Mandela, Massachusetts
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Christopher Lydon reports on the proposal to incorporate the Greater Roxbury neighborhood into a new city to be called Mandela, Massachusetts. Lydon reviews the proposed boundaries of the new city and the racial breakdown of the population. Lydon's report includes footage from a press conference in front of the Massachusetts State House. Leaders from the minority community speak out in favor of the creation of Mandela. The leaders include Curtis Davis (Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project), May Louie (Chairwoman, Rainbow Coalition), and Ken Wade (Greater Roxbury Neighborhood Authority). Lydon reports that the city of Boston has projected a large first-year deficit for the new city. He notes that Mandela supporters reject those numbers and have asked for an independent commission to examine the fiscal relationship between the city of Boston and the proposed city. Lydon reports on media coverage of the issue. He notes that an editorial in The Boston Globe condemned the proposal. Lydon notes that Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) no longer supports that proposal. He adds that Mel King (former State Representative) is in favor of Mandela. Lydon's report includes an interview with King, who defends his pro-Mandela stance.
1:01:15: Visual: Footage of Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) and other African American community leaders at a meeting on November 15, 1985. Christopher Lydon reports that the idea of incorporating Roxbury as Mandela, Massachusetts is almost one year old; that African American leaders now talk about "incorporation" instead of "secession." V: Footage of Curtis Davis (co-founder, Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) at a press conference about Mandela, Massachusetts in front of the State House. Other minority leaders are present, including Mel King (former State Representative), Joyce King (wife of Mel King), Graylan Ellis-Hagler (Church of the United Community), and Andrew Young (co-founder, Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project). Davis says that the issue is not one of Roxbury leaving the city of Boston; that the issue is one of Mandela incorporating itself as part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; that "secession" is not an appropriate term. Lydon reports that the Roxbury community has long felt disenfranchised; that the themes of empowerment and self-determination are behind the move to incorporate Roxbury as Mandela, Massachusetts. V: Shots of cars traveling underneath the elevated train tracks on Washington Street in Roxbury. Lydon notes that supporters of Mandela say that a radical solution is needed to improve the Roxbury community. V: Shot of an African American woman speaking at the press conference about Mandela. Shot of a black and white map of the city of Boston. Lydon reports that Mandela supporters would create a city within a city. V: Shots of African Americans walking through a subway tunnel. Shots of a black and white map of Boston. The proposed city of Mandela is indicated by two shaded areas. Lydon reports that 150,000 residents live in the area proposed to become Mandela; that 74% of the residents are African American; that 10% of the residents are Hispanic; that 16% of the residents are white or Asian. V: Shot of commuters waiting for an MBTA orange line train. Lydon notes that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has called the proposal "divisive and racist"; that supporters reject Flynn's notion. V: Shot of Flynn speaking. Footage of May Louie (Chairwoman, Rainbow Coalition) saying that racial discrimination and inequality exist; that it is unfair to call the Mandela proposal racist; that supporters of the Mandela proposal are fighting for equality and justice. Shot of Boston City Hall. Lydon reports that the Flynn administration says that incorporation is not feasible on fiscal grounds; that the administration has projected a large first year deficit. V: Shots of the elevated train tracks along Washington Street in Roxbury; of African American residents boarding an MBTA bus. Lydon reports that Mandela supporters accuse the Flynn administration of releasing biased fiscal projections. Lydon adds that Mandela supporters say that Mandela would be able to operate with a surplus. Lydon reports that Mandela supporters have called on the governor to appoint a commission to settle the fiscal dispute between the Flynn administration and Mandela supporters. V: Footage of Ken Wade (Greater Roxbury Neighborhood Authority), who calls on the governor to appoint a commission to look into the proposed city's financial relationship to the city of Boston. Wade says that the Roxbury community needs to look at the financial situation before deciding to incorporate as Mandela; that the community will decide if incorporation "is the best strategy for empowerment." Lydon reports that Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts) has not yet commented on the issue; that the proposal has been ignored by the press. V: Shots of Mandela supporters at the press conference; of the media at the press conference; of two newspaper articles about the Mandela proposal. Lydon reports that The Boston Globe has recently begun to cover the issue; that the most recent edition of The Boston Sunday Globe ran an article and an editorial which were critical of the proposal. V: Shots of an article and an editorial about Mandela from the Globe. Lydon notes that criticism of the proposal is proof that the proposal is being taken seriously. Lydon notes that Bolling started out as a leader on the proposal; that Bolling is now absent from the debate. Lydon adds that Mel King (former State Representative) may be risking his political career for the issue. V: Shots of Bolling the meeting on November 15, 1985. Shots of a newspaper article with a headline reading, "King's secession stance questioned;" of King at the press conference. Footage of King saying that the media is concentrating on personalities instead of the issue; that he supports Mandela because it is best for the people in the area. King questions whether the media is focusing on personalities because they do not want to cover the feelings and issues which gave rise to the proposal. Lydon says that emotions are running high; that Mandela supporters are not angry with Flynn. V: Footage of Louie saying that the people want self-determination; that the people want a school system which does not "push their children out" at an accelerated rate. Louie says that the question does not revolve around money or budgets. Louie says that self-determination is at the heart of the issue. The leaders at the press conference applaud. Another community leader steps up to the microphone.
