Description: Ray Flynn comments on the Doyle-Flynn Bill, which cut state funding for abortions, and was being presented to the legislature the following day. According to the Original WCVB Rundown, Flynn called this impromptu news conference on the steps of the State House to defend his bill. Mix of sound and silent.
Collection: WCVB Collection
Date Created: 09/18/1977
Description: Byron Rushing (State Representative) addresses a rent control demonstration outside Boston City Hall. He encourages tenants to fight for their rights, urges voters not to support anti-rent control candidates, and advocates a citywide referendum on the issue. Pat Burns (Catholic Connection) speaks about Sojourner House, a shelter for homeless families and the Catholic Connection's support for rent. Boston City Councilors Ray Flynn, Michael McCormack, Christopher Iannella and Maura Hennigan confer in the chambers of the Boston City Council. Boston City Councilors Frederick Langone, Albert "Dapper" O'Neil, Terence McDermott, Bruce Bolling , and Joseph Tierney are also present. The gallery of the chambers is filled with observers, many wearing pro-rent control buttons. Ianella calls the meeting to order and the clerk reads appropriation orders and requests submitted by Kevin White (Mayor, City of Boston) for the approval of the council. The council discusses and votes on orders from the mayor concerning the Public Works Department and the Public Facilities Commission. The clerk reads a request from the mayor concerning the financing of a bond for the Winthrop Printing Company. The Council conducts business on the chamber floor with Langone discussing a proposed law concerning the cleanliness of dumpsters in the city and about building affordable housing instead of high-priced condominiums. Sounds cuts out near the end and then comes back in.
1:00:04: Visual: Byron Rushing (State Representative) speaks into a microphone. He says that working class and poor people need to fight for their rights as tenants. The crowd claps. Rushing says that voters must vote against politicians who do not support rent control; that rent control must be brought to the ballot as a citywide referendum. The crowd claps. Shots of the crowd outside of City Hall. A white woman addresses the crowd, saying that it is not a good idea to classify tenants as elderly, disabled or low-income; that those classes of tenants will have difficulty finding apartments. Shots of two older men in the crowd. One of them is wearing a button which reads, "Rent Control: Continue and Strengthen it. Ban condominium conversion evictions." Shot of the button. Pat Burns (Catholic Connection) addresses the crowd. Burns talks about Sojourner House, which is a shelter for homeless families. Burns says that the Catholic Connection supports rent control in order to stop the increasing number of homeless families. Shot of a man holding a rent control sign reading, "No rent control plus no condo ban equals no housing." Shots of the crowd listening to Burns. Several crowd members are holding pro-rent control signs. 1:02:23: V: The white woman addresses the crowd as they move into the City Hall building. Shots of the crowd as they enter City Hall. One woman holds up a sign reading, "Landlords get the money. Tenants get the shaft." 1:03:33: V: Boston City Councilors Ray Flynn, Michael McCormack, Christopher Ianella and Maura Hennigan confer in the chambers of the Boston City Council. Frederick Langone (Boston City Council) confers with a woman on the floor of the chambers. Langone sits down in his chair, with his cigar in his mouth. The gallery of the chambers is filled with observers. Many observers wear pro-rent control buttons. Albert "Dapper" O'Neil (Boston City Council) joins the group of councilors. 1:05:51: V: Hennigan sits in her chair on the floor of the chambers. She flips through some papers on the table in front of her. Flynn sits down in his seat. Langone lights his cigar. Terence McDermott (Boston City Council) is sitting in his seat on the floor of the chamber. Albert "Dapper" O'Neil (Boston City Council) sits in his seat. The clerk calls the roll of city council members. Ianella brings the meeting to order. 