Description: Marcus Jones reports that James Farmer (civil rights leader) spoke at Faneuil Hall during a ceremony to commemorate the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader). Jones notes that Farmer was the head of the Congress for Racial Equality in the 1950s. Jones' report includes footage of Farmer addressing the audience at Faneuil Hall. Jones interviews Farmer about progress on civil rights issues in the US. Jones reports that Charles Yancey read a proclamation honoring King during the ceremony at Faneuil Hall. Jones' report is accompanied by footage of Yancey reading a proclamation at the ceremony and by footage of schoolchildren performing at the ceremony. Jones' report also includes footage of King during the civil rights movement. This tape includes additional footage from the ceremony at Faneuil Hall. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Jesse Jackson (Democratic candidate for US President) has released position papers, detailing his stance on domestic issues
1:00:04: Visual: Black and white footage of Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader) delivering a speech. Black and white footage of a white man announcing the death of King to a group of students. Marcus Jones reports that today is the twentieth anniversary of King's death. Jones reports that James Farmer (civil rights leader) talked to an audience at a ceremony commemorating King's death at Faneuil Hall. V: Footage of Farmer addressing an audience at Fanueil Hall. Farmer talks about King's vision for the nation. Shots of the audience. Jones reports that Farmer was the head of the Congress for Racial Equality in the 1950s; that Farmer is now a visiting professor at Mary Washington College in Virginia. Jones says that Farmer believes that minorities have made great strides in the past twenty years. V: Footage of Farmer being interviewed by Jones at Faneuil Hall. Farmer says that there are plenty of things that need to change in the US; that some progress has been made by minorities. Jones reports that Charles Yancey (Boston City Council) read a city proclamation honoring King at the ceremony at Faneuil Hall. V: Footage of Yancey addressing the audience. Yancey says that King was once refused admittance to the Patrick T. Campbell Junior High School in Boston; that the school is now named for King. Jones reports that students from the Martin Luther King Middle School performed a song in honor of King. V: Footage of students from the King Middle School performing at Faneuil Hall. The audience applauds.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/04/1988
Description: Marcus Jones reports on Northeastern University's observation of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. Jones notes that a ceremony commemorating King's life was held at the university. Jones' report includes footage from the ceremony. Sonia Sanchez (poet and teacher) talks about King. Jones' report also includes footage of King. Susan Sullivan (Northeastern Law student) makes the announcement that the university is awarding an honorary law degree to Nelson Mandela. Interviews with Daniel Givelber (Dean, Northeastern University School of Law) and Sullivan about the decision to award a degree to Mandela. Jones notes that the university trustees overturned a policy which required recipients of degrees to pick them up in person. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: David Scondras, Charles Yancey and Ray Flynn: Boston City Council makes fair housing policy
1:00:10: Visual: Footage of an African American man performing a song at a ceremony commemorating the life of Martin Luther King (civil rights leader) at Northeastern University. Shots of the audience. Marcus Jones reports that hundreds of people gathered at Northeastern to commemorate the life of King; that King's 59th birthday is Friday. V: Shots of King addressing a crowd; of King marching at the head of a group of civil rights demonstrators. Footage of Sonia Sanchez (poet and teacher) talks about King's struggle to advance the cause of civil rights. Sanchez says that King's work is not finished. Shots of audience members applauding. Jones reports that Sanchez was the featured speaker at the ceremony; that the remarks of Susan Sullivan (Northeastern Law student) were the highlight of the event. V: Footage of Sullivan announcing that the Board of Trustees at Northeastern University has decided to award an honorary law degree to Nelson Mandela (jailed South African leader). The crowd applauds. Jones reports that Northeastern law students have petitioned the university for three years to grant a degree to Mandela. V: Shot of the entrance to the library at Northeastern Law School. Shot of a paper taped to the door of the library. A handwritten note on the paper reads, "Trustees grant Mandela Honorary Degree." Jones reports that the request had been previously denied due to a policy which required recipients of degrees to pick them up in person. Jones notes that Mandela has been jailed by the South African government because of his opposition to apartheid. V: Black and white footage of Mandela speaking; of a sign for Pollsmoor Prison, where Mandela is held. Jones notes that the university's decision to accede to the demands of students and faculty is unprecedented. V: Footage of Jones interviewing Daniel Givelber (Dean, Northeastern University School of Law). Givelbar says that Northeastern has an unusually diverse group of Trustees; that the Trustees felt like they were doing the right thing. Givelbar notes that the Board of Trustees made the decision to divest two years ago. Footage of Susan Sullivan saying that the degree should have been granted when the students first petitioned for it; that the law students should not have had to fight so hard for it. Sullivan says that international recognition could hasten Mandela's release from jail. Jones notes that the scheduled protest by the students turned into a celebration. Jones says that Northeastern students hope that other universities will follow Northeastern's example.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/14/1988