Description: On the 15th anniversary of Ms., Gloria Steinem, Marlo Thomas, and Ruth Westheimer hold a press conference on the magazine, it's magazine's evolution, and changes in the feminist movement. Interviews with many women on if they read Ms., what they think about the way it has changed, or what they read instead.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/23/1987
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: Massachusetts has decided to allow businesses and insurance companies to test people for the AIDS antibody. Critics complain that the proposed policy favors insurance companies over patients. Paula Gold, Massachusetts Secretary of Consumer Affairs, speaks at a press conference. She says that testing will be allowed under limited circumstances and controlled conditions. The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts is a strong opponent of the policy. Don Polk of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts speaks at a press conference. He condemns involuntary testing except for clear public health reasons. He believes that the policy does not contain appropriate measures to ensure patient confidentiality and is discriminatory against African American life insurance policy holders. He states that the proposed policy fails to take into account the discrepancy in life expectancy between African American AIDS victims and white AIDS victims. The Urban League believes that the new state policy de-emphasizes public health education campaigns, which are important in minority communities. Public health informational brochures and African Americans at a bus stop. Following the edited story is footage of public health education literature. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Boston City Council delays vote on school reform
1:00:01: Visual: Shots of medical laboratory workers undertaking the processes involved in testing vials of blood. Callie Crossley reports that businesses and insurance companies have been lobbying for the right to test for the AIDS antibody. Crossley reports that Paula Gold (Secretary of Consumer Affairs) and the administration of Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts) have decided to allow testing for life insurance. V: Footage Gold at a press conference. Gold says that testing will be allowed under limited circumstances and under controlled conditions. Crossley reports that critics complain that the proposed policy favors insurance companies; that Peter Hiam (former Insurance Commissioner) resigned in protest of the policy. Crossley reports that the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts also disagrees with the proposed policy. V: Footage of Don Polk (Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts) at a press conference. Polk says that involuntary testing of any segment of the population should only take place for clear public health reasons; that involuntary testing will have a "chilling effect" on those who have a reason to seek testing; that involuntary testing includes tests taken as a precondition for life insurance. Shot of a white audience member at the press conference. Crossley adds that Polk says that some provisions of the policy discriminate against African Americans; that African Americans are more likely to purchase life insurance policies for under $100,000. Crossley reports that the new provisions state that purchasers of life insurance policies under $100,000 will not get payment if they die of AIDS within two years of purchasing a policy. V: Shots of African Americans waiting for public transportation in Roxbury; of an African American man crossing the street; of African Americans boarding an MBTA bus. Footage of Polk at the press conference. Polk refers to evidence that African American AIDS patients have an average life expectancy of three to nine months after their initial diagnosis; that white victims have an average life expectancy of two years. Polk says that the proposed policy fails to take into account the discrepancies between African American and white life expectancies. Shot of an African American woman in the audience. Crossley reports that a spokesperson from Gold's office said that Gold "did not feel that the regulations discriminated against blacks." V: Shot of Gold speaking at a press conference. Crossley notes that Polk does not think that the proposed regulations go far enough in guaranteeing confidentiality. V: Shot of an African American man taking notes at Polk's press conference. Polk says that there are confidentiality measures in the regulations; that there is no enforcement mechanism to ensure adherence to those measures; that we live in an age of "rapid information processing." Shot of a "public health fact sheet" released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health; of public health informational brochures about the AIDS virus. Crossley says that the Urban League accuses the new regulations of taking emphasis away from public health education and initiatives. Crossley notes that Polk says that public health campaigns are important in minority communities; that African Americans make up 25% of the 25,000 current AIDS victims. Crossley reports that the Urban League will recommend at a public hearing that the new proposed policy be rejected.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/03/1987
Description: Carmen Fields reports on the restoration of the African Meeting House on Beacon Hill. The Meeting House is the oldest African American church in the nation and it was gutted by fire in 1973. Interview with Philip Hart (Board of Directors, African Meeting House) and Ruth Batson (Director, African Meeting House). Hart talks about the significance of the Meeting House. Batson talks about plans for music, scholarly debate, and religious services at the Meeting House. Fields notes that a series of rededication programs will begin soon. Footage of construction workers and staff at the Meeting House and photographs documenting the history of African Americans in Boston.