1:08:28: V: The clerk reads appropriation orders and requests submitted by Kevin White (Mayor, City of Boston) for the approval of the council. The council discusses and votes on orders from the mayor concerning the Public Works Department and the Public Facilities Commission. Shots of McDermott; of McCormack; of Langone; of audience members in the Council gallery. The clerk calls the council roll for a vote on the order concerning the Public Facilities Commission. Shot of Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council). The clerk reads a request from the mayor concerning the financing of a bond for the Winthrop Printing Company. 1:12:03: V: Shots of audience members in the gallery; long shot of the floor of the Council Chamber from the gallery. Audio is muffled. Langone discusses a proposed law concerning the cleanliness of dumpsters in the city. More shots of audience members. 1:15:45: V: Councilors conduct business on the floor of the Chamber. Langone talks about housing. Shots of Christy George (WGBH reporter); of Bolling, Flynn and Hennigan; of Bolling; of Flynn; of Joseph Tierney (Boston City Council). The Council continues to conduct business. Langone talks about building affordable housing instead of high-priced condominiums.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/15/1982
Description: Hope Kelly reports on charges of racism against the Boston Irish Rowing Club. Larry Otway, President of St. Brendan's Rowing Club of New York said that he was discouraged from bringing African American rowers to compete against the Boston Irish Rowing Club in South Boston. Otway later rescinded his accusations. Mayor Ray Flynn holds a press conference to cite progress in fighting racism across the city. Flynn, William Geary, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan District Commission, City Councilor Bruce Bolling, John Joyce, the President of Boston Irish Rowing Club, and Otway speak at the press conference. Joyce denies any discriminatory practices on the part of the Boston Irish Rowing Club. Andrew Jones and Curtis David of the Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project hold a rival press conference in front of the L Street Bath House in South Boston, spekaing out against racism Jerry Cullitary (South Boston resident) defends South Boston against charges of racism. Interview with Susan Moir, a South Boston resident, about racism in South Boston. People rowing in curraghs on Pleasure Bay.
1:00:00: Visual: Footage of Andrew Jones (Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) and Curtis Davis (Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) at a press conference in front of the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston. Jones reads a prepared statement. The statement reads that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) should not invite New York residents to Boston; that African Americans from New York and Boston are not welcome in Flynn's neighborhood. Footage of Flynn at a press conference. Flynn says that acts of discrimination in the city will not be tolerated. Shots of Davis and Jones at their press conference; of Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) speaking at Flynn's press conference. Footage of Jones saying that African Americans were stoned when they tried to visit Carson Beach in 1974. Footage of William Geary (Commissioner, Metropolitan District Commission) at Flynn's press conference. Geary says that Carson Beach is open to all citizens. Shots of Flynn speaking at his press conference. White and African American city officials stand behind him. Hope Kelly says that Flynn's press conference included a full array of testimony about the city's progress in fighting racism; that it is rare for African American community leaders to hold press conferences in South Boston. V: Shot of the press conference in front of the L Street Bathhouse. The sign over the entrance to the bathhouse reads, "James Michael Curley Recreation Center." A crowd of white residents and media stand in front of the entrance. Shot of a white man standing at the entrance of the bathhouse. Footage of Jones saying that Flynn is doing nothing to combat racism in his own neighborhood. Footage of Flynn saying that a number of minority youngsters have participated in events in South Boston. Footage of John Joyce (President, Boston Irish Rowing Club) saying that the rowing club does not discriminate; that their activities are open to all. Kelly reports that Joyce directs a group of rowers who row on Pleasure Bay in curraghs; that curraghs are boats which are