African Americans expected a lot of President Obama. The jury is split on whether he delivered — what’s not in question is his ability to tackle the subject of race when needed.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00There is not a black America, and a white America, and Latino America, and Asian America.
00:07There's the United States of America.
00:31I am Trayvon! I am Trayvon!
00:37When Trayvon Martin was first shot, I said that this could have been my son.
00:43Another way of saying that is, Trayvon Martin could have been me.
00:47When you think about why, in the African American community at least, there's a lot of pain.
00:53The African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences.
00:59And a history that doesn't go away.
01:08And one afternoon, 50 years ago, so much of our turbulent history,
01:13the stain of slavery and anguish of civil war,
01:17the yoke of segregation and tyranny of Jim Crow, met on this bridge.
01:21We just need to open our eyes and our ears and our hearts
01:25to know that this nation's racial history still casts its long shadow upon us.
01:33The fact is, in too many parts of this country,
01:36a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color.
01:40Some of this is the result of the legacy of racial discrimination in this country.
01:45And this is tragic because nobody needs good policing more than poor communities with higher crime rates.
01:52We need to recognize that this is not just an issue for Ferguson, this is an issue for America.
02:01This is not the first time that black churches have been attacked.
02:04This is a place of worship that was founded by African Americans seeking liberty.
02:10This is a church that was burned to the ground because its worshipers worked to end slavery.
02:18The good news is I am confident that the outpouring of unity and strength and fellowship and love across Charleston today,
02:26from all races, from all faiths, indicates the degree to which those old vestiges of hatred can be overcome.
02:38That certainly was Dr. King's hope just over 50 years ago.
02:42Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.