1:00:01: Visual: Footage of woodworkers and construction workers doing restoration work at the African Meeting House on Beacon Hill. Carmen Fields reports that the African Meeting House is being restored; that the African Meeting House is the oldest African American church in the nation. V: Shots of the exterior of the Meeting House; of a commemorative stone reading, "A gift to Cato Gardner. First promoter of this building, 1806." Footage of Fields interviewing Philip Hart (Board of Directors, African Meeting House). Hart says that Frederick Douglass (abolitionist) spoke at the Meeting House; that the Meeting House was important to the Underground Railroad. Hart talks about the history of the Meeting House. Hart says that the Meeting House hosted notable figures and the average citizens. Shots black and white images of Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison (abolitionist). Fields reports that the Meeting House was gutted by fire in 1973; that a series of rededication programs begin on Sunday. V: Shots of the interior of the Meeting House with scaffolding; of white and African American workers involved in the rededication programs. Shots of Ruth Batson (Director, African Meeting House); of a black and white image of the Meeting House; of a 19th century photograph of a group of African Americans. Footage of Batson saying that she would like to have music, scholarly debate, and special religious services in the Meeting House. Batson says that the building will serve multiple purposes; that she hopes it will unite the people of Boston. Shots of photographs by Hamilton Smith, documenting the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century African American community. Fields notes that photographs by Hamilton Smith will be part of a permanent exhibit at the Meeting House. Field adds that the nineteenth-century African American community was centered on the north slope of Beacon Hill. V: Shot of a black and white photo of three African American women; of a black and white image of the Meeting House. Footage of Batson saying that the African American community began on Beacon Hill; that the African American community must celebrate their heritage. Footage of Hart saying that the building is a reminder of the role of the African American community in the history of Boston. Shots of black and white images of African Americans in the nineteenth century. Shot of the exterior of the Meeting House. Footage of Batson saying that she can hear the voices of past generations when she stands in the building.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 10/09/1987
Description: Fritz Wetherbee reports that Annie Johnson, a Boston resident, will receive the Living Legacy Award in Washington DC. Johnson grew up in Boston and organized domestic workers through the Women's Service Clubs of Boston in the 1960s. She led the workers on a campaign for benefits. Interview with Johnson in her home. She talks about the importance of helping others. Johnson discusses her aunt, Eleanor Graves Chandler, who was an early community activist. Johnson preparing chicken in her kitchen and visiting a senior citizen meal program at the Grace Baptist Church.
1:00:12: Visual: Footage of Annie Johnson (Living Legacy Award winner) saying that a person can be poor and "colored" and still help everybody. Fritz Wetherbee reports that Johnson is 83 years old; that Johnson will fly to Washington DC to receive her Living Legacy Award. V: Footage of Johnson preparing chicken in her kitchen at home. Wetherbee reports that Johnson is preparing the food for Project Soup; that Project Soup is a senior citizen meal program at Grace Baptist Church. V: Footage of Johnson saying that people have called her for help when she is sick in bed; that she will get up to try to help them, before going back to bed to lie down. Wetherbee reports that Johnson grew up in Boston; that she has lived in the same house on Elmwood Street for 46 years; that she raised seven children in the house. V: Shots of Elmwood Street in Boston; of the exterior of Johnson's house on Elmwood Street. Footage of Johnson preparing chicken in her kitchen. Wetherbee reports that Johnson organized domestic workers in the 1960s, through the Women's Service Clubs of Boston. Wetherbee notes that Johnson succeeded in winning minimum wage, worker's compensation, social security, and regular days off for the workers. Wetherbee adds that Johnson organized a job training program for the workers. V: Shot of the prepared chicken in a foil dish. Wetherbee reports that Johnson is the niece of Eleanor Graves Chandler. V: Shot of an African American woman serving chicken to elderly women at Project Soup. Footage of Johnson saying that Chandler was a politician; that Chandler believed that African American women should be active in politics and civic life. Johnson says that she can remember taking people to register to vote when she was younger. Johnson talks about another one of her relatives who was "an advocate for her race." Shot of Johnson leaving the Grace Baptist Church, carrying some flowers. Wetherbee reports that Martin Luther King Sr., Jesse Owens, Rosa Parks, A. Philip Randolph, and Roy Wilkins have all been awarded the Living Legacy Award; that Johnson will receive the award this evening. V: Footage of Johnson saying that many other racial groups have followed the lead of African Americans in their struggle for civil rights.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/20/1987