native to Ireland. Kelly notes that the club competes against other curragh clubs; that the club will host a New York curragh club on Sunday. V: Shot of Joyce in a curragh; of rowers in curraghs on Pleasure Bay; of white male members of the club on shore; of a white male getting into a boat with two other white rowers. Shots of curragh races. Kelly reports that Larry Otway (President, St. Brendan Rowing Club of New York) filed a complaint against the Boston club; that the Otway contends that Joyce told the New York club not to come to Boston with African American rowers. V: Shot of Joyce at Flynn's press conference. Kelly notes that Joyce apologized; that Otway has now exonerated Joyce. V: Footage of Otway at Flynn's press conference. Otway says that Joyce is not a racist; that Joyce has always welcomed all of the members of the New York Club; that Joyce has been mistakenly targeted as a racist. Kelly reports that some people agree that the rowing club has been unfairly targeted as racist. Footage of Jerry Cullitary (L Street bather) saying that the residents of South Boston are hard-working, working-class people; that racism is more of a problem in the white suburbs than it is in South Boston. Kelly reports that South Boston has become synonymous with racism. V: Shot of a front page headline in the Boston Herald. The headline reads, "Southie rowing club beached by racial uproar." Footage of a white man addressing Jones and Davis at the press conference at the bathhouse. The man says that "good news in South Boston is no news; that bad news is big news." Davis says that he has not heard anyone utter a racial slur at the press conference. The man says that he would like Davis and Boyce to talk about "good news" in South Boston. Kelly says that the press conferences pointed up the stereotypes which still exist on both sides of the race issue in Boston; that the "sunny side-up" tone of Flynn's press conference only reinforced skepticism about the issue. V: Shot of Flynn leaving his press conference. Hope Kelly stands in the room where Flynn's press conference was held. Kelly said that she wanted to ask Flynn if Carson Beach was presently open to everyone; that Flynn did not answer the question. V: Footage of Susan Moir (white South Boston resident) in South Boston. Moir says that her son is white; that he gets insulted at Carson Beach because he has dark skin. Moir adds that she has brought African American children to the beach with her; that the children have been hassled by white beachgoers. Moyer says that non-white people cannot use the beach.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/22/1987
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports on the street violence that resulted in the accidental shooting of Darlene Tiffany Moore (eleven-year-old Roxbury resident). Vaillancourt interviews Maleka Few (Roxbury resident, age twelve) and Jessica Moore (Roxbury resident, age 10). The girls are afraid of the violence that resulted in Tiffany Moore's death. Vaillancourt reports that Roxbury residents went to City Hall to ask for more police protection in the neighborhood. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of Roxbury community leaders at a press conference. Amanda Houston (Roxbury resident), Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council), and Louis Elisa (Roxbury resident) talk about the need for more police on the streets. Vaillancourt reports the Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has put more police on the streets and has pledged a full investigation of Moore's shooting. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of William Celester (Deputy Superintendent, Boston Police Department) and Flynn at a press conference. Vaillancourt reports that Roxbury is experiencing its worst violence in twenty years. She notes that city and state officials gathered at a press conference to discuss the problem. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of the press conference in Roxbury with Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston), Royal Bolling, Sr. (former State Senator), and John Kerry (US Senator). Roache blames drug traffic for the violence. Kerry criticizes the ineffectual drug policy and social programs of the Reagan administration. Vaillancourt's report includes footage of police officers stopping African American men on the streets of Roxbury.
