>>> WELCOME BACK AND SPEAKING OF
HISTORY, WHAT A CALL-BACK TODAY
TO A SCENE FROM 57 YEARS AGO
TODAY.
AMERICANS DESCENDING ON THE
NATION’S CAPITAL.
PEACEFUL CROWDS SURROUNDING THE
REFLECTING POOL WITH URGENT
PLEAS FOR VOTING RIGHTS, AN END
TO POLICE BRUTALITY, A CALL FOR
RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.
BACK ON AUGUST 28 OF 1963, IT
WAS CALLED THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM.
REMEMBERED FOREVER FOR THE "I
HAVE A DREAM" SPEECH BY THE LATE
REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING
JR.
IT HAD TO BE MODERNIZED FOR
2020, SO TODAY’S GATHERING WAS
BILLED AS THE COMMITMENT MARCH.
GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS.
AN OBVIOUS REFERENCE TO THE LATE
GEORGE FLOYD, IT COMES DAY AFTER
JACOB BLAKE WAS SHOT SEVEN TIMES
BY POLICE.
AND JUST LIKE 57 YEARS AGO,
TODAY’S SPEAKERS CALLED FOR
JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND AN END TO SYSTEMIC RACISM.
SYSTEMIC RACISM.
♪ IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME
COMING ♪
♪ CHANGE IS GONNA COME ♪
♪ OH, YES, IT WILL ♪
>> IT WAS ON THIS DAY IN 1963
THAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
AND OUR NEWLY BELOVED ANCESTORS
JOHN LEWIS AND C.T. VIVIAN SPOKE
FROM THIS VERY SPOT.
>> FOR CONGRESSMAN LEWIS, THE
BRUTAL MURDER OF EMMETT TILL IS
WHAT SHOOK LOOSE THE ACTIVIST
INSIDE HIM.
IT WAS THE START OF A LIFELONG
JOURNEY TOWARDS SERVICE AND
DRIVING CHANGE, THE SAME JOURNEY
THAT COUNTLESS YOUNG LEADERS ARE
BUILDING UPON AS WE SPEAK.
AS JOHN PUT IT, EMMETT TILL WAS
MY GEORGE FLOYD.
HE WAS MY RAYSHARD BROOKS,
SANDRA BLAND, AND BREONNA
TAYLOR.
>> WE’VE GONE FROM A
MEAN-SPIRITED SHERIFF TO A
MEAN-SPIRITED PRESIDENT.
MR. TRUMP, LOOK RIGHT DOWN THE
BLOCK FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE’VE COME TO WASHINGTON BY THE
THOUSANDS.
WE GONNA CALL THEY NAME.
>> THERE ARE TWO SYSTEMS OF
JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE’S A WHITE SYSTEM, AND
THERE’S A BLACK SYSTEM.
THE BLACK SYSTEM AIN’T DOING SO
WELL, BUT WE’RE GONNA STAND UP.
EVERY BLACK PERSON IN THE UNITED
STATES IS GONNA STAND UP.
WE’RE TIRED!
>> HOW WOULD THE HISTORY BOOKS
REMEMBER YOU?
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LEGACY?
WILL YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS
REMEMBER YOU FOR YOUR
COMPLACENCY, YOUR INACTION, OR
WILL THEY REMEMBER YOU FOR YOUR
EMPATHY, YOUR LEADERSHIP?
>> THERE’S A KNEE UPON THE NECK
OF DEMOCRACY, AND OUR NATION CAN
ONLY LIVE SO LONG WITHOUT THE
OXYGEN OF FREEDOM.
>> WHAT WE NEED IS CHANGE, AND
WE’RE AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN
GET THAT CHANGE, BUT WE HAVE TO
STAND TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TO VOTE.
>> WE WILL MEET THE MOMENT.
WE WILL WORK TOWARDS HEALING,
JUSTICE, AND COLLECTIVE
LIBERATION LIKE OUR LIVES DEPEND
ON IT BECAUSE THEY DO.
>> WE STAND AND MARCH FOR LOVE,
AND WE WILL FULFILL MY GRANDFATHER’S DREAM!
GRANDFATHER’S DREAM!
♪ IT’S BEEN A LONG ♪
♪ AND I KNOW CHANGE IS GONNA COME ♪
COME ♪