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
Description: Christy George reports that Jesse Jackson came to Boston to support the strike by employees of New England Telephone. Jackson addresses the strikers at City Hall Plaza. Management and employees cannot agree on who should pay for workers' health benefits. Interview with New England Telephone spokesman Peter Cronin, who says that the union agreed to share health care costs in 1986. George reports that employees accuse management of staging a "take-back." Jan Pierce of Communication Workers of America attends the rally on City Hall Plaza. Pierce rips up a phone bill and urges the workers not to pay their bills until the strike is over. The union is asking customers to stall payment on their phone bills until the strike is over. National unions are backing the Nynex strikers. Striking workers demonstrate outside of the New England Telephone building. The strikers urge a woman not to pay her phone bill.
1:00:14: Visual: Footage of Jesse Jackson (leader, Rainbow Coalition) addressing the striking employees of Nynex at City Hall Plaza. Jackson wears a baseball cap and a denim jacket. Jackson says that working people must take back America. Shots of striking workers waving signs and applauding for Jackson. Christy George reports that Jackson came to Boston to support the strike by employees of New England Telephone. V: Footage of Jackson saying that the workers need a health plan, not a "stale plan." The crowd applauds for Jackson and repeats his chants. Shots of the striking workers. Shots of hundreds of people assembled on City Hall Plaza. George reports that the telephone company and the workers do not agree on who should pay for the workers' health benefits. George reports that Nynex maintains that the union agreed to share the rising cost of health benefits. V: Footage of Peter Cronin (Spokesman, New England Telephone) saying that the union agreed in 1986 to share costs if the price of health benefits reached a certain level in 1988. Cronin says that the cost of health benefits has reached the level at which employees are expected to share costs or to take a deductible. George reports that employees say that Nynex is involved in a "take-back." George notes that the union says that it is fighting for all unions. George adds that today's rally included striking employees from Eastern Airlines and the United Mine Workers. V: Shots of striking workers at City Hall Plaza. Shots of uniformed pilots standing at the front of the rally. George reports that Jackson preached solidarity; that Jackson called on the workers to fight against the anti-labor policies of Ronald Reagan (former US president) and George Bush (US President). V: Footage of Jackson addressing the striking workers. Jackson encourages the workers to vote. He urges them to vote for important issues like wages, health care, education, and justice. Shot of a sign reading, "I won't pay my phone bill until the Nynex strike is over." George reports that the rally kicked off a new strategy by the union. V: Footage of Jan Pierce (Vice-President, Communication Workers of America) addressing the rally. Pierce rips up a phone bill and tosses the pieces into the air. Pierce urges the workers not to pay their phone bills until the strike is over. The workers cheer. Footage of Cronin saying that a customer should pay his or her bill if a service is provided. Cronin says that Nynex customers are reasonable; that Nynex customers will pay their bills. George reports that the union is actually asking customers to stall payments or to pay the minimum amount to keep their phone connected. V: Shot of a Boston Police cruiser. The cruiser has a sign supporting the strike on its window. Footage of strikers outside of the New England Telephone building on Franklin Street. Police officers are posted at the entrance to the building. Striking workers tell a female customer not to pay her phone bill. The workers tell the woman that her phone will not be disconnected because there are no workers to disconnect the phones. The woman walks away without paying her bill. The workers applaud. George stands in front of the New England Telephone building. George reports that labor unions have been losing ground in the US; that national unions are putting a lot of effort into the Nynex strike. George notes that the AFL-CIO is behind the strategy of asking customers to delay payment of their phone bills. George adds that the AFL-CIO represents a lot of people. V: Shots of the striking workers in front of the Nynex building. The workers chant, "Don't pay your bills." Shots of individual workers; of the exterior of the New England Telephone building. George reports that the AFL-CIO is throwing its weight behind this strike; that a win for labor would reverse a series of defeats. George notes that all unions will lose ground if the telephone company wins this strike. V: Shots of the striking workers.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/15/1989
Description: Christy George reports that Jesse Jackson spoke about leadership in a speech at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. George reports that Jackson is very active in this non-election year. George's report includes footage of Jackson walking a picket line with striking Eastern Airline employees and footage of Jackson visiting an Armenian earthquake zone. George talks about Jackson's activities since the 1988 election. George's report also features footage from Jackson's speech at Harvard. Jackson talks about voter cynicism in the 1988 election and the qualities of a good leader. Jackson says that the US must invest in itself in order to flourish. He explains a metaphorical term: "honeybee sense." George's report also includes footage from Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Lee Atwater visits Massachusetts for a Republican Party fundraiser
