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: Marcus Jones reports that the Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project (GRIP) has put forth a plan to create a new city from Boston's minority neighborhoods. Jones notes that the new municipality would be named Mandela, in honor of jailed South African leader Nelson Mandela. Jones reports that African American community leaders are divided in their support for the referendum question on Mandela, Massachusetts. Jones adds that the referendum question will be on the ballot in the fall. Jones' report includes footage from a press conference in front of the Massachusetts State House with Andrew Jones (GRIP), Byron Rushing (State Representative) and Royal Bolling, Jr. (Mandela supporter). Rushing and Jones speak out in favor of Mandela. Jones report also includes footage of Royal Bolling, Sr. (state senator) speaking out against Mandela. Jones reports that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) is opposed to the creation of Mandela. Jones speculates about the probable boundaries of the proposed city. Jones interviews people on the street about their support of Mandela. Jones' report includes footage of the elevated train tracks along Washington Street in Roxbury. A rap song about Mandela, Massachusetts accompanies parts of the story.
1:00:35: Visual: Shots of a group of African-American residents standing at the side of a street; of an orange line train passing on the elevated tracks along Washington Street. Audio of a rap song promoting Mandela, Massachusetts. Marcus Jones reports that leaders of Boston's African American and Latino communities are promoting the idea of Mandela, Massachusetts; that community leaders hope the referendum question on Mandela, Massachusetts will win votes on the ballot in the fall. V: Shot of Andrew Jones (Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project) Byron Rushing (State Representative) and Royal Bolling, Jr. (Mandela supporter) at a press conference outside of the Massachusetts State House. Shot of a cameraman at the press conference. Footage of Young speaking at the press conference. Young says that the referendum question will allow voters in certain ward and precincts to consider the formation of an independent city. Jones reports that the plan has been put forth by the Greater Roxbury Incorporation Project (GRIP); that the plan would carve a new municipality out of the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, the South End, and Columbia Point. Jones reports that the new city would be named in honor of jailed South African leader Nelson Mandela. Jones notes that many developers consider these neighborhoods to be the next frontier of development in Boston. V: Shots of neighborhoods within the limits of the proposed city. Shot of a newspaper article with a headline reading, "Black effort to secede from Boston." Jones stands on the median strip of Massachusetts Avenue in Boston. The Boston skyline is visible behind him. Jones reports that no formal boundary lines have yet been drawn. Jones speculates that one of the bridges on Massachusetts Avenue is a likely boundary line. Jones notes that Boston is on one side, along with the Massachusetts General Hospital, the Prudential building and the Boston Public Library. Jones notes that Mandela would lie on the other side of the bridge; that Mandela would include Boston City Hospital, the Orange Line and Franklin Park. V: Shots of Massachusetts Avenue in both directions. Shot of Washington Street in Roxbury. The elevated train tracks are visible. Shot of Boston City Hall. Audio of a rap song promoting Mandela, Massachusetts. Jones reports that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) is opposed to the plan. Jones notes that some African American community leaders are opposed to the plan because they think that minorities are on the verge of gaining some political clout in the city of Boston. V: Shot of Flynn. Footage of Royal Bolling, Sr. (State Senator) being interviewed. Bolling says that people of color should not settle for a piece of the pie when the whole pie is within reach. Footage of Byron Rushing (State Representative) at the press conference in front of the State House. Rushing says that there are a few African Americans who lie to blame everything on city hall; that those people are in fact blaming their problems on white people. Rushing says that those people will not be able to continue blaming white people in Mandela. Shot of a political cartoon about Mandela. Audio of the rap song plays in the background. Footage of an African American man being interviewed on the street. The man says that the neighborhoods are interwoven into the fabric of the city of Boston; that the secession movement could be counterproductive. Footage of another African American man being interviewed while in his car. The man says that Mandela is a terrible idea. Footage of an African American woman being interviewed. The woman says that she would vote in favor of Mandela. Jones reports that the referendum question is still only a possiblility. Jones notes that petition signatures must be approved; that voting boundaries need to be established. V: Shot of an orange line train riding along the elevated tracks on Washington Street. Shot of a map of the districts within Mandela. Shots of a group of African Americans standing on a street corner. Audio of the rap song promoting Mandela, Massachusetts plays in the background.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 07/03/1986
Description: David Boeri reports that the Massachusetts Advocacy Center released statistics indicating that the student failure rate in the Boston Public Schools has increased by 24 percent. Boeri notes that school officials have raised promotion standards but that students are unprepared. Boeri interviews Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) and Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) about the failure rate in the schools. Wheelock says that the schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Wheelock says that non-promotion will cause an increase in the drop-out rate. She adds that schools must provide remedial services for at-risk students. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz admits that schools need to do more to help at-risk students. Boeri analyzes that failure statistics for African American and Latino students. Boeri's report is accompanied by footage of students exiting a school and by footage of students in a classroom.