1:00:26: Visual: Footage of Maleka Few (Roxbury resident, age 12) saying that she thinks it might happen to her next. Shot of a Boston Herald newspaper article with a headline reading, "Police vow to capture girl's killers." A photo of Darlene Tiffany Moore (Roxbury resident, age 11) accompanies the article. Meg Vaillancourt reports that Moore was sitting outside on Humboldt Avenue in Roxbury when she was killed by a stray bullet; that Moore was the unintentional victim of a war between two rival gangs. V: Shot of a Humboldt Avenue in Roxbury. Footage of Few saying that the gang members were not shooting at Moore; that Moore was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Few says that she does not want to go out to the store with her mother anymore. Footage of Jessica Moore (Roxbury resident, age 10) saying that she used to sit in the same place on Humboldt Street. Shots of African American girls standing on a street in Roxbury. Vaillancourt reports that Roxbury parents went to City Hall today to ask for more police protection. V: Footage of Amanda Houston (Roxbury resident) saying that she is a "gutsy lady;" that she is starting to feel frightened. Footage of Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) speaking to the press. Bolling says that there is open warfare going on in the city. Shot of media camera crews. Footage of Louis Elisa (Roxbury resident) saying that Roxbury residents pay their taxes; that Roxbury citizens are demanding equal protection under the law. Vaillancourt reports that forty extra police officers are patrolling Humboldt Avenue; that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has pledged a full investigation of the shooting. V: Shot of two police officers patrolling a street. Footage of William Celester (Deputy Superintendent, Boston Police Department) speaking to the press. Flynn stands beside him. Celester says that the community has been providing information about the shooting to police; that the police are investigating suspects. Footage of two white police officers stopping an African American man to search him. Vaillancourt reports that Roxbury is experiencing its worst violence in twenty years. V: Footage of Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston) speaking at press conference in Roxbury. John Kerry (US Senator) and Royal Bolling Sr. (State Senator) are among the crowd standing with Roache. Roache says that drugs equal violence. Shots of the press at the press conference. Vaillancourt notes that Kerry visited Roxbury today to talk to residents about the drug problem. V: Footage of Kerry saying that the government cannot ask kids in Roxbury to say no to drugs if the Reagan administration cannot say no to General Manuel Noriega (leader of Panama). Kerry says that the drug policy of the Reagan administration is hypocritical and ineffective; that the administration's policy is contributing to the drug problem. Vaillancourt reports that Roxbury residents are calling for drastic measures to fight violence; that some curfews, night-court sessions, and the National Guard have all been suggested. V: Footage of Kerry saying that the presence of the National Guard will not solve the drug problem; that overcrowded prisons, an inadequate school system, and a lack of treatment centers are all contributing to the drug problem. Shot of two white police officers talking to an African American teenage boy on a street in Roxbury. Vaillancourt reports that Roxbury residents want increased aid on all levels. Vaillancourt notes that residents are worried that the situation will not improve after Moore's killer is found. V: Shot of a cameraman filming a man in a business suit on the street; of Humboldt Avenue in Roxbury.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/22/1988
Description: Ray Flynn, William Bulger, Thomas McGee, Joseph Casper, Jim Kelly, and Mike Flannery at Annual Saint Patrick's Day Lunch at the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, in South Boston. People eating at tables. People speaking to the crowd, telling anecdotes and jokes, and discussing drug and alcohol problems in South Boston.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/08/1984
Description: Marcus Jones reports that Mayor Ray Flynn and a group of community activists have suggested replacing Boston's elected school committee with an appointed school board. Interview with Charles Stith of the Union United Methodist Church at Logan Airport. Stith talks about his upcoming trip to Philadelphia to learn about the appointed school board in that city. Flynn wants to remove politics from the government of the Boston Public School System. Press conference with Flynn and supporters. Flynn urges the citizens of Boston to join the movement to change the School Committee. Elnavia Green (parent), Bill Owens (State Senator), Reverend McCall Thomas (Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church) and Tony Molina (President, Bilingual Master Parents' Advisory Council) voice their support for Flynn's proposal at the press conference. Interview with John Nucci of the Boston School Committee, who says that it is not a good idea to ask voters to give up their right to vote. Jones notes that the controversy is drawing attention away from the immediate needs of the schools. Footage of a Boston School Committee meeting.
