[ti:Obama Economic Justice is Unfinished Business] [ar:Avi Arditti] [al:In the News] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, this is In the News. [00:09.86]President Barack Obama [00:12.40]this week joined hundreds of thousands of Americans [00:16.21]across the country in marking the 50th anniversary [00:20.47]of the March on Washington for civil rights. [00:23.99]The president noted what he called [00:27.09]"unfinished business" in the struggle [00:29.52]for equality and justice in the United States. [00:32.86]His comments come at a time [00:35.66]when Americans are talking about civil rights [00:39.00]and race relations. [00:40.50]Some are still reacting [00:43.45]to a Florida court's decision [00:45.72]in the murder trial of George Zimmermann. [00:48.42]The jury found the neighborhood watch volunteer [00:52.34]not guilty in the shooting death [00:54.77]of Trayvon Martin, [00:56.25]a 17-year-old African American. [00:58.90]On August 28, 1963, 250,000 people [01:06.38]marched in Washington for jobs and civil rights. [01:10.08]It was the biggest demonstration of its kind. [01:13.47]Many people stood outside the Lincoln Memorial [01:17.66]to hear speakers talk about civil rights [01:20.50]for African Americans. [01:22.34]The march ended [01:24.47]with civil rights leader Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. [01:28.11]giving his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. [01:31.26]His comments energized [01:34.96]the civil rights movement in the United States [01:37.19]and led to important laws, [01:39.54]including the Civil Rights Act of 1964. [01:43.43]The law bars major forms of discrimination [01:47.27]against minorities and women. [01:49.50]Last Wednesday, [01:52.03]the nation's first black president [01:54.22]stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. [01:56.79]Mr. Obama remembered King [01:59.80]and the sacrifices [02:01.47]of those who marched here in Washington. [02:03.95]He said the marchers brought change [02:07.04]not only for African Americans, [02:09.01]but also for other groups [02:11.34]and for those hoping for freedom around the world. [02:14.63]The president's speech marked one of the first times [02:19.04]since he took office in 2009 [02:21.96]that he has spoken about issues of race. [02:24.94]It also came two months after the nation's highest court [02:29.95]ruled against part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. [02:34.45]Mr. Obama said those who suggest [02:38.06]little has changed in America dishonor [02:41.28]the marchers of 50 years ago. [02:43.50]At the same time, [02:45.82]he said work toward racial equality is not complete. [02:49.67]The president noted that challenges to voting rights, [02:54.33]high unemployment rates and other problems need attention. [02:58.39]"To secure the gains that this country has made [03:01.37]requires constant vigilance, [03:03.39]not complacency, whether by challenging those [03:07.19]who erect new barriers to the vote, [03:09.41]or ensuring that the scales of justice work [03:12.45]equally for all, and the criminal justice system [03:15.46]is not simply a pipeline [03:16.71]from under-funded schools to overcrowded jails. [03:19.74]It requires vigilance." [03:21.76]The crowd on the National Mall [03:26.23]here in Washington [03:27.49]also heard from present-day civil rights leaders, [03:30.87]movie stars and two former U.S. presidents. [03:34.37]Like Mr. Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter [03:38.61]belong to the Democratic Party. [03:40.67]Mr. Carter also criticized the Supreme Court decision [03:45.05]on the Voting Rights Act. [03:46.61]"I believe we all know [03:48.18]how Dr. King would have reacted [03:50.60]to the new ID requirements [03:52.73]to exclude certain voters, [03:54.64]especially African Americans. [03:57.05]I think we all know how Dr. King would have reacted [04:00.04]to the Supreme Court striking down [04:02.51]a crucial part of the Voters Rights Act [04:05.33]just recently passed overwhelmingly by Congress." [04:08.31]Another speaker was Martin Luther King's youngest child, [04:12.52]Bernice King. [04:13.97]She spoke about her father's message [04:17.26]to "Let Freedom Ring." [04:18.97]"Today, 50 years later, my friends, [04:22.25]we are still crippled by practices [04:25.14]and policies steeped in racial pride, [04:28.20]hatred and hostility, [04:30.27]some of which have us standing our ground [04:33.92]rather than finding common ground." [04:36.36]Some people in the crowd [04:38.52]also took part in the 1963 march. [04:41.76]They said they are prepared [04:43.78]to keep the dream of racial equality alive. [04:47.20]And that's In the News, [04:49.89]from VOA Learning English. I'm Avi Arditti.