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: 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: Hope Kelly reviews the history of public housing in Boston. The first public housing project was built in South Boston in the 1930s. The tenants were all white. The public housing projects in South Boston remained white even as the non-white tenant population grew in the rest of the city. Shots of photographs of white and African American public housing tenants in the 1940s and 1960s. Kelly reviews statistics concerning the numbers of white and non-white families on the waiting list for public housing. The waiting list for public housing in Boston is currently 80% non-white. The waiting list for white families is shrinking while the waiting list for non-white families is growing. There are no African American families living in the housing projects in South Boston in 1987. The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) went into receivership in 1979 due to mismanagement. Mayor Ray Flynn was named receiver of the BHA in 1984. Flynn must integrate the housing projects, but is likely to meet opposition from South Boston residents. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of Flynn from the 1983 mayoral campaign and by footage of African American and white public housing tenants. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Meg Vaillancourt reports that Ray Flynn has pledged to integrate public housing projects in South Boston by next year
1:00:04: Visual: Footage of Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) at the D Street Housing Project in South Boston in 1983. Flynn talks to project residents. Hope Kelly reports that Flynn announced his candidacy for mayor at a South Boston Housing Project in 1983; that there were no African American families in any South Boston housing projects in 1983; that there are still no African American families in South Boston projects in 1987. V: Shots of a white woman standing at the entrance to a project building; of a white woman looking out of the window of a project apartment. Aerial shot of a housing project in South Boston; of an African American children outside of a housing project building. Shot of a white child scrambling under a fence near a housing project. Kelly notes that the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) is responsible for 69 housing projects in Boston; that 10% of the city's population lives in the projects. Kelly notes that many projects have been integrated for years; that South Boston has not been integrated. Kelly notes that William Bulger (President, Massachusetts Senate) grew up in the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing Project in South Boston. V: Shots of Bulger speaking to a reporter; of a sign for the Mary Ellen McCormack Development; of white women and children sitting on a park bench. Kelly notes that the McCormack Development was the first housing project in all of New England; that the project tenants were white when the project was built in the 1930s. V: Shots of black and white photos of white families and children; of white families in apartments. Kelly notes that people of color began to move into the city; that they became tenants of public housing. V: Shot of a black and white photo of an African American student among white students at the Bromley Heath Housing Project in the 1940s; of a black and white photo of a racially diverse group of children outside of the Cathedral Project in the South End in the 1960s. Kelly notes that the minority population in Boston's public housing doubled in the 1960s. V: Shots of African American students walking home from school; of an African American woman walking her dog on a sidewalk. Kelly notes that the housing projects in South Boston remained white through the 1960s and 1970s; that the BHA waiting list for public housing is 80% minority. V: Shots of a white residents at the entrance to a project building; of an African American girl outside of a housing project. On-screen text lists statistics about the BHA waiting list for public housing. Kelly notes that the BHA waiting list for public housing had 1,455 white families and 9,633 minority families in September of 1987; that the BHA waiting list had 1,688 white families and 9,408 minority families in September of 1986. Kelly notes that there are fewer white families on the waiting list in 1987; that there are more minority families on the waiting list. V: Shots of African American adults and children outside of a housing project. On-screen text lists statistics from the BHA waiting list for public housing. The statistics show the numbers of white, African American, Latino and Asian families on the BHA waiting list. Kelly notes that the numbers of non-white families waiting for public housing have increased dramatically; that the numbers of white families waiting for public housing have increased by less than 100 families. V: Shots of African American children playing outside of a housing project. WCVB-TV footage of Flynn on election night in November of 1983. Flynn says that the city has overcome its racial divisions. Kelly notes that BHA went into receivership in 1979 due to gross mismanagement and poor conditions. V: Shots of a courtroom hearing; of trash accumulated around and inside of public housing project buildings. Kelly reports that racial segregation remains an issue for public housing in Boston; that Flynn was named as receiver of the BHA in 1984. V: Shot of an African American girl looking out of a window of a project apartment. Footage of Flynn saying that people cannot be told where to live or where not to live. Shots of an elderly white woman on a park bench; of a white man wearing a Southie sweatshirt, sitting outside of a housing project. Kelly notes that South Boston residents are being asked to integrate the housing projects one week before the mayoral elections.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 10/29/1987
