>>> PROTESTING ANTHEMS. YES, WE CHANT.
A MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE. IT'S LIKE WE'RE DANCING TO THE
MINISTRY OF, IT'S THE ENERGY OF AND THE MEMORY OF THEM THAT WE
LOVE. THE TRINITY OF THE PEOPLE, THE
PEACE, THE POWER. THE TRUTH WE SPEAK TO POWER IS
EVEN LOUDER. WE CAN SEE IT BLACKER, WE CAN
SAY IT PROUDER. A WOMAN VICE PRESIDENT THAT WENT
TO HOWARD. NOW WE TALK HEALTH AND BLACK
BUSINESSES AND OUR DIFFERENCES IS MAGNIFICENCE.
BRINGING LIGHT TO THE POOR WERE THE PRISONS IS.
I WAS TOLD GOOD LIGHT IS WHERE FORGIVENESS IS.
ASCENSION IS TO LEAVE WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND AND FEED THE SEEDS
TO BLESS THE MIND, CARESS THE MIND, REQUEST THE JUSTIFYING
WHERE YOU AND GOD IN TIME ARE BEST IN LINE.
POWER REFINED FOR THIS WHOLE DEMONSTRATION.
WE'RE GOING TO DIG DEEP INTO THE
SOUL OF A NATION.
♪♪
>>> WELCOME TO "SOUL OF A NATION." I'M STERLING KAY BROWN.
TONIGHT AND FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE WILL TAKE YOU A JOURNEY
ACROSS AMERICA FROM THE PULPIT TO THE SOUND STAGE.
FROM THE COAST TO THE KITCHEN. YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN BY THAT
LATER. WE'RE HERE TO EXPLORE THE AUTHENTIC LIVES AND EXPERIENCES
OF BLACK FOLKS IN THIS COUNTRY. TONIGHT'S THEME, "RECKONINGS."
IT'S A WORD WE'VE ALL BEEN HEARING A LOT OF LATELY.
BUT HAS AMERICA REALLY MOVED INTO A MOMENT OF RACIAL
RECKONING? TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR FROM A WOMAN
WHO WORKED TO PASS THE FIRST RECONCILIATION IN AMERICA.
AND JOHN LEGEND GETS LIFTED. OUR FIRST STORY WALKS IN THE
LARGE SHOES OF HARRY DUNN, A 6 FOOT 7 INCH BLACK MAN WHO
ALONG WITH HIS FELLOW CAPITOL POLICE OFFICERS, FOUND HIMSELF
AT THE HEART OF JANUARY'S BRUTAL INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL,
LEFT TO CONFRONT A QUESTION MANY OF US HAVE ASKED ‐‐ IS THIS
AMERICA? A WARNING, THIS SEGMENT CONTAINS
STRONG LANGUAGE. HE SITS DOWN WITH ABC'S CHIEF
JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT, PIERRE
THOMAS.
>> I WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AS A KID.
EVERYBODY, I THINK, IS INGRAINED IN YOU TO WANNA HELP AND BE A
GOOD PERSON, AT THAT AGE.
>> WAS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT CAPITOL POLICE IN PARTICULAR?
>> NO. IT JUST HAD A LOT OF PRESTIGE
WITH IT. THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AT THE
CAPITOL.
>> FIRST TIME I WENT IN WAS WHEN I GOT HIRED.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. IT WAS BUILT BY SLAVES.
LIKE, THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
>> I GREW UP IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
FATHER WHO COULD BARELY READ. MOTHER WHO CLEANED WHITE FOLKS'
HOUSES. AND I'M ON NATIONAL TV. AND I'M WALKIN' IN THE CAPITOL.
AND I'M, LIKE, "WOW." IT'S HARD TO NOT BE IN AWE OF IT
WHEN YOU SEE IT.
>> LET'S GO TO JANUARY 6th.
WHAT'S THE FIRST MOMENT THAT YOU BEGAN TO GET A SENSE THAT
SOMETHIN' IS OFF KILTER HERE?
>> WE WERE TOLD TO GET HELMETS, RIOT HELMETS. THAT WAS NEW.
THE CROWDS JUST CONTINUE TO GROW AND GROW AND GROW. LIKE, WHOA.
IT ‐‐ YOU JUST SEE A SEA OF PEOPLE, TRUMP FLAGS, CONFEDERATE
FLAGS.
>> MULTIPLE CAPITOL INJURIES!
>> WE FOUGHT WITH THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE PREPARED FOR A FIGHT.
THEY HAD ON BODY ARMOR. THEY HAD ON TWO‐WAY RADIOS.
THEY HAD ON TACTICAL GEAR, BULLETPROOF VESTS.
THEY WERE READY TO GO. AT ONE POINT, WE'RE IN THE
BUILDING NOW. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER THAT I SAW
WAS A GUY WITH A BLUE LIVES MATTER FLAG.
AND I SAID TO THE GUY, BUT YOU'RE ALL KICKIN' OUR ASS OUT
HERE WITH THAT FLAG. AND AS ONE OF THE GUYS KEPT
WALKING BY, THE OTHER ONE PULLED OUT HIS BADGE, AND SAID, "TRUST
ME, I UNDERSTAND. WE'RE DOIN' THIS FOR YOU, BUDDY."
YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME. THEY CALLED US TRAITORS.
>> TRAITORS!
>> HOLD THE LINE PATRIOTS! HOLD THE LINE!
>> THIS IS OUR HOUSE! GET OFF OUR PROPERTY!
>> SO I ENCOUNTERED A GROUP OF 30, 40 PEOPLE.
THEY JUST STARTED TALKIN' TO ME. THEY WERE SAYING HOW JOE BIDEN
DID NOT WIN THE ELECTION. AND NOBODY VOTED FOR HIM.
SO I TOOK THE BAIT. AND I ‐‐ "OKAY, WHAT ABOUT ME?
I VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN. DOES MY VOTE NOT COUNT?"
