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NAACP and BHA discrimination

Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports on negotiations in court between the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) and the NAACP over compensation for minority families who were victims of the BHA's discriminatory housing policies. Vaillancourt notes that the BHA and the NAACP disagree on the number of families to be compensated and the amount of compensation due to them. Vaillancourt interviews Dianne Wilkerson (NAACP) and Albert Willis (Attorney, City of Boston) about the negotiation. Vaillancourt adds that negotiations will continue until the next court date. Vaillancourt reports that the first African American families moved into a South Boston housing project last month as part of the court-ordered plan to integrate public housing. Vaillancourt's report is accompanied by footage of African American movers at the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing Development and by footage of white residents of South Boston housing projects.
1:00:07: Visual: Footage of white children outside of a housing project building in South Boston. The children are keeping cool with a garden hose and a wading pool. Shots of two white women outside of the housing project building; of a baby playing in a wading pool. Meg Vaillancourt reports on the court case concerning the Boston Housing Authority's public housing placement policy. Vaillancourt reports that federal authorities have charged the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) with discriminatory practices; that the BHA has agreed to reorganize its policy of assigning tenants to public housing. Vaillancourt reports that the first African American families moved into a South Boston Housing Project last month; that the BHA has not decided how to compensate African American families who had been passed over in favor of whites on the waiting list. V: Shots of African American movers moving furniture and boxes from a moving truck into the McCormack Housing Development in South Boston. Vaillancourt reports that the city calls the African American families "disadvantaged." Vaillancourt notes that the city estimates that about 100 families have been "disadvantaged" by the policy. V: Shots of African American adults and children outside of a public housing project building. Vaillancourt reports that the NAACP has estimated that more than 2,000 African American families were passed over on the BHA waiting list; that the NAACP has brought a lawsuit against the city to gain compensation for those families. V: Footage of Dianne Wilkerson (attorney for the NAACP) speaking to reporters. Wilkerson says that the NAACP has always believed that the number of victims is approximately 2,000 families; that the BHA will end up finding that the NAACP's estimate is correct. Footage of Albert Willis (Attorney, City of Boston) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Willis says that he does not know where the NAACP has gotten its numbers. Willis says that the BHA will discuss compensation beyond 100 families if the NAACP can provide evidence to back up its estimate. Shots of African American children playing outside of a public housing project. Vaillancourt reports that the NAACP and the city of Boston disagree on the amount of compensation for the "disadvantaged" families. V: Shot of a Boston Globe newspaper article with a headline reading, "1,200 said to be victims of BHA racial practices." Vaillancourt notes that the Boston Globe newspaper reported that the BHA would pay $750 to each family. Vaillancourt adds that the NAACP wants each family to receive between $3,000 and $5,000. V: Shots of the exterior of the NAACP offices in Roxbury; of NAACP employees and volunteers in the NAACP offices. Footage of Willis saying that the money issue has been discusses by the city and the NAACP; that the discussions were productive. Vaillancourt reports that both sides said that the negotiations were productive. Vaillancourt notes that no issues were actually resolved; that the negotiations will continue until the next court date on Wednesday. Vaillancourt adds that the court will decide if the integration plan can continue if the two sides fail to reach an agreement.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/09/1988

NAACP and public housing integration

Description: Marcus Jones reports that two African American families moved into a South Boston housing project today; he notes that the families are the first African Americans to live in the project in ten years. Jones reports that the two families were on the emergency placement list and had no other housing alternatives. Jones notes that there is increasing opposition to the mayor's housing desegregation plan by both African Americans and whites. He adds that the NAACP has filed suit to block the plan, contending that it unfairly ignores families discriminated against prior to 1983. Jones reports that the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) claims to have lost records for applicants before 1983, but will try to investigate claims of discrimination prior to that date. Jones interviews Carl Haith (President, Boston chapter of the NAACP) about the NAACP lawsuit. Haith says that the city needs to identify residents who were discriminated against prior to 1983. Jones' report includes footage of African American movers at a South Boston housing project and footage of white residents outside of the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing Development. Jones interviews one of the African American movers, who says that he has encountered no problems at the housing development. This tape includes additional footage of movers at the McCormack Housing Development. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: cThe campaigns of Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis have different agendas for the upcoming Democratic convention
1:00:03: Visual: Footage of an African American man moving a large box from a moving truck into a housing project building in South Boston. Marcus Jones reports that two African American families moved into a South Boston housing project today. V: Shots of white residents outside of the McCormack Housing Development; of a sign for the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing Development. Jones reports that an African American family last lived in the development ten years ago; that the family left because they claim to have been harassed by white residents. V: Shots of a moving truck outside of a project building. Police and movers stand near the truck. Jones reports that police officers in uniform and in plain clothes were present at the housing project today. V: Footage of an African American mover saying that he has had no trouble at the housing project today; that white residents have offered him refreshments while he did his work. Shots of the movers moving a couch from the moving truck into the project building. Two green shamrocks are posted above the entrance. Jones reports that the two African American families were on the emergency placement list; that they were placed at the project because they had no other place to go. Jones notes that opposition to the mayor's desegregation plan for public housing is growing among whites and African Americans. V: Shot of Jones and Carl Haith (President, Boston chapter of the NAACP) entering an office from a dark hallway. Footage of Haith saying that the city should not have to identify African Americans to enter an-all white housing project. Shot of the exterior of the NAACP offices in Roxbury. Jones reports that the NAACP has filed a lawsuit to block the city's desegregation plan. Jones notes that the NAACP believes the plan to be unfair because it ignores groups which may have been discriminated against before 1983. V: Shots of NAACP employees and volunteers in the NAACP offices. Footage of Haith saying that the city claims to be unable to identify victims of discrimination before 1983. Haith says that the city should try to identify those victims and compensate them. Jones reports that the Boston Housing Authority claims that many applications filed before 1983 were lost when the city switched to a new computer system. V: Shots of white residents standing at the entrance to a housing project building in South Boston; of a white woman looking out of the window of a project apartment; of a housing project in South Boston. Jones reports that the BHA says that it will investigate the claims of those who claim to have been discriminated against before 1983. V: Shots of African American movers at the McCormack Housing development. Jones stands in front of the NAACP offices in Roxbury. Jones reports that the NAACP led the fight to desegregate public schools in Boston; that the city had probably expected the NAACP to support its plan to desegregate public housing. Jones reports that the NAACP does not think the city's plan does enough.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 07/11/1988

