNITY? I THINK 
MANY HAVE CHOSEN 
THE FORMER IN THE WHITE HOUSE 
TODAY. BUT WE WHO BELIEVE MUST 
CHOOSE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IF WE 
CHOOSE COMMUNITY, WE CAN AVOID 
WATCHING THE DREAM TURNED INTO A
PERMANENT NIGHTMARE. IF WE 
CHOOSE COMMUNITY, 50 YEARS FROM 
NOW, PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT WE 
WERE 
ABLE TO REDEEM THE FALL OF 
AMERICA AND BEGIN TO FULFILL THE
PROMISE OF DEMOCRACY BY 
SYSTEMATICALLY ELIMINATING 
SYSTEMATIC RACISM AND 
EXPLOITATION. MY FRIENDS, IF WE 
CHOOSE COMMUNITY, WE WILL BE 
ABLE TO ANSWER AFFIRMATIVELY TO 
THE SCRIPTURE. HERE COMES THAT 
DREAMER. COME, LET'S LAY HIM. 
AND WE SHALL SEE WHAT WILL 
BECOME OF 
HIS DREAM. FINALLY, THIS 
AFTERNOON, I WANT TO SAY TO YOU,
NOT ONLY DO I COME AS A 
PROTESTER, BUT AS I COME AS A 
VICTIM. I DOUBT HE WAS KILLED 
WHEN I WAS 10 YEARS OLD. GUNNED 
DOWN. YOU KNOW THAT. BY AN 
ASSASSIN'S BULLET. SOME 
OF YOU KNOW, BUT MAY NOT KNOW, 
SIX YEARS LATER, MY DADDY'S 
MOTHER, MY GRANDMOTHER WAS 
GUNNED DOWN IN THE CHURCH WHILE 
PRAYING THE LORD'S PRAYER. SO I 
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO LOSE
A 
LOVED ONE. BUT I WAS SO THANKFUL
THAT MY GRANDFATHER AND MY 
MOTHER AND MY AUNTS AND UNCLES 
TAUGHT ME ABOUT LOVE. BECAUSE 
GRANDDADDY USED 
TO SAY I REFUSE TO ALLOW ANY 
PERSON TO REDUCE ME TO HATRED. 
THE MAN THAT KILLED MY LOVELY 
WIFE AND THE MAN THAT KILLED MY 
SON, I REFUSE TO 
ALLOW THEM EVEN TO REDUCE ME TO 
HATRED. I LOVE EVERYBODY. ON 
EVERY 
MAN'S BROTHER. IF WE ARE GOING 
TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES IN 
AMERICA, WE'VE GOT TO COME 
TOGETHER. AND DAD TALKED ABOUT 
IT IN THAT SERMON, LEVELS OF 
LOVE. HE TALKED ABOUT ALL OF 
THEM. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT 
THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LOVE. THAT 
LOVE THAT SEEKS NOTHING IN 
RETURN. THAT LOVE THAT IS 
TOTALLY UNSELFISH. WHEN YOU LOVE
SOMEONE, IF YOU 
LOVE THEM. YOU LOVE THEM IF 
THERE OLDS. YOU LOVE THEM IF 
THEY'RE BLACK, YOU LOVE THEM IF 
THERE WHY COME YOU LOVE THEM IF 
THEY'RE NATIVE AMERICAN, YOU 
LOVE THEM IF THEY'RE HISPANIC OR
LATINO AMERICAN, YOU LOVE THEM 
IF THEY'RE AFRICAN, YOU LOVE 
THEM IF THERE 
IS AN. YOU LOVE THEM BECAUSE YOU
KNOW THAT GOD CALLS YOU TO DO 
THAT AND WE'VE GOT TO RESOLVE 
ALL OF THESE CONFLICTS AND 
QUESTIONS IN AMERICA, WE'VE GOT 
TO FIND A WAY TO DO IT IN LOVE. 
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. AND
LET'S KEEP ON 
KEEPING ON. 
>> HELLO, MARCH ON WASHINGTON. I
WISH THAT I COULD BE WITH 
YOU TODAY.
HAVING LEFT WHEN I WAS 2, IT WAS
THERE WHEN BLACK LIVES MATTER 
MEANT SEAN BELL, PATRICK DORFMAN
AND 
GAVIN TITO. IT WAS THE CENTRAL 
PARK FIVE IN THE REPLACEMENT OF 
NEW YORK CITY'S FIRST BLACK 
MAYOR DAVID DINKINS WITH 
GIULIANA TIME. A STAYAWAY IF YOU
ARE 
BLACK BENSONHURST AND REVEREND 
AL SHARPTON, WHO WAS THE ONLY 
ONE WHO SEEMED TO KNOW WHAT TO 
DO AND WHO CARED ENOUGH TO DO 
IT. A GENERATION EARLIER, IT WAS
JESSE JACKSON AND BEFORE HIM, 
DR. KING, BUT FROM MY 
GENERATION, IT WAS REVEREND AL. 
LITTLE DID I KNOW MANY YEARS 
LATER I WITH GET 
TO KNOW
REVEREND AL WHEN HE WAS OUR BIG 
NATIONAL HOST AND THAT HE WOULD 
BECOME MY COLLEAGUE AT MSNBC AND
A GREAT MENTOR, SUPPORTER AND 
FRIEND. MEANWHILE, THE NATIONAL 
ACTION NETWORK HAS NEVER STOPPED
WORKING. EVEN AS THE NAMES HAVE 
CHANGED TO TREY VON MARTIN, ERIC
GARNER, TAMIR RICE, BREONNA 
TAYLOR AND JACOB  
BLAKE. I MARCH WITH REVEREND 
SALMA WHEN HE PULLED ME TO THE 
FRONT OF THE LINES SO THAT I 
COULD BE THERE TO WITNESS 
HISTORY AND JOHN LEWIS IS SECOND
TO LAST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AND I 
WATCHED HIM NURTURE GRIEVING 
FAMILIES AS THEY TRIED OUT -- 
CRIED OUT FOR JUSTICE. HE HAS 
HAD PRESIDENTS INSPIRE HIM. HE 
HAS INSPIRED ME TO USE MY GIFT 
TO MAKE 
REAL CHANGE IN HE HAS BEEN OUR 
BACKSTOP AND DEFENDER IN DARK 
TIMES. WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE CALL
HIM, HE WILL BE THERE AND HE 
WILL DO SOMETHING AND CAUSE 
SOMETHING TO BE DONE. THIS IS 
THE 57th ANNIVERSARY ON THE 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON. PLEASE JOIN
ME IN SURRENDERING AND DEFENDING
OUR BIG BROTHER, 
AL SHARPTON. 
 7  7
>> NO JUSTICE! [ CROWD CHANTING 
] NO PEACE 
>> NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE! WHAT DO
WE WANT? [ CROWD CHANTING ] WHAT
DO WE WANT? JUSTICE! WHEN DO WE 
WANT IT? WHEN DO WE WANT IT? 
ALL RIGHT. 57 
YEARS AGO 
IN 1963, THERE WAS A STRUGGLE IN
BIRMINGHAM AND ALABAMA. THERE 
WAS AN ASSASSINATION OF -- THE 
HEAD OF THE MISSISSIPPI NAACP. 
IN THE MIDDLE OF STRUGGLE AND 
MURDER, THEY CAME TO WASHINGTON.
TO DEMAND THAT THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT GIVE THEM A CIVIL 
RIGHTS ACT AND VOTING RIGHTS. 
THEY MARCHED 
THAT DAY IN A HOT BLISTERING DAY
LIKE TODAY. SAYING THAT AS WE 
STRUGGLE, WE 
NEED LEGISLATION. AND THEY 
STAYED ONLINE MOVEMENT UNTIL 
THEY GOT THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF
1964. IN THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT 
OF 1965. THEY CAME, YOUNG AND 
OLD. THEY CAME FROM THE SOUTH. 
MANY 
OF THEM COULD NOT STOP ON THE 
ROAD TO USE THE BATHROOM. 
BECAUSE IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW. 
BUT THEY 
CAME ANYHOW. MANY OF THEM COULD 
NOT STOP AND EAT AT A 
RESTAURANT. THEY 
HAD TO PUT THEIR SANDWICHES IN A
PAPER BAG. BECAUSE NO RESTAURANT
WOULD SERVE THEM. IT WAS AGAINST
THE LAW. BUT THEY CAME ANYHOW. 
MANY OF THEM CANNOT REST IN A 
MOTEL OVERNIGHT. BUT THEY 
CAME ANYWAY. BECAUSE IT WAS 
AGAINST THE LAW FOR THEM TO 
STOP. BECAUSE THEY CAME 
IN 63, WE WERE ABLE TO COME BACK
IN 2020. WRITING WHATEVER WE 
WANTED TO WRITE, STAY IN 
WHATEVER HOTEL WAS AVAILABLE. 
THEY OPENED THE DOOR 
FOR US, BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME
DOORS WE HAVE TO OPEN AND SOME 
PEOPLE WE HAVE GOT TO STRAIGHTEN
OUT. 2020, 2020, WE MUST DEAL 
WITH THOSE THAT WANT TO ROB OUR 
RIGHT TO VOTE. AND EVEN THOUGH 
WE ARE HERE IN THE MIDST OF 
A PANDEMIC, SOCIALLY DISTANCING,
TELLING Y'ALL TO DISTANCE AND I 
KEEP SAYING SPREADOUT, WE WANT 
TO CALM TO SHOW WHAT OUR -- THAT
ENOUGH 
IS ENOUGH.
WHEN I WAS HEADED TO GEORGE 
FLOYD'S FUNERAL I TALKED WITH 
MARTIN THE THIRD AND I SAID YOU 
KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO GO BACK 
TO WASHINGTON. THE SIMPLE LET'S 
TALK IT OUT, 
REVEREND AL. AS I WAS GIVING THE
EULOGY, I ANNOUNCED THIS MUCH. 
WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE WERE GOING
TO DO IT. HOW WE WERE GOING TO 
PLANET. HOW MANY WOULD COME. BUT
WE 
DID IT. WHY ARE WE 
IN WASHINGTON. I TALKED WITH ONE
OF THE LEADING MINDS OF OUR 
NATION. DR. MICHAEL ERIC DYSON. 
AND HE TOLD 
ME THAT REVEREND AL, YOU'VE GOT 
TO UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL THERE'S
FEDERAL LEGISLATION, EVERY STATE
WILL DO WHAT IT WANTS 
TO DO. WE HAVE PASSED IN THE 
HOUSE 
OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE GEORGE 
FLOYD POLICING AND JUSTICE ACT. 
NOW, WE NEED TO PASS THAT ACT 
INTO SENATE. WE NEED MITCH 
McCONNELL AND AUS SENATE TO MEET
ON THE GEORGE FLOYD POLICING AND
JUSTICE ACT OR WE ARE 
GOING TO MEET YOU SENATORS THAT 
THE POLLS IN NOVEMBER 3 WEATHER 
WE'VE GOT TO MAIL IN, WALK IN, 
RIDE IN, CRAWL IN. WE WANT OUR 
BILL PASSED. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, 
JOHN LEWIS, AN OUTSTANDING 
CONGRESSMAN MADE HIS TRANSITION.
LAST TIME MARTIN AND I WERE 
HERE, HE WAS WITH US. 
JOHN LEWIS. HE AND REVEREND JOSE
WILLIAMS AND AMELIA BAR CASE 
WERE BEATEN ON THE EDMUND PETTIS
BRIDGE. TEAR GASSED. THE LEGEND 
OF SALMA, THE MONTGOMERY MARCH 
THAT GOT US THE RIGHT TO VOTE 
AND THAT RIGHT LASTED 
UNTIL 2013. WHEN THEY TOOK AND 
GUTTED OUT THE MIDDLE OF THAT 
BILL, TAKING IT AWAY. THE MYTH. 
WHEN WE COME 
TO WASHINGTON, HOW DO YOU 
MEMORIALIZE JOHN LEWIS AND ALLOW
THE BILL THAT HE STOOD FOR US TO
DIE. WE WANT THE JOHN LEWIS 
VOTING RIGHTS BILL 
FOR CONGRESS. SO WE DIDN'T JUST 
COME TODAY. TO HAVE 
A SHOW. DEMONSTRATION WITHOUT 
LEGISLATION WILL NOT LEAD 
TO CHANGE. WE DIDN'T COME OUT 
AND STAND IN THIS HEAT BECAUSE 
WE HAD NOTHING TO DO. WE CAME TO
LET YOU KNOW THAT WE WOULD COME 
OUT IN THESE NUMBERS IN THE HEAT
AND STAND IN THE HEAT THAT WE 
WILL STAND IN THE POLLS ALL 
DAY LONG.
THEY KEEP TELLING ME ABOUT HOW 
IT'S GOING 
TO CHANGE. THAT BLACK PARENTS 
HAVE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. 
WITH OUR CHILDREN. HOW WE HAVE 
TO EXPLAIN THAT A 
COP STOPS. DON'T REACH FOR THE 
GLOVE COMPARTMENT, DON'T TALK 
BACK. THE CONVERSATION. WE HAVE 
HAD THE CONVERSATION 
FOR DECADES. THIS TIME, WE HAVE 
A CONVERSATION WITH AMERICA. WE 
NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION 
ABOUT YOUR RACISM. ABOUT YOUR 
BIGOTRY. ABOUT YOUR HATES. ABOUT
HOW YOU WOULD PUT YOUR KNEE ON 
OUR NECK WHILE WE CRY FOR OUR 
LIVES. WE NEED A 
NEW CONVERSATION. WE DIDN'T COME
TO START TROUBLE. WE 
CAME TO START TROUBLE. ELECTRIC 
IT'S NO TROUBLE TO SHOOT US IN 
THE BACK. YOU ACT LIKE IT'S NO 
TROUBLE TO PUT A CHOKEHOLD ON US
WHILE WE SCREAM I CAN'T BREATHE 
11 TIMES. YOU ACT LIKE IT'S NO 
TROUBLE. TO HOLD THE MAN DOWN ON
THE GROUND. UNTIL YOU SQUEEZE 
THE LIFE OUT OF HIM. IT'S TIME 
FOR A NEW CONVERSATION. I 
WONDERED WHY THEY HAD THE MARCH.
I ASKED DR. DICE WHY DID THEY 
HAVE THE MARCH AT LINCOLN'S 
MEMORIAL. WHY DIDN'T THEY GO TO 
THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL. WHY 
DIDN'T THEY GO TO THE 
WASHINGTON MONUMENT. AND HE TOLD
ME, YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND, 
REVEREND AL, 100 YEARS 
BEFORE 1963, WITH 1863. 1863, 
ABRAHAM LINCOLN SIGNED THE 
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. HE 
PROMISED US 
FULL CITIZENSHIP IF WE FOUGHT TO
SAVE THE UNION. HE PROMISED US 
40 ACRES AND 
A MULE. WE NEVER GOT THE FULL 
CITIZENSHIP. WE NEVER GOT 
THE REPARATIONS. WE CAME TO 
LINCOLN BECAUSE YOU PROMISED, 
MR. LINCOLN. AND THE PROMISE HAS
BEEN BROKEN. AND WE CAME, LIKE 
DR. KING CAME 57 YEARS AGO TO 
SAY WE ARE TIRED OF 
BROKEN PROMISES.
SOME SAY TO ME, 
REVEREND AL, THOSE THAT GIVE 
VIOLENT, THOSE THAT ARE LOOTING,
ALL OF 
THE FAMILIES HAVE DENOUNCED 
LOOTING. WHAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD 
IS YOU 
DENOUNCE SHOOTING. WE WILL SPEAK
AGAINST THE LOOTING, BUT WHEN 
WILL YOU SPEAK AGAINST WRONG 
POLICE SHOOTING. 
I REMEMBER THAT REVEREND DR. 
FRANK RICHARDSON WHO SPOKE THAT 
DAY AND LET US DOWN AND SAID 
THAT AFTER THE 
MONTGOMERY BOYCOTT, AND THE 
MOVEMENT 
STALL, BECAUSE THEY WERE TREATED
WITH A CERTAIN KINDNESS. THEY 
SAID THEY WANTED TO FIND SOMEONE
THAT WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE WRONG
DISREGARD AND AS 
THEY DID, THEY WENT ALL OVER THE
SOUTH 
AND REVEREND TREY SHUTTLESWORTH,
TOLD HIM TO COME TO BIRMINGHAM. 