1:00:16: Visual: Shot of a memo from the Massachusetts Advocacy Center. David Boeri reports the Massachusetts Advocacy Center has released troubling statistics about the Boston Public Schools. V: Shot of students in a classroom. A white male teacher stands at the front of the classroom. Boeri reports that the group found that one of every six middle school students was kept back last year; that one out of every eight middle school students was kept back three years ago. Boeri notes that the failure rate has increased by 24 percent. Boeri reports that the largest increase in the failure rate took place among Latino students. Boeri reports that the number of failing African American students is not out of proportion with the student population. Boeri notes that the number of failing African American students is vastly out of proportion with the student population at some schools. Boeri reports that African Americans made up 78% of the failing students at the Wheatley Middle School; that the school's African American population is 58%. Boeri says that Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) believes that the failure rate stems from low expectations, racial climate, and staff composition. V: Shot of students of diverse races exiting a school. Shot of the exterior of the Phillis Wheatley Middle School. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed by Boeri. Wheelock says that something must be changed in schools which hold back a disproportionately high number of African American students. Wheelock says that schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Boeri asks why the failure rate has increased. Wheelock says that present promotion policies have imposed tougher standards on students without increasing additional services. Footage of Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz says that students must be promoted for achievement instead of "time served." Boeri says that school officials raised standards; that some students are not prepared. V: Shots of white female students in a classroom. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that non-promotion has a huge effect on the drop-out rate. Wheelock says that a recent study shows that being held back one grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by over 40%. Wheelock says that the study shows that being held back two grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by 90%. Footage of Schwartz being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that the drop-out rate could be decreased if the schools promoted all students regardless of performance. Shwartz says that the schools are not performing their jobs if students are promoted regardless of perfomance. Boeri remarks that it is irresponsible to raise standards without preparing students. Schwartz says that there is a possibility that the schools have not done enough for at-risk students. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that students should be promoted with remediation and special attention. Wheelock says that the best teachers should be working with at-risk students.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/20/1986
Description: Hope Kelly reports on the Madison Park High School Choir's tribute to Roland Hayes, who was the first African American singer to achieve recognition on the classical stage. Interviews with members of the choir about Hayes' legacy. Footage of the choir's performance. Kelly reviews Hayes's career, accompanied by photos and footage of Hayes. The Roland Hayes Music Center is based at Madison Park High School. Interviews with Elma Lewis, Robert Winfrey, who is the Director, of the Music Center, Anthony Walker, who is a graduate of the Music Center, and Afrika Hayes, the daughter of Roland Hayes. They discuss Hayes's music and legacy.
1:00:04: Visual: Footage of an African American male member of the Madison Park High School Choir talking about the determination of Roland Hayes (African American classical singer); of an African American female member of the choir also talking about Hayes' determination to succeed; of a white female member of the choir talking about how Hayes's music breaks down barriers between the races. Footage of the Madison Park High School Choir singing "Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory." Hope Kelly reports that the Madison Park High School Choir paid tribute to Hayes, who was the first African American man to be accepted on the classical stage. V: Black and white footage of Hayes singing. Shot of black and white photos of Hayes. Audio of Hayes singing accompanies the photos. Footage of Elma Lewis (African American community leader) saying that Hayes sang traditional spirituals; that Hayes's voice was pure, emotional, and spiritual. Footage of Robert Winfrey (Director, Roland Hayes Music Center) talking about the experience of learning from Hayes. Kelly notes that the Roland Hayes Music Center is based at Madison Park High School. V: Footage of two graduates of the Roland Hayes Music Center standing at the front of the Madison Park High School Choir. The two singers sing solo pieces. Shot of the audience. Footage of Anthony Walker (graduate of the Roland Hayes Music Center) saying that Hayes's music is performed in the same way as classical music or opera; that Hayes' music is "a black form of music," meant to be performed with dignity. Shot of a portrait of Hayes. Shots of the Madison Park High School Choir. Kelly reports that Hayes legitimized the performance of black spirituals on stage. V: Footage of Afrika Hayes (daughter of Roland Hayes) saying that her father was not an "activist"; that he quietly set about achieving his goals. Footage of the performance of the Madison Park High School choir. Footage of Afrika Hayes noting that her father's music is being performed by a mixed race choir from Madison Park High School; that people of all races are embracing his music. Afrika Hayes says that she wishes her father could be here today to see the choir. Footage of the choir's performance.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/14/1987