Description: Christy George reports that the city of Lowell has chosen a central enrollment plan to accomplish school desegregation in its public schools. George notes that central enrollment plans are implemented through magnet schools; she adds that students choose schools according to the programs they offer instead of by location. George interviews Robert Kennedy (Mayor of Lowell). Kennedy says that the Lowell School Committee opted for a central enrollment plan in order to avoid court-ordered desegregation of the schools. George reports that the city of Cambridge uses a central enrollment plan and has become a national model for school desegregation. George interviews Peter Colleary (Director of Student Assignments, Cambridge Public Schools) about central enrollment in Cambridge Public Schools. George's report includes footage of a meeting between Colleary and school officials from Rochester, NY. The officials from Rochester ask questions about central enrollment in Cambridge. George notes that opponents to school desegregation in Lowell believe that central enrollment is a form of mandatory desegregation. George interviews George Kouloheras (Lowell School Committee) about his opposition to the central enrollment plan. George notes that Cambridge had a successful school system even before the adoption of the central enrollment plan. She adds that the Cambridge model may not work in every city. George's report includes footage of buses in front of schools in Lowell, footage of a girls' soccer game in Cambridge, footage of school children in classrooms, and footage of buses arriving at South Boston High School in 1976. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Marcus Jones reports on tension over school desegregation in Lynn
1:00:05: Visual: Shots from a moving vehicle of students in front of South Boston High School in 1976; of buses with police escort travelling up G Street to South Boston High School; of African American students exiting buses in front of South Boston High School. Christy George reports that the city of Lowell wants to avoid court-ordered school desegregation and forced busing. George reports that Lowell is opting for a voluntary school enrollment plan; that students choose three schools which they would like to attend; that students will be bused to one of those schools. V: Shots of elementary school students in a school cafeteria; of a bus pulling up to an elementary school. Footage of Robert Kennedy (Mayor of Lowell) saying that the Lowell School Committee acted responsibly; that the School Committee wanted to avoid court intervention in Lowell schools. Shots of a white teacher teaching in a racially integrated elementary school classroom in Lowell. Shots of students in the classroom. George reports that the central enrollment plan is implemented through magnet schools; that the magnet schools offer diverse programs; that students can choose the school which offers programs which appeal to them. George notes that racial balance can result from the magnet school system; that the system has worked well in the city of Cambridge. V: Footage of Peter Colleary (Director of Student Assignments, Cambridge Public Schools) saying that school choice has been successful for Cambridge Public Schools. George notes that Colleary matches Cambridge students with their schools; that some schools have increased minority enrollment from 9% in 1981 to 43% in 1987; that students are willing to choose schools outside of their neighborhoods. V: Shots of the Cambridge High School girls' soccer team playing a soccer game. Footage of Colleary saying that 65% of Cambridge Public School students do not attend schools in their districts. Shots of the exterior of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. George notes that the city of Cambridge owns many of its own buses; that half of the bus drivers work for the city. dShots of a school bus; of the exterior of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. George notes that the Cambridge Public School System has become a national model for desegregation. V: Shots of Colleary talking to a delegation from the public school system of Rochester, NY. Members of the delegation ask Colleary questions about the Cambridge Public School System. George notes that critics in Lowell see the Cambridge model as another form of mandatory desegregation. V: Shot of a school bus pulling away from an elementary school in Lowell. Footage of George Kouloheras (Lowell School Committee) saying that central enrollment plans "are a euphemism for forced busing." Kouloheras says that central enrollment does not improve the education in the schools. Footage of Colleary saying that 35% of Cambridge students are bused; that the students have chosen to attend schools outside of their districts. Colleary calls it "busing by choice." George stands in front of a school at dusk. George reports that Cambridge was providing good education in its schools before the implementation of the voluntary desegregation plan. George notes that the Cambridge model may not work in every city.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 10/26/1987