BECAUSE THERE WAS A POLICE CHIEF
THERE NAMED -- AND 
BO CONNOR WOULD ACT IN AN 
INSENSITIVE AND BRUTAL WAY. 
WELL, 
IN 1963, 
AND 1964, THEY FOUGHT BO CONNOR.
HERE WE ARE IN 2020. WE HAVE 
GONE FROM BO CONNOR TO 
BO TRUMP. WE HAVE GONE FROM A 
MEAN SPIRITED -- TO A 
MEAN 
SPIRITED PRESIDENT. WE DO 
NOT WANT TO BE DISRESPECTED. HOW
DO YOU SPEAK WHILE THIS 
YOUNG MAN JAKOB LIES IN A 
HOSPITAL AND YOU WON'T CALL HIS 
NAME? HOW DO 
YOU SIT WHILE BREONNA TAYLOR IS 
IN A GRAVE AND YOU WON'T CALL 
HER NAME? HOW DO YOU 
SIT -- WHILE ERIC GARNER IS IN A
GRAVE? AND YOU DON'T CALL HIS 
NAME? HOW DO YOU SIT  WHEN 
GEORGE FLOYD IS LAYING IN A 
GRAVE AND YOU WON'T CALL HIS 
NAME? WILL MR. CHUM, LOOK RIGHT 
ON THE BLOCK FROM THE WHITE 
HOUSE. WE HAVE COME TO 
WASHINGTON BY THE THOUSANDS. WE 
ARE GOING TO CALL THAT NAME. WE 
ARE GOING TO CALL THEIR NAMES. 
WE WILL NEVER LET AMERICA FORGET
WHAT YOU'VE DONE. CALL 
THEIR NAMES.
THIS IS THE TIME, THIS IS THE 
TIME FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGE. 
THIS IS THE TIME 
FOR US TO VOTE LIKE WE NEVER 
VOTED BEFORE. AND DON'T JUST 
VOTE FOR THE TOP OF THE TICKET. 
VOTE ALL THE 
WAY DOWN. BOW DOWN FROM THE TOP 
TO THE BOTTOM. VOTE ALL THE WAY 
TO THE DOGCATCHER. WE WANT TO 
GET RID OF ANYBODY THAT'S IN OUR
WAY. BECAUSE OUR PARENTS DIED TO
GIVE US THE RIGHT TO VOTE. YOU 
CAN MESS WITH THE MAIL, BUT IT 
AIN'T 
THE SACRIFICE THAT GOODMAN AND 
CHENEY AND -- GAVE. OUR VOTE IS 
DIPPED 
IN BLOOD. OUR VOTE IS DIPPED IN 
THOSE THAT WENT TO THEIR GRAVES.
WE DON'T CARE HOW LONG THE LINE,
WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO YOU. 
WE ARE GOING TO VOTE, NOT FOR 
ONE CANDIDATE OR ANOTHER, BUT WE
ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR A NATION 
THAT WILL STOP THE GEORGE 
FLOYD'S. THAT WILL STOP THE 
BREONNA TAYLOR'S. THEY SAY WHEN 
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN WAS ACQUITTED 
FOR 
THE MURDER
, WHEN HE WAS ACQUITTED FOR THE 
MURDER OF TRAYVON MARTIN, THREE 
YOUNG GENIUS SISTERS  WROTE THE 
SLOGAN BLACK 
LIVES MATTER. AND IT RESONATED. 
WHY DID IT RESONATE? BECAUSE 
TOO LONG, YOU ACTED LIKE WE 
DIDN'T MATTER. THEY SAID WELL 
EVERYBODY MATTERS, BUT EVERYBODY
HASN'T MATTERED THE SAME 
IN AMERICA. THE REASON WE HAD 
AND STILL HAVE TO SAY BLACK 
LIVES MATTER IS BECAUSE WE GET 
LESS HEALTHCARE. LIKE WE DON'T 
MATTER. WE GO TO JAIL LONGER FOR
THE SAME CRIME, LIKE WE 
DON'T MATTER. WE GET 
POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, DOUBLE 
THE OTHERS, LIKE WE DON'T 
MATTER. WE ARE TREATED WITH 
DISRESPECT BY POLICEMAN THAT WE 
PAY THEIR SALARIES LIKE WE DON'T
MATTER. SO WE FIGURED WE WOULD 
LET YOU KNOW WHETHER WE ARE 
TOLLER SHORTS, FAT OR SKINNY, 
LIGHT-SKINNED OR DARK SKINNED, 
BLACK LIVES MATTER. AND WE WILL 
NOT STOP UNTIL IT MATTERS 
TO EVERYBODY.
ASKS HIS SISTER IF SHE WANTS TO 
HOLD UP OUR FENCE, LEAVE 
HER ALONE.
LET ME SAY, AS WE HEAR FROM SOME
OF 
THE VICTIMS AND AS WE GET READY 
TO MARCH OVER TO THE KING 
MEMORIAL, 1963, 
DR. KING TALKS ABOUT HE HAD A 
DREAM. TODAY, WE 
HEARD FROM
HIS AUNT AND HIS SON, MARTIN 
LUTHER KING JR. AND THE THIRD, 
HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE ANDRE AND HIS
GRANDDAUGHTER, YOLANDA. AND THEY
ARE IN 
THEIR BLOODLINE THE CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN OF THE DREAMER. 
BUT WE COME IN THE SAME 
SPIRITUAL MESS
WHICH IS WHY WE, TODAY BLACK, 
AND WHITE AND ALL RACES AND 
RELIGIONS AND SEXUAL 
ORIENTATIONS TO SAY THIS DREAM 
IS 
STILL ALIVE. HE MAY HAVE KILLED 
A DREAMER, BUT YOU CAN'T KILLED 
THE DREAM. 
BECAUSE TRUTH AHEAD SHALL RISE 
AGAIN. WERE GOING TO RISE. NEVER
TO FALL AGAIN. WE ARE GOING 
TO FALL, AND WE ARE GOING TO 
STAND UP EVEN WHEN OUR LEGS ARE 
TIRED, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS
DREAM 
COME TRUE.
LET ME SAY THIS AS WE CLOSE. I 
WANT EVERYONE TO BE ORDERLY. LET
ME SAY THIS. WE ALL SHOULD LEAVE
HERE COMMITTED TO KEEPING THIS 
DREAM ALIVE
GO TO
ACTIONNETWORK.NET. EARLY VOTING 
STARTS IN TWO WEEKS.  WE ARE THE
NONPARTISAN WAVE. WE WANT TO PUT
PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY. 
THEY WANT TO SUPPRESS OUR VOTE. 
WE'VE GOT THAT HAVE FOOT 
SOLDIERS THAT WILL PROTECT THE 
VOTE AND THAT WILL BE OUT THERE.
AND I WANT YOU TO SAY TO 
YOURSELF THAT YOU COULD HAVE 
BEEN SO MUCH MORE. IF YOU 
HAD IDEAS AND DREAMS, NOT ONLY 
AS A RACE OR AS A PERSON, BUT IF
SOCIETY HAD THEIR KNEE ON YOUR 
NECK, WE COULD 
HAVE DEVELOPED AS SUCCESSFULLY 
AS OTHERS, BUT SOCIETY HAD THEIR
KNEE ON 
HER NECK. BUT WE ARE NOT GOING 
TO LAY IN CEMENT ANYMORE. SOME 
HAVE DIFFERENT TACTICS, BUT WE 
ALL ARE RISING UP. YOU ARE GOING
TO GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECK. 
IF WE'VE GOT TO MARCH EVERY DAY,
IF WE'VE GOT TO VOTE EVERY DAY, 
WE WILL GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR  
NECK. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. ENOUGH 
IS ENOUGH. ENOUGH 
IS ENOUGH! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE!
[ CROWD CHANTING ] NO JUSTICE, 
NO PEACE! NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! 
ALL RIGHT, I WANT TO BRING OUT, 
I WANT YOU TO BACKUP, I WANT YOU
ALL TO BRING TO MY LEFT IS THE 
MOTHER OF 
BREONNA TAYLOR.
SAY HER NAME! SAY HER NAME! SAY 
HER NAME! BREONNA TAYLOR! 
BREONNA TAYLOR! LET US 
HEAR FROM TAMIKA, THE MOTHER OF 
BREONNA TAYLOR.
>> 
HI, EVERYBODY.
FIRST, I JUST WANT TO THANK 
EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN 
SUPPORT OF GETTING JUSTICE FOR 
BREONNA 
TAYLOR.  SECOND, I JUST WANT TO,
I'VE GOT TO 
THANK LOUISVILLE, UNTIL FREEDOM,
MY FAMILY AND MOST IMPORTANT, 
KENNETH WALKER FOR COMING OUT 
HERE IN CONTINUING TO SAY HER 
NAME LOUDER. WHAT WE NEED IS 
CHANGE AND WE ARE AT A POINT 
WHERE WE CAN GET THAT CHANGE, 
BUT WE HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER. 
WE HAVE 
TO VOTE.
YES, YES. 
THAT'S RIGHT! [ CROWD 
CHANTING ] 
BREONNA TAYLOR! [ CROWD CHANTING
] 
BREONNA TAYLOR!
SAY HER NAME! SAY 
HER NAME! 
>> 
BREONNA TAYLOR! 
>> ALL RIGHT, WAIT A MINUTE. I 
BROUGHT 
MR. LINCOLN OFF THE 
BROKEN PROMISES. WE ALL STOPPED 
WHEN A MAN WAS KILLED WITH A 
KNEE ON HIS NECK. NARRATED HIS 
OWN DEATH. ON VIDEOTAPE, THAT 
THEY DID NOT KNOW THEY 
WERE RECORDING. BUT HIS DEATH 
HAS BEEN THE IMPETUS OF A GLOBAL
MOVEMENT. I BRING YOU HIS 
BROTHER, THE BROTHER OF 
GEORGE FLOYD.
PHILONISE 
FLOYD.  [ CROWD CHANTING ] 
GEORGE FLOYD! 
GEORGE FLOYD! 
>> 
THINK Y'ALL.
MY SISTER, BRIDGET, MY 
ATTORNEYS, TONY RAHMAN OUR, MY 
WIFE, DEIRDRE, MY 
SISTER, TANYA.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT. I AM SO 
OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW. WHEN 
EVERYBODY IS HERE 
RIGHT NOW.
HEY, I WISH GEORGE WERE HERE TO 
SEE THIS RIGHT NOW. THAT'S WHO 
WE ARE MARCHING FOR. I AM 
MARCHING FOR GEORGE. FOR 
BREANNA, FOR AHMAD, FOR JACOB, 
FOR PAMELA TANNER. FOR MICHAEL 
BROWN. FOR TRAYVON AND ANYONE 
ELSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES TO 
EVIL. 
>> [ CROWD 
CHANTING ]
IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE CLEAR THAN 
CHANGE RIGHT NOW. IT'S HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE 
DEMAND IT.
EVERYONE ELSE HAS MADE A 
COMMITMENT BECAUSE THEY WOULD 
NOT BE HERE FOR NO OTHER REASON 
RIGHT NOW. IT'S HOT, AND I KNOW 
IT'S HOT. BUT AS OF NOW, WE ARE 
HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN FRIED 
RIGHT 
NOW, MAN.
[ CROWD CHANTING ] I CAN'T 
BREATHE! I CAN'T BREATHE! 
>> EVERYBODY OUT HERE RIGHT NOW,
OUR LEADERS, THEY NEED TO FOLLOW
US. WHILE WE ARE MARCHING TO 
ENACT LAWS TO 
PROTECT US
. IT'S REALLY HARD, I'M SO 
SORRY MAN.
MY BROTHER, GEORGE, HE'S LOOKING
DOWN RIGHT NOW AND HE IS 
THANKFUL 
FOR EVERYONE, FOR EVERYTHING 
THAT YOU ARE ALL DOING RIGHT 
NOW. YOU ARE ALL SHOWING A LOT 
OF EMPATHY AND PASSION AND I'M 
ENJOYING EVERY LAST BIT OF IT 
RIGHT NOW. IF IT WEREN'T FOR 
Y'ALL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I 
WOULD BE RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE 
Y'ALL ARE KEEPING ME RUNNING. I 
HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR EVERYBODY, 
MAN. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, JACOB 
LAKES, IT'S HARD JUST TO TALK 
RIGHT NOW. SHOT SEVEN TIMES, 
MAN. WITH HIS KIDS. 
THAT'S PAINFUL.
I'M DONE, 
I'M DONE.
[ CROWD CHANTING ] NO JUSTICE! 
NO PEACE! 
>> I'M BRIDGET FLOYD, GEORGE 
FLOYD'S SISTER. I WANT YOU GUYS 
TO ASK YOURSELVES 
RIGHT NOW, HOW WOULD THE HISTORY
BOOKS REMEMBER YOU? WHAT WILL BE
YOUR LEGACY? WILL YOUR FUTURE 
GENERATIONS 
REMEMBER YOU FOR YOUR 
COMPLACENCY, YOUR INACTION? OR 
WILL THEY REMEMBER YOU FOR YOUR 
EMPATHY? YOUR LEADERSHIP? YOUR 
PATH AND -- 
YOUR PASSION? YOU KNOW, MARTIN 
LUTHER KING STOOD HERE 57 YEARS 
AGO. AND HE TOLD THE WORLD HIS 
DREAM. I DON'T THINK Y'ALL KNOW 
THAT WE ARE HERE RIGHT NOW AND 
HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE IT 
HAPPEN. I DON'T THINK Y'ALL 
HEAR ME! WE HAVE TO DO IT 
TOGETHER! WE HAVE TO DO 
IT TOGETHER! FOR GENERATIONS TO 
COME, 
OUR CHILDREN. MY BROTHER CANNOT 
BE A 
VOICE TODAY. WE HAVE TO BE THERE
VOICE. WE HAVE TO BE THE CHANGE.
AND WE HAVE TO BE HIS LEGACY. 
THANK YOU, FROM THE 
FLOYD FAMILY.
[ CROWD CHANTING ] 
GEORGE FLOYD! 
NOW, A FEW DAYS AGO, I GOT 
A CALL AND TALKED TO A FATHER 
WHOSE SON 
WAS SHOT IN KENOSHA, WISCONSIN. 
SEVEN TIMES IN 
THE BACK. WHILE HE WAS RUNNING 
INTO 
HIS CAR, POLICEMAN AT THE EDGE 
OF HIS T-SHIRT. THERE WAS NO 
WEAPON IN HIS HAND. THERE WAS NO
THREAT TO 
THE POLICEMAN. BY LAW, A 
POLICEMAN SHOULD ONLY USE DEADLY
FORCE WHEN 
THEY ARE UNDER LIFE EXTENUATING 
CIRCUMSTANCE. WHAT COULD HAVE 
BEEN THE CIRCUMSTANCE? WHEN A 
MAN IS RUNNING AWAY FROM YOU? 
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE 
CIRCUMSTANCE WHEN A MAN IS 
TRYING TO GET IN 
HIS CAR? NOW, THEY SAY THEY MAY 
HAVE FOUND A KNIFE IN HIS CAR. 
WELL DID THEY EXAMINE THE POLICE
TO SEE IF THEY HAD X-RAY VISION 
TO SEE THROUGH THE CAR DOOR? 
WHEN HE SHOT HIM, HE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT WAS IN THE CAR. WOULD HE 
KNEW WAS THAT A 
BLACK MAN SEEMS TO BE EXPENDABLE
AND WE HAVE COME TO SAY WE ARE 
NO LONGER EXPENDABLE. WE ARE 
GOING TO 
DEMAND JUSTICE. HIS MOTHER AND 
FATHER ARE 
BOTH HERE. HIS MOTHER GOT A 
LITTLE HEAT EXHAUSTION AND IS 
SITTING IN THE TENT. BUT I BRING
YOU THE FATHER OF THIS YOUNG 
MAN. WHO WE ARE ALL 
RALLYING FOR. I'M GOING TO FIGHT
FOR MY SON. I'M GOING TO FIGHT 
FOR JUSTICE. LET'S WELCOME TO 
THE PLATFORM 
-- JACOB BLAKE. SAY HIS NAME. 