AND THEN A GUY AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, SHE HAD ON A PINK
MAGA SHIRT, SAID, "HEY, THIS
[ BLEEP ] VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN,
GUYS. HEY, EVERYBODY, THIS [ BLEEP ]
VOTED FOR JOE BIDEN." THEY SAY, "YOU [ BLEEP ] ‐‐"
>> SO THE CROWD JOINED IN WITH ‐‐
>> EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY JOINED IN WITH HIM.
IT DIDN'T REGISTER WITH ME AT THE TIME THAT I WAS A TARGET OF
JUST A RACIST ATTACK.
>> YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN THE SOUTH.
I'VE BEEN CALLED THAT WORD. THE WORD IS A WEAPON.
IT'S A WEAPON TO INFLICT PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE.
IT'S A WORD TO INFLICT PHYSICAL DAMAGE.
YOU FEEL SOME KINDA WAY ABOUT IT ONCE IT'S SAID TO YOU.
YOU'RE IN THE CAPITOL, DEFENDING THE CAPITOL.
AND SOMEHOW RACE SEEPED INTO THAT, TOO.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO SAY THAT IT WAS ABOUT POLITICS AND
EVERYTHING. BUT IT WAS A LARGE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE IN THAT CROWD THAT WERE RACIST.
THEY FOUGHT US. THEY HAD CONFEDERATE FLAGS IN
THE U. S. CAPITOL.
>> FOR PEOPLE THAT TALK ABOUT THE CONFEDERATE FLAG AND THE
CONFEDERACY AND SAY IT WAS NOBLE, AND IT'S HERITAGE, I HAVE
A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FACT‐BASED RESPONSE TO THAT.
TRAITORS, TREASON, YOU LOST. SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT THAT FLAG MEANS. IT REPRESENTS A CULTURE AND A
HERITAGE.
YEAH, OF RACISM.
SO WE SEE OTHER AGENCIES MOVING THROUGH THE BUILDING AND
CLEARING OUT AREAS. I'M EXHAUSTED.
MY SHIRT'S DRENCHED IN SWEAT, PEPPER SPRAY.
I GOT BLOOD AND CUTS ON MY KNUCKLES.
AND I SAT DOWN IN THE ‐‐ THE ROTUNDA, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT
EARLIER. YOU LOOK UP, AND YOU'RE JUST IN
AWE. BUT THIS TIME YOU LOOK UP, IT'S
JUST A CLOUD OF SMOKE.
>> THE ROTUNDA?
>> THE ROTUNDA.
>> THE PINNACLE ‐‐
>> OF THE C ‐‐
>> ‐‐ OF DEMOCRACY. ‐‐ AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
AND I SAT DOWN WITH A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND I SAID, "WHAT
THE HELL HAPPENED?"
AND I JUST STARTED TO CRY.
AND I TOLD HIM, "I GOT CALLED A
[ BLEEP ] COUPLE DOZEN TIMES
TODAY, PROTECTIN' THIS BUILDIN'.
IS THIS AMERICA?
>> AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT ORIGINAL SIN OF THIS COUNTRY, IT
ALWAYS SEEPS ITS WAY BACK IN. WHY CAN'T WE ESCAPE THAT?
>> BECAUSE THIS IS AMERICA. IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS WAY.
A LOT OF MY WHITE OFFICER COWORKERS, THEY DIDN'T CALL ‐‐
GET CALLED A [ BLEEP ]. SO WE ALL FOUGHT THE SAME
BATTLES, BUT THEY WERE DIFFERENT. IT'S A TOUGH ‐‐ IT'S A TOUGH
BALANCE THAT BEING A BLACK MAN AND A BLACK POLICE OFFICER.
>> I SEE A MAN WHO FOUGHT TO DO HIS JOB, WHO FOUGHT FOR
DEMOCRACY. THE WORD "PATRIOTISM" IS GOIN'
AROUND ALL THE TIME IN THIS COUNTRY.
BLACK PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, WE OFTEN DON'T GET THE CREDIT THAT
WE'RE DUE FOR BEING AS PATRIOTIC AS WE ARE.
GRANDFATHER, WORLD WAR I, CAME HOME TO SEGREGATION.
PEOPLE FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR II, SAME DEAL, CAME HOME TO
SEGREGATION. AND I THINK DOC RIVERS SAID
SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT, "WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY EVEN WHEN
IT DOESN'T LOVE US BACK SOMETIMES."
>> WHEN YOU THINK OF THE WORD "PATRIOTISM" AS A BLACK MAN,
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> THOSE TERRORISTS ON THE 6th, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE
PATRIOTS. SELF PROCLAIMED PATRIOTS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO USE ‐‐ I WON'T USE THE WORD "PATRIOT."
>> I DONT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AT ALL.
IF PEOPLE GET ANYTHING OUT OF THIS INTERVIEW, IT WAS REAL
PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING DEFENDING THE CONGRESS AND
DEMOCRACY.
>> REAL PEOPLE.
>> NOT "THE POLICE." NO, REAL PEOPLE.
>> REAL AMERICANS. I WANT THAT MESSAGE TO BE KNOWN
THAT WE FOUGHT HARD TO DEFEND DEMOCRACY AND PROTECT EACH OTHER.
AND I WANT THAT POINT TO BE KNOWN THAT I'M PROUD OF THEM.
AND WE FOUGHT REALLY HARD.
>> COMING UP ‐‐ JOHN LEGEND IS SOUL PERSONIFIED,
BUT THIS YEAR HE EXPANDED HIS ARTISTRY AND HIS ACTIVISM.
>> I COULD CHOOSE TO NOT BE RISKY.
BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE I CAN'T BE THAT PERSON.
THAT'S NEXT ON SOUL OF A NATION.
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "SOUL OF A NATION."