1:00:05: Visual: Footage of the members of the Boston School Committee seated at the front of the School Committee chambers during a meeting. Shots of Daniel Burke (Boston School Committee); of School Committee members Abigail Browne and Kitty Bowman. Marcus Jones reports that a group of community activists has suggested replacing Boston's elected school committee with an appointed school board. V: Shot of a video screen at Logan Airport listing departing flights on Delta Airlines. Shots of Charles Stith (President, Organization for a New Equality) and a small group in a waiting area at Logan Airport. Stith and another man walk toward their gate. Jones reports that a small group of community activists traveled to Philadelphia today; that the activists will examine the Philadelphia School System. Jones notes that the Philadelphia School System is led by an appointed school board. Jones adds that the group will report its findings later this week. V: Footage of Stith being interviewed by Jones at Logan Airport. Stith says that he is interested in how the Philadelphia School System works. Stith says that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has been talking about implementing a similar kind of system. Jones reports that Flynn has been consulting with advisors about how to remove politics from the government of the Boston Public School System. V: Shot of Flynn at a press conference at School Department headquarters. Flynn stands in front of a group of city officials including Dapper O'Neil (Boston City Council) and David Scondras (Boston City Council). Jones reports that Flynn has proposed a new school board with seven mayoral appointees. V: Shots of the members of the School Committee seated at the front of the School Committee chambers; of Dr. Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools), Peggy Davis-Mullen (Boston School Committee) and Thomas O'Reilly (President, Boston School Committee). Footage of Flynn at the press conference. Flynn urges the citizens of Boston to join the movement to change the School Committee. Flynn says that the present system is not working. Shots of the members of the media at the press conference. Jones reports that Flynn was joined at the press conference by parents and community leaders; that many endorse Flynn's call for a non-binding referendum on an appointed school committee. V: Shots of community leaders and parents at the press conference. Footage of Elnavia Green (parent) speaking at the press conference. Green says that parents have been waiting for better schools; that parents are "getting the runaround." Footage of Bill Owens (State Senator) saying that the present system is not effective. Footage of Reverend McCall Thomas (Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church) at the press conference. Thomas says that the present system is not effective. Footage of Tony Molina (President, Bilingual Master Parents' Advisory Council) at the press conference. Molina says that parents have been "abused" by the School Committee. Molina says that parents want change. The crowd applauds. Jones reports that not everyone is pleased with Flynn's proposal. V: Footage of John Nucci (Boston School Committee) being interviewed by Jones. Nucci says that the referendum will ask the voters to choose between two evils; that the voters will have to choose between the status quo and their right to vote. Jones stands outside of the headquarters of the Boston School Department. Jones reports that the debate has distracted school officials from concentrating their energies on the schools. Jones notes that the debate could continue beyond November.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/08/1989
Description: Marcus Jones reports that artist Robert Guillemin, also known as "Sidewalk Sam," is working with elementary-school students to create a mural to celebrate Boston's ethnic diversity. The mural will be two stories tall, made up of 30,000 personal drawings by children and student, and it will hang in the Grand Concourse of South Station. Guillemin talks to students about the mural and works with them in the classroom. Students sit together as they work on drawings for the mural. Jones interviews a fourth grade student from Hurley School, who talks about her drawing for the mural. Mayor Ray Flynn has endorsed the mural project, and he visits the classroom and talks to individual students about their drawings. Interview with Flynn, who says that the mural promotes peace and unity in the city. Jones reports that volunteers at Roxbury Community College are putting the mural together, and it will be unveiled to the public tomorrow. Following the edited story is additional b-roll footage of Guillemin and students working on the mural and footage of volunteers at Roxbury Community College putting together the mural.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/14/1990
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports that South Boston residents are opposed to the city's plans to integrate public housing projects. Residents are hostile to Mayor Ray Flynn when he attends a community meeting in South Boston to discuss plans for integration, with Doris Bunte of the Boston Housing Authority. Vaillancourt notes that South Boston residents have not changed their attitudes in the face of evidence that the BHA practices discrimination against African American tenants of public housing. Interviews with South Boston public housing residents about public housing integration. Many residents are opposed to integration. Some fear that the quality of life in the projects will decline after the housing projects are integrated. Others say that racial violence will be a result of integration. A few residents are not bothered by the prospect of integration. Vaillancourt notes that the controversy over public housing integration evokes memories of the busing crisis in the 1970s. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Officials attempt to explain the new rules for the Boston Housing Authority's revised public housing tenant selection policy.