Racism in the campaign

Description: Christy George reports that critics have charged George Bush's presidential campaign with exploiting racial fears among white voters. George notes that there is controversy over the Bush campaign's Willie Horton advertisement, which criticizes Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis's furlough program in Massachusetts. George's report includes footage of the Horton advertisement and footage of Jesse Jackson criticizing the advertisement. George interviews Dr. Alvin Poussaint (psychiatrist) about racism in the campaign and in Bush's political advertisements. Poussaint says that white voters see Horton as the "universal" African American criminal and that African Americans are associated with crime in the minds of whites. George reports that the Bush campaign advertisement does not use the face of William Horton (furloughed prisioner), but that campaign advertising by Bush supporters has used Horton's face. George notes that Bush has disassociated himself from the groups producing these ads. George's report includes footage from a political advertisement produced by "Americans for Bush." Poussaint says that the "Americans for Bush" advertisement is racist. He adds that Dukakis may lose white votes if he complains too much about racism because Americans do not like to be called racist. George notes that Poussaint believes that Horton's face triggers associations with other negative images of African Americans. Poussaint goes on to analyze race in US pop culture and in US politics. George's report is accompanied by images of African American figures in US politics, sports, and culture and by footage from Saturday Night Live of a satirical campaign advertisement. George's report is also accompanied by footage of Dukakis at a campaign rally.
1:00:12: Visual: Footage from WBZ-TV of Jesse Jackson (African American political leader) speaking from a podium. Jackson says that the Willie Horton advertisement has been used to conjure up "psycho-sexual fears" of African American men among whites voters. Shot of a black and white photo of William Horton (furloughed prisoner). Christy George reports that critics have charged George Bush's presidential campaign with exploiting racial fears among white voters. V: Footage of Dr. Alvin Poussaint (psychiatrist) being interviewed by George. Poussaint says that white voters see Horton as the "universal" African American criminal. George reports that Poussaint had supported Jackson for president; that Poussaint now supports Michael Dukakis (Democratic US presidential nominee). V: Footage of Poussaint saying that African Americans have long been associated with crime in the minds of whites. Poussaint notes that the rape of white women by African American men has always been a sensitive issue. Footage of the Bush campaign's Willie Horton advertisement. George notes that Horton's face is not shown in the Bush campaign advertisement about Dukakis's furlough program in Massachusetts. George notes that many of the prisoners shown in the Bush campaign ad are white. George adds that the Bush campaign is asking a legitimate questions about the Massachusetts' furlough program. V: Footage of Poussaint saying that Bush would have raised the issue of the furlough program even if Horton were white. Shots of George Bush (Republican US presidential nominee) speaking from a podium. George reports that Bush supporters have not been cautious about using Horton's face in their campaign literature. V: Footage of Dukakis addressing a crowd at a campaign rally on October 19, 1988. Dukakis holds up a piece of Bush campaign literature. Dukakis says that the campaign literature is "garbage." The crowd applauds for Dukakis. George reports that Dukakis has attacked the race-baiting campaign literature of a group of Bush supporters from Illinois. George notes that Bush has disassociated himself from the group's literature. V: Footage of Poussaint being interviewed by George. Poussaint says that Dukakis may gain minority votes by complaining about the subliminal racism of the Bush campaign; that Dukakis may lose white votes if he complains. Poussaint says that Americans do not like to be called racist. George talks about a campaign ad paid for by a group called "Americans for Bush." George notes that many have called the advertisement racist; that the advertisement has been running for months in key states. V: Footage of the "Americans for Bush" campaign advertisement. Footage of Poussaint saying that the Horton case can be used to exploit the association of African Americans with crime and drugs. George notes that the campaign's subliminal racial messages have become the subject of satire. V: Footage of a satirical campaign advertisement from Saturday Night Live. George reports that Poussaint believes that Horton's face triggers other negative associations with African Americans. V: Shot of a black and white photo of an African-American man in the custody of white police officers. Shots of the Reverend Louis Farrakhan (leader of the Nation of Islam) and Tawana Brawley (New York State resident); of the Reverend Al Sharpton (African American community figure); of a group of white people moving through a crowd; of Bernard Goetz (New York City resident) walking down a street. George reports that Poussaint is a consultant to the Cosby Show; that Poussaint advocates positive images of African Americans. V: Footage from The Cosby Show. George reports that The Cosby Show is the most popular show among white South Africans. George adds that Poussaint does not believe that an abundance of positive African American role models will change white attitudes. V: Shots of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrating a win; of Stevie Wonder (pop singer); of Colin Powell (National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan); of Magic Johnson (basketball player); of Bishop Desmond Tutu (Black South African leader) with Dukakis. Shot of the floor of the Republican Political Convention. George reports that Poussaint believes that whites do not find African American heroes and leaders threatening. George adds that Poussaint believes that whites transfer their fears to African Americans in their proximity. V: Footage of Poussaint saying that white women react to the color of his skin when they meet him on the street at night.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 10/25/1988

South Boston attitudes on integration

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

South Boston opposes integration

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