TO JOHN LEGEND, ART AND ACTIVISM GO TOGETHER LIKE THE BLACK AND
WHITE KEYS AT HIS FINGERTIPS. HE BELIEVES SONGS ARE CAPABLE OF
CREATING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE. AND FOR HIM, MUSIC SERVES AS A
SOUNDTRACK OF RESILIENCE AT A TIME WHEN HIS HEART, AND ALL OF
OUR HEARTS ARE BREAKING. HERE'S ABC'S ADRIENNE BANKERT.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RECKONING, WE CAN'T DO THE RECKONING
WITHOUT DOING A REAL ASSESSMENT OF WHAT AMERICAN HISTORY HAS
BEEN. AMERICA PROMISED ALL THESE IDEALS, BUT BLACK PEOPLE WERE
LIKE, HEY, BUT WHAT ABOUT US? YOU TOLD US IT WAS ABOUT
EQUALITY. YOU TOLD US THAT ALL MEN AND
WOMEN WERE CREATED EQUAL. YOU TOLD US THAT WE HAD EQUAL
PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW, BUT YOU DIDN'T FULFILL THAT PROMISE
AND WE ARE EVIDENCE OF THAT. BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING
THAT FOR CENTURIES.
♪ WE SHALL OVERCOME ♪
>> AND THERE HAVE BEEN GENERATIONS SINGING ABOUT IT.
SONGS LIKE "WE SHALL OVERCOME" FOR JUST AS LONG.
JOHN LEGEND IS NO EXCEPTION.
♪ ONE DAY WHEN THE GLORY COMES ♪
USING ANTHEMS LIKE "GLORY" THAT HE CO‐WROTE FOR THE FILM "SELMA"
TO CONNECT ART AND ACTIVISM. FOR HIM, IT'S ABOUT STORYTELLING.
FROM HIS HIT SINGLE, "ORDINARY PEOPLE."
♪ WE'RE JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE ♪
TO THE INTIMATE BALLAD "ALL OF ME," HE AIMS TO CONNECT
WITH HIS AUDIENCE, AND CONNECT THEM TO EACH OTHER.
>> I LOVE ART BECAUSE ART HELPS US ENVISION A NEW WORLD.
IT HELPS US BECOME CLOSER TO EACH OTHER, IT HELPS US SEE EACH
OTHER'S HUMANITY.
>> WITH GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT
HAPPENED. WAS YOUR HEART BREAKING?
I MEAN, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
>> AT FIRST I WAS JUST MAD AND GRIEVING.
I HATE THIS REPEATED STORY THAT IS SO MUCH A PART OF BLACK
AMERICANS' EXPERIENCE. I WANT IT TO STOP.
AND THEN I TRIED TO BE A PART OF A CONVERSATION IN THE COUNTRY
WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE DO TO DO BETTER.
WE'VE SPENT FAR TOO MUCH ON LAW ENFORCEMENT ON JAILS AND ON
PRISONS AND BLACK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BEARING THE BRUNT OF THAT.
>> WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP, WERE YOU THINKING ALL THE TIME,
LIKE I'M GOING TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
I'M GOING TO CHANGE THINGS.
>> I DID!
>> YOU DID?!
>> I DID THINK THIS. I EVEN WROTE AN ESSAY ABOUT IT
WHEN I WAS 15. I SAID, "I'M GOING TO BE A
SUCCESSFUL MUSICIAN. I'M GONNA USE THAT SUCCESS AND
FAME AND ACCLAIM TO MAKE MY COMMUNITY BETTER."
AND IT WAS INFORMED BY THE ARTISTS THAT I LOVE, LIKE
STEVIE WONDER AND MARVIN GAYE AND NINA SIMONE AND
ARETHA FRANKLIN. BUT IT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE
ACTIVISTS THAT I HAD BEEN READING ABOUT SINCE I WAS A KID.
THEY WERE MY SUPERHEROES AND I WANTED TO LIVE A LIFE THAT WAS
IMPACTFUL LIKE THEY DID.
>> THE MESSAGE OF IMPACT CAN BE FOUND IN HIS FILM COMPANY GET
LIFTED AND THE STORIES THAT HE, AND HIS PRODUCING PARTNER
MIKE JACKSON, HAVE SHARED. THEIR DIVERSE SLATE OF CONTENT
HIGHLIGHTS THE CREATIVE AND CREATORS THAT ARE
UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK.
>> WE WANT TO ELEVATE CERTAIN CREATORS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN
OVERLOOKED.
>> I AIN'T NEVER MET NO MAN THAT MEANT NOBODY NO GOOD.
>> THEIR DOCUMENTARY, "GIVING VOICE," FOLLOWS STUDENTS FROM
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LIKE CHICAGO NATIVE NIA SARFO AS THEY COMPETE
IN THE AUGUST WILSON MONOLOGUE COMPETITION.
>> I DON'T TRUST NONE OF THESE MEN.
THEATRE CAN REALLY TRANSFORM AND I MEAN REALLY.
I FELT LIKE PEOPLE WERE SEEING ME FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> AND I ALSO GOT TO WRITE A SONG FOR IT.
A SONG CALLED "NEVER BREAK." A SONG ABOUT HUMAN RESILIENCE
AND THE POWER OF LOVE TO GET US THROUGH ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE FACE IN OUR LIVES.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE SINGING THIS SONG NEVER BREAK FOR US.
WHAT IS CONTINUING TO BREATHE LIFE INTO THAT SONG FOR YOU?
>> SO I WROTE THIS SONG IN 2019, AND THEN EVERYBODY KNOWS
WHAT 2020 BROUGHT. IT BROUGHT SO MANY CHALLENGES TO
THE WORLD. AND THEN IT BROUGHT CHALLENGES
TO MY OWN FAMILY. WE LOST A BABY. THAT WAS A TIME WHEN THAT SONG
NEVER BREAK REALLY MEANT THE MOST TO ME BECAUSE WE'D NEVER
BEEN TESTED LIKE THAT. I THINK WE'VE COME OUT EVEN
STRONGER THAN EVER. HOPEFULLY IT CAN DO THAT FOR
OTHER PEOPLE. NO MATTER WHAT CHALLENGES LIFE
PRESENTS YOUR WAY, TO BE OPTIMISTIC, TO BELIEVE THAT YOU
CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. YOU GOTTA BE RESILIENT AND YOU
GOTTA BE PERSISTENT.