1:00:07: Visual: Footage of Jesse Jackson (African American political leader) as he enters an auditorium at the John F. Kennedy School of Goverment at Harvard University. The audience applauds for Jackson. Shot of a man in the crowd. Footage of Jackson addressing the audience. Jackson jokes about his speech being televised on C-Span. Jackson waves to his mother. Christy George reports that Jackson talked about the scarcity of good leaders in American politics during his speech at the Kennedy School of Government. V: Footage of Jackson delivering his speech. Jackson says that public cynicism won more voters than Bush did in the 1988 campaign. Jackson notes that 50% of the eligible voters did not vote; that 70% of voters expressed a desire for a different choice. Jackson says that Bush's campaign won while the country lost. Footage of Jackson at a campaign rally in New Hampshire on February 16, 1988. The crowd chants, "Win, Jesse, Win." George notes that Jackson travels the country regularly in non-election years. V: Shots of Jackson doing a television interview; of Jackson picketing with striking Eastern Airline employees. George reports that Jackson has walked with striking Eastern Airline employees across the nation; that Jackson turned a tour of an Armenian earthquake zone into a Soviet-American people's summit. V: Shot of a Soviet news anchor reading the news; of Jackson kissing a baby in Armenia. Footage of Jackson looking out of a window while riding on a bus in Armenia. Jackson speaks to the media, saying that human beings must care for one another. Footage of Jackson at a 1988 campaign rally. George calls Jackson a "perpetual candidate" and a "peripatetic preacher." V: Footage of Jackson speaking at the Kennedy School. Jackson says that he is a "liberal" who fights for change. Jackson says that pollsters and pundits are looking for a manufactured candidate. Jackson says that great leaders do not follow opinion polls; that great leaders mold public opinion. Jackson says that John F. Kennedy (former US President) was not following opinion polls when he reached out to Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader). Jackson says that Kennedy's actions were based on courage and principles. Jackson says that the US needs bold leadership to deal with the nation's "structural crisis." Jackson talks about "honeybee sense." Jackson says that honeybees know to drop pollen when they pick up nectar; that honeybees know the importance of keeping the flowers alive. Jackson says that the US needs to invest in itself in order to stay alive and flourish. The crowd rises to its feet and applauds for Jackson.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/25/1989
Description: Hope Kelly reports that John Sasso, the former Chairman of Michael Dukakis' 1988 campaign, addressed members of the World Trade Club and spoke about the campaign. Sasso spoke about the Democratic Party, the role of Jesse Jackson, and the failure of the Dukakis campaign to win over voters. Sasso talks about the need for the Democratic Party to recognize Jackson's leadership. He also says that negative political advertising was not the reason for Dukakis's defeat. Kelly reviews Sasso's career and his role in the 1988 presidential campaign. She reviews Sasso's resignation from and return to the Dukakis campaign. Kelly's report includes footage of Dukakis and Jackson at the 1988 Democratic National Convention and footage of Sasso during the 1988 presidential campaign.
0:59:07: Visual: Footage of John Sasso (former chairman, 1988 Dukakis campaign) saying that he and Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts) are taking the time to reflect on the successes and failures of the campaign. Hope Kelly says that Sasso has been taking stock of the 1988 Dukakis campaign. V: Footage of Sasso addressing the World Trade Club. Sasso talks about the need to identify the lessons to be learned from the 1988 campaign. Kelly reports that Sasso says that the Democratic Party needs to recognize the role of Jesse Jackson (African American political leader). V: Shots of Jackson addressing a campaign rally; of Jackson greeting supporters in the street; of Jackson hugging a supporter. Footage of Sasso speaking at the World Trade Club. Sasso says that Jackson has "an original mind;" that Jackson is a "gifted motivator." Sasso says that the Democratic Party needs to find the courage and skill to relate properly to Jackson. Sasso says that Jackson will trouble the Democratic Party until they recognize his role. Shot of Jackson, Jaqueline Jackson (wife of Jackson), Dukakis, and Kitty Dukakis (wife of Dukakis) sitting together at an event in July, 1988. Shots of Dukakis; of Jackson. Audio of Sasso saying that Democratic Party leaders need to get organized to do a better job. Footage of Sasso saying that he does not agree with those who say that negative advertising played a big role in Dukakis's defeat. Kelly reports that Sasso believes that there was a fundamental failure on the part of the Dukakis campaign. V: Shots of the audience at the World Trade Club luncheon. Sasso says that the Dukakis campaign failed to make voters realize the need for a change in leadership. Kelly reports that Sasso reflected on the state of the Democratic Party; that Sasso made no reference to the personal feelings of himself or Dukakis. V: Shot of Dukakis speaking. Sasso stands at his side. Kelly reviews Sasso's role in the Dukakis campaign, including his resignation in September of 1987. V: Footage of a CBS news report from September of 1987. Dan Rather reports that the Dukakis campaign was responsible for damaging revelations about Joseph Biden (US Senator). Dukakis speaks from a podium. Dukakis acknowledges that Sasso provided tapes about Biden to the New York Times. Sasso appears at press conference to resign. Kelly notes that Sasso had also worked on the campaign of Geraldine Ferraro (former US vice-presidential candidate). V: Footage of Ferraro at a campaign rally. Shots of Dukakis and Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) sitting in the audience. Sasso whispers in Dukakis' ear, then moves away. Kelly reports that Sasso rejoined the Dukakis campaign after an 11-month absence. V: Footage of Sasso at a gathering. A woman says "Welcome home" to Sasso. Footage of Sasso speaking to the media after his speech at the World Trade Club. Sasso says that his absence from the campaign had nothing to do with Dukakis's loss.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/19/1989