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports on the slow pace of public housing integration in South Boston. Footage of Doris Bunte, the director of the BHA talking about housing integration in 1986. The waiting list for public housing is 80% minority, but that there are no African American families living in the three public housing projects in South Boston. One resident talks about her opposition to housing integration. The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) says that white families were first on the waiting lists for South Boston Projects. Interview with William Wright of the BHA, who denies any discriminatory practices on the part of the BHA. Vaillancourt notes that the BHA says that the safety of African American families in all-white housing projects cannot be assured. Interview with with Alex Rodriguez of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Rodriguez accuses the BHA of practicing segregation in their housing policies. Kathy Gannett a former employee of the Department of Housing and Urban Development has also accused the BHA of practicing discrimination. Interview with Gannett. Vaillancourt reports that neither Bunte nor Mayor Ray Flynn will comment on the slow pace of desegregation.
1:00:02: Visual: Footage of Doris Bunte (Boston Housing Authority) from 1986. Bunte says that separate facilities are unequal facilities. Meg Vaillancourt reports that little has been done to desegregate public housing in Boston. V: Shot of a white woman and white children standing outside of a housing project building in South Boston. Footage of a white woman talking to a reporter from the window of her project apartment. The woman says that she would like the neighborhood to remain white. Shots of white project residents standing at the entrance to a project building; of white girl reading on the stoop of an apartment; of a white boy scrambling under a fence near a housing projects; of white children in the area surrounding the project buildings. Vaillancourt reports that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) hired Doris Bunte to run the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) four years ago; that Bunte is a former project resident. Vaillancourt notes that there are still no African American families living in the three public housing projects in South Boston. Vaillancourt adds that African American families are on the waiting list for public housing. V: Shots of white residents sitting on park benches outside of a project; of parochial school students walking home from school. Vaillancourt reports that the BHA says that families are placed on a first come, first served basis; that the BHA says that white families were first on the waiting list for the South Boston projects. V: Shot of an African American girl looking out of the window of a project apartment. Footage of William Wright (BHA) saying that African American families have not been passed over on the waiting list for the South Boston projects. Vaillancourt notes that non-whites comprise 80% of the BHA waiting list. V: Shots of African American children and adults outside of a housing project building. Footage of Kathy Gannett (former employee, Department of Housing and Urban Development) saying that African American families were passed over on the waiting list for apartments in South Boston public housing projects; that the BHA is denying access to public housing projects on the basis of skin color. Vaillancourt reports that Gannett has been fired from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); that Gannett says that Bunte complained about her aggressive investigation of the BHA's desegregation efforts. V: Footage of Bunte from 1986. Shot of Wright sitting behind a desk. Vaillancourt notes that the BHA has denied Gannett's accusations. V: Shots of a child being held by a woman standing in the window of a project apartment; of a woman feeding a child dinner in an apartment; of the exterior of project buildings in South Boston; of a sign reading, "Old Colony Public Housing Development." Vaillancourt reports that the BHA has an emergency list; that families on the emergency list must be placed in the first available apartment. V: Footage of Wright being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Vaillancourt asks if an African American family on the emergency list would be placed in an available South Boston apartment. Wright says that the BHA is not housing people from the emergency lists in South Boston projects at this time. Wright adds that the families did not request apartments in South Boston; that the BHA is not discriminating against those families. Wright says that the turnover rate in South Boston public housing projects is very low. Wright says that he does not know if African American families on the emergency list were turned away from South Boston apartments. Vaillancourt reports that the BHA says that the safety of African American families in the all-white South Boston projects cannot be assured. V: Shot of white residents outside of a project building. Footage of Alex Rodriguez (Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination) saying that families are being denied access to public housing on the basis of race; that the housing authority has engaged in "social engineering" by continuing segregation in public housing projects. Rodriguez says that the BHA must abide by the law. Vaillancourt says that neither Bunte nor Flynn will comment on the situation. V: Shot of Bunte speaking to someone at a social function; of Flynn; of a white woman and white children sitting on the steps of a housing project; of a white child running around in front of a South Boston project building; of an African American man raking leaves in front of a project building. Vaillancourt notes that Flynn has said that the South Boston public housing projects will be desegregated by 1988; that Flynn will not comment on why desegregation has taken so long.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/05/1987