>> COMING UP ‐‐ JOHN LEGEND BRINGS THE SOUL TO
"SOUL OF A NATION." BUT FIRST WE'LL HEAD TO A SMALL
CHICAGO SUBURB WHERE WHEN IT COMES TO RECKONINGS.
ONE COMMUNITY SAYS THEY'VE GOT THE ONE AND ONLY SOLUTION.
>> THE ONLY ANSWER?
>> THE ONLY ANSWER ANY MORE OF THE SAME. ONLY?
THAT'S A BIG WORD, "ONLY"?
>> THAT'S NEXT ON "SOUL OF A NATION."
>> 40 ACRES AND A MULE. A PHRASE PASSED THROUGH MY
GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS.
PROBABLY YOURS AS WELL. THE PROMISE TO FREE BLACK PEOPLE
IN AMERICA WAS THAT AFTER CENTURIES OF BONDAGE THEY WOULD
GET THEIR FAIR SHARE. SINCE THEN THE FIGHT FOR
REPARATIONS HAS CONTINUED ‐‐ AND TO THIS DAY THAT PROMISE REMAINS
UNFULFILLED. BUT THEN THERE'S EVANSTON
ILLINOIS ‐‐ A SMALL COMMUNITY OUTSIDE OF CHICAGO THAT HAS
TAKEN A BOLD AND CONTROVERSIAL STEP.
WILL THE REST OF THE COUNTRY FOLLOW?
NIGHTLINE ANCHOR BYRON PITTS HAS THE STORY.
>> EARLY IN MY ‐‐ CHILDHOOD I WAS INVITED TO HAVE A PLAY DATE
MY WHITE FRIENDS NEVER HAD A PLAYDATE AT MY HOME.
SO I WENT TO MEGHAN'S HOUSE.
>> THE STREETS WERE WIDER. THE HOMES WERE BIGGER AND
BRIGHTER. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS THE
BARRIER OF RACE THAT KEPT US FROM THAT, BECAUSE THE
SEGREGATION WAS RACE BASED.
EVEN HERE, EVANSTON ILLINOIS, A PROUDLY LIBERAL SUBURB OF
CHICAGO, THE BARRIER AND BURDEN OF RACE HAVE LONG WEIGHED HEAVY
AS A WINTER STORM. EVANSTON'S ALDERMAN FOR THE 5TH
WARD, ROBIN RUE SIMMONS, WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE
HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD SHE REPRESENTS.
>> THIS COMMUNITY WAS REDLINED HISTORICALLY.
AND THAT HAS COME ALONG WITH DAMAGES THAT CONTINUE TODAY.
RESOURCES WERE STRIPPED AWAY FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
ALONG WITH WEALTH AS WELL.
>> THE CITY'S PLAN TO CHANGE THAT, REPARATIONS.
AN IDEA LONG DEBATED, PROPOSED OVER 150 YEARS AGO.
FIRST, 40 ACRES OF LAND. LATER, A MULE, FOR
FORMERLY‐ENSLAVED PEOPLE TO SHARE THE AMERICAN DREAM BUILT
ON THEIR BACKS FOR FREE. A PROMISE LONG‐BROKEN. UNTIL NOW.
EVANSTON IS SET TO BECOME THE FIRST U. S. CITY TO PAY OUT
REPARATIONS ‐‐ A TOTAL OF 10 MILLION DOLLARS!
STARTING WITH INCREMENTS OF UP TO 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS PER
PERSON, FOR HOUSING. I DIDN'T START MY ‐‐ ELECTED
CAREER EVEN DISCUSSING REPARATIONS.
>> SO WHAT CHANGED?
>> I WAS LOOKING AT DATA. I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT WE HAD
DONE AND REPARATIONS WAS THE ONLY ANSWER.
>> THE ONLY ANSWER?
>> THE ONLY AN ‐‐ ANY MORE OF THE SAME WAS GONNA ONLY AT BEST
HELP US SUSTAIN THE OPPRESSED STATE AND THE DISPARITY THAT WE
HAVE.
>> ONLY? THAT'S A BIG WORD, "ONLY"?
>> THE ONLY LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE FOR US TO RECONCILE THE DAMAGES
IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS
REPARATIONS.
>> WE ANTICIPATE LITIGATION WITH THE PREMISE THAT YOU CANNOT USE
TAX MONEY THAT'S FROM THE PUBLIC TO BENEFIT A PARTICULAR GROUP OF
PEOPLE. BUT THROUGHOUT HISTORY TAXES
WERE USED TO BENEFIT A CERTAIN GROUP OF PEOPLE, WHILE OTHERS
WERE EXCLUDED FROM THAT.
>> DINO ROBINSON IS THE FOUNDER OF SHOREFRONT' AN ARCHIVE
DEDICATED TO CHRONICLING AND CELEBRATING BLACK LIFE IN
EVANSTON. A RICHNESS LONG UNDERVALUED.
HIS DOCUMENTATION ‐‐ STARTING IN THE LATE 1800S ‐‐ INVALUABLE IN
MEASURING THE COSTS OF RACISM
AND THE NEED FOR REPARATIONS.
>> BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE MOVING THROUGH EVANSTON AND
FORMING POCKETS IN THE CITY OF EVANSTON.
IT CAUSED THE WHITE COMMUNITY TO START PANICKING LIKE, "WHAT
DO WE DO ABOUT THIS?"
>> THE RESPONSE TO THAT PANIC, RED LINING.
ASSIGNING MARKET VALUE TO NEIGHBORHOODS, A GRADING SYSTEM,
"A" TO "D."
>> THE D' AREAS WERE USUALLY RELEGATED TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
'D' WAS ALWAYS IN RED. THIS DELIBERATELY PUSHED
EVANSTON'S BLACK FAMILIES INTO AN AREA THAT BECAME THE 5TH
WARD, SEGREGATING THEM FROM WHITE FAMILIES, SOUGHT AFTER
PROPERTY, AND ULTIMATELY, WEALTH.
>> BANKS IN EVANSTON WOULD NOT LOAN TO BLACK FAMILIES REAL
ESTATE AGENCIES WOULD NOT SHOW YOU ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE 5TH
WARD.