SAY HIS NAME. SAY HIS NAME! SAY 
HIS NAME!
HIS SISTER IS FIRST GOING TO 
SPEAK FOR HIS MOTHER. WHO IS IN 
THE TENT. 
>> AMERICA, UNAPOLOGETICALLY, I 
AM HERE TO TELL YOU IN FRONT OF 
THE WORLD THAT YOU'VE GOT THE 
RIGHT ONES. GOD HAS BEEN 
PREPARING ME. AMERICA, YOUR 
REALITY IS NOT REAL. CATERING TO
YOUR DELUSIONS IS NO LONGER 
AN OPTION. WE WILL NOT PRETEND. 
WE WILL NOT BE YOUR DOCILE 
SLAVES. WE WILL NOT BE A SYSTEM 
TO OPPRESSION. MOST OF ALL, WE 
WILL NOT DRESS UP THIS GENOCIDE 
AND CALL IT 
POLICE BRUTALITY. WE WILL ONLY 
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TRUTH. 
BLACK AMERICA, I HOLD 
YOU ACCOUNTABLE. YOU MUST STAND,
YOU MUST FIGHT. BUT NOT WITH 
VIOLENCE AND CHAOS. WITH 
SELF-LOVE, YOU MUST LOVE 
YOURSELF, BUT 
PEOPLE. UNIFY 
GROUP ECONOMICS. BLACK WOMEN, 
YOU ARE YOUR BROTHER'S KEEPER. I
KNOW IT'S HEAVY, BUT FORGIVE HIM
AND HE'LL. THIS MAN WHO WAS 
TAKEN FROM HIM A LONG TIME AGO. 
BUILD HIM UP, BLACK 
CHILDREN, BRIEF. 
READ, LEARN, GROW, AND LIVE AND 
QUESTION EVERYTHING. BLACK MEN, 
STAND UP. STANDUP, BLACK MEN! 
EDUCATE YOURSELF! AND PROTECT 
THE BLACK FAMILY 
UNIT. PERIOD!
>> NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! NO 
JUSTICE, 
NO PEACE! 
>> JACOB BLAKE! 
>>  JACOB BLAKE ! [ CROWD 
CHANTING ] THERE ARE TWO SYSTEMS
OF JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE IS A WHITE SYSTEM AND 
THERE'S A BLACK SYSTEM. THE 
BLACK SYSTEM AIN'T DOING SO 
WELL. SO WE ARE GOING TO 
STAND UP. EVERY BLACK PERSON IN 
THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO 
STAND UP. WE ARE TIRED. I AM 
TIRED! OF LOOKING AT CAMERAS AND
SEEING THESE YOUNG BLACK AND 
BROWN 
PEOPLE SUFFER.
WE ARE GOING TO HOLD COURT 
TODAY. WE ARE GOING TO HOLD 
COURT ON SYSTEMATIC RACISM. WE 
ARE GOING TO HAVE COURT RIGHT 
NOW. 
GUILTY, GUILTY. GUILTY. 
RACISM AGAINST ALL OF IT. 
GUILTY. GUILTY. RACISM AGAINST 
CHELAN MARTIN. WE FIND 
THEM GUILTY. RACISM AGAINST 
GEORGE FLOYD. WE FIND THEM 
GUILTY. RACISM AGAINST 
JACOB BLAKE. IF I SAID THE NAME 
WRONG, ALL OF FORGIVE ME. 
GUILTY! AND WE ARE NOT TAKING IT
ANYMORE. I ASK EVERYONE TO 
STAND UP. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! 
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! I MET THIS
MAN WHEN I WAS SEVEN 
YEARS OLD. HOW DID I KNOW I WAS 
GOING TO MEET THIS MAN AGAIN IN 
THESE CIRCUMSTANCES? 
>> I TRULY DID NOT WANT TO COME 
TO SEE Y'ALL TODAY. FOR THESE 
REASONS. MY FATHER WAS IN TOWN 
FOR THE FIRST MARCH. ON TC. I 
HAVE 
A DUTY, I HAVE A DUTY TO SUPPORT
AND UNDERSTAND EACH ONE. I LOVE 
EVERYBODY IN THIS CROWD. I LOVE 
YOU. IF NOBODY TOLD YOU TODAY, I
LOVE YOU.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO STAND UP, 
BABY. WE ARE GOING TO STAND UP 
TOGETHER. I NEED SOME STRENGTH. 
MY LEGS AREN'T THAT STRONG 
ANYMORE. I NEED SOME STRENGTH. 
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE! NO 
JUSTICE, NO PEACE! I 
LOVE Y'ALL. I WANTED 
TO BRING -- LaMONT WHO 
REPRESENTS 
THESE FAMILIES AND I WANT 
ATTORNEY STUART TO COME WHO 
REPRESENTS UNDER THEIR MANY 
FAMILIES HERE AND I THINK WE 
SHOULD HEAR FROM A FEW OF THEM 
BEFORE 
WE MARCH. GOOD 
AFTERNOON, DC. I AM ATTORNEY -- 
LaMARR. 
I REPRESENT THE -- FAMILY WHO 
WAS KILLED IN THE CITY OF 
MILWAUKEE BY OFF-DUTY OFFICER. 
BEFORE GEORGE FLOYD AND WAS 
STRANGLED FOR 10 MINUTES. I ALSO
REPRESENT THE FAMILY OF JACOB 
BLAKE  WHO WAS UN-HUMANELY 
KILLED AND SHOT SEVEN TIMES. BUT
HE 
LIVES TODAY.
AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO JUST 
THANK REVEREND AL SHARPTON IN 
THE ACTION 
NATIONAL WET NETWORK BECAUSE 
ACTION IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR. 
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW,
WE ARE TIRED OF TALKING. WE ARE 
TIRED OF TALKING, WE ARE TIRED 
OF 
PLAYING GAMES. 2020 IS THE YEAR 
THAT AMERICA WILL BE PUT ON 
TIMEOUT. WE THANK THE 
MILWAUKEE BUCKS. AND ALL THE 
NBA TEAMS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR 
GAME FOR THE SPECIAL CAUSE. WE 
THANK THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
WE THANK ALL THE ACTORS, 
ENTERTAINERS, CELEBRITIES ACROSS
THIS COUNTRY UTILIZE THEIR 
PLATFORMS 
FOR JUSTICE. TODAY, I JUST WANT 
TO LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE 
LAST SEASON OF THE POLICE 
VERSION OF HOW TO GET AWAY 
WITH MURDER. WE KNOW 
YOUR PLAYBOOK. STEP ONE, CLAIM 
THAT YOU ARE IN FEAR. FIND 
AN OBJECT TO SET TO FEAR SO YOU 
CAN JUSTIFY KILLING A BLACK OR 
BROWN PERSON. STEP TWO, 
ASSASSINATE THE BLACK OR BROWN 
PERSON AND THEN STEP THREE, YOU 
ASSASSINATE 
HIS CHARACTER.
THEN YOU CAN GET TO STEP 4 TO 
DELAY YOUR INVESTIGATION. YOU 
EXAGGERATE IT. YOU'VE GOT THE 
VIDEO THAT TAKES 20 SECONDS TO 
WATCH, BUT YOU TAKE TWO, THREE, 
FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX MONTHS TO 
INVESTIGATE. THEN WHEN YOU CALL 
AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, THEN YOU 
ATTACK OUR PROTESTERS THAT ARE 
GATHERING PEACEFULLY. AND TAKE 
ANY EXTREME NU TEARGAS AGAINST 
THEM. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, WE
ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THE GAME 
IS OVER. THIS TIME, IT'S NOT IN 
VAIN. WE KNOW YOUR PLACE AND 
IT'S OVER. IS TRAINING DAY FOR 
POLICE OFFICERS AND LAW 
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ACROSS THE 
COUNTRY. IT IS TRAINING DAY. IF 
YOU DON'T BRING 
YOUR OFFICERS TO GIVE THEM 
RACIAL BIAS TRAINING, THE WHITE 
LAWYERS IN THIS 
COUNTRY WILL HOLD YOU 
ACCOUNTABLE AND I'M GOING TO LET
YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT 
GOING TO BE CHEAP BECAUSE BLACK 
LIVES MATTER.
I WENT TO THANK YOU RIGHT NOW 
ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY FOR 
STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE FOR A 
VERY IMPORTANT CAUSE. THE TIME 
IS NOW. TO TAKE CHANGE AND WE 
ARE NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL WE 
GET A. AND WE ARE GOING TO SET 
IT DOWN IF WE DON'T GET IT. IF 
WE DON'T GET IT, IF WE DON'T GET
IT THANK YOU. NOW I'M GOING TO 
BRING UP THE FAMILY OF --, 
ANOTHER CASE IN THE STATE OF 
WISCONSIN WHEN AN OFFICER 
STRANGLED AN INNOCENT MAN FOR 
10 MINUTES.
>> I'VE COME DOWN HERE TO LET 
EVERYONE KNOW, TO LET THESE 
GOVERNMENTS KNOW AS WELL THAT WE
HAVE RIGHTS AND THAT THERE'S NOT
GOING TO BE NO JUSTICE. THERE'S 
NEVER GOING TO BE 
NO PEACE.
EVERY DIFFERENT NATIONALITY THAT
IS STANDING 
FOR RIGHTS. HE WAS 
MY SON. WHEN I WAS DRUGGED AND 
ALCOHOLS. THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE 
HAS BEEN HIDING THIS CASE. I 
TRUST THEM. FOR OVER 
10 MINUTES, THAT WE WANT TO USE 
AS WITNESSES. 
ADMIRAL --
MR. PETERSON, I TELL YOU RIGHT 
NOW, AMERICA, WAKE UP BECAUSE 
YOU ARE GOING TO GET A RUDE 
AWAKENING AND WE COME AGAINST 
YOU, SATAN IN THE NAME OF JESUS 
CHRIST. WE STAND FOR WHAT'S 
RIGHT! THANK YOU, I LOVE 
YOU ALL. AS WE BRING ON ATTORNEY
STUART AND 
THE FAMILY OF 
AHMAUD ARBERY, HOLDER, WE ARE 
TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY IN. AS 
WE HIT 
THE NEXT SET OF FAMILY MEMBERS 
TO COME FORWARD AND THEN PREPARE
TO MARCH TO THE KING 
MEMORIAL, ANY -- MANY ATHLETES 
AND ARTISTS HAVE STOOD FOR 
JUSTICE. ONE OF THEM SAID I'M 
COMING TO HELP THE FAMILIES. MAY
WE HEAR FROM INTERNATIONALLY 
ACCLAIMED ARTIST BEBE 
WINE AND.
BEBE 
WINANS. 
>> NO JUSTICE, 
NO PEACE!
THE SONG, I WROTE AFTER THE 
DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY. MY SON, 
AT THE TIME WAS 15 YEARS OLD. 
AND ALL I 
REMEMBER WAS SEEING MY SON'S 
EYES IN FREDDY'S EYES. AND I 
WENT TO THE PIANO AND I WROTE A 
SONG, NOT JUST FOR MY SON, BUT 
FOR EVERY SON AND EVERY DAUGHTER
THAT'S REPRESENTED. BLACK 
LIVES MATTER.
BLACK LIVES MATTER! [ CROWD 
CHANTING ]
 7 HIS EYES LOOKING BACK AT 
ME  7 WITH 
THAT SMILE, 
HIS POSSIBILITY AND 
OUR PLANS DON'T TAKE AWAY FROM 
ME  7 LIFT 
YOUR HEAD AT NIGHT, I CLOSE 
MY EYES AND I PRAY, LORD COVER 
HIM 
WITH LOVE AND YOUR GRACE  7 HOW 
CAN YOU KNOW HIS HEART, MY 
FRIEND  7 WE'VE ALREADY JUDGED 
HIM BY HIS 
SKIN  7 HE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIVE
THAT WE 
ARE AFTER 
 7 BECAUSE IN ONE MOMENT, ONE 
MOMENT, DREAMS ARE SHATTERED  7 
OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS MATTER  7
YES, BLACK LIVES 
MATTER  7
SO LET MY WORDS 
RESOUND CLEAR WHEN PAIN IS 
LIFTED HIGH AND 
REVERED URGENTLY REGARD, DISPEL 
FEAR, AND HOPE OF SAVING LIVES 
THAT WE HOLD DEAR  7 YES 
WE DO IT'S THE RIGHT TO LIVE 
THAT WE ARE 
AFTER  7
BECAUSE IN ONE MOMENT, IN 
ONE MOMENT DREAMS 
ARE SHATTERED. OUR SONS AND 
DAUGHTERS, THEY MATTER  7 YES, 
THEY DO  7 BLACK LIVES 
MATTER  7
MY CHILDREN, 
YOUR CHILDREN, 
RICH CHILDREN, POOR CHILDREN, 
JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN 
 7 ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE 
WORLD  7 YOUR CHILDREN, HER 
CHILDREN, HIS CHILDREN, MY 
CHILDREN, JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE
CHILDREN  7 ALL THE CHILDREN OF 
THE WORLD HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE
NO MIKE IT'S THE RIGHT TO LIVE, 
WE MUST TRADE THESE TEARS THESE 
TEARS FOR LAUGHTER AND OUR 
BECAUSE IN ONE MOMENT, IN 
ONE MOMENT, OUR SONS AND 
DAUGHTERS MATTER  7 YES THEY DO,
YES THEY 
DO  7 BLACK LIVES, BLACK LIVES 
MATTER  7 OH, I WILL SAY IT ONE 
MORE TIME, YOUR CHILDREN, MY 
CHILDREN, RICH CHILDREN, POOR 
CHILDREN, JESUS LOVES THE 
LITTLE, THE LITTLE CHILDREN  7 
ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD  7
HIS CHILDREN, HER CHILDREN, YOUR
CHILDREN, 
MY CHILDREN, JESUS LOVES THE 
LITTLE CHILDREN, ALL THE 
CHILDREN OF THE WORLD  7 IT'S 
THE RIGHT, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO 
LIVE THAT WE ARE AFTER  7 THIS 
IS 
OUR FEARS 
FOR LAUGHTER  7 BECAUSE IN ONE 
MOMENT, ONE MOMENT, DREAMS ARE 
SHATTERED  7 MY CHILDREN AND 
YOURS 
MATTER  7 BLACK LIVES, BLACK 
LIVES, BLACK LIVES 
MATTER  7 SO TOMORROW, I HOPE TO
SEE MY SON'S EYES, MY SON'S EYES
LOOKING BACK AT 
ME  7 
>> BEBE 
WINANS !
>> I BRING 
YOU WORDS AND THANKS FOR THE 
SUPPORT THAT Y'ALL HAVE GIVEN US
IN ALL OF OUR CASES. ON BEHALF 
OF GIANNA FLOYD, THE 
DAUGHTER OF GEORGE FLOYD. IN 
SUPPORT OF RAYSHARD BROOKS,  AND
TAMIKA BROOKS. BECAUSE OF ALL 
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STANDING UP 
AND FIGHTING. 57 YEARS AGO, WE 
WERE STANDING RIGHT HERE. TRYING
TO FIGHT POVERTY AND OPPRESSION.
THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. THERE HAS 
BEEN NO SEEM FOR RACISM. THERE 
HAS BEEN NO QUARANTINE FOR 
POLICE BRUTALITY. AND THAT'S 
WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR TODAY. WE 
ARE ALL THE CARE. ALL OF THESE 
FAMILIES APPEAR, THEIR CHILDREN 
ARE NOT VICTIMS. THEY ARE THE 
VACCINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR 
SUPPORT. CONTINUE TO FIGHT, 
BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, WE ARE 
NOTHING. 
>> LET OUR FEAR, THE MOTHER, THE
SISTER OF FATHER JOHN, 
KILLED BY A POLICE WOMAN WHO 
SAYS SHE THOUGHT IT WAS HER 
HOUSE. LED 
US HERE FROM 
THE SISTER. 
>> HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS 
ALISA FINLEY. I FIRST WANT TO 
THANK THE NATIONAL 
ACTION NETWORK. I WOULD LIKE TO 
THANK THE NATIONAL ACTION 
NETWORK, REVEREND AL SHARPTON 
AND MARTIN LUTHER KING THE THIRD
FOR ORGANIZING AND CONVENING 
THIS MARCH. SEPTEMBER 6 MARKS 
TWO YEARS SINCE I 
LAST HEARD HIS VOICE. THREE 
YEARS SINCE MY FAMILY HAS FELT 
WHOLE. BECAUSE SEPTEMBER 6 WILL 
BE 
TWO YEARS SINCE THEY SHOT MY 
BROTHER THROUGH HIS HEART. HE 
DIED WHILE SITTING AT HIS HOME, 
WATCHING ICE CREAM AND EATING 
FOOTBALL. HE WAS ON HIS 
BUSINESS. 
SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN ON A 
MISSION TO REFORM THE SEVERELY 
BROKEN JUSTICE SYSTEM BECAUSE 
BOTH OF THEM WOULD STILL BE 
ALIVE TODAY. AND SAID, WE ARE 
NINE DAYS AWAY FROM THE SECOND 
ANNIVERSARY OF HIS MURDER. TWO 
YEARS OF SAYING HIS NAME AND -- 
ON TUAN ROSE'S NAME. FOUR YEARS 
OF SAYING TERRENCE CRUTCHES HIS 
NAME, SAYING CHANTEL DAVIS, 
SANDRA BLAND, AND SO MANY 
OTHERS. I 
AM TIRED OF LEARNING NEW NAMES, 
ADDING NEW HASHTAGS TO 
AN ALREADY
LONG LIST OF VICTIMS OF POLICE 
TERROR. WE CANNOT ALLOW OUR 
BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO ONLY BE 
REMEMBERED FOR HOW THEY DIED. WE
NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR 
CHANGE SO THAT THEIR LIVES ARE 
NOT TAKEN IN VAIN. WE ARE ALL IN
THIS TOGETHER. WE ARE OUR 
BROTHERS AND SISTERS KEEPER. 
THANK YOU.
>> THE MOTHER OF AHMAUD ARBERY, 
A YOUNG MAN  JOGGING, SHOT IN 
COLD BLOOD GIVE WANDA A 
BIG HAND. 
>> I STAND BEFORE YOU AS A PROUD
MOTHER OF AHMAUD ARBERY. I AM 
CARRYING A VERY BROKEN HEART, 
BUT ALSO A GRATEFUL HEART THAT 
GOD SHOWS MY SON, AHMAUD ARBERY 
TO BE A PART OF THIS 
HUGE MOVEMENT. I DO BELIEVE IF 
WE CONTINUE 
TO STAND AND FIGHT TOGETHER, 
THAT WE WILL 
GIVE CHANGE. SADLY, WHEN WE HAVE
THESE TYPES OF TRAGIC EVENTS FAR
TOO OFTEN. BUT I WANT EACH OF 
YOU TO PLEASE DON'T FORGET 
THEIR NAMES. PLEASE LET THEIR 
NAMES LIVE FOREVER. I WANT TO 
SHARE THREE WORDS WITH YOU THAT 
I KNOW
AHMAUD WOULD SHARE AS WELL. AND 
THAT IS THAT I LOVE YOU.  I LOVE
YOU ALL FOR STANDING WITH US. I 
ALSO WANT YOU GUYS, IN HIS NAME,
AND MAYBE YOU WILL HEAR IT IN 
THE HEAVENS, TO SAY HIS NAME. 
AHMAUD ARBERY. SAY HIS NAME!  [ 
CROWD CHANTING ] THANK YOU, AND 
I 
LOVE YOU.
AHMAUD ARBERY! AHMAUD ARBERY!  
LET US HEAR FROM 
THE ATTORNEYS. BLACK POWER! I 
SAID BLACK POWER! 
PLAQUE POWER! BLACK POWER! BUT 
WE CANNOT BE 
AFRAID TO SAY BLACK POWER. YOU 
CANNOT SAY THE BLACK LIVES 
MATTER IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN 
BLACK POWER. BLACK POWER, THE 
ONLY WAY WE STOP THIS FROM 
HAPPENING IS WHEN WE BEGIN TO 
EXERCISE OUR OWN POWER. I'VE 
BEEN HEARING A LOT FROM THE 
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION 
ALL WEEK AND THEY KEEP TELLING 
ME THAT THIS MAN FREED THE 
SLAVES. LET ME TELL YOU 
SOMETHING. LINCOLN DIDN'T FREE 
NO SLEIGHS. LINCOLN DIDN'T FREE 
NO SLAVES. WE 
FREED OURSELVES! WE FREED 
OURSELVES! SAY IT WITH ME. BLACK
POWER. 
BLACK POWER! SAY THE NAMES, 
TATYANA JEFFERSON, JAMAL 
ROBERSON. 
AHMAUD ARBERY, 
OSCAR GRANT! 
SEVILLE SMITH! 
DeANDRE YARBER! 
TERRENCE CRUTCHER! AND SO MANY 
NAMES WE CAN SAY THEM ALL, BUT 
LISTEN, WHEN WE SAY BLACK POWER,
ONE MORE TIME SO THEY HEAR YOU 
IN THE WHITE HOUSE. BLACK POWER!
[ CROWD CHANTING ] FROM 
AHMAUD ARBERY
-- ONE THING, I JUST WANT TO 
THANK GOD FOR ALL SUPPORT FOR MY
SON AND 
HIS MOTHER. I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
TO SAY. IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD 
BECAUSE MY BOY HAS BEEN LYNCHED 
BY THREE WHITE MEN AND IT'S BEEN
A HARD ROAD FOR ME AND MY 
FAMILY. SOMETIMES I FIND MYSELF 
SAYING I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. BUT 
IT'S REAL BECAUSE I 
SIT BACK, MY BOY CALLED ME AND 
TOLD ME HE LOVED ME AND 
SOMETIMES I WOULD BE LIKE WOW, 
HE FORGOT TO CALL ME. AND IT 
JUST ISN'T REAL. I CAN'T BELIEVE
IT. I SIT BACK AND SAY MY BOY, 
HE'S NOT COMING BACK. SO ME AND 
HIS FAMILY GOT TO BE HIS VOICE 
AND WE'VE GOT TO KEEP ON 
FIGHTING. AND I'M GOING TO 
FIGHT. I'M NOT GOING TO STOP. 
UNTIL GOD CALLS ME HOME. MORE 
POWER TO THE PEOPLE AND 
THANK Y'ALL.
[ CROWD CHANTING ] AHMAUD 
ARBERY! AHMAUD ARBERY! 
AHMAUD ARBERY! CAN WE ALSO SAY 
THE NAME TRAYVON MARTIN?  
TRAYVON MARTIN!  TRAYVON MARTIN!
[ CROWD CHANTING ] PLEASE 
WELCOME TRAYVON MARTIN'S 
MOTHER  OUR 
HERO, OUR SHE-ROE, SABRINA 
FULTON.  CHELAN MARTIN! CHELAN 
MARTIN! 
CHELAN MARTIN! THANK YOU, THANK 
YOU, THANK YOU. I JUST WANT 
TO SAY EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GOING 
THROUGH A CRISIS, EVEN THOUGH IT
LOOKS DARK, I WANT TO TELL YOU 
TO BE ENCOURAGED. I WANT TO TELL
YOU IN SPITE OF WHAT WE GO 
THROUGH, BE STRONG. STAND TALL. 
BE ENCOURAGED. DON'T 
STOP SAYING BLACK 
LIVES MATTER. DON'T STOP 
PRAYING. DON'T STOP PEACEFUL 
PROTESTING. STAND TOGETHER. THIS
IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. WE WERE 
BUILT 
FOR THIS. AND LAST AND NOT 
LEAST, I WANT TO LEAVE WITH YOU 
MY FAVORITE 
BIBLE VERSE. IT'S PROVERBS 3, 
FIVE AND SIX, TRUST IN THE LORD 
WITH ALL YOUR HEART. LEAN NOT 
UNTO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING AND 
IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATH. 
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU ARE 
GOING THROUGH, TRUST IN GOD IS! 
HE IS THE ONLY THING THAT 
MATTERS. STAND UP PEOPLE, STAND 
UP. WE WERE BILL FOR THIS. 
KEEP 
FIGHTING! 
>> TRAYVON MARTIN! TRAYVON 
MARTIN! TRAYVON MARTIN!  LET'S 
GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO 
SYBRINA FULTON , AND ALL THESE 
FAMILIES FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND 
THEIR COURAGE. ANOTHER BROTHER 
WHO THE NYPD KILLS, ERIC GARDNER
-- 
ERIC GARNER, I CAN'T BREATHE, I 
CAN'T BREATHE! I CAN'T BREATHE! 
WE HAVE NOW ERIC GARNER JUNIOR 
AND IF YOU ALL 
WOULD LET HER MAKE HER WAY TO 
THE PODIUM, ERIC 
GARNER'S MOTHER. 
>> I CAN BREATHE! I CAN'T 
BREATHE! I CAN'T BREATHE! [ 
CROWD CHANTING ] IT'S BEEN 
SIX YEARS SINCE MY FATHER'S 
WORDS BECAME OUR WORDS. WE HAVE 
TO MAKE A CHANGE. I'M 
CHALLENGING THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO 
GO OUT AND VOTE. IT'S POSSIBLE 
FOR A CHANGE. WE JUST HAVE TO 
PUT IN THE WORK. GO OUT AND FIND
OUT WHAT WE HAVE 
TO DO, WHAT PEOPLE WE HAVE TO GO
IN TO MAKE A CHANGE. WE ARE HERE
TO 
MARCH PEACEFULLY. I DON'T WANT 
TO SEE NO NOTHING. THIS MARK I'M
ERIC GARNER JUNIOR. THAT'S 
MY MESSAGE. WE HAVE THE MOTHER 
OF OSCAR GRANT, LADIES 
AND GENTLEMEN. RHONDA JOHNSON, 
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. RHONDA 
JOHNSON. 
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I WANT YOU TO
KNOW THAT THIS RACE IS NOT GIVEN
TO THE SWIFTS, NOR TO THE 
STRONG. BUT TO THE ONE WHO 
ENDURES. AND WE ARE A FIGHTING 
PEOPLE. MICHAEL 6 AND 8 SAYS 
WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF 
YOU? TO WALK HUMBLY AND JUSTLY 
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT JUSTICE,
WE LOOK AS A PEOPLE, WE HAVE NOT
RECEIVED THE JUSTICE THAT WE 
DESERVE. AND IT'S GOING TO 
REQUIRE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US
TO CONTINUE TO BAND TOGETHER. TO
CONTINUE 
TO MARCH. TO CONTINUE TO 
PROTEST. TO CONTINUE TO CALL THE
AND JUSTICE AS UNJUST AND YOU AS
A PEOPLE, WE AS A PEOPLE CAN 
MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE CAN CHANGE 
SOME OF THE LAWS THAT ARE BEFORE
US. IF WE BEEN TOGETHER, I HAVE 
WITH ME MY BROTHER, UNCLE BOBBY 
AND WE ARE HERE TO FIGHT UNTIL 
THE END BECAUSE WE KNOW, WE KNOW
FROM 
OSCARS CASE, ONLY 11 MONTHS IN 
THE COUNTY JAIL, WHERE IS THE 
JUSTICE? WHERE IS 
THE JUSTICE? WE LOOK AT LIBERTY 
AND LIBERTY IS IN BALANCE AND 
UNTIL WE AS A PEOPLE BEGIN TO 
FIGHT LIKE WE ARE FIGHTING ON 
TODAY, LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING 
HAVE THAT DREAM SO WE MUST HAVE 
THE DREAM THAT WE ARE GOING TO 
SEE EQUALITY OF ALL PEOPLE. I AM
OSCAR GRANT. SAY HIS NAME! OSCAR
GRANT! SAY HIS NAME! OSCAR 
GRANT! SAY HIS NAME! OSCAR 
GRANT! ALL RIGHT, WE 
LOVE Y'ALL. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE 
MORE OUT OF RESPECT. WE JUST 
NEED EVERYONE TO BRING VERY 
BRIEF GRATINGS SO WE CAN LINE UP
TO MARCH. THE MOTHER OF ANDRE 
HAMILTON, GIVE HER A ROUND 
OF APPLAUSE. WE WILL SHOW UP ON 
NOVEMBER 3 TO TAKE OUR 
COUNTRY BACK. WE WILL STAND UP. 
NOVEMBER 3, TO TAKE OUR 
FAMILY BACK. I AM DeANDRE 
HAMILTON'S MOTHER. HE WAS SHOT 
14 TIMES. FOR SLEEPING IN 
A PARK. I WILL NEVER STOP 
FIGHTING 
FOR YOU. LET'S 
FIGHT TOGETHER. 
>> SISTERS AND BROTHERS, MY 
GRANDMOTHER IS HERE. SISTERS AND
BROTHERS, LET ME JUST SAY THIS, 
THE PROBLEM IS, THE POLICE HAVE 
KILLED SO MANY OF US, THERE'S 
NOT EVEN ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO 
HEAR FROM EVERY FAMILY. BUT I'M 
GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE 
FAMILIES THAT ARE AROUND ME, 
JUST ACKNOWLEDGE WHO WAS HERE, 
THE FAMILY OF SAVON CLARK IS 
HERE. HOLDER FOR STEP, BROTHER. 
THE FAMILY OF MICHAEL BROWN IS 
HERE. JUST SO PEOPLE CAN 
SEE YOU. THE FAMILY OF -- SISTER
IS HERE. DAVID JONES FAMILY IS 
HERE. AM I LEAVING OUT 
ANYONE ELSE? PHILIP PENNELL, THE
FAMILY. THE FAMILY OF PHILIP 
PENNELL. 
ANTOINE ROSE.
THE MOTHER OF MONTES HAMMER AND.
EMMANUEL LEE. YOU SEE ALL THE 
NAMES. THAT ARE 
BEING CALLED. WE WANT TO PRAY 
FOR ALL OF THESE FAMILIES. 
PAMELA TURNER. TAMIR RICE, 
PLEASE, MILES HOWINGTON.  PLEASE
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE 
MARSHALS. AND BEGIN TO LINE UP 
TO MY RIGHT AS WE BEGIN 
TO MARCH.
WE CAN DO A BROTHER, WE DON'T 
HAVE TIME. WE'VE GOT TO MARCH. 
WE'VE GOT TO MARCH. YOU ON TV 
THOUGH, BROTHER. I KNOW, YOUR ON
CAMERA. OKAY, 
ALL RIGHT. YOU NEED 
TO GO. LET'S LET EVERYBODY 
LINE UP. YOU CAN SEE THE CROWD 
SHIFTING TO THE RIGHT. LET'S 
MAKE WAY FOR THESE FAMILIES TO 
LEAD 
THE MARCH. YOU NEED TO GET OVER 
THERE. MAYBE YOU CAN JUMP ON THE
MIC 
OVER THERE. 
TONY ROBINSON
.
ALL RIGHTS. 
JOSEPH RICHARDSON.
WE ARE 
MARCHING, Y'ALL. YOU KNOW THIS 
MIKE IS HOT, 
ON TELEVISION.
IT'S 
DeVANTE CLARK. 
>> YES, I'M THREATENING YOU. 
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO GET THAT ON
TV. 
>> I'M NOT GOING TO 
BE THREATENED. 
>> I KNOW, THIS IS NOT WHAT 
I NEEDED. 
>> I JUST ASKED YOU TO COME 
UP HERE.