Description: Callie Crossley reports on the documentary film Street Cop, set in Roxbury. Interview with Roxbury community activists Georgette Watson and Ben Haith about the documentary's portrayal of crime and drug traffic in the community. Watson complains about the negative images of Roxbury in the media and about the negative attitude of many police officers toward African Americans. Crossley's report includes footage from Street Cop and footage of Crossley, Watson, and Haith walking in Dudley Square. Interview with Larry Brown of the Boston Minority Police Association, who says that the documentary gave a realistic and effective portrayal of law enforcement. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: David Boeri reports that William Celester has been accused of sexual assault by a female employee of the Police Department
1:00:00: Visual: Footage from Street Cop, a documentary film produced for Frontline. The footage shows a police plainclothes police officer entering a family's apartment. Women and children in the apartment are screaming and crying. Callie Crossley reports that Street Cop is a gritty documentary set in Roxbury; that the documentary profiles police officers from Area B headquarters in Roxbury; that the documentary examines crime and drug traffic. Crossley reports that some Roxbury activists say that the film shows the disrepectful attitude of the police toward citizens in the community. V: Footage of Crossley interviewing Georgette Watson (Roxbury community activist) and Ben Haith (Roxbury community activist). Watson says that police show less respect and restraint in Roxbury than they do in other communities. Watson wonders if the police are helping the community or destroying it. Crossley reports that Watson and Haith are concerned about the portrayal the Roxbury community in the documentary. V: Footage from Street Cop of a police officer breaking down an apartment door with a sledgehammer. Footage of Watson saying that drug problems exist all over the city, not just in Roxbury. Footage of Haith saying that the documentary showed the police attacking the neighborhood as if they were engaged in warfare. Footage from Street Cop of police officers searching for drugs in an apartment. Footage of Crossley, Watson, and Haith walking across the street in Dudley Square in Roxbury. Watson says that there are massive drug deals taking place across from the police station; that police are more concerned with forcefully entering homes to search for nickel bags of marijuana. Footage from Street Cop. Stanley Philbin (Boston Police Department) drives by a depressed housing project in Roxbury, saying that if he were young, black and living in that housing project, he would probably sell drugs; that "being black is no bargain." Crossley reports that Roxbury activists say that comments by police officers in the documentary reflect racist attitudes. V: Footage from Street Cop of a white police officer grabbing an African American girl as he tries to chase some African American kids away from a residential home. Footage of Watson saying that Roxbury needs police officers who understand the community; that police officers from South Boston do not understand the culture of African Americans. Watson says that Roxbury needs police officers who do not have a negative attitude toward African Americans. Footage of Larry Brown (Boston Minority Police Association) saying that the documentary was realistic and effective portrayal of law enforcement. Footage from Street Cop of a police officer reaching down the shirt of an old woman to pull out drugs. Footage of Brown saying that drugs and guns are a huge problem in communities; that police officers need to protect themselves from violence. Footage from Street Cop of police officers making an arrest. Footage of Brown saying that the community needs to support the police officers in the fight against the drug problem; that tough tactics are necessary to eradicate the drug problem. Footage from Street Cop of a uniformed African American police officer in a cruiser.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/31/1987
Description: Harold Washington (Mayor of Chicago) and W. Wilson Goode (Mayor of Philadelphia). The city of Hartford, Connecticut has elected Carrie Perry, an African American woman, as mayor of the city. Marcus Jones notes that Hartford is the only major city in New England with an African American mayor. Jones' report includes footage of Perry at a polling station and at a press conference. Jones reports that Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) is seen as having the best chance at becoming Boston's first African American mayor. Interview with Bolling, who says that he might run for mayor someday, but that he is concentrating on his agenda in the City Council. Jones notes that Bolling differed with Mel King (candidate for Mayor of Boston in 1983) and other African American community leaders over the issue of Roxbury's secession from Boston. Footage of Bolling, King, Andrew Young (Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) and Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church) on the Phil Donahue Show in 1986. Jones notes that the minority community in Boston is becoming impatient for an African American mayor. Interviews with Charles Weeks (Black Political Task Force) about the chances of Boston electing an African American mayor.