>> THAT MAP STILL IS THE MAP OF OUR CONCENTRATED BLACK
COMMUNITY, OUR DISINVESTMENT.
>> TODAY WHITE RESIDENTS OF EVANSTON HAVE NEARLY DOUBLE THE
INCOME AND HOME VALUE AS BLACK RESIDENTS.
BLACK AMERICANS POSSESS LESS THAN 15% OF THE WEALTH THAT WHITE
AMERICANS HAVE.
>> I AM 98 YEARS OLD.
>> WE MOVED TO EVANSTON IN 1959. BLACK RESIDENTS WHO LIVED
THROUGH REDLINING ‐‐ AND THEIR DESCENDANTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
REPARATIONS. THAT INCLUDES BENJAMIN GAINES
SR. AND HIS SON, BEN JUNIOR. BEN SENIOR GREW UP IN 1920S
DIXON, KENTUCKY PART OF THE OLD SOUTH.
THE BUSINESS END OF AN ERA'S MOST VIOLENT WEAPON AGAINST
AFRICAN AMERICANS ‐‐ JIM CROW. HE LANDED IN EVANSTON.
HERE JIM CROW WORE A SMILE. BUT STILL INFLICTED HARM ON
BLACK HOMEBUYERS. HE SAID, "YOU FIND A LOT
ANYWHERE IN EVANSTON, AND I'LL BUILD WHATEVER YOU WANT."
WELL, WHEN HE SAID THAT, HE MEANT IN‐‐ "IN THE BLACK
NEIGHBORHOODS."
>> AND WE STILL HAVE THESE SAME TYPES OF PROBLEMS.
>> UNCLE BEN IS A REALIST. HE CALLS IT LIKE HE SEES IT.
YOUNGER MEMBERS OF BEN SR.'S FAMILY ‐‐ HIS GRAND‐NEPHEW JARED
AND HIS CHILDREN, NIC AND MYAH ‐‐ KNOW A MORE PROGRESSIVE
ERA.
>> GROWIN' UP IN EVANSTON FOR ME WAS DEFINITELY GOOD, DESPITE THE
RACISM THAT I FACED.
>> WILL YOU APPLY ‐‐ FOR THE REPARATIONS?
>> I WILL, YEAH.
>> AND WHY?
>> BECAUSE IT'S OWED. WEALTHY AFRICAN AMERICANS" ARE
NOT THE EQUIVALENT OF "WEALTHY WHITE AMERICANS" IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> A NATIONAL REPARATIONS POLICY IS THE MORAL DEMOCRATIC AND
ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE HOUSE RESOLUTION 40 IS THE LATEST
NATIONAL STEP TOWARDS REPARATIONS.
SUPPORTERS HAVE INCLUDED TA‐NEHISI COATES AND ACTOR DANNY
GLOVER.
>> HR 40 WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COMMISSION TO STUDY
REPARATIONS BUT ALSO THE FURTHER CONTEXT IN WHICH WE LOOK AT
SLAVERY AND THE IMPACT IT HAD ON US.
>> SO YOU THINK EVANSTON CAN BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE NATION?
>> I THINK IT CAN. EVANSTON, ILLINOIS DID
SOMETHING THAT‐‐ THAT NO OTHER CITY HAS DONE.
>> IF WE'RE ABLE TO USE THAT AS A PLATFORM, MAYBE OTHER CITIES
MIGHT ADOPT THE WHOLE IDEA OF THIS.
AND OTHER CITIES COULD TAKE UP EVANSTON'S SWEETLY IRONIC
FUNDING SOLUTION A 3% TAX ON NEWLY LEGAL MARIJUANA SALES.
>> IT'S THE MOST APPROPRIATE USE FOR THAT SALES TAX.
AND IN OUR CITY, 70% OF THE MARIJUANA ARRESTS WERE IN THE
BLACK COMMUNITY. AND WE ARE 16% OF THE COMMUNITY.
ALL STUDIES SHOW THAT BLACKS AND WHITE CONSUME CANNABIS AT THE
SAME RATE. THERE'S BEEN DEBATE OVER WHETHER
THOSE TAXES CAN SUSTAIN THE FUND, LONG‐ TERM.
AND EVEN THOSE WHO PROUDLY SUPPORT REPARATIONS WONDER ALOUD
IS 25‐ THOUSAND DOLLARS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?
>> IT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET. YOU HAVE DENIED ME ALL MY
98 YEARS.
>> HOPEFULLY, BEFORE I DIE, I'LL SEE THE WORLD CHANGE.
UNCLE BEN, HE'S 98. SO WE‐‐ I‐‐ WE CAN UNDERSTAND
HIS SKEPTICISM. WHERE DOES YOUR SKEPTICISM COME
FROM?
>> IT'S LESS, LIKE, SKEPTICISM AND MORE EDUCATION.
PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTING LIKE THEY'RE READY FOR CHANGE, AND
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS OTHER THINGS ARE HAPPENING, RIGHT? AND WE SEE
THAT ALL THE TIME IN POLITICS.
>> WHAT DOES IT SAY THAT MY 25‐YEAR‐OLD HAS TO FEEL LIKE
THAT?
>> YOU DON'T LEARN ABOUT THESE ISSUES AT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL ‐‐
>> WE AREN'T REALLY TAUGHT ABOUT BLACK HISTORY OUTSIDE OF SLAVES
CAME FROM AFRICA.
>> SO I THINK PART OF REPARATIONS, IT CAN'T JUST BE
MONEY. LIKE, YOU HAVE TO TEACH US WHAT
WE NEED TO KNOW.
>> ONE COULD ARGUE IT'S POTENTIALLY MORE SYMBOLIC THAN
IT IS SUBSTANTIVE.
>> I DISAGREE THAT IT'S SYMBOLIC AT ALL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT $25,000 IS LIFE SAVING FOR SOME FAMILIES.
>> BUT RELATIVE TO THE INJURY, IT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
AND I GET THAT.
