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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Ossie Davis
Aired May 25, 2003 - 10:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Patriotic, that's one way of describing the annual national Memorial Day concert in Washington, and you could use the same word, so to speak, to describe the concert's emcee. Acclaimed actor Ossie Davis, and he's hosting it for the 10th year. Or is this your 11th year? You've done it for 10 years already.
OSSIE DAVIS, ACTOR: That's correct.
WHITFIELD: OK, that's right. And you're in Washington right now getting ready for the big event this evening. Good to see you. I know you keep looking forward to this every year, because obviously you keep coming back to do it, or you keep invited to do it. But this year, it's got to be a little different, given that it's on the heels of the war in Iraq and now with this heightened state of alert in Washington, and the military and police presence everywhere there.
DAVIS: Yes. It's different this year, and still, in all, one of the purposes, you know, of these rituals of public union is to establish, or rather to reaffirm the continuity of the human experience, and we need every now and then something that stabilizes us, that reminds us so that we won't panic because there is terror in the environment. Things are happening all over the world. Things in some instances meant to upset us, but we can't let that happen.
WHITFIELD: And I understand this is really a very spiritual experience for you as well, given that you're a World War II veteran. You have been an activist for so many years and you're a recognizable face and really an American icon. How has this personally affected you by being involved in this year in and year out?
DAVIS: Well, in the first place, this is a part of what I consider the functions of my American citizenship. Citizenship in this country, for me, is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility. And we have certain rights, and we need to exercise those rights from time to time, and we need always to remind ourselves of that special meaning that makes America unique in the world.
I did fight in World War II. I remember vividly my comrades, and one of the reasons I show up every year is because this is my way to salute them and their memory, and also, going all the way back to the very beginning, I placed my first rose on my first hero, and that is a man called Crispus Attucks, an African-American, who was the first to die in the American Revolution. That was before this country was even founded, and then there were 5,000 African-Americans who fought in the American Revolution and all through the country's confrontations, you know, we made contributions, and that's why I'm always so proud for this opportunity to stand before my fellow Americans and remind us all that this is a joint venture, an exciting adventure in which we are all pledged to make the country work, and as far as I can see, it's working.
WHITFIELD: And you'll be joined by many people on stage and the thousands who will actually be attending this evening. Kind of paint a picture for us for those who perhaps have never watched the concert before live on television or even have been able to attend it from the nation's capital. You are being joined by a host of people from the Color Guard to the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, and also a number of other celebrities, right?
DAVIS: Yes. This is, first of all, it is a concert, and there will be music. The National Symphony Orchestra (UNINTELLIGIBLE) will be there. There are people like Joe Montegna from Hollywood, Jenna Rowlands, Charles Dern (ph) and Tony Randall from Broadway to mention a few people from the world of opera, and from gospel. We'll all join together in tribute and in salute to those in our country who have made the supreme sacrifice, all who have served, all who have made some outstanding contributions, going all of the way back from the very first veteran to those people who are still on active duty in Afghanistan and in Iraq.
So this concert tonight will feature music, as I said. There will be singing, there will be dance and all the ways we Americans express ourselves. And we invite the public to come and be with us on the West Lawn of the Capitol. There are usually about 300,000 people show up on that lawn.
WHITFIELD: That's tremendous. And folks, of course, if they're not lucky enough to be in the nation's capital to watch it live, they can check their local listings and find it between 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. this evening. Mr. Ossie Davis, thanks very much for joining us, and our best regards to your wife, Ruby Dee, as well.
DAVIS: Thank you so much for this opportunity.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks, and enjoy your evening.
DAVIS: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 25, 2003 - 10:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Patriotic, that's one way of describing the annual national Memorial Day concert in Washington, and you could use the same word, so to speak, to describe the concert's emcee. Acclaimed actor Ossie Davis, and he's hosting it for the 10th year. Or is this your 11th year? You've done it for 10 years already.
OSSIE DAVIS, ACTOR: That's correct.
WHITFIELD: OK, that's right. And you're in Washington right now getting ready for the big event this evening. Good to see you. I know you keep looking forward to this every year, because obviously you keep coming back to do it, or you keep invited to do it. But this year, it's got to be a little different, given that it's on the heels of the war in Iraq and now with this heightened state of alert in Washington, and the military and police presence everywhere there.
DAVIS: Yes. It's different this year, and still, in all, one of the purposes, you know, of these rituals of public union is to establish, or rather to reaffirm the continuity of the human experience, and we need every now and then something that stabilizes us, that reminds us so that we won't panic because there is terror in the environment. Things are happening all over the world. Things in some instances meant to upset us, but we can't let that happen.
WHITFIELD: And I understand this is really a very spiritual experience for you as well, given that you're a World War II veteran. You have been an activist for so many years and you're a recognizable face and really an American icon. How has this personally affected you by being involved in this year in and year out?
DAVIS: Well, in the first place, this is a part of what I consider the functions of my American citizenship. Citizenship in this country, for me, is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility. And we have certain rights, and we need to exercise those rights from time to time, and we need always to remind ourselves of that special meaning that makes America unique in the world.
I did fight in World War II. I remember vividly my comrades, and one of the reasons I show up every year is because this is my way to salute them and their memory, and also, going all the way back to the very beginning, I placed my first rose on my first hero, and that is a man called Crispus Attucks, an African-American, who was the first to die in the American Revolution. That was before this country was even founded, and then there were 5,000 African-Americans who fought in the American Revolution and all through the country's confrontations, you know, we made contributions, and that's why I'm always so proud for this opportunity to stand before my fellow Americans and remind us all that this is a joint venture, an exciting adventure in which we are all pledged to make the country work, and as far as I can see, it's working.
WHITFIELD: And you'll be joined by many people on stage and the thousands who will actually be attending this evening. Kind of paint a picture for us for those who perhaps have never watched the concert before live on television or even have been able to attend it from the nation's capital. You are being joined by a host of people from the Color Guard to the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, and also a number of other celebrities, right?
DAVIS: Yes. This is, first of all, it is a concert, and there will be music. The National Symphony Orchestra (UNINTELLIGIBLE) will be there. There are people like Joe Montegna from Hollywood, Jenna Rowlands, Charles Dern (ph) and Tony Randall from Broadway to mention a few people from the world of opera, and from gospel. We'll all join together in tribute and in salute to those in our country who have made the supreme sacrifice, all who have served, all who have made some outstanding contributions, going all of the way back from the very first veteran to those people who are still on active duty in Afghanistan and in Iraq.
So this concert tonight will feature music, as I said. There will be singing, there will be dance and all the ways we Americans express ourselves. And we invite the public to come and be with us on the West Lawn of the Capitol. There are usually about 300,000 people show up on that lawn.
WHITFIELD: That's tremendous. And folks, of course, if they're not lucky enough to be in the nation's capital to watch it live, they can check their local listings and find it between 8:00 and 9:30 p.m. this evening. Mr. Ossie Davis, thanks very much for joining us, and our best regards to your wife, Ruby Dee, as well.
DAVIS: Thank you so much for this opportunity.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks, and enjoy your evening.
DAVIS: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