1:00:02: Visual: Footage of a white female South Boston resident looking out of the window of a housing project apartment. The woman says that she would like her neighborhood to remain white. Meg Vaillancourt reports that South Boston residents remain hostile to the idea of integration of public housing projects. V: Shots of white residents outside of a housing project in South Boston. Footage of a white female resident saying that South Boston should stay white; that there will be trouble if the housing projects are integrated. Footage of another white female South Boston resident saying that white residents have not received fair warning about the placement of African American families in white housing projects. Shots of white children playing with a hose outside of a housing project in South Boston. Vaillancourt reports that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) announced plans to integrate South Boston housing projects in October; that Flynn tried to explain the policy at a community meeting in South Boston in January. V: Footage of Flynn and Doris Bunte (Boston Housing Authority) the community meeting in January of 1988. Flynn addresses the crowd. A white woman shouts out a comment. Footage of Flynn approaching the stage as the crowd jeers at him. Vaillancourt notes that the audience at the community meeting was hostile to Flynn. Vaillancourt stands in front of a housing project building in South Boston. Vaillancourt reports that there is mounting evidence of discrimination against African American families requesting apartments in public housing projects. Vaillancourt notes that the mounting evidence has not changed the attitudes of white South Boston residents. V: Footage of Vaillancourt interviewing a white male South Boston resident. The man says that there will be trouble if African Americans move into the South Boston housing projects. Footage of another white male South Boston resident saying that the residents want their neighborhood to remain as it is. Footage of a white female South Boston resident saying that she will not be bothered if an African American family moves into her building. She says that African American families need housing as much as white families do. The woman says that some people do not feel the same way as she does; that she hopes no one will bother the African American families who move into the project. Shots of white residents outside of a project building; of a white baby playing in a wading pool outside of a project building. Vaillancourt reports that the city's housing policy has kept the housing projects segregated for fifty years; that the city is now changing its policy. Vaillancourt reports that some residents feel that the new policy will be biased. V: Footage of a white female South Boston resident sitting in a wading pool. The woman says that the city should not make tenants identify their race; that the city should place tenants in an apartment without knowing their race. Shots of the woman and two children in the wading pool. Vaillancourt notes that talk of integration in South Boston raises memories of the busing crisis in the 1970s. V: Footage of a white male South Boston resident saying that school desegregation caused the decline of the Boston School System; that most South Boston residents send their children to private schools. The man says that he will move out of public housing if African American families move in to the projects. Shots of female parochial school students walking toward a housing project building. Vaillancourt reports that the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) has not announced when the first African American family will move into the projects.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/16/1988
Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports that Mayor Ray Flynn has pledged to integrate public housing projects in South Boston by next year. Currently there are no African American families among the 2400 families living in the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston. Interviews with South Boston housing project residents talking about their opposition to integration. Residents say that the quality of life will decline if African American families move into the project. Other residents say that violence will erupt if the projects are integrated. Interview with Flynn, who says that the housing projects will be integrated in a responsible manner. He talks about integration of public housing projects in Charlestown. Civil rights advocates accuse the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) of ignoring non-white families on the waiting list for apartments in South Boston projects. Interview with Alex Rodriguez of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, who says that the BHA's housing policies are illegal. Rodriguez threatens to take action against the city. Vaillancourt reports that the pace of integration in the housing projects has been slow. Interview with an African American laborer who says that he would not mind moving into a housing project in South Boston. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Hope Kelly reviews the history of public housing in Boston