THIS IS LIVE COVERAGE OF THE 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON. THE 57th 
ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION. YOU 
CAN HEAR THE, FAMILIES OF 
VICTIMS HAVING A BIT OF A 
DISPUTE WITH ORGANIZERS BECAUSE 
THEY WANT A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT 
THE MICROPHONE, SO WE'RE JUST 
WATCHING TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE 
WILL SPEAK AND IF THEY DO, WE 
WILL BRING THAT TO YOU. WE WILL 
GO BACK TO THAT. BUT THE 
ORGANIZERS ARE SAYING, THE NEXT 
STEP OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS TO 
MARCH. THEY WANTED FAMILIES TO 
BE A PROMINENT PART OF THAT 
MARGIN TO BE RIGHT UP FRONT. AND
WHAT THEY WERE TELLING ONE OF 
THE FAMILY MEMBERS IS THAT HE 
CAN GET UP THERE, GET TO THAT 
MICROPHONE, HE MAY HAVE A CHANCE
TO SPEAK AT THAT POINT. YOU CAN 
SEE THERE THAT THE CROWD IS 
MOVING TOWARDS WHERE THIS MARCH 
IS HAPPENING. THOUSANDS OF 
AMERICANS 
GATHER TODAY TO PERFORM THIS 
PEACEFUL AND UNITED CHORUS TO 
DEMAND JUSTICE. THAT'S DESPITE 
THE HEAT AND DESPITE 
CORONAVIRUS. THIS IS A SPECIAL 
REPORT FROM THE WASHINGTON POST.
I'M LIBBY CASEY. MARTIN LUTHER 
KING JR.'S OLDEST SON SAID 
TODAY, THERE IS A ON THE NECK OF
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND HE ASKED 
THE 
AUDIENCE TO TRANSLATE THEIR 
DESIRE TO CHANGE INTO A 
COMMITMENT TO VOTE. OUT SHARPTON
GAVE A WARNING TO MITCH 
McCONNELL IN THE U.S. SENATE 
THING FROM THE PODIUM THAT THEY 
MUST PASS THE GEORGE FLOYD 
JUSTICE AND POLICING ACT OR PAY 
FOR IT AT THE BALLOT BOX. WITH 
ME TO DISCUSS ALL OF THIS ON 
THIS HISTORIC DAY, EUGENE SCOTT,
A REPORTER COVERING IDENTITY FOR
THE SIX. DAVID MONTGOMERY FROM 
THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE. 
WELCOME TO 
YOU ALL. EUGENE, WE SAW THERE AT
THE VERY END, OTHER FAMILY 
MEMBERS SAYING THEY WANT THE 
CHANCE TO SPEAK AS WELL, BUT THE
ORGANIZERS FEELING LIKE TIME HAS
SORT OF RUN ON THAT WINDOW, IT 
JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU THOUGH, 
JEAN HOW MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED AND HOW MANY FAMILIES 
HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AT THE 
HANDS 
OF POLICE. 
>> THAT'S LITERALLY WHY THIS 
MARCH IS HAPPENING TODAY, SO THE
PEOPLE KNOW IT'S NOT AN ISOLATED
INCIDENT. THAT YOU REALLY 
LITERALLY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH 
TIME TO NAME ALL THE NAMES INTO 
GIVE THE RELATIVES OF 
THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 
VICTIMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR 
PAIN PUBLICLY IN THE NATION'S 
CAPITAL SO THAT LAWMAKERS AND 
LEADERS OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS 
CAN HEAR THE IMPACT OF POLICE 
VIOLENCE ON FAMILIES. WE OFTEN 
FOCUS SO MUCH ON 
THE INDIVIDUAL, THE INDIVIDUALS 
WHOSE NAMES ARE BEING CALLED. 
WHO ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR 
THEIR LOSS. BUT I THINK WHAT THE
FAMILIES HAVE DISPLAYED AND 
SHOWED IS THAT THEY ARE FAR MORE
VICTIMS 
WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THESE ACTS 
THAN I THINK WE CAN EVEN FATHOM.
AND THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR 
THEM TO SHOWCASE THAT. BUT AS 
YOU SAY BEFORE THAT, THERE JUST 
WASN'T EVEN ENOUGH TIME. 
>> RHONDA COLEMAN, WE DID HEAR 
SO MANY POIGNANT MESSAGES OF 
LOSS AND GRIEF FROM FAMILY 
MEMBERS. JUST REALLY PAINTING 
VIVID PORTRAITS OF WHAT IT'S 
LIKE 
TO LOSE A LOVED ONE IN SUCH A 
BRUTAL AND PUBLIC WAY. 
>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND IF YOU 
REMEMBER, EARLIER WITH 
FAMILY MEMBERS, PHILONISE FLOYD,
HE SEEMED TO BE OVERCOME WITH 
EMOTION. YOU COULD HEAR ON THE 
MIC,  AND STAND THERE AND SAY 
THIS IS HARD, I CAN DO THIS. I 
CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. EVEN 
THOUGH IT FEELS LIKE SOME TIME 
HAS PASSED SINCE THE GEORGE 
FLOYD PROTESTING IN MAY, THIS IS
STILL 
VERY RAW FOR FAMILY MEMBERS. YOU
SAW BREONNA TAYLOR'S MOM SEEMED 
TO TAKE SOME PAUSES. THIS IS A 
REMINDER FOR THEM THAT THEY HAVE
LOST THEIR 
LOVED ONE AND WHILE THEY ARE 
GETTING A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM 
THE PUBLIC ARENA, IT IS STILL 
VERY HARD AND I THINK THIS ALSO 
HELPS AMPLIFY THE SITUATION, 
AMPLIFY THE PURPOSE OF THIS 
MARCH BY SAYING THERE ARE SO 
MANY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WE WILL
NOT BE SEEING THEIR FAMILY 
MEMBERS AGAIN. 
>> YOU KNOW, AND HEARING AHMAUD 
ARBERY'S FATHER 
TALK ABOUT THE REGULAR PHONE 
CALLS THAT HE HAD WITH HIS SON, 
HEARING HIS SON TELL HIM HE 
LOVED HIM AND SOMEDAY STICKING 
HE DIDN'T CALL ME TODAY AND 
REALIZING HE WOULD NEVER GET 
THAT PHONE CALL AGAIN. SO 
RHONDA, AS WE WATCH THIS DAY 
UNFOLDS, WE HAD SUCH AN 
ARRAY OF VOICES THAT WE WOULD 
OFTEN HEAR AT CIVIL RIGHTS 
MARCHES AND ENGAGEMENTS, 
INCLUDING UNION LEADERS AS WELL 
AS PEOPLE LIKE AL SHARPTON AND 
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. THE 
THIRD, BUT THEY DID PUT THIS 
SEGMENT OF FAMILIES AT 
THE END. 
>> THEY DID, AND I THINK THAT'S 
PRETTY EFFECTIVE. IT LEAVES YOU 
WITH THE IDEA OF THIS IS ABOUT 
FAMILIES AND THIS IS ABOUT 
VICTIMS IT'S PUTTING A HUMAN 
FACE TO THE LARGER ISSUE OF 
POLICE 
BRUTALITY. AND
DURING THE WHOLE PROGRAM THERE, 
I DECIDED TO LOOK AT MARTIN 
LUTHER KING JR.'S SPEECH, THE I 
HAVE A DREAM SPEECH AND HE 
MENTIONS POLICE BRUTALITY 
SPECIFICALLY TWICE IN THAT 
SPEECH. THAT'S SOMETHING WE 
DON'T TALK ABOUT A LOT, BUT THAT
GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT WHAT 
PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE MARCHING 
FOR TODAY IS EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS
CALLING OUT 57 YEARS AGO. SO 
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, A LOT
OF TIME HAS PASSED, BUT A LOT OF
THE SAME ISSUES AT THE FOREFRONT
OF PEOPLE'S MINDS 
RIGHT NOW. 
>> I THINK I HEAR CORRESPONDENCE
IN THE FIELD AND I WILL GO TO 
THEM IN JUST A MOMENT. THE 
FIRST, I WANT TO BRING DAVID 
MONTGOMERY INTO THE DISCUSSION. 
LOOKING AT 
THE HISTORY OF THAT MARCH THAT 
RHONDA WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE 
ORIGINAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON, 
BUT ALSO HOW THIS MARCH CAME 
ABOUT. DAVID, HELLO. TELL US 
ABOUT THE STORY OF 
HOW THIS STARTED. 
>> WELL AL SHARPTON ACTUALLY IN 
HIS SPEECH TALKED A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT IT. HE WAS AT THE MEMORIAL
SERVICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD AND HE 
WAS REFLECTING IN THE MOMENT 
THAT HERE HE WAS IN ANOTHER 
BLACK MAN'S 
COFFIN AND OUT SHARPTON HAS BEEN
PRESIDING OVER THESE TRAGIC 
MOMENTS SINCE AT 
LEAST 1999. [ CROWD 
CHANTING ] 
>> I THINK I GEORGE FLOYD'S 
MEMORIAL SERVICE, THEY THOUGHT 
MAYBE NOW FINALLY, THIS WOULD BE
THE MOMENT WHEN THE COUNTRY 
CONCERT TO 
CHANGE AND A MOVEMENT AROUND THE
PUBLIC. THIS LONG LIST OF NAMES 
CAN ACTUALLY HAVE SOME EFFECTS. 
AND AS HE SAID, DEMONSTRATION 
CAN TURN 
INTO --
THERE WAS A BURST OF ACTIVISM 
AFTER ERIC GARNER WAS KILLED AND
AFTER MICHAEL BROWN WAS KILLED, 
PASSIONATE, TRUE ACTIVISM, BUT 
IT SORT OF WENT AWAY AND AL 
SHARPTON AND HIS CO-ORGANIZERS 
ARE HOPING THIS IS A MOMENT THAT
IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AND 
THAT THIS MOVEMENT FINALLY HAS 
THE POWER TO CHANGE AMERICA AND 
I THINK YOU HEARD A LOT OF THE 
SPEAKERS EXPRESSING THAT 
OPTIMISM. 
>> Reporter: DAVID, WE DID HEAR 
A MESSAGE FROM VARIOUS SPEAKERS,
INCLUDING MARTIN LUTHER KING THE
THIRD REFLECTING ON THIS 
PARTICULAR MOMENT. INCLUDING THE
FAMILY MEMBERS 
OF VICTIMS. THAT THIS CAN BE A 
MOMENT OF CHANGE AND 
TRANSFORMATION. THAT THIS CAN BE
A TIPPING POINT. HOW DID THAT GO
INTO THE IDEA FOR THIS? 
>> WELL, I'LL SHARPTON AND 
MARTIN 
LUTHER KING III WHO ARE SORT OF 
THE 
CONVENERS  REALLY BELIEVE IN THE
TACTIC AND STRATEGY OF THE MARCH
AS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO FULLY 
MATURE, PUT A CLIMAX TO A 
MOVEMENT THAT IS ALREADY 
BURGEONING AROUND THE COUNTRY, 
BUT IT WASN'T 
A CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ON THE 
ACTIVISTS. THEY DECIDED THE WAY 
TO MAKE THIS MOMENT ENDS UP IN 
REAL CHANGE WAS TO HAVE A 
NATIONAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON. 
BUT AS WE 
HAVE SEEN SINCE GEORGE FLOYD WAS
KILLED, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I'VE
COUNTED 5700 LOCAL MARCHES. AND 
THERE'S BEEN A STATE UPRISING AS
FOLKS SAY, SO SOME ACTIVIST 
SAYING THERE'S 
ALL THIS ENERGY IN CITIES AFTER 
CITY AND SOME VICTORIES IN CITY 
HALL AND GETTING LEGISLATION 
ENACTED IS A NATIONAL -- ON THE 
ENERGY. I THOUGHT WHAT WE HAVE 
JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THOSE 
FAMILIES THAT THE ROLLCALL OF 
FAMILIES AND VOICE AFTER VOICE, 
REAL VOICE, TEARS, SPEAKING WITH
DIRECT RAW MOTION, NOT A 
POLISHED SPEECH SHOWED THE POWER
OF A NATIONAL MARCH. I DON'T 
THINK, THOSE REGIONAL MARCHES 
MIGHT HAVE FEATURED ONE OR TWO 
OF THOSE FOLKS, BUT THE PURPOSE 
AND THE STRENGTH OF A 
NATIONAL MARCH AS IT SORT OF 
BRINGS TOGETHER ALL THE 
TRIBUTARIES OF PASSION AND 
FEELING AND INJUSTICE THAT ARE 
HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
THEY PUT THEM INTO THIS ONE 
MIGHTY RIVER OF A MOVEMENT ON 
THE NATIONAL MALL. SO THAT WAS 
THE OTHER BIG REASON SORT OF WHY
THIS MARCH WAS THE GENESIS FOR 
THOSE FOLKS. THEY ARE FROM AN 
OLDER SCHOOL 
OF ACTIVISM, BUT I THINK THEY 
PROVED THEIR POINT IN MY 
OPINION. 
>> LET'S GO TO NICOLE ELLIS, WHO
HAS BEEN REPORTING FROM THE 
NATIONAL -- TODAY. NICOLE, WHAT 
IS IT 
LIKE THERE? 
>> Reporter: THANKS, LIBBY. IT 
IS A TRULY REMARKABLE AND 
HISTORIC MOMENT. THOUSANDS OF 
PEOPLE ARE BEHIND ME, MAKING 
THEIR WAY TO THE MARTIN LUTHER 
KING MEMORIAL. AFTER, AS YOU ALL
HAVE NOTED, A LITANY OF 
SPEAKERS, SONS, MOTHERS, 
DAUGHTERS, 
SISTERS, SONS, AND REALLY THEY 
ARE ALL PART OF A CLUB OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LOVED ONES 
OR SAW THEIR LOVED ONES SHOT OR 
SUFFOCATED ON CAMERA FOR THE 
NATION 
TO SEE. YOU KNOW, IT'S, AS YOU 
CAN HERE, PEOPLE ARE STILL 
MARCHING. PEOPLE ARE CHANTING 
BEHIND ME AND YOU CAN SENSE THE 
RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH THE PAST,
BUT THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT IN
AND OF ITSELF HAVING HEARD FROM 
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE. ONE OF THE 
POINTS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME AND 
A REFLECTION ON 
THE PAST AND HOW THIS IS A 
MOMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND 
RECKONING WITH OUR COUNTRY'S 
HISTORY IS WHEN REVEREND AL 
SHARPTON ASKED IF MICHAEL DYSON,
WHY THE 
LINCOLN MEMORIAL MARCH ON 
WASHINGTON. WHY NOT JEFFERSON? 
WHY NOT GEORGE WASHINGTON. AND 
HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT AS WELL IN
1863. HE PROMISED THAT IF BLACK 
PEOPLE FOUGHT IN THE 
ARMY AND SERVED IN THE UNION 
THAT THEY WOULD BE FREED. THEY 
WOULD GET 40 ACRES AND A MULE 
AND THEY NEVER GOT THEIR 40 
ACRES AND A MULE. AND A PART OF 
THIS IS RECKONING WITH SOME OF 
THOSE UNRESOLVED PROMISES OR 
BROKEN PROMISES AND REVISITING 
AMERICAN HISTORY AND REVISITING 
THE PAST IN ORDER TO CREATE A 
MORE 
EQUITABLE FUTURE. YOU CAN SEE, 
AT THE VOTING BOX, WE OBVIOUSLY 
HAVE SO MANY OF 
OUR SPEAKERS ARE SAYING THAT 
RIGHT NOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT 
THING IS TO DEMONSTRATE AND TO 
STAND OUT AND TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
THAT YOU CAN, THAT PEOPLE ARE 
MORE THAN WILLING TO STAND IN 
THE HEAT TO MARCH AS A 
DEMONSTRATION AND REPRESENTATIVE
OF WHAT THEY ARE WILLING TO DO 
IN THE 
BALLOT BOX, IF THEY COMPEL YOU, 
IF THEY'RE OBLIGATED TO BECAUSE 
THEY CAN'T MAIL THEIR BALLOTS 
IN. 
>> LIBBY, AS I LOOK AROUND AND 
REFLECT ON YESTERDAY'S 
CONVERSATION WITH PEOPLE FROM 
OREGON, WISCONSIN, UTAH, TEXAS 
NOW. ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IT 
WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING TO 
SEE HOW THIS 
MOVEMENT WILL BE IN AMERICA. AND
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHANGES 
THAT MAY BE A REFLECTION OF US 
AND MEDITATION ON WHERE WE ARE 
AT IN WEATHER PEOPLE HERE TODAY 
EXPECT THE COUNTRY TO GO, LIBBY.
