Description: (3) interviews done as series "Conversation" taped 1/14/1980. 1) Rev. Anthony Campbell, Eliot Church in Roxbury, interviews Boston University President John Silber. 2) Marty Linsky, Media Consultant, interviews Aln Friedberg of the National Association of Theater Owners about "Film Business"; 3) Anthony Lewis, New York Times Columnist, interviews Arie Eliav, former Knesset member, about Israel and Afghanistan.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/14/1980
Description: Montages News, Roxbury stores, adoption, draft, Chinatown, supermarkets, Boston scenes, transplant tease, fall foliage
Collection: WHDH
Description: Roxbury 1967
Collection: WHDH
Date Created: 01/27/1972
Description: Squatters, ACORN, Roxbury. .
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/14/1982
Description: ACORN demonstrates for affordable housing at Dudley office of BRA, saying that planned development projects will not benefit, and may victimize, low income residents. Ricardo Millet.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/25/1986
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports that a disproportionate number of African Americans have been infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. Vaillancourt reports that higher rates of transmission in the African American community are due to behavioral factors. Vaillancourt analyzes the differences in AIDS transmission between the white community and the African American community. Footage of Denise Cartier-Bennia giving a talk on educating people about AIDS in the African American community. Vaillancourt quotes statistics concerning HIV/AIDS infection rates. Report is accompanied by footage of African American residents of Roxbury and footage from interviews with people on the street.
1:00:07: Visual: A reporter on conducts interviews with African American men and women. An African American man says that he is "scared to death." An African American woman says that she doesn't know if "it is stronger on the white end or if it's stronger on the black end." Another African American man at Downtown Crossing says that no African American stars have died of AIDS; that he fears the development of an"unwarranted stigma" on the African American community due to AIDS. Shots of African Americans walking on a commercial street. Meg Vaillancourt reports that a disproportionate number of African Americans have been diagnosed with AIDS in the US. V: A chart list statistics on screen. The statistics read that 25% of AIDS victims are African American. Vaillancourt reports that African Americans represent 12% of the population. Shot of an African American woman with her back to the camera. Statistics read that African American women are 13 times more likely to get AIDS than white women; that Hispanic women are 11 times more likely to get AIDS than white women. Shots of an African American infant being examined by a white female doctor. Statistics read that 82% of infants with AIDS are African American; that 91% of infants with AIDS are non-white. Footage of Denise Cartier-Bennia (professor) saying that AIDS is affecting whole families in the African American community. Shot of a group of African Americans waiting for public transportation. Vaillancourt reports that the mode of transmission for AIDS is different in African American and white communities. V: Statistics read that homosexual/bisexual AIDS patients are 73%white, 16% African American and 11% Hispanic. Statistics read that heterosexual AIDS patients are 50% African American, 25% Hispanic and 25% white. Footage of Cartier-Bennia speaking. Shots of a group of African American teenagers crossing an urban street; of a drug user preparing a dose of heroin. Vaillancourt reports that Cartier-Bennia has studied the factors contributing to the high rate of AIDS in the African American community. V: Statistics read that African American women are 5 times more likely to get AIDS from contact with a drug user than from contact with a bisexual man. Shot of a group of African Americans boarding an MBTA bus. Vaillancourt reports that the immigration of infected immigrants from Haiti and Africa may be escalating the problem. V: Shots of military recruits laying down barbed wire in a field. Statistics read that 0.9 out of 1000 white military recruits test positive for the AIDS antibody; that 3.9 out of 1000 African American military recruits test positive for the AIDS antibody. Footage of Cartier-Bennia talking about the appearance of the AIDS antibody in military recruits. Cartier-Bennia says that one out of every 250 recruits was infected; that 10% to 30% of these recruits will eventually develop AIDS. Cartier-Bennia says that the African American community is in a "precarious position." Vaillancourt reports from a street corner. Groups of African Americans wait for public transportation across the street. Vaillancourt notes that AIDS is not an African American disease; that behavior creates the risk of transmission, not race. V: Footage of Cartier-Bennia saying that risky behavior leads to aids; that knowledge may be the most effective weapon against AIDS; that African American and Hispanic politicians have been silent on the subject of AIDS and the minority community. Shot of a group of African Americans boarding an MBTA bus. Footage of Cartier-Benia talking about the unwillingness of African American churches to discuss AIDS. Shot of an African American man crossing a street. Footage of Cartier-Bennia saying that AIDS is another problem which needs to be tackled by minority communities if they want to survive into the year 2000. Shots of African American children; of African Americans on the street; of African Americans waiting for public transportation.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/17/1987