1:01:15: Visual: Footage of Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) and other African American community leaders at a meeting on November 15, 1985. Christopher Lydon reports that the idea of incorporating Roxbury as Mandela, Massachusetts is almost one year old; that African American leaders now talk about "incorporation" instead of "secession." V: Footage of Curtis Davis (co-founder, Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) at a press conference about Mandela, Massachusetts in front of the State House. Other minority leaders are present, including Mel King (former State Representative), Joyce King (wife of Mel King), Graylan Ellis-Hagler (Church of the United Community), and Andrew Young (co-founder, Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project). Davis says that the issue is not one of Roxbury leaving the city of Boston; that the issue is one of Mandela incorporating itself as part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; that "secession" is not an appropriate term. Lydon reports that the Roxbury community has long felt disenfranchised; that the themes of empowerment and self-determination are behind the move to incorporate Roxbury as Mandela, Massachusetts. V: Shots of cars traveling underneath the elevated train tracks on Washington Street in Roxbury. Lydon notes that supporters of Mandela say that a radical solution is needed to improve the Roxbury community. V: Shot of an African American woman speaking at the press conference about Mandela. Shot of a black and white map of the city of Boston. Lydon reports that Mandela supporters would create a city within a city. V: Shots of African Americans walking through a subway tunnel. Shots of a black and white map of Boston. The proposed city of Mandela is indicated by two shaded areas. Lydon reports that 150,000 residents live in the area proposed to become Mandela; that 74% of the residents are African American; that 10% of the residents are Hispanic; that 16% of the residents are white or Asian. V: Shot of commuters waiting for an MBTA orange line train. Lydon notes that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has called the proposal "divisive and racist"; that supporters reject Flynn's notion. V: Shot of Flynn speaking. Footage of May Louie (Chairwoman, Rainbow Coalition) saying that racial discrimination and inequality exist; that it is unfair to call the Mandela proposal racist; that supporters of the Mandela proposal are fighting for equality and justice. Shot of Boston City Hall. Lydon reports that the Flynn administration says that incorporation is not feasible on fiscal grounds; that the administration has projected a large first year deficit. V: Shots of the elevated train tracks along Washington Street in Roxbury; of African American residents boarding an MBTA bus. Lydon reports that Mandela supporters accuse the Flynn administration of releasing biased fiscal projections. Lydon adds that Mandela supporters say that Mandela would be able to operate with a surplus. Lydon reports that Mandela supporters have called on the governor to appoint a commission to settle the fiscal dispute between the Flynn administration and Mandela supporters. V: Footage of Ken Wade (Greater Roxbury Neighborhood Authority), who calls on the governor to appoint a commission to look into the proposed city's financial relationship to the city of Boston. Wade says that the Roxbury community needs to look at the financial situation before deciding to incorporate as Mandela; that the community will decide if incorporation "is the best strategy for empowerment." Lydon reports that Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts) has not yet commented on the issue; that the proposal has been ignored by the press. V: Shots of Mandela supporters at the press conference; of the media at the press conference; of two newspaper articles about the Mandela proposal. Lydon reports that The Boston Globe has recently begun to cover the issue; that the most recent edition of The Boston Sunday Globe ran an article and an editorial which were critical of the proposal. V: Shots of an article and an editorial about Mandela from the Globe. Lydon notes that criticism of the proposal is proof that the proposal is being taken seriously. Lydon notes that Bolling started out as a leader on the proposal; that Bolling is now absent from the debate. Lydon adds that Mel King (former State Representative) may be risking his political career for the issue. V: Shots of Bolling the meeting on November 15, 1985. Shots of a newspaper article with a headline reading, "King's secession stance questioned;" of King at the press conference. Footage of King saying that the media is concentrating on personalities instead of the issue; that he supports Mandela because it is best for the people in the area. King questions whether the media is focusing on personalities because they do not want to cover the feelings and issues which gave rise to the proposal. Lydon says that emotions are running high; that Mandela supporters are not angry with Flynn. V: Footage of Louie saying that the people want self-determination; that the people want a school system which does not "push their children out" at an accelerated rate. Louie says that the question does not revolve around money or budgets. Louie says that self-determination is at the heart of the issue. The leaders at the press conference applaud. Another community leader steps up to the microphone.