I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED AS THINGS
CONVENE TODAY. 
>> EUGENE SCOTT, LET'S TALK 
ABOUT VOTING, THE POWER OF 
VOTING, WHAT WE HEARD FROM 
SPEAKERS TODAY IN TERMS OF WHAT 
THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN. EUGENE?
>> WELL WHEN ARGUMENT THAT HAS 
BEEN MADE, EVEN BEFORE THE 
CONVENTION STARTED 
WAS THAT THE SUCCESS, OR SHOULD 
I SAY THE OUTCOME OF THE 
UPCOMING ELECTION WILL BE BASED 
ON TURNOUT. AND THAT'S A MESSAGE
WE HAVE HEARD FROM BOTH THE LEFT
AND THE RIGHT. BUT PARTICULARLY,
TODAY, IT'S FAIR OBVIOUSLY TO 
ASSUME THAT MOST OF THESE 
SPEAKING ARE SUPPORTING JOE 
BIDEN OR 
AT THE VERY LEAST ARE DEEPLY 
CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP. 
THEY'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT 
26 TEENS OUTCOME WAS A 
REFLECTION OF THE FACT THAT 
BLACK VOTERS IN PARTICULAR DID 
NOT TURN OUT IN WAVES THAT THEY 
COULD HAVE ONCE COMPARED TO THE 
2008 ELECTION WHEN PRESIDENT 
BARACK OBAMA RAN FOR PRESIDENT. 
THE REALITY IS THAT WE ALSO KNOW
THE TURNOUT WAS LOWER IN SOME 
SWING STATES, EVEN AMONG SOME 
WHITE DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT FOR THE 
SAKE OF THIS EVENT, WHAT THE 
SPEAKERS ARE TRYING TO REALLY DO
IS TO MOVE VOTERS WHO ARE VERY 
SENSITIVE TO ISSUES RELATED TO 
ANTIBLACK RACISM AMONG LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO GO TO 
THE POLLS AND TO BACK A 
CANDIDATE, JOE BIDED IN THIS 
CASE THAT 
MAY BELIEVE WILL TAKE ACTION AND
RESPOND TO THIS CRISIS IN WAYS 
THAT COULD LEAD TO SPECIFIC 
CHANGE. THOSE TODAY'S EVENT FOR 
MANY OF THE SPEAKERS AND 
ORGANIZERS IS NOT JUST ABOUT A 
GATHERING AND VOICING 
CONCERN AND PAIN RELATED TO THE 
ISSUE OF POLICE VIOLENCE, BUT TO
MOVE THE COUNTRY IN A DIRECTION 
FORWARD THAT WILL HOPEFULLY LEAD
TO A DECREASE IN THESE 
INCIDENTS. 
>> WE HEARD MARTIN LUTHER KING 
III SPEAK AND HE ASKED FOR 
PEOPLE TO DO THREE THINGS. THE 
FIRST ONE WAS VOTE  AND GET 
SOMEBODY ELSE TO VOTE AS WELL. 
THE HE ALSO TALKED RHONDA ABOUT 
ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY SERVICE 
AND ALSO GETTING INTO GOOD 
TROUBLE. 
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THE LATE JOHN 
LEWIS IS LINE THERE WAS ABOUT 
GOOD TROUBLE. WE SPOKE ABOUT IN 
OUR PRESHOW BEFORE THE SPEAKERS,
I MENTIONED THAT VOTING WOULD BE
A BIG PART OF THIS. VOTING IS A 
CORE PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS 
MOVEMENT. THERE ARE MANY CIVIL 
RIGHTS ACTIVISTS THAT USUALLY 
SAY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS 
TO THE POLLS OR ACCESS 
TO THE BOAT, YOU ARE NOT A FULL 
CITIZEN YET. THIS IS PART OF THE
STRUGGLE THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING
JR. SPOKE ABOUT. 57 YEARS AGO. 
AND ALMOST EVERY PERSON WHO 
SPOKE TODAY IS SPEAKING 
ABOUT IT. FOR VOTER REGISTRATION
EFFORTS, A LOT OF ONLINE VOTING,
REGISTRATION ADVOCATES ARE 
SEEING A SURGE RIGHT NOW IN THE 
GEORGE FLOYD SITUATION. IT 
CERTAINLY BROUGHT A LOT OF NEW 
VOTERS AND YOUNG VOTERS TO THESE
ONLINE REGISTRATION SITES TO GET
REGISTERED. NOW, WILL THEY VOTE 
IN NOVEMBER? OF COURSE THAT 
REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT THERE 
APPEARS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF 
MOMENTUM, ESPECIALLY WITH 
MEMBERS OF THE GEN Z 
DEMOGRAPHIC. BOTH OF THOSE 
GROUPS  MAKE UP ABOUT 40% OF OUR
POTENTIAL ELECTORATE. THEY 
CERTAINLY HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE
CHANGE, BUT VOTING ADVOCATES, 
THEY ARE SAYING THIS TIME, THIS 
SUMMER, REALLY ENERGIZE PEOPLE. 
>> LET'S GO TO HANNAH JEWEL. SHE
IS WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE 
GATHERED ON THE NATIONAL 
MALL TODAY.
>> Reporter: IT'S A LITTLE HARD 
TO HEAR. WE HAVE A HELICOPTER 
ABOVE US. SOME PEOPLE ARE 
MUNCHING OVER AT CONSTITUTION AS
WELL. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO 
FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE WITH
THEIR CHILDREN. I'VE TALKED TO A
COUPLE OF OLD 
FRIENDS. THERE ALL THE WAY HERE 
FROM OHIO, AND DID NOT WANT TO 
BE TELEVISED FOR THAT REASON. 
AND I AM ALSO HERE WITH -- WHO 
IS AN EDUCATOR HERE IN THE 
DISTRICT. STACY, TELL ME WHY YOU
CAME TODAY AND HOW IT FELT TO BE
HERE? 
>> CELEXA, NOT AN EDUCATOR, BUT 
I WORK WITH AN EQUITY TEAM AT MY
SCHOOL AND ONE OF THE REASONS 
WHY I CAME OUT HERE IS BECAUSE 
WHEN I THINK OF AHMAUD ARBERY, 
WHEN I THINK OF JACOB BLAKE, 
WHEN I THINK OF GEORGE FLOYD AND
BREONNA TAYLOR, I REALIZE THAT 
THIS 
COULD BE
THIS TO BE MY SON. THIS COULD BE
MY HUSBAND. THIS COULD BE ME. I 
LOVE TO COME OUT HERE AND SEE 
THE SOLIDARITY AND TO SEE SO 
MANY PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER COME 
TOGETHER TO SUPPORT BLACK LIVES 
BECAUSE WE NEED THIS NOW MORE 
THAN EVER. AND JUST WITHIN OUR 
SCHOOL, THAT MY CHILDREN GO TO, 
NORTHEAST WASHINGTON, D.C. AND 
THE BROOKLYN COMMUNITY AND I AM 
A PART OF THE EQUITY TEAM, WHICH
I HOPE LEAD AND WE OFTEN, OUR 
GOAL IS TO TALK ABOUT RACE, RACE
AND DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR SCHOOL 
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING 
AND EDUCATING OURSELVES ABOUT 
RACE. OUR CHILDREN, SHOWING THEM
EQUITY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. 
BUILDING COMMUNITY WITHIN OUR 
SCHOOL. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT 
FOR ME TO COME OUT HERE AND 
REPRESENT. FOR MY FAMILY, FOR 
ALL BLACK LIVES. AND ALSO FOR MY
SCHOOL. I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY 
EMPOWERING TO BE OUT HERE. TO 
SHARE THE LOVE AND SUPPORT IN 
THE SOLIDARITY WAS SO MANY 
PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER. 
>>
YOU DESCRIBED EARLIER. IT'S 
FEELING LIKE A HISTORIC PLACE TO
BE. HAS IT LIVED UP TO THAT 
EXPECTATION? 
>> ABSOLUTELY. 57 YEAR ON THE 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON. I 
PARTICIPATED IN VARIOUS PROTESTS
SINCE THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.
THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST 
EMPOWERING, THE MOST EMOTIONAL 
MOMENT FOR ME OUT HERE. 
I JUST FEEL YOU KNOW, TO SEE SO 
MANY PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER, 
TO SEE LEADERS AND TO HEAR THE 
FAMILY MEMBERS OF THESE PEOPLE 
WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY DUE TO THIS
POLICE VIOLENCE, TO SEE THEM 
SPEAK IS VERY EMOTIONAL. BECAUSE
AGAIN, THIS COULD BE MY SON, 
THIS COULD BE MY HUSBAND. I 
COULD BE BREONNA TAYLOR. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE 
YOURSELF, TO BE A PART OF THE 
MOVEMENT. AND TO CHANGE AMERICA,
TO MAKE IT JUST FOR BLACK LIVES 
AND BROWN PEOPLE AS WELL. 
>> Reporter: THANKS SO MUCH FOR 
TAKING THE TIME. BACK TO 
YOU, LIBBY.
>> LET'S GO BACK TO DAVID 
MONTGOMERY. DAVID, IT'S SO 
FASCINATING TO LOOK AT THE 
HISTORY. YOU READ ABOUT THE 
HISTORY OF THE 1963 MARCH. I 
WANT TO BRING YOU TO THE 
PRESENT. THIS WEEK, KELLYANNE 
CONWAY SAID WHAT MANY PEOPLE 
THOUGHT BUT WERE ARTICULATING 
THAT SOCIAL UNREST IN THE 
STREETS HELPS DONALD 
TRUMP'S CASE. AND WHEN SHE SAID 
THAT, IT SURPRISED SOME 
PEOPLE. BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT 
THIS QUESTION OF THE TIMING OF A
MARCH, THE TIMING OF SOCIAL 
PROTEST, I LOVE TO LOOK BACK, 
BECAUSE THE 1963 MARCH IN THE 
HISTORY BOOKS LOOKS LIKE IT WAS 
AT THE RIGHT TIME WITH THE RIGHT
MESSAGE, BUT YOU REMIND US THAT 
PRESIDENT KENNEDY TRIED TO GET 
ORGANIZERS TO CALL IT OFF OUT OF
CONCERNS ABOUT THROUGH HOW IT 
WOULD BE PERCEIVED BY THE 
PUBLIC. TELL US ABOUT THAT. 
>> YES, AFTER THE PEACE AND 
RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING 
DR. KING'S DECIDED YES, WE ARE 
GOING TO HAVE 
THIS MARCH. THEY HAVE CONVINCED 
US NOW THAT THE THING TO DO IS 
MARCH ON WASHINGTON. KENNEDY HAD
BEEN PERSUADED BY CIRCUMSTANCES 
AND PRESSURE AND WHAT HE SAW IN 
BIRMINGHAM TO PUT TOGETHER A 
WHAT WE NOW KNOW EVENT, A 1964 
CIVIL RIGHTS BILL, SO WE KNOW 
THAT THERE WERE MANY 
SEGREGATIONIST DEMOCRATS AND 
ESPECIALLY THE SENATE WHO WOULD 
BE CHEWING OVER THIS LEGISLATION
AND IT WAS 
KENNEDY'S OPINION THAT A LARGE 
SPECTACLE OF ACTIVISM IN THE 
STREETS OF WASHINGTON, OR AT 
LEAST ON THE WASHINGTON MALL 
WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, SO 
HE SUMMONED THE LEADERS OF 
THE MOVEMENT. AND THERE'S A, I'M
GOING TO NOT HAVE DR. KING'S 
EXACT QUOTE, BUT KENNEDY SAID 
THIS IS THE WRONG TIME. AND DR. 
KING SAID WELL, THEY SAID 
BIRMINGHAM WAS THE WRONG TIME 
AND THAT WAS A GREAT VICTORY. 
I'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A 
DIRECT ACTION MOVEMENT WHERE 
SOMEONE DIDN'T SAY IT WAS THE 
WRONG TIME. SO THEY WERE TAKING 
PERHAPS 
A CHANCE IN A WAY, ACTUALLY 
THESE FOLKS ARE. THE 63 MARCH 
WAS UNPRECEDENTED. NO ONE HAD 
EVER SEEN ANYTHING THAT LARGE 
AND AMERICA HAD NEVER SEEN A 
LARGE GATHERING OF BLACK PEOPLE 
STANDING UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND
SPEAKING OUT. SO THERE WAS, NO 
ONE KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. AND 
OF COURSE, WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PAGEANT OF 
ACTIVISM AND CALLS FOR JUSTICE. 
>> DAVID, HOW HIS CORONAVIRUS 
FACTORED INTO THE PLANNING OF 
THIS EVENT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN
TERMS OF THE ORGANIZERS, 
PREPARATIONS AND VISION FOR 
THIS. DID HE GIVE THEM PAUSE. 
>> OH YEAH, THEY IN FACT, IN 
JUNE, WHEN REVEREND SHARPTON 
CALLED FOR THE MARCH, THERE HAD 
NOT BEEN THIS BIKE THAT WE NOW 
ALL KNOW THE BEGIN TO HAPPEN IN 
THE SUNBELT. IN ALMOST A 
WEEK AFTER, THEY SAID WE ARE 
GOING TO HAVE A HUGE MARCH ON 
WASHINGTON. SUDDENLY CORONAVIRUS
IS ROCKING BACK UP IN STATE 
AFTER STATE. TO THE POINT WHERE 
THE ORGANIZERS OF THE MARCH HAD 
TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE. THEY CAN 
MEET TOGETHER. SO THEY WOULD 
HAVE THESE ZOOM CAUSES WE ALL DO
NOW. AND THEY HAD TO ORGANIZE 
THE MARCH ITSELF FROM A SOCIAL 
DISTANCE. AND THEY HAD TO BUILD 
INTO THE MARCH PLANNING 
CONTINGENCY PLANS, WHAT IF COVID
IS OFF THE CHARTS? HOW ARE WE 
GOING TO KEEP THE MARCHERS SAFE?
THEY WERE VERY SENSITIVE TO NOT 
OPEN THEMSELVES UP TO THE FOLKS 
CRITICIZING DONALD TRUMP FOR NOT
PRACTICING COVID PRECAUTIONS. 
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HOLD A MARCH
THAT LOOKED THE SAME WAY. SO 
THEY BOUGHT HUNDREDS OF 
THOUSANDS OF MASKS, 
HAND SANITIZER, THEIR HAND 
SANITIZER STATIONS WERE ALL OVER
THE MALL. AND THEY 
DECIDED THAT NO BUSES WOULD BE 
ALLOWED TO COME. CHARTER BUSES 
UNDER -- OF THE MARCH WOULD BE 
ALLOWED TO COME FROM STATES THAT
WERE STILL CONSIDERED, THAT 
STILL 
HAVE A HIGH VOLUME OF 
CORONAVIRUS. AND THEY SAY THAT 
MAYOR BOWSER WOULD HAVE 
TO BE OBEYED. HER 
QUARANTINE INSTRUCTIONS, FOLKS 
FROM BOTH STATES HAVE TO 
QUARANTINE IF THEY COME. SO IT'S
A MUCH REDUCED MARCH IN TERMS OF
THE CROWD. SHARPTON WAS NEVER 
DETERRED. I SORT OF FOLLOWED, I 
SAT IN ON THESE ZOOM MEETINGS 
AND FOLLOW THE PROCESS AND HE 
SAID TO ME, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, 
THERE'S GOING TO BE A MARCH. 
EVEN IF IT'S JUST ME AND MARTIN 
LUTHER KING III AND SOME OF THE 
FAMILIES  AND TO PEOPLE 
WATCHING, THERE'S GOING TO BE A 
MARCH. AND THE MESSAGE IS GOING 
TO BE POWERFUL. COVID IS GOING 
TO DECIDE HOW MANY PEOPLE 
ACTUALLY COME, BUT IT'S GOING TO
SERVE ITS PURPOSE. 
>> DAVID MONTGOMERY, AND YOU CAN
READ HIS PIECE IN THE WASHINGTON
POST MAGAZINE ABOUT THE ORIGIN 
STORIES OF 
TODAY'S MUCH.