Description: Burned out and abandoned buildings and houses. Narrow spaces between tall houses. Footage shot for a moving vehicle. Roxbury highlands.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/04/1982
Description: Silent and sounds footage from a story on Ralph Abernathy and the Boston segment of the Poor People March in Washington, including an Abernathy making an address at Northeastern University and a speech at Boston Common. Additional footage includesSouthern Christian Leadership Conference members marching. People gathering supplies and boarding buses for Poor Peoples March. Man puts "I have a dream" bumper sticker on car. Interview with Mr. Frederick on the cost of Poor Peoples March. Two men fight on the street. Reporter standup. Footage of the march. Silent interviews with people on the street. Crowds boarding Greyhound buses to Resurrection city.
Collection: WHDH
Date Created: 05/09/1968
Description: Meg Vaillancourt interviews Sterling Anderson of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) outside of the Dudley Branch Library about the lack of affordable housing in the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan areas. Anderson says that the city is not doing enough to provide affordable housing for low-income residents. Anderson questions the city's definition of low-income. He adds that most residents do not make enough money to meet the city's definition of low-income. Anderson and a group of ACORN protesters march to the offices of the Boston Redevelopment Authority on Washington Street in Dudley Square. Anderson and the protesters enter the office and confront Ricardo Millet of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) about the city's affordable housing policies. The protesters read a list of demands including that 70% of all new developments in the area must target low and moderate-income residents. The protesters demand information on all new planned developments in the Roxbury/Dorchester/Mattapan neighborhoods. Millet discusses the city's affordable housing policy with the protesters. He gives them handouts including a list of planned developments in the area. Millet says that the BRA is trying to provide affordable housing despite a lack of subsidies from the federal government.
1:00:14: Visual: A fire engine pulls out onto Washington Street. Elevated train tracks are visible. An African American firefighter operates the rear of the truck. Cars pull to the side of a congested street to let another fire engine pass. 1:01:22: V: Meg Vaillancourt sets up an interview with Sterling Anderson (ACORN). Vaillancourt asks about the march organized by ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) to protest the affordable housing policies of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). Anderson says that redevelopment in the areas of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan is not geared toward the current residents of those areas; that ACORN is trying to put pressure on the mayor and the BRA to include housing for current residents. Anderson says that most of the residents of those areas do not make more than $13,000 per year; that one-bedroom apartments are selling for $18,000 in one of the new developments. Anderson says that Ray Flynn (mayor of Boston) deserves credit for developing housing; that these efforts are insignificant if the residents of these areas cannot live in the new housing. Anderson talks about how poor people have been thrown out of areas like the South End. Anderson says that the residents need housing, not shelters; that the city needs to commit itself to affordable housing. Anderson says that the city defines low income as a salary of $18,000 to $23,000 per year; that the city defines a moderate income as an income of $23,000 per year. Anderson says that he defines low income as under $13,000; that he defines moderate income as $13,000 to $24,000 per year. Vaillancourt asks if the city is really serving its lower income residents. Anderson says that the city is not serving those residents; that a lot of people cannot afford housing; that the city is pushing low-income residents out of the areas of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan. Vaillancourt asks if race is the issue. Anderson says that it is an economic issue; that the low-income residents of Roxbury are African American; that there are low-income whites with the same problems in South Boston, Chelsea, and East Boston. Vaillancourt asks if Anderson doubts Flynn's commitment to the neighborhoods. Anderson says that he respects Flynn; that Flynn needs to