1:00:05: Visual: Footage of a white male South Boston resident saying that violence resulted from forced busing and "forced beaching." Footage of a white female South Boston resident speaking from the window of her project apartment. She says that she would prefer the neighborhood to remain white; that a racial war may erupt if non-whites move in. Shots of the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston; of a sign reading, "Old Colony Public Housing Development." Meg Vaillancourt reports that there are close to 2400 families living in the Old Colony Housing Project; that 39 families are Latino, Asian or Native American; that there are no African American families in the project. George reports that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has said that there are African American families on the waiting list for public housing; that the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) will place those families in the Old Colony Project next year. V: Shot of Flynn speaking to a reporter. Footage of a white female South Boston resident saying that the Mission Hill Housing Project was once a nice place to live; that housing projects decline when African American families move in. Footage of a white female resident saying that there will be fights and riots if African American families move into the projects; of another white female resident saying that the neighborhood will decline if it is integrated. Footage of Flynn being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Flynn says that the integration of the housing project will take place in a responsible and professional manner; that there will be no community disruption; that housing projects were integrated in Charlestown. Flynn says that members of the community must participate in the planning for integration. Vaillancourt reports that 900 families live in the housing projects in Charlestown; that 45 of those families are non-white. V: Shot of the exterior of the Boston Housing Authority building in Charlestown. Vaillancourt notes that civil rights advocates say that the BHA and the mayor have done little to promote integration of the projects in South Boston. V: Footage of Alex Rodriguez (Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Rodriguez says that he will recommend that the city receive no money unless desegregatory action is taken within 30 or 40 days. Rodriguez says that the city stands to lose millions of dollars. Vaillancourt reports that the pace of integration in the South Boston projects has been slow. V: Shots of the housing projects in South Boston. Vaillancourt notes that a spokesperson for the BHA says that there were more white families on the waiting lists for the South Boston projects. Vaillancourt reports that critics accuse the BHA of ignoring non-white families on the waiting list for the South Boston projects. V: Footage of Rodriguez saying that the BHA is denying entrance to the projects for non-white families. Rodriguez says that the BHA policy is illegal. Footage of a white female South Boston resident saying that she does not understand why African American families would want to move into the housing project. Vaillancourt notes that an African American man was working at the Old Colony Housing Project this afternoon. V: Footage of the African American worker saying that he would have no problem living in this project. Footage of a white male resident saying that Flynn will lose votes if he pushes for integration of the South Boston housing projects. Shot of a white woman and her children in front of a project building.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 10/29/1987
Description: Christopher Lydon reports that Mayor Ray Flynn attended a community meeting in South Boston to discuss public housing integration. Lydon notes that the audience was hostile in their opposition to the issue. Lydon's report includes footage from the meeting. City Councilor James Kelly speaks out against public housing integration. The crowd cheers. The crowd jeers at Flynn as he makes the case for a fair and equitable housing policy. Lydon notes that Kelly linked the housing integration issue to memories of school desegregation in the 1970s.
1:00:15: Visual: Footage of Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) approaching the stage at a community meeting in South Boston. A noisy crowd yells and boos. The audience is seated at long tables. Footage of Leo Tierney (South Boston resident) saying that apartments in Roxbury should go to Roxbury residents. Tierney says, "Leave us the hell alone. Leave the blacks alone. Leave us to live in peace." The crowd cheers. Members of the crowd rise to their feet to cheer. Christopher Lydon reports that James Kelly (Boston City Council) addressed the crowd of South Boston residents at a community meeting; that Kelly stirred the emotions of the crowd by linking public housing integration to the memories of school desegregation in the 1970s. V: Footage of Kelly saying that "misguided" youth and adults will engage in violence if the public housing projects are integrated; that some South Boston residents will serve time for civil rights violations. Kelly says that Flynn and Doris Bunte (Boston Housing Authority) should be "hauled into court" if the city has refused to grant African American families access to their choice of housing projects; that Flynn and Bunte are more guilty of discrimination than South Boston residents. The crowd cheers for Kelly. Footage of Flynn addressing the crowd. Flynn says that he is here to tell the truth, not to campaign for votes. Flynn says that the city of Boston must provide fair and equitable housing for all.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/12/1988