>> RHONDA COLEMAN, WE DID SEE 
THERE'S SOME FRUSTRATION BY 
INCLUDING. WE SAW AL SHARPTON 
TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE 
BACK A LITTLE BIT AND MOVE AWAY,
BECAUSE AS THE SPEECHES TODAY 
HIT THEIR CLIMAX, WE DID SEE A 
LOT OF FAMILIES GATHERING IN 
DOING WHAT THE NATURAL IMPULSE 
IS, TO GET CLOSER TOGETHER, TO 
GET CLOSER TO HEAR. BUT IT IS OF
COURSE CONCERNING BECAUSE THEY 
ARE OUTSIDE, THEY ARE WEARING 
MASKS, BUT THAT'S NOT 
ALWAYS ENOUGH. 
>> THAT'S TRUE, AND I THINK 
REVEREND AL SHARPTON, HE DID NOT
SEE THE LOOSE SIDE OF THAT, 
BECAUSE YOU COULD HEAR THOSE HOT
MIKE MOMENTS, HE WAS TELLING 
PEOPLE STAND BACK. HE DIDN'T 
FORGET THAT WE ARE IN A 
PANDEMIC. SO AS AN ORGANIZER, I 
THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM
TO STAY -- EVEN THOUGH IF HE 
DIDN'T REALIZE WE CAN ALL HEAR 
HIM. IT DOES SEEM, AS DAVID WAS 
JUST SPEAKING ON, THEY WERE VERY
COGNIZANT THAT THIS IS RUNNING 
PARALLEL TO A NATIONAL CRISIS, 
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CRISIS. AND
YOU SEE A LOT 
OF ATTENDEES, AT LEAST I DID, AS
I WAS WATCHING IT WEARING MASKS.
I SAW SOME SPEAKERS WEARING 
GLOVES AS WELL. SO IT SEEMS AS 
IF EVERYONE HAD THIS ON THEIR 
MIND. AND TOWARD THE END, WHEN 
WE SAW SO MANY FAMILY MEMBERS 
COME UP, I WAS ALSO THINKING 
THIS PLAY ABOUT THAT SEGMENT. IF
YOU NOTICED, I'LL SHARPTON AND 
THE OTHER ORGANIZERS, WHEN THEY 
INTRODUCED THEM, THEY ALSO SAID 
THE STATES THAT THEY WERE FROM 
AND YOU SEE THAT THAT HELPED 
EVERYONE REALIZE THAT THIS IS A 
WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. AHMAUD 
ARBERY WAS FROM GEORGIA. 
YOU HAVE THE SITUATION WITH THE 
BLAKES IN WISCONSIN. YOU HAVE 
ALL DIFFERENT STATES, MIDWEST, 
SOUTH, ALL OF THAT SHOWS HOW BIG
THIS ISSUE IS. SANDRA BLAND WAS 
MENTIONED. SHE WAS 
FROM TEXAS. TAMIR RICE, 
CLEVELAND, OHIO. I THINK THAT 
ALSO AMPLIFIED WHAT THE 
ORGANIZERS WANTED TO SAY TODAY 
WHICH IS THAT  THIS IS A BIG 
PROBLEM AND A 
NATIONWIDE PROBLEM. 
>> Reporter: RHONDA COLEMAN 
REPORTING FOR US. LET'S TALK 
ABOUT SPORTS IN JUST THE 
MOMENTOUS SHIFT IN DECISIONS 
THAT ATHLETES HAVE BEEN MAKING 
THIS WEEK, HAVE BEEN MAKING 
PUBLIC. CONTINUING THE 
COMMITMENT THAT MANY OF THEM 
HAVE TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD 
FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING. THE NBA 
PLAYERS ASSOCIATION AND THE NBA 
HAVE RELEASED A JOINT AMEN TODAY
WHICH INCLUDED THIS COMMITMENT. 
IN EVERY CITY WHERE THE LEAK 
FRANCHISE OWNED AND CONTROLLED 
THE ARENA PROPERTY, KEY 
GOVERNORS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
WITH ELECTION FACILITATORS TO 
CONVERT THE FACILITY INTO A 
VOTING ELECTION FOR THE 2020 
GENERAL ELECTION. LET'S GO TO 
ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES, JERRY 
BREWER, A 
SPORTS COLUMNIST. JERRY, YOU 
HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL OF THIS.
I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS 
LATEST NEWS. THIS OF COURSE 
FOLLOWS THE COMMITMENT THAT 
PLAYERS HAVE HAD TO GET THE 
KILLINGS OF BLACK AMERICANS AT 
THE HANDS OF POLICE ON THE RADAR
OF EVERYONE. BUT LET'S TALK 
ABOUT THIS VERY LATEST NEWS. 
>> I THINK WHAT YOU ARE SAYING 
IS THAT THE PLAYERS REALIZED 
THAT NO MATTER THEIR POPULARITY 
OR THEIR DETERMINATION IN THIS 
MATTER, THEIR VOICES ARE 
LIMITED. A LOT OF THIS IS AN 
EFFORT TO CONVINCE, TO COMPEL 
OWNERSHIP 
TO LEND THEIR ACCESS AND THEIR 
INFLUENCE TO THE CAUSE. AND YOU 
CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, WELL 
WHAT DID TWO DAYS OF NOT PLAYING
BASKETBALL DO 
FOR YOU? WHILE YOU HAVE THE 
OWNERS MORE ENGAGED NOW. YOU ARE
GOING TO HAVE EVERY NBA ARENA 
TURN INTO EITHER A POLLING PLACE
OR A 
PLACE THAT CAN HELP WITH VOTER 
REGISTRATION. AND YOU JUST HAVE 
A GREATER COMMITMENT FROM THE 
ENTIRE LEAGUE. IT'S PLAYER 
LETTER, BUT NOW THE OWNERS HAVE 
MORE SKIN IN THE GAME THAN THEY 
HAVE 
EVER HAD. 
>> TALK TO US ABOUT THE 
FRUSTRATION THE PLAYERS, 
ESPECIALLY NBA PLAYERS HAVE BEEN
FEELING AS THEY ARE SORT OF IN 
THIS PROTECTIVE QUARANTINED 
BUBBLE LIVING IN A VERY 
DIFFERENT WORLD THAN A LOT OF 
OTHER AMERICANS. 
>> YEAH, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK 
AT IT AS SOCIETY IN GENERAL, 
WHAT WAS THE THING THAT REALLY 
MADE THIS A TIPPING POINT WITH 
GEORGE FLOYD? THE FACT THAT WE 
WERE IN 
ISOLATION. ISOLATION IS 
SIMPLIFIED. SOME OF THE 
DIVERSIONS, THE JOYS THAT WOULD 
OTHERWISE DISTRACT YOU ARE GONE.
I THINK YOU CAN SEE THE WORLD A 
LITTLE MORE FOR WHAT IT IS. AND 
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED THERE. AND 
IN THIS CASE NOW, THEY ARE BACK 
IN THEIR OWN VERSION OF 
ISOLATION IN THIS NBA BUBBLE, 
TRYING TO FINISH 
THE POSTSEASON. AND A LOT OF THE
THINGS THAT WOULD DISTRACT THEM 
OTHERWISE, INCLUDING THEIR OWN 
FAMILIES ARE NOT THERE. AND YET,
THEY STILL KEEP SEEING BLACK 
PEOPLE GET KILLED AND 
GET SHOT. AND THAT AFFECTED THEM
DEEPLY. AND THAT'S A HUGE REASON
WHY IT PUSHED THEM TO 
THIS MOMENT. IF THINGS WERE 
NORMAL, IF THERE WERE NO NOVEL 
CORONAVIRUS AND THEY WERE ABLE 
TO PLAY IN THEIR HOME ARENA'S 
AND THEY WERE TRAVELING ACROSS 
THE COUNTRY, IT WOULD HAVE HIT 
THEM DEEPLY, BUT I'M NOT SURE IT
WOULD HAVE SPURRED THEM TO THIS 
SORT OF ACTION. 
>> YOU WROTE A PIECE RECENTLY, 
NBA PLAYERS THAT A NEW STANDARD 
OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND NOW 
THERE'S NO GOING BACK. HOW DO 
YOU SEE THIS AS A CHANGE THAT 
WILL ONLY CONTINUE AND GROW? 
>> YES, IF YOU TAKE A STEP BACK,
YOU LOOK AND YOU SEE THE FACT 
THAT WE NEVER HAD A UNITED 
PROTEST LIKE THIS 
IN SPORTS. WHERE HE BASICALLY 
MADE IT SO THE ENTIRE LEAGUE HAD
TO GET ON BOARD WITH THIS. THAT 
IS NOW IN 
THE PLAYBOOK OF THINGS YOU WOULD
PROTEST 
IN SPORTS. AND WHILE I'M NOT 
CERTAIN THIS WILL EVER HAPPEN IN
TERMS OF A LEAGUE 
DOING THIS FOR RACIAL INJUSTICE,
HOWEVER THERE ARE CERTAIN 
INJUSTICES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO 
SPORTS. WE START TALKING ABOUT 
WOMEN AND FAIR PAY, WE START 
TALKING ABOUT THE 
PREDATORY NATURE IN LOCKER ROOMS
AND 
THROUGHOUT LEAKS, ALL THE WAY UP
AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL, WHEN YOU
START TALKING ABOUT THE 
WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM. WHEN 
YOU START TALKING ABOUT YOU 
KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A 
BETTER SYSTEM OF COMPENSATION IN
MAJOR COLLEGE SPORTS. NOW, THIS 
PLAYBOOK WOULD APPLY TO THESE 
THINGS. SO IF YOU ARE A LEADER 
IN SPORTS, AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR,
AND OWNER, A COACH, 
AN EXECUTIVE, THE MESSAGE SHOULD
BE THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE A 
BETTER SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION 
AND CONCERN ABOUT YOUR ATHLETES.
BECAUSE NOW, THE STANDARD FOR 
WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO DO TO 
RAISE YOUR VOICE IS HIGHER THAN 
IT'S EVER BEEN 
IN SPORTS. 
>> LET'S GIVE SOME ATTENTION TO 
THE WNBA, JERRY. BECAUSE AS YOU 
POINT OUT, TAKING A STAND IS NOT
NEW TO THE PLAYERS IN THAT LEAK.
>> YES, THE WNBA, IN TERMS OF 
SENSE 
OF PURPOSE, DEAFNESS OF THE WAY 
THAT 
THEY STRIKE. THEY ARE THE 
STANDARD SETTER IN THE LEAGUE. 
EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOOK AT THE
NBA AND MAYBE HISTORY REMEMBERS 
THEM FOR THIS MOMENT, BUT 
EVERYTHING THAT THE NBA HAS DONE
IS JUST A VARIATION AND AN 
EXPANSION OF THE WNBA'S AUDACITY
AND WILLINGNESS TO 
SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO HELP 
ASOCIAL CAUSE. 
>> JERRY, WHAT SHOULD WE BE 
KEEPING OUR 
EYE ON WITH YOUR TRAINED EYE 
LOOKING BOTH AT THIS CULTURAL 
MOMENT AS WELL AS SPORTS, WHAT 
SHOULD WE ALL BE WATCHING IN THE
COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS AS WE 
HEAD TO THE 2020 ELECTION? IN A 
THINK YOU ARE LOOKING FOR 
SINCERE PROGRESS TOWARD CHANGE. 
I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS 
THAT THIS CAN'T HAPPEN TOMORROW 
OR NEXT WEEK, BUT THERE'S GOING 
TO BE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON 
POLITICAL LEADERS TO REALLY 
ENGAGE AND CARE ABOUT 
THIS ISSUE. IT'S, THERE ARE SO 
MANY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE 
CORONAVIRUS, RACIAL INJUSTICE 
AND HOW IT INTERSECTS WITH 
SPORTS. IN BACK, WE CONTINUE TO 
WANT ALL THE DESERT WITHOUT 
DOING 
THE WORK. WE DON'T HAVE THE 
MAIL. NO ONE WANTS TO EAT THE 
ACTUAL MEAL. NO ONE WANTS TO 
ACTUALLY DO THE WORK AND YET WE 
SAY, WE WANT KIDS TO BE ABLE TO 
GO BACK INTO SCHOOL. WE WANT 
THIS AND WE WANT THAT. YOU'RE 
GOING TO HAVE TO PUT IN THE 
EFFORT FIRST. THE SAME THING 
APPLIES TO SPORTS. IF YOU WANT 
IT TO BE ALL FUN AND GAMES, MAKE
LIFE ALL FUN 
AND GAMES. 
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JERRY 
BREWER. GET TO 
SEE YOU. LET'S GO BACK TO THE 
NATIONAL MALL WHERE OUR 
COLLEAGUE, NICOLE ELLIS IS 
STANDING 
BY. NICOLE. 
>> LIBBY, YES. STILL AT THE 
NATIONAL MALL AS PEOPLE CONTINUE
TO 
FILE OUT. THINGS HAVE 
CONSIDERABLY LESSENED IN TERMS 
OF THE COW. AS THEY MAKE THEIR 
WAY TO THE MARTIN LUTHER 
KING MEMORIAL. SEVERAL PEOPLE 
HAVE UNFORTUNATELY PASSED OUT 
FROM HEATSTROKE. IT'S VERY HOT 
OUT HERE. ONE OF THESE MOST 
COMPELLING MOMENTS, ONE OF THE 
MOST COMPELLING PARTS OF THIS 
MOMENT IS THAT IT WAS INSPIRED 
BY THE -- OF GEORGE FLOYD. A 
COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE ACTUALLY 
SPOKE WITH -- JACKSON-LEE. SHE 
KIND OF ARTICULATED THE REASONS 
BEHIND WANTING TO REFLECT ON THE
HISTORY OF AMERICA AND REVISIT 
THE ENSLAVEMENT OF AFRICANS 
AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND WHY, 
FOR US RIGHT NOW, AS A COUNTRY, 
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY THINK
ABOUT THE PRESENT, BUT REALLY 
CONSIDER 
THE PAST AND HOW WE GRIEVE. 
LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT SHE 
HAD TO SAY. SHORTLY AFTER GEORGE
FLOYD PASSING A COUPLE MONTHS 
AGO. 
>> I THINK THE NATION NEEDS TO 
CRY. I THINK WE NEED TO WEEP. 
THIS WOUND IS 
VERY LARGE IN NOT OUR HEALING, 
THAT 
OUR TRANSFORMATION. IT IS 
CRUCIAL THAT WE LEAP INTO 
ANOTHER ERA. BECAUSE THE ONE 
THING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO 
CLING TO IS FREEDOM. AND 
HUMAN DECENCY. AND TO BE TREATED
IN A WAY THAT OUR LIFE, JOURNEY 
IS NOT FILLED WITH HUMID 
INDECENCY IN THE BLOCK LIVES NOT
ONLY MATTER,
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T VALUE A 
LIFE, YOU CAN TAKE A LIFE. BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND SHOULD 
BE VALUED. IN WE HEARD HER ECHO 
THOSE SAME STATEMENTS TODAY AND 
WE HEARD IT THROUGHOUT SO MUCH 
OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY. FROM 
PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO HERE 
IN THE PUBLIC BETTER DEEPLY 
CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT 
THEIR LIVES ARE VALUED. THIS HAS
BECOME A UNIVERSAL CONVERSATION 
ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE LIVES OF 
PEOPLE OF COLOR HERE IN AMERICA,
BUT ALSO THE HISTORY OF 
ENSLAVEMENT. WOULD ALSO STOOD 
OUT TO ME 
IS WHEN THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID 
WHETHER OR NOT YOUR ANCESTORS 
PICKED COTTON OR PICKED 
SUGARCANE, WE ARE ALL ON THE 
SAME BOAT. HOW IT NOT ONLY 
AFFECTED CENTRAL AND 
SOUTH AMERICA, AND HOW THIS 
MOMENT TRANSCENDS TIME AND 
FORCES US TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY
AND WHAT BROUGHT US HERE TODAY. 
AT THE 57th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
ORIGINAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND
HOW WE WILL 
MOVE FORWARD. 
