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Black / Jewish seder

Description: Meg Vaillancourt reports on the annual Black/Jewish Seder Supper at the Union United Methodist Church. Interviews with Leonard Zakim from the Anti-Defamation League, Charles Stith from the Union United Methodist Church, and Eric Karp from the Temple Ohabei Shalom about the importance of the Black/Jewish Seder supper. Zakim says that the supper celebrates the continuing struggle for freedom and civil rights on the part of both communities. Stith talks about the kinship between the two communities. Karp says that both communities have struggled against oppression. Interviews with attendees about the significance of the supper. Vaillancourt notes that this year's Seder supper falls on the eve of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: James Williams protests lack of minority faculty at MIT
1:00:07: Visual: Shot of the steeple of the Union United Methodist Church at dusk. Shots of the annual Black/Jewish Seder supper at the Union United Methodist Church. Shot of an African American woman and a white man speaking at the supper. A choir sings, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Meg Vaillancourt reports that a group of local African Americans and Jews celebrated the Seder. V: Footage of Leonard Zakim (Anti-Defamation League) being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Zakim says that the supper celebrates the continuing struggle for freedom and civil rights. Footage of Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church being interviewed. Stith says that society is polarized along racial lines; that the supper is an celebrates efforts to promote peaceful coexistence between groups of people. Stith says that the supper affirms the goals of Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights leader). Vaillancourt reports that attendees gathered at the Union United Methodist Church) for the eleventh Black/Jewish Seder. V: Shots of attendees reading from a religious text. The attendees hold pieces of matzoh in their hands. Footage of Eric Karp (Temple Ohabei Shalom) being interviewed. Karp says that the Seder celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from oppression; that the African American community has fought a long battle against oppression. Karp says that the two communities can learn from one another. Footage of an African American woman being interviewed at the supper. The woman says that she is attending her first Seder; that the two communities are brought together through their belief in God. Footage of an older Jewish woman being interviewed by Vaillancourt. Vaillancourt asks what the two communities have in common. The woman says that the two communities share a lot of things including prejudice and hard times. Footage of an older African American woman being interviewed by Vaillancourt. The woman says that African Americans and Jews are treated the same way. Footage of a young Jewish boy being interviewed. The boy says that "prejudice stinks." Shots of attendees at the supper. Vaillancourt reports that the ceremony is Jewish; that the date is important to those involved in the civil rights struggle. Vaillancourt notes that King gave his last speech twenty-three years ago tonight; that King was murdered in Memphis on the following day. Vaillancourt stands outside of the room where the supper is held. Vaillancourt reports that the Passover meal is symbolic of the exodus from Egypt by the Israelites after 400 years of slavery. V: Footage of Stith being interviewed. Stith says that enslaved African Americans identified with the struggle of Moses and the people of Israel. Stith says that there is a theological kinship between the two communities. Footage from the Seder supper. A choir sings, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/03/1991

MIT professor James Williams

Description: Carmen Fields reports that Dr. James Williams, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will fast each Wednesday in April outside of the office of the president of MIT. Williams is protesting the lack of diversity among the faculty at MIT. There are fourteen African Americans in a faculty of 900 professors. Interview with Williams, who talks about the role of professors as role models and the need for a diverse faculty. He says that he is trying to encourage minority students to fight for change. Interview with MIT spokesperson Ken Campbell, who talks about the university administration's efforts to hire more minority faculty. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Meg Vaillancourt reports on the annual Black/Jewish Seder supper
0:59:01: Visual: Footage of Dr. James Williams (professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) being interviewed. Williams says that his mother inspired his current protest actions. Williams talks about his mother as a sensitive and caring person. Carmen Fields reports that Williams will fast and work outside of the office of the president of MIT. V: Shots of the door of the president's office; of Williams working at a table near the door. Footage of Williams being interviewed. Williams says that minority students must act; that minority students must not be discouraged by institutional intransigence. Williams says that minority students must act decisively to effect change. Shot of Williams working at the table outside of the president's office. Fields reports that Williams is an MIT graduate; that Williams is dissatisfied with the lack of African American faculty at the school. Fields notes that there are fourteen African American faculty members in a faculty of 900 professors. V: Shot of a building on the MIT campus. Shot of Williams speaking to a group of students of color. Fields reports that Williams believes that African American students and all students need African American role models. V: Footage of Williams being interviewed. Williams says that he is trying to be a role model for minority students through his protest. Williams says that professors are role models even if they do not want to be. Williams says that professor can choose what kinds of role models to be. Fields reports that MIT believes that Williams has reason to protest. V: Footage of Ken Campbell (MIT spokesperson) being interviewed. Campbell says that the university agrees with Williams; that there are too few minority faculty members. Campbell says that two more African American faculty members have been hired since Dr. Charles Vest (president, MIT) became president of the university. Campbell says that the school needs to make more progress. Fields reports that Williams believes that protest is still necessary. V: Footage of Williams being interviewed. Williams says that people must still act in the face of slow-moving institutions. Williams says that people must not give up in defeat.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/03/1991