understand that low-income residents are committed to fighting for affordable housing; that he needs to help these people. Anderson says that he cannot afford to give up on the fight for affordable housing; that he will have no place to live in five years if he does not put up a struggle. Anderson says that shelters are not the answer to the housing problem; that poor people do not want to live in shelters. Anderson says that there are some people who benefit from shelters; that the majority of people with low incomes are intelligent and hard-working. Anderson says that he hears the same statistics from the city at every meeting on affordable housing; that the city needs to make a commitment because working people cannot afford housing right now. The crew takes cutaway shots of Vaillancourt and Anderson. Anderson says that the BRA says the same thing at every meeting; that public housing advocates are always pushing for more low-income housing. Anderson says that 70% of the housing in the areas of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan needs to be for low- and moderate-income people. Anderson says that people in these areas have no place to live, despite the BRA's commitment to affordable housing; that developments in these areas should be priced at $35,000 instead of $65,000. 1:08:18: V: Housing protesters gather on the sidewalk on Washington Street, outside of the BRA's Dudley Office. The elevated train tracks are visible. The protesters chant, "We want housing. We won't wait. 2, 4, 6, 8." The protesters gather behind a banner reading, "ACORN." Shot of the BRA sign above the entrance to the office. The protesters march slowly into the BRA offices. The protesters chant, "What do we want? Housing. When do we want it? Now." The majority of the protesters are African American. The protesters file into the building. 1:10:48: V: The housing protesters enter a large room swith chairs set up for a meeting. The protesters chant, "2, 4, 6, 8. We want housing. We won't wait." The protesters stand at the side of the room, holding protest signs and chanting. Shot of a sign reading, "Third notice: Please be advised that you are required to build affordable housing." Shots of individual protesters. Ricardo Millet (BRA) sits in one of the chairs in the meeting room. He watches the protesters with interest. Millet invites the protesters to sit down. Anderson says that the protesters will remain standing. Anderson addresses Millet. Anderson says that there is a housing shortage in the areas of Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan; that the BRA housing policy is ineffective; that residents of these areas need housing that they can afford. Anderson says that the newly developed housing target people with incomes of at least $23,000 per year; that most residents make less than $13,000 per year. Anderson says that the BRA and the city of Boston need to make a commitment to low-income housing; that 70% of the new development needs to target low-income residents. Anderson demands information on new developments planned for the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan areas. Anderson says that the BRA has not been forthcoming with that information; that the BRA needs to work with developers work with developers who have committed to building low-income housing. 1:14:34: V: An African American woman addresses Millet. She reads a list of ACORN demands: the cessation of development on Fountain Hill by June 15 unless the development is 70% affordable to those with low- and moderate-incomes; 70% of all new housing must target low- and moderate-income residents; that ACORN wants information on plans for new development in the area. Another protester says that the 70% quota applies to housing in the Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan areas; that many residents of these areas make less than $13,000 per year; that an average income is more than $26,000 per year. The protester says that the voices of the poor must be heard. The protesters applaud. Anderson asks for a map of planned developments in the Roxbury/Mattapan area. Anderson says that the protesters will not allow new developments to be built if they cannot live in them. Millet stands to face the protesters. He listens as Anderson speaks. 1:16:10: V: Millet addresses the protesters. He invites the protesters to sit down and to discuss the issues with him. Anderson says that the protesters have been sitting in meetings for months; that the protesters want a list of the planned developments in the area. Millet says that he has never been asked for a list of the planned developments before now. Millet offers to provide the protesters with a list of projects currently undertaken by the BRA. Millet gives copies of a handout to the protesters. Millet notes that the BRA, under the Flynn administration, has approved 912 units of housing. Millet adds that the handout includes a list of approved projects as well as their locations, developers and affordablility. Shot of the printed handout. Millet says that 60% of the units in the approved developments are affordable to low- and moderate-income people. Shot of statistic on the handout reading, "60.4% of