>> NICOLE ELLIS LIVE ON THE 
WASHINGTON MALL. LET'S GO TO 
HANNAH JEWELL. THANK YOU FOR 
BEARING WITH THE DELAY. IT'S 
PRETTY AMAZING WE CAN EVEN GET 
TO YOU, HANNAH. THERE ARE SO 
MANY PEOPLE ON THE MALL THAT WE 
ARE KIND OF JAMMED WITH SIGNALS.
LET ME TOSS IT TO 
YOU, HANNAH.
>> HI, LIBBY. I'VE MOVED OVER TO
THE REFLECTING POOL ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF LINKING MEMORIAL WHERE 
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WATER, 
CALLING OFF.
I'M ALSO HERE WITH SANDRA 
THOMPSON WHO CAME HERE FROM 
PENNSYLVANIA. SANDRA, WHY DID 
YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE JOURNEY 
TO COME OUT? 
>> FOR TAYLOR, FOR ERIC GARNER, 
FOR ALL THE NAMES THAT HAVE 
UNJUSTLY LOST THEIR LIVES, FOR 
THE 17-YEAR-OLD WHO CAN BE ARMED
WITH AN ASSAULT RIFLE AND THEY 
CAN WALK 
THAT PATH
TOWARDS POLICE AND BE JUSTIFIED 
AND CONGRATULATED BY COMMUNITY. 
THAT IS WHY WE MARCH. THAT IS 
WHY WE SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH AND 
THAT IS WHY WE SET A TIME FOR 
ACTION AND THE FIRST ACTION IS 
TO VOTE. 
>> DO YOU REALLY SEE THIS 
MARCH TODAY AS A WAY TO GATHER 
MOMENTUM TOWARDS THE SELECTION? 
>> OH, IT'S GREAT. IT'S GREAT 
GREATLY MORE THAN THAT. BUT 
THERE ARE MANY PIECES TO 
THE PUZZLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS 
EQUITY THAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR.
AND VOTING IS ONE OF THE LARGER 
PIECES BECAUSE
IF THE PAST, OFFICE AND UNITED 
STATES OF AMERICA ENCOURAGES 
VIOLENCE AGAINST THE PEOPLE, 
THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE
THEIR FIRST. AND ALSO, SENATE 
AND CONGRESS WHO SUPPORT THEM AS
WELL. BUT THIS IS IN EVERY 
HOUSING AND EVERY ECONOMIC AND 
WORKPLACES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE 
AND PRISON IN SCHOOL REFORM. 
AND HEALTHCARE. SO THERE ARE 
MANY FRONTS TO 
THIS HORROR. 
>> HAVE YOU BEEN TO ANY OF THE 
OTHER BLACK LIVES MATTER 
PROTESTS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT AT 
NIGHT? WHAT DO YOU SEE THE ROLE 
OF THOSE KINDS OF MORE 
SPONTANEOUS PROTESTS COMPARED TO
ONES LIKE THIS THAT ARE SO 
ORGANIZED? 
>> WELL, I'VE BEEN TO 
SPONTANEOUS AS WELL AS ORGANIZED
AND THE 
GREATEST ROLE
IS TO KEEP AWARENESS, TO KEEP 
THE ENERGY, SO I AM SO THANKFUL 
FOR ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE AS YOU 
JUST MENTIONED, THE 
12-YEAR-OLDS, SHOWING ENERGY AND
ENERGIZING THE OLDER FOLKS THAT 
I SAW HER RESTING ALONG THE 
WATER. SO THAT IS COMMUNITY AND 
THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP 
RECOGNIZING IS THAT WE ARE ALL 
ONE COMMUNITY AND WE NINE THE 
SUPPORT OF EACH OTHER. 
>> AND FINALLY, WHAT IS THE 
PREVAILING EMOTION THAT YOU ARE 
LEAVING HERE TODAY WITH? 
>> 
HOPE, PEACE, THAT'S THE BASIC. 
HOPE. 
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO
US. 
>> THANKS SO MUCH, HANNAH 
JEWELL. HANNAH TALKING ABOUT THE
CHILDREN THAT ARE THERE. OUR 
WASHINGTON POST LIVE BLOG. THEY 
HAVE 
BEEN DOCUMENTING WITH WHAT THEY 
ARE REPORTING HIM. THEY'RE 
TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF KIDS 
THERE WITH THEIR FAMILIES. TOO 
SMALL TO EVEN SEE ABOVE THE 
CROWD. BUT STILL PRESENT. AND 
JUST TRYING TO SORT OF 
UNDERSTAND AND PROCESS AND LEARN
ABOUT HOW THIS WORLDVIEWS THEM, 
ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE YOUNG 
BLACK CHILDREN. EUGENE SCOTT, 
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MESSAGE 
THAT WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE TODAY 
IF THEY THINK ABOUT THE YOUNG 
GENERATIONS. WE HEARD SO MANY 
FAMILIES TALK ABOUT THEIR FEARS 
AND CONCERNS FOR THEIR OWN 
CHILDREN. 
>> ABSOLUTELY. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT'S REALLY FASCINATING ABOUT 
THIS MOMENT IS HOW MANY YOUNG 
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AT THE 
FOREFRONT OF MOVING THIS 
CONVERSATION FORWARD. 
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT 
ANTI-BLACK RACISTS POLICING. 
WHEN YOU LOOK AT MARCHES LIKE 
THESE, YOU SEE DIVERSITY IN WAYS
THAT WE DID NOT IN THE PAST 
PERHAPS FIVE YEARS. BUT IF YOU 
GO 
BACK TO THE DAYS OF FERGUSON 
WHEN MIKE BROWN WAS KILLED BY 
POLICE, MANY OF THE ACTIVISTS 
WERE YOUNG ADULTS, COLLEGE 
STUDENTS, EVEN HIGH SCHOOL 
STUDENTS. AND THEY WERE ON THE 
FRONT LINES BEFORE WE GOT TO THE
POINT WHERE THESE MARCHES 
INCLUDED WHITE GRANDMOTHERS FROM
THE SUBURBS. AND SO, I THINK 
MANY OF THE SPEAKERS WERE TRYING
TO ENCOURAGE 
THE NEXT GENERATION TO KNOW THAT
THEY TOO CAN FOLLOW IN THE 
LEGACY OF PEOPLE LIKE JOHN LEWIS
WHO WAS A VERY YOUNG MAN WHEN HE
GOT INVOLVED IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT TO MAKE LAWMAKERS 
AND MAKE LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS
WORLD PAY ATTENTION TO THESE 
ISSUES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE 
LIVES OF SO MANY AMERICANS. PART
OF MOVING THAT CONVERSATION 
FORWARD IS BUT ALSO HOLDING 
THOSE IN 
WASHINGTON ACCOUNTABLE
. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S AN ELECTION 
YEAR, WHICH IS ANOTHER FOCUS. AS
VOCAL AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
DURING THE SELECTION, ABOUT 
THEIR POLITICAL PREFERENCES, WE 
DID NOT SEE TURNOUT IN THE 
PRIMARY FROM VOTERS. 
PARTICULARLY, GENERATION Z 
AS MANY
WERE HOPING WOULD BE THE CASE. I
EXPECT MOVING FORWARD TO SEE 
MORE LEADERS MOVE AND CALL ON 
YOUNG AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY 
THOSE ON THE LEFT WHO ARE REALLY
OWNING THIS PROTEST MOMENT TO 
ACTUALLY LET THEIR MARCHES LEAD 
THEM TO THE POLLING PLACES TO 
CAST THEIR BALLOTS FOR A 
LAWMAKER OR SHOULD I SAY AN 
ELECTED OFFICIAL, PRESIDENTIAL 
CANDIDATE THAT THEY HOPE WILL 
ACTUALLY LEAD TO SOME SYSTEMIC 
CHANGE. 
>> 
WE HEARD AL SHARPTON SAY VOTE 
LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER VOTED 
BEFORE. VOTE FROM THE TOP TO THE
BOTTOM, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE 
DOGCATCHER. DAVID MONTGOMERY, 
HOW IS AL SHARPTON THINKING 
ABOUT THIS 
GENERATIONAL MOMENT? AND SOMEONE
WHO WAS 
OBVIOUSLY KEY. HOW IS HE TRYING 
TO CONNECT WITH THE YOUNGEST 
GENERATION AND IF HE WORRIED 
ABOUT SAVING OUT OF TOUCH OR 
SAVING NOT AT THE FRONT 
OF THIS MOMENT? 
>> YES, I THINK HE DEFINITELY 
IS. HE IS SENSITIVE TO HIS PLACE
IN HISTORY AS NOW THE ELDER 
GENERATION OF LEADERS, BUT SUPER
AWARE 
OF ITS. THE FUTURE IS IN THE 
HANDS OF FOLKS COMING UP BEHIND 
HIM. AND HE SAYS 
OFTEN THAT THE YOUNG ACTIVISTS 
GIVE HIM HOPE AND AS A 
DEMONSTRATION OF THAT, HE HAS 
BEEN CALLING THIS MARCH AN 
INTERGENERATIONAL MARCH AND 
THAT'S JUST A SLOGAN THAT WE HAD
TO SEE TODAY IF IT TURNED OUT TO
BE REAL. AND IT WAS. THERE WERE 
MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, FAMILIES, ALL
GENERATIONS OUT THERE AND HE 
EVEN ENTRUSTED, I THOUGHT THIS 
WAS INTERESTING. HE INTERESTED 
THE PLANNING AND LOGISTICS TO 
HIS WASHINGTON OFFICE AT 
THE NATIONAL NETWORK. THAT WAS 
HEADED BY A YOUNG WOMAN IN HER 
30s AND ALL THE STAFFERS ARE IN 
THEIR 20s AND 30s. AND HE IS 
CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THOSE
FOLKS ARE GOING TO MAKE THE 
MOVEMENT OF THE FUTURE. I 
ALSO THOUGHT, ON YOUNG PEOPLE'S 
MESSAGES, I THOUGHT THE SPEAKERS
THEY CHOSE, I THOUGHT TO YOUNG 
WOMEN MADE TWO OF THE MOST 
POWERFUL POINTS. THERE WAS 
YOLANDA RENE KING, THE 
GRANDDAUGHTER OF DR. KING SAID, 
I THINK SHE WAS PARAPHRASING HER
GRANDFATHER. SHE SAID THIS WAS A
MOMENT, THIS WAS THE FIRST PHASE
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS PHASE AND 
THE NEXT PHASE IS THE PHASE OF 
GENUINE EQUALITY. AND ON THAT 
SAME POINT, I THOUGHT THE JACOB 
LAKES SISTER GAVE A VERY SHORT 
AND PASSIONATE ADDRESS, WHERE 
SHE SAID 
TO AMERICA, CATERING TO YOUR 
DELUSIONS IS NO LONGER AN 
OPTION. I THOUGHT THOSE ARE TWO 
DIFFERENT WAYS OF TALKING ABOUT 
FINALLY GETTING REAL ABOUT 
INJUSTICE AND SYSTEMIC RACISM 
AND THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE. 
EVERY GENERATION OF ACTIVISTS 
HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND 
SOMEHOW, WE NEVER QUITE GET 
THERE IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE 
SAYING, 
LET'S BE GENUINE THIS TIME. WAS 
MAKE IT AUTHENTIC. LET'S MAKE IT
REAL. LET'S MAKE IT NOT BE AN 
ALLUSION. I THOUGHT THAT WAS 
PRETTY IMPORTANT. WE'RE RHONDA 
COLEMAN, LET'S TURN TO YOU FOR 
FUN I THOUGHT. IT'S REALLY A 
MOMENTOUS MONTH INTERNATIONAL 
STORY AS WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT
THE 
ECONOMIC CRISIS WITH COVID-19. 
THIS STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS 
AND THE FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE.
AND THEN, THE BACKDROP OF THE 
TWO CONVENTIONS HAPPENING RIGHT 
HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WHAT 
ARE YOU LOOKING TOWARDS? WHAT 
DOES SEPTEMBER LOOK LIKE FOR 
BOTH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING
IN THIS STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL 
RIGHTS AS WELL AS THE POLITICAL 
SEASON THAT 
CONTINUES ON? 
>> WRITES. I THINK POLITICS 
WOULD HAVE INTERRUPTED A LOT OF 
THE CALLS FOR POLICE REFORM AND 
A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE 
WERE HAVING BACK IN MAY AND JUNE
ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY. BUT I 
THINK TODAY, THEY BROUGHT IT 
BACK TO THE FOREFRONT AND COMING
RIGHT AFTER THE RNC, I THINK 
THAT ALMOST FELT LIKE IT WAS IN 
THE DISTANT PAST EVEN THOUGH IT 
WAS LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO. I 
THINK WHAT I NOTICED TODAY IS 
THAT THERE IS A UNIFIED EFFORT 
THAT HASN'T REALLY GONE 
ANYWHERE. THE MOMENTUM DID NOT 
SLOW AFTER THE INITIAL PROTESTS 
OF THE GEORGE FLOYD SITUATION. 
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS YOU KNOW,
MORE OF THIS UNIFIED EFFORT THAT
WE SAW TODAY. I ALSO WOULD LIKE 
TO NOTE THAT YOU ARE WATCHING 
SOME OF THE SPEAKERS. THERE IS 
DIVERSITY AMONG SPEAKERS TODAY. 
WE HEARD SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE 
LATINO COMMUNITY, THE LATINO 
ADVOCACY GROUPS WHO WERE 
SPEAKING TODAY. YOU HEARD FROM A
WOMAN WHO REPRESENTED AN 
ARAB-AMERICAN GROUP. THERE ARE A
LOT OF VOICES THAT ARE COMING 
TOGETHER IN THIS COURSE FOR 
SOCIAL CHANGE. SO I THINK THE 
MOMENTUM ONLY BUILDS FROM NOW 
THROUGH NOVEMBER. 
>> WE HEARD FRUSTRATION FROM 
SPEAKERS ABOUT LEGISLATION NOT 
GETTING PASSED IN THIS 
DIVIDED CONGRESS WITH DEMOCRATS 
HOLDING THE HOUSE AND OF COURSE,
DONALD TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> YES, WE HEARD A LOT OF THEM 
BRING BACK THE GEORGE FLOYD 
JUSTICE IN POLICING ACT. THAT'S 
THE HOUSE BILL THAT WAS 
SPEARHEADED BY THE NATIONAL 
BLACK CONGRESS AND 
KAMALA HARRIS, IT PASSED THE 
HOUSE, BUT IN THE SENATE, TIM 
SCOTT OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HE WAS 
LEADING 
THE REPUBLICAN ANSWER TO A 
POLICING BILL AND THAT HAS NOT 
GONE ANYWHERE. AND FROM WHAT I 
HAVE HEARD FROM MY CONTACTS ON 
THE HILL, I SPOKE WITH KAREN 
BASS A FEW WEEKS AGO. SHE SAID 
THAT THERE ARE NO FORMAL 
NEGOTIATIONS ANYMORE OVER THOSE 
BILLS AND HOW TO BRING THE HOUSE
AND THE SENATE VERSION TOGETHER.
SO RIGHT NOW, AS IT STANDS 
TODAY, THOSE CALLS TO BRING BACK
THAT BILL 
ARE STILL BEING HEARD. THERE HAS
BEEN NO MOVEMENT. SO WE WILL SEE
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TODAY ON 
THIS. 
>> AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH
YOUR REPORTING AS YOU REPORT 
FROM CAPITOL HILL, REMOTELY. 
ON ZOOM. IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK
WITH YOU THESE PAST COUPLE WEEKS
ON THE CONVENTION. RHONDA 
COLEMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHAT
A REMARKABLE WEEK HERE IN THE 
NATION'S CAPITAL. I WANT TO 
THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR JOINING 
US AND ENRICHING THIS MOMENT 
WITH THEIR CONTEXT, ANALYSIS AND
REPORTING. AND THEY DO THAT 
EVERY DAY. I HOPE YOU SUPPORT 
OUR JOURNALISM BY TAKING A 
MOMENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE TO 
SUBSCRIBE TO THE WASHINGTON POST
AND FOLLOW US ONLINE. I'M LIBBY 
CASEY. HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE DAY.
