Description: Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge exhibit a collection of Norman Rockwell's paintings in celebration of Black History Month. The paintings in the exhibit depict African Americans, often in subservient positions, as well a his later works depicting moments in the Civil Rights Movement and African American history. People from the museum give historical context. Closeups on many of the paintings. Following the story is b-roll of the exhibit and individual paintings.
1:00:10: Visual: Footage of Maureen Hart Hennessey (curator, Rockwell Museum) saying that American painter Norman Rockwell's work tells a lot about how America viewed the civil rights movement. Hennessey points out that there was often a lag time between the occurrence of an actual event and the publishing of a Rockwell painting portraying the event. Hennessey says that it took time before these events entered "the mainstream consciousness." Shots of the Rockwell paintings, The Problem We All Live With and Murder in Mississippi. Shots of visitors on a tour of the Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. Carmen Fields reports that the Rockwell Museum is commemorating Black History Month by exhibiting Rockwell's work featuring African Americans. V: Shots of paintings on display for the exhibit. Fields notes that Rockwell's first piece of work featuring an African American was from 1934. V: Footage of a tour guide at the Rockwell Museum speaking to visitors. She stands in front of a painting. The tour guide talks about illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post done by Rockwell. The tour guide notes that the Saturday Evening Post was aimed at white readers; that African Americans were often pictured in a subserviant position or not at all. Shots of two pieces of art hanging on the wall of the museum. Fields says that Peter Rockwell was the model for The Boy in the Dining Car, which was on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post in the 1940s. V: Shot of The Boy in the Dining Car. Footage of Hennessey being interviewed by Fields. Hennessey says that the painting focuses on the white boy in the painting; that many people are more drawn to the African American waiter who is standing beside the table in the painting. Hennessey notes that most white Post readers encountered African Americans as workers in subserviant positions. Fields reports that none of Rockwell's work from the late 1940s to the early 1960s featured people of color; that Rockwell was caught up in the turbulence of the 1960s while working for Look Magazine. Fields notes that one of Rockwell's most famous paintings portrays school desegregation in the South. V: Shots of a male tour guide at the Rockwell Museum talking to visitors. Shots of visitors in the gallery. Shots of paintings in the gallery. Shot of the painting, The Problem We All Live With. Footage of Hennessey saying that Rockwell paid great attention to detail. Hennessey talks about Rockwell's efforts to capture the details of the painting, The Problem We All Live With. Footage of a tour guide at the Rockwell Museum speaking to visitors about the painting, Murder in Mississippi. Shots of the tour guide; of the painting. The tour guide talks about the details of the painting. Fields reports that Look Magazine opted to publish a less detailed version of the painting, Murder in Mississippi; that the original was too graphic. V: Shot of a less detailed version of the painting. Fields reports that Rockwell used his neighbors as models for his paintings of African Americans; that his neighbors were the only African Americans in the area. V: Shots of black and white photographs of Rockwell's models. Footage of Hennessey talking about an African American family who lived in Stockbridge. Hennessey says that the children of the family were used as models in the paintings The Problem We All Live With and New Kids in the Neighborhoodl Shot of the painting, New Kids in the Neighborhood. Fields reports that Rockwell has been described as apolitical; that his works were commissioned by others. V: Shot of a black and white photo of Rockwell sitting in front of his painting, The Golden Rule. Shots of the painting The Golden Rule. Audio of Hennessey saying that Rockwell was a "social commentator." Hennessey says that Rockwell could have retired when he left the Saturday Evening Post in 1963; that Rockwell began doing paintings about the civil rights movement after 1963. Hennessey says that she believes that Rockwell supported the civil rights movement.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/24/1989
Description: Deborah Wang reports that 86 African American students attend the Imani Institute, a private school where students learn about their African heritage. Interview with institute director Ozzie Edwards, who says that parental involvement is key to a child's academic success. He adds that the students learn to be proud of their heritage. The school is housed temporarily in the Elliot Street Congregational Church. Many students formerly attended Boston public schools and area Catholic schools. Interview with President of the Parents' Council, Sadiki Kambon, who says that many African American students are not receiving a good education in the public schools. The Imani Institute needs to raise additional funds in order to make it past its first year.
1:00:11: Visual: Footage of four young African American female students stepping out of a car onto a sidewalk. The girls are dressed in school uniforms. Shots of students in uniforms gathered outside of the Elliot Congregational Church in Roxbury. Shot of an African American boy looking out of a window of the building. Deborah Wang reports that the Imani Institute is not a traditional parochial school. V: Footage of African American schoolchildren gathered in an auditorium. The students sing "Lift Every Voice." Shots of individual schoolchildren. Wang reports that a school assembly is held each morning; that each class has a Swahili name. Wang notes that the students recite a pledge about their African past. V: Footage of the schoolchildren at the assembly saying together, "We are the African people." Wang reports that there are 86 African American students at the Imani Institute; that the students learn about their African heritage. V: Shots of Imani students standing in a classroom; of students sitting in an assembly; of individual schoolchildren. Footage of Ozzie Edwards (Director, Imani Institute) saying that the school gives students a sense of pride about their heritage. Shot of a handwritten sign for the fourth grade class known as "Anika." Footage of an African American female teacher working with students in a classroom; of students working at desks. Wang reports that many of the educational concepts behind the Imani Institute date back to the 1960s; that these educational concepts are becoming more popular with parents. Wang notes that many parents believe that public schools are in crisis. V: Footage of Edwards saying that there are problems with the education of African American children. Edwards says that African American children are not achieving the level of education of other groups. Wang reports that many Imani students are former students of the Boston Public Schools; that some are former students of the African American Catholic school St. Francis de Sales. Wang notes that the St. Francis de Sales school closed over the summer. V: Shot of the exterior of the former St. Francis de Sales school building. Shot of an African American female teacher with young students in a classroom. The students sit in a circle on the floor. Shots of the students. Wang reports that parents of students at the Imani Institute have insisted on having input on the education provided by the school. V: Footage of Sadiki Kambon (President, Parents' Council) saying that many parents decided that the Imani Institute was the best place for their children; that the public schools are not providing a good education. Footage of Edwards saying that parental background and involvement are critical to a child's success in school. Edward says that parents need to be interested in their child's education; that parents do not have to be well educated. Shots of older students in a classroom with an African American male teacher. Shots of the teacher and the students. Wang reports that the school has no permanent home; that the school is housed temporarily in the Elliot Congregational Church. Wang notes that the Imani Institute must raise an additional $60,000 in order to make it past the first year. V: Shots of Imani students leaving the morning assembly.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 09/12/1989