units below market rate." Anderson asks Millet to define low- and moderate-income. Millet says that the BRA will work with the protesters on the issue of low-income housing; that the BRA and the city want to respond to the needs of low-income people. Millet notes that it is hard to achieve these goals because the federal government has stopped subsidizing housing. Millet adds that the city has done well to achieve a 60% affordability rate in its new projects. Millet gives out copies of another handout. Millet explains that the handout covers the BRA's and the city's positions on affordable housing; that the handout describes the problem of affordable housing. Millet notes that the city is aware of the housing shortage. Anderson says that he gets the same responses every time he meets with the city and the BRA about housing; that no one is responding to their concerns. Shot of the crowd of protesters. Millet says that he has met with ACORN representatives in the past; that the BRA agrees with ACORN on the need to provide affordable housing; that the BRA is trying to achieve these goals without subsidies from the federal government. Millet stresses the fact that the BRA is committed to achieving these goals; that the BRA is trying their best to build affordable housing; that the BRA's achievement of a 60% affordabliltiy rate is remarkable.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/28/1986
Description: Marcus Jones reports that some African American leaders, including Jesse Jackson, are promoting the use of the term "African American" instead of the term "black." Comedian Charles Cozart on the Arsenio Hall Show. Interview with Northeastern lecturer Robert Hayden, who promotes the use of the term. Hayden says that it is an accurate term that reflects the roots and history of African Americans. Interview with Elma Lewis, the Director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, who believes that the term "black" is more inclusive. Lewis says that not all black people in the US are Americans. Interviews with students and teachers at the Ellis School in Roxbury about which term they prefer. Following the edited story is additional footage of Jones speaking to students and teachers at the Ellis School. Jones answers questions about his report on Jackie Robinson and the race relations of the time. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Meg Vaillancourt reports that the Boston School Committee is deeply divided over whether to renew the contract of Laval Wilson
1:00:11: V: Footage from the Arsenio Hall Show. Charles Cozart (comedian) tells jokes in front of the audience. Marcus Jones reports that the African American community is debating the use of the term "black." Jones notes that Jesse Jackson (African American political leader) is urging the use of the term "African American" instead of "black." V: Shots of Jackson addressing an audience. Shots of African Americans in the audience. Footage of Robert Hayden (Lecturer, Northeastern University) saying that many people of color have been calling themselves "African Americans" for years. Hayden says that many universities have departments of African American studies. Hayden says that people of African descent were living in Boston in the eighteenth century; that those people referred to their community as "African." Hayden says that the term is "accurate" and "useful." Footage of Elma Lewis (Director, National Center of Afro-American Artists) being interviewed by Jones. Lewis says that she does not have to follow the trend. Jones notes that Lewis is opposed to using the term "African American." V: Footage of Lewis saying that Africa is a whole continent. Lewis says that the terms "Nigerian American" or "Jamaican American" are more appropriate than "African American." Lewis says that the term "black American" is more inclusive. Footage of Jones addressing a class at the David A. Ellis School in Roxbury. Jones asks how many of the students are aware of the debate surrounding the term "African American." A few students raise their hands. Jones says that he asked students and teachers at the Ellis School in Roxbury about the terms "African American" and "black." V: Shots of students. Footage of an African American female student saying that it does not matter which term is used. Footage of a Latina teacher saying that there should be no mention of race in identification terms. Footage of an African American teacher asking if the term would be extended to "Afro-English" for blacks living in England. Footage of an African American male student saying that he likes the term "brown." Footage of a female student saying that it doesn't matter. Footage of Hayden saying that the term might inspire some to think about their African roots. Hayden says that some people might begin to look into their family histories. Footage of Lewis saying that it is important to teach children to be proud of their African roots. Lewis says that not all black people in the US are American; that all black people in the US are black. Shots of African Americans walking on a street; of a group of students walking away from a school.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/15/1989