>> THIS NOTION OF REPARATIONS IN EVANSTON
ISN'T MEANT TO BE A DROP IN THE BUCKET, BUT THE BEGINNING OF A
STREAM THAT BECOMES A RIVER, THAT BECOMES AN OCEAN.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THERE IS A LIFETIME OF WORK
AHEAD FOR US TO GET TO, JUSTICE.
>> FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK IN THIS SPACE, WHAT WORRIES YOU STILL?
>> NOT ENOUGH RESOURCE. NOT QUICK ENOUGH.
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE COMMITTED AS A CITY.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO CELEBRATE THE FAMILY THAT RECEIVES THEIR
FIRST REPARATION‐‐ BENEFIT. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT DAY.
>> WHEN WE COME BACK ‐‐ IT'S TIME TO GET REAL.
>> WHY DO YOU SAY BLACK PATRIOTISM IS THE DEEPEST FORM
OF PATRIOTISM? LIKE ‐‐ REALLY REAL.
STICK AROUND. SUNNY HOSTIN'S TAKING US "IN THE
KITCHEN."
>> WELL, WELCOME TO THE KITCHEN TABLE.
>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> YES.
>> WHERE IS THE FOOD?
>> I KNOW. AND THE WINE.
>> A SPARSE KITCHEN.
>> BUT YOU READY, ALRIGHT.
>> SO LET'S JUMP IN. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PATRIOTISM.
EARLIER IN OUR SHOW WE HEARD FROM CAPITOL POLICE, OFFICER
HARRY DUNN ABOUT HIS HEROIC EFFORT TO PROTECT THE CAPITOL
AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
>> THOSE TERRORIST ON THE 6TH, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE
PATRIOTS. SO I DON'T WANT TO USE, I WONT
USE THE WORD PATRIOT. MAN I GOT CALLED A [ BLEEP ].
A COUPLE DOZEN TIMES TODAY
PROTECTING THIS BUILDING.
IS THIS AMERICA?
>> SO OFFICER DUNN PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE, DEFENDING OUR
CAPITAL AGAINST OTHER AMERICANS, STORMING IT WHILE CALLING
THEMSELVES PATRIOTS. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES OF BEING A BLACK PATRIOT.
AND I WAS LOOKING AT YOU ANGELA. HOW DID YOU FEEL WATCHING THAT?
>> WELL, AS A FORMER CAPITOL HILL STAFFER THAT ON THAT DAY,
AS YOU KNOW, I'M SCRAMBLING, LOOKING FOR MY FRIENDS, CALLING
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN TEARS, TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE
ALL SAFE, KNOWING THAT OFFICERS LIKE OFFICER DUNN ARE THE ONES
THAT HOLD US DOWN. AND SO WHAT IS HARD FOR ME TO,
TO SEE IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED BY THIS AMERICA
MORE THAN ANYTHING.
>> AND IT BREAKS OUR HEART. RIGHT? MY FATHER WAS IN THE ARMY.
I HAVE AN UNCLE IN THE ARMY AND THE, IN THE MARINE CORPS.
>> WE'VE FOUGHT FOR THE FREEDOMS THAT THIS COUNTRY SAYS ARE
AVAILABLE TO US ALL, TO COME
BACK TO THIS COUNTRY AND BE
WE'RE THE DEEPEST OF THE PATRIOTS AND YET WE GET TREATED
LIKE CONSTANT OUTSIDERS.
>> WHY DO YOU SAY A BLACK PATRIOT IS THE DEEPEST OF
PATRIOTS?
>> WE WERE THE UNFREE PEOPLE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE.
YOU CAN'T GET MORE AMERICAN THAN BEING OWNED BY AMERICA.
WE HAVE REMINDED AMERICA OF THE PROMISE THAT IT'S MADE AND ITS
UNWILLINGNESS OR INABILITY TO CONSISTENTLY LIVE UP TO THAT
PROMISE.
>> THE THING THAT I THINK IS REMARKABLE ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE
JUST SAYING IS FROM CRISPUS ATTUCKS TO OFFICER DUNN.
>> COME ON.
>> RIGHT? WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR
FREEDOM THAT THEY HAVE YET TO SAY THE PROMISE DID NOT APPLY TO
YOU. THAT'S THE REAL ISSUE. SO WE'RE FIGHTING FOR A PROMISE
THAT WAS NEVER GIVEN TO US, WE JUST TRIED TO GO BACK AND CLAIM
THAT THING.
>> AND IT'S HAPPENED FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. IT'S NOT A SHOCK.
IT IS SAD. IT NEVER STOPS BEING SAD.
BUT WHAT KEEPS ME GOING IS THE PROMISE.
IT'S NOT THE PRACTICE OF THE COUNTRY.
IT'S WHAT THE COUNTRY HAS PROMISED US. AND WE WANT IT.
LIKE, IT'S TIME.
>> WHAT WAS THE MOMENT THAT YOU REALIZED THAT YOU'RE BLACK?
I WILL SHARE WITH YOU MY MOMENT WHEN I WAS ABOUT 12, I WAS ASKED
TO THIS JUNIOR PROM BY THIS WHITE KID, EDDIE [ BLEEP ].
AND I WAS VERY EXCITED. HI EDDIE.
I WAS ASKED AND I WAS SO EXCITED AND HE CAME BACK TO ME MAYBE TWO
DAYS LATER AND HE SAID HE COULD NOT TAKE ME BECAUSE BLACK CATS
DON'T SCREW BIRDS. AND THAT IS WHAT HIS MOTHER TOLD
HIM. AND I WAS, I FEEL THE HURT TODAY.
>> I AM HURT. AND I ALSO DON'T EXACTLY
UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
>> I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND. BUT I HEARD "BLACK."
AND THAT WAS MY MOMENT.
>> SO I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK BECAUSE I HAVE A SIMILAR STORY.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO NAME, DROP HIM BECAUSE ST. LOUIS IS A SMALL
TOWN. SO BECKY, I ASKED HER TO WITH
THE EIGHTH GRADE MIXER, SHE SAID, YES, SHE CALLED ME LATER
AND SAID, "HEY, KELBY." CAUSE I WENT BY MY MIDDLE NAME.