1:00:09: Visual: Shots of Harold Washington (Mayor of Chicago) celebrating his victory at the polls; of W. Wilson Goode (Mayor of Philadelphia); of an African American man official from the campaign of Carrie Perry in Hartford. Shot of Carrie Perry (Mayor of Hartford) entering a polling booth. Marcus Jones reports that Carrie Perry is the first African American to be mayor of Hartford; that Hartford is the only major city in New England with an African American mayor. V: Footage of Perry at a press conference. Footage of Bruce Bolling (President, Boston City Council) being interviewed by Jones. Bolling says that the city of Hartford deserves a lot of credit; that Hartford voters have looked beyond race in electing city officials. Jones reports that Bolling is seen as having the best chance of becoming Boston's first African American mayor. V: Footage of Bolling saying that he is not preoccupied with the thought of running for mayor. Bolling says that he is pursuing his agenda in the City Council. Jones notes that Bolling was once seen as a successor to Mel King (candidate for mayor of Boston in 1983); that King and Bolling differed publicly on the issue of Roxbury's proposed secession from Boston. V: Shot of King campaigning in Roxbury in 1983. Footage of Bolling, King, Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church) and Andrew Jones (Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) on the Phil Donahue show on October 30, 1986. Bolling says that African Americans and voters from other races supported King's candidacy in 1983 because they wanted a change in the city. Footage of Charles Weeks (Black Political Task Force) saying that there will be an African American mayor in Boston; that the African American mayor will need to be the mayor for all residents, not just African Americans. Jones notes that the Black Political Task Force endorsed Bolling's last bid for re-election to the City Council. V: Footage of Weeks saying that whites are becoming more accustomed to seeing African Americans in positions of authority; that an African American will eventually become mayor of Boston. Footage of Bolling saying that it is possible that he might become mayor someday. Bolling adds that an African American will become mayor of Boston in the future. Footage of African American audience members debating on the Donahue show. Marcus Jones notes that the minority community in Boston is becoming impatient for an African American mayor.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/04/1987
Description: Hotel workers union Local 26 is not being permitted to protest against Boston Marathon sponsor and Back Bay Hilton owner, John Hancock, during the race. Start of the Boston Marathon. Interview with union leader Domenic Bozzotto. Hearing on the protesting. Several union protests. Footage from a John Hancock Boston Marathon commercial.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/16/1987
Description: Christy George reports on the end of a two-week fast by chaplains at Brandeis University. George notes that the chaplains fasted to protest the university's investments in South Africa. George's report includes footage from a gathering of apartheid protesters on the Brandeis campus. Father Maurice Loiselle, Rabbi Albert Axelrad and Reverend Diane Moore discuss their fast and the university's policy regarding South Africa. The protesters sing and hold hands at the gathering. George reports that the chaplains' fast serves as the last phase of a community protest against apartheid. George notes that Brandeis trustees will review their investment policy at an upcoming meeting. George reviews the apartheid protest at Brandeis University since last year. George's report includes footage of Brandeis students at a shantytown on campus from the previous year.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/13/1987