In this video from 1984, the actress and civil rights activist, who died today, talks about the ongoing racism that "trampled our self-esteem and numbed hope."

Bill Moyers, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee tell the story of how the New Deal, World War II, and postwar social changes set the stage for a long-awaited and hard-fought legal assault on segregation.

Bill Moyers is joined by Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee who re-create the world of 20th-century black America. This episode covers 1900 to 1920.