"HOW ARE YOU DOING? " I'M LIKE, "I'M GREAT."
SHE SAID, "LISTEN, I TALKED TO MY PARENTS ABOUT GOING OUT WITH
YOU. AND THEY SAID, THEY'RE NOT RACIST."
AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S THE RIGHT.
THAT'S THE RIGHT HEAD TOP. "BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DATING,
THEY JUST DON'T FEEL AS IF THE RACES SHOULD MIX."
AND I'M LIKE, COOL, TOTALLY GET IT.
UNDERSTAND TEFLON, DON, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE UNLIKE IF I ALLOWED
MYSELF TO FEEL TOO MUCH, I DIDN'T THINK I COULD AFFORD TO
BE HURT RIGHT NOW. I GOT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
NOW BECKY KNOWS WHO BECKY IS, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
>> BYE, BECKY.
>> CAN WE CALL YOU KELBY NOW?
>> I LIKE THAT, FANCY.
>> MINE IS POSITIVE, I WAS RAISED BY AN ACTIVIST FATHER.
EDUCATOR. AND SO IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO
THEM THAT I KNEW ABOUT AND APPRECIATED AND LOVED ON MY
BLACKNESS. SO WE HAD BLACK ART ON THE WALLS, BLACK
BOOKS, BLACK DOLLS. I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS BLACK.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE.
>> I WENT CAMPING. ME AND A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE,
TWO LITTLE BLACK BOYS. SO, WE'RE AT THE LAKE AND
THERE'S A LITTLE WHITE BOY ON THE SHORE.
MY FRIEND AND I ARE IN THE WATER AND THE LITTLE WHITE WAS BOY
YELLING AND POINTING, "THERE'S N‐WORD IN THE WATER! THERE'S
N‐WORDS IN THE WATER!." AND MY FRIEND AND I LOOK OVER
OUR SHOULDER LIKE, "WHERE? WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?"
BECAUSE HE SAID IT WAS SUCH ALARM.
LIKE IT WAS A SHARK, LIKE WE WERE IN DANGER OR SOMETHING.
BECAUSE I GUESS HE FELT IN DANGER AND WE WERE THAT DANGER.
>> LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.
USE THE HASHTAG #SOULOFANATION TO VOICE YOUR OPINIONS ON THE
ISSUES WE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY. BACK IN THE KITCHEN NEXT WEEK.
AND EVERY WEEK HERE ON SOUL OF A NATION.
>>> COMING UP. THE UNDEFEATED LOOKS AT
RECKONINGS IN CINEMA. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP,
AND SOME OF THEIR TAKES, JUST MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.
>> LIKE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, BE LIKE
THIS ON CAMERA STILL?
>> WHEN SOUL OF A NATION RETURNS.
>>> IF THERE'S ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IN MY CAREER AS AN
ACTOR, IT'S THAT MOVIES CAN DEFINE MOMENTS.
SO WHAT DO RECKONINGS LOOK LIKE IN FILM?
FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, OUR PARTNERS AT THE UNDEFEATED, WITH
THE HELP OF SOME FAMILIAR FACES, HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING BLACK
CULTURE. ON SCREEN FROM IT'S CURRENT
FORM, ALL THE WAY BACK TO ITS INFANCY.
>> "BIRTH OF A NATION" IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL
AND PROBLEMATIC FILMS THAT HAS EVER BEEN MADE.
>> WELL IT'S REALLY LIKE A KU KLUX KLAN PROPAGANDA FILM.
>> A LOT OF BLACKFACE, WHITE PERFORMERS PRETENDING TO BE
BLACK PEOPLE.
>> THE WHITE WOMAN SORT OF JUMPS OFF THE CLIFF RATHER THAN BEING
ASSAULTED BY THIS SORT OF SUB‐HUMAN LOOKING BLACK MAN.
>> "GONE WITH THE WIND" IS THE 2.0 VERSION OF EVERYTHING THAT
WE SAW IN "BIRTH OF A NATION."
>> LORD HAVE MERCY THERE THEY GO AGAIN.
>> "GONE IN THE WIND" WAS ‐‐ WAS TOLD FROM THE PERCEPTION OF THE
SLAVE OWNER.
>> YOU DON'T LIKE ME, MAMMY?
>> HRMPH!
>> BLACK PEOPLE WERE PORTRAYED AS ALMOST CHILDLIKE.
>> I DON'T KNOW NOTHING BUT BIRTHING BABIES!
>> THEY ENJOYED TAKING CARE OF THEIR WHITE MASTERS.
>> MAMMY. IT'S NOT A NAME, IT'S A
DESCRIPTION.
>> "FRANKLY, MY DEAR, SCARLETT, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN," YOU KNOW.
BUT FRANKLY, Y'ALL, WE DON'T GIVE A DAMN!
YOU KNOW, WHY I'M ‐‐ I'M NOT REALLY GONNA BE CRYIN' OVER A
BUILDING THAT GETS BURNT DOWN AFTER RAPIN' US FOR LIKE,
400 YEARS.
>> I SAID IT BEFORE, I SAYS IT NOW AND I SAYS IT AGAIN.
>> THE MAGICAL BLACK MAN, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF THESE NEGATIVE
STEREOTYPES THAT HOLLYWOOD HAS DONE FOR DECADES.
AND WHAT REALLY WAS CRYSTALLIZED IN SONG OF THE SOUTH.
♪ ZIP AH DEE DO DAH
ZIPPITY AY WONDERFUL FEELING WONDERFUL DAY ♪
>> I THINK SOME PEOPLE STILL HAVE FOND CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF
"SONG OF THE SOUTH."
>> IT'S JUST ABOUT A JOLLY, HAPPY BLACK MAN TELLING STORIES
TO THESE WONDERFUL WHITE CHILDREN.
>> AND IF YOU'LL 'SCUSE ME FOR SAYIN SO!
>> YOU KNOW, LIKE A BIPOC SANTA CLAUS.
>> DISNEY HAS LOCKED IT IN THE VAULT. THEY WERE LIKE, "WE'RE NOT
LETTING THAT OUT."
