Description: Hope Kelly reports that students from the Boston University School of Theology held a ceremony to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. She notes that attendees at the gathering also prayed for peace in the Persian Gulf. Interviews with BU Theology students Virgil Hammett, Leon Chestnut, Jessica Davis, and Roxie Coicou. The students talk about civil rights, the legacy of King, and their desire for a peaceful resolution to the Persian Gulf Crisis. Chestnut, Hammett and Davis address the gathered students and lead prayers to end the war. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Carmen Fields reports on African American soldiers in the Persian Gulf War
1:00:16: Visual: Footage of students from the Boston University School of Theology walking on the Boston University (BU) campus at dusk. The students sing, "We Shall Overcome." The students gather together and link arms near the Martin Luther King Memorial statue near Marsh Chapel. Shots of the students. Hope Kelly reports that students at the BU School of Theology were celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights activist); that the celebration of peace is happening while the nation is at war. V: Footage of Virgil Hammett (student, BU School of Theology) being interviewed. Hammett says that he sees the connection that King saw between civil rights and the Vietnam War. Hammett says that some US soldiers in Kuwait are fighting for rights that they do not possess at home. Footage of Leon Chestnut (student, BU School of Theology) being interviewed. Chestnut says that charity begins at home. Chestnut says that the US must set its own house in order before going off to war. Footage of Jessica Davis (student, BU School of Theology) being interviewed. Davis says that a lot of money is spent on weapons; that the government is not providing for the needs of the people. Kelly reports that Davis is a divinity student who is studying to be a minister. Kelly notes that Chestnut is a Hebrew Bible scholar and a preacher. V: Shot of Chestnut and Davis standing in a chapel. Footage of Chestnut addressing the gathering of divinity students on the BU campus. Chestnut quotes from a psalm. Footage of Chestnut being interviewed. Chestnut talks about the importance of having faith. Footage of Chestnut addressing the gathering of divinity students. Chestnut talks about faith. Footage of Roxie Coicou (student, BU School of Theology) being interviewed. Coicou says that people need to pray and to talk about the war. Kelly reports that Coicou was born in 1968, which was the year that King was assassinated. V: Footage of Davis being interviewed. Davis talks about seeing King speak when she was a little girl. Davis says that society's problems have changed little since the 1960s. Footage of Coicou being interviewed. Coicou says that politics will continue; that people need to pray. Shot of BU students at the gathering. Footage of Hammett addressing the gathering. Hammett prays for love and understanding. Hammett prays for the realization of King's goals. Footage of Davis addressing the gathering. Davis prays for an end to the war. Shots of the students at the gathering.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/21/1991