>> THESE FILMS ARE ESSENTIALLY CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS.
>> I DON'T THINK WE NEED 'EM. I DON'T THINK THEY NEED TO BE ON
STREAMING PLATFORMS.
>> I'M DEFINITELY ANTI THROWING THESE MOVIES IN THE VAULT AND I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW OUR HISTORY.
>> WHATEVER. THEN PUT IT IN ‐‐ THE ARCHIVES.
BUT PUTTING IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE, LIKE, STOP IT.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE IN NECESSARILY HIDING THINGS THAT
ARE PAINFUL OR WRONG. ALL I'M ASKING ‐‐ PUT SOME
CONTEXT TO IT.
>> I MEAN AM I BEING UNREASONABLE?
>> NO, NO NOT UNREASONABLE AT ALL.
>> AND THE OTHER HALF OF THE FORMULA IS ALSO ALLOWING MORE
BLACK FILMMAKERS AND MORE SCREENWRITERS TO TELL THEIR
STORIES.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT YOU'VE GOT TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHO YOU
GONNA BE. CAN'T NOBODY MAKE THAT DECISION
FOR YOU.
>> "BLACK PANTHER" WAS A DEFINITE EXAMPLE OF THAT.
MOSTLY BLACK CAST WITH A BLACK DIRECTOR, BLACK SCREENWRITER.
AND THEY HIT THE BILLION DOLLAR MARK.
>> IF YOU THINK ABOUT RYAN COOGLER FROM "FRUITVALE
STATION" TO CREED TO "BLACK PANTHER", HERE YOU GOT A
REAL BLACK DUDE FROM THE BAY, AND HE'S LIKE NOW I'M MAKIN
FILMS.
>> PEOPLE LIKE AVA DUVERNAY WHO'S PROVED TO BE A LIGHTNING
ROD.
>> WE CAN DO THIS.
>> YOU HAVE THESE BLACK PRODUCERS LIKE WILL PACKER.
YOU HAVE THE ISSA RAE'S WHO GET TO BE THE LEADING LADY.
>> THIS IS SOME HANDMAID'S TALE
>> YOU CAN HAVE A MOVIE LIKE "GIRLS TRIP" WHERE YOU'RE SEEING
BLACK WOMEN DO THE KIND OF STONER COMEDY ANTICS THAT ARE
USUALLY ONLY RESERVED FOR WHITE MEN.
>> LISTEN, I JUST WATCHED MY BEST FRIEND GRIND ON DIDDY.
WHAT CAN POSSIBLY TOP THAT?
>> I REMEMBER WATCHING THAT, LIKE, CLUTCHING MY PEARLS.
LIKE, ARE WE ALLOWED TO, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, BE LIKE THIS ON
CAMERA STILL?
>> NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.
>> "GET OUT" WAS SUCH A HUGE CULTURAL MOMENT.
>> IT MIXED COMEDY AND HORROR IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY
GOTTEN TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WITH BLACK PEOPLE.
BUT IT WAS SUCH A SMART ‐‐ CRITIQUE ON LIBERAL WHITES IN A
SENSE EVEN.
>> THEY GOT YOU ON DISPLAY NOW, HUH? IT'S LIKE THEY HAVEN'T MET A
BLACK PERSON THAT HASN'T WORKED FOR 'EM. YUP YOU'RE IN IT.
>> WE NEED MORE BLACK STUDIO EXECUTIVES THAT CAN SAY YES TO
THESE PROJECTS.
>> HOPEFULLY, MOVIN' FORWARD, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE MORE OF
THESE STORIES BEING TOLD, JUST SWATH OF THE BLACK EXPERIENCE
AND THE BLACK CREATIVE EXPERIENCE.
>> SHOW OFF!
>> UP NEXT ‐‐ JOHN LEGEND WITH A SONG FOR THE
MOMENT, AND THE AGES.
>>> PERFORMING "NEVER BREAK," HERE'S JOHN LEGEND.
♪♪
♪ ♪ OH YEAH
WE GOT A GOOD THING BABE ♪
♪ WHENEVER LIFE IS HARD
WE'LL NEVER LOSE OUR WAY ♪
♪ 'CAUSE WE BOTH KNOW
WHO WE ARE WHO KNOWS ABOUT TOMORROW ♪
♪ WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S IN THE STARS ♪
♪ I JUST KNOW
I'LL ALWAYS FOLLOW THE LIGHT IN YOUR HEART ♪
♪ I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT US
AND I'VE NEVER BEEN
WE KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER BREAK
WE WILL NEVER BREAK ♪
♪ BUILT ON A FOUNDATION
STRONG ENOUGH TO STAY ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER BREAK
AS THE WATER RISES ♪
♪ AND THE MOUNTAINS SHAKE
OUR LOVE WILL REMAIN ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NO NEVER ♪
♪ SO I'M NOT
WORRIED ABOUT US AND I'VE NEVER BEEN ♪
♪ NO MATTER WHAT
MAY COME OUR WAY ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER BREAK
WE WILL NEVER BREAK ♪
♪ BUILT ON A FOUNDATION
STRONGER THAN THE PAIN ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER BREAK
AS THE WATER RISES ♪
♪ AND THE MOUNTAINS SHAKE
OUR LOVE WILL REMAIN ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO ♪
♪ THE WORLD IS DANGEROUS
THROW IT ALL AT US ♪
♪ THERE'S NOTHING
WE CANNOT TAKE ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER BREAK
WE WILL NEVER BREAK ♪
♪ BUILT ON A FOUNDATION
STRONG ENOUGH TO STAY ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER BREAK
AS THE WATER RISES ♪
♪ AND THE MOUNTAINS SHAKE
OUR LOVE WILL REMAIN ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO ♪
♪ WE WILL NEVER
NO NEVER ♪
♪ WE WILL
NO ♪♪
>> THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE VERY FIRST EPISODE OF SOUL OF A
NATION. MARCH MARSAI MARTIN WILL BE HERE
NEXT WEEK. I'M STERLING K. BROWN, GOODNIGHT!