Description:
Massachusetts Fair Share register African American voters to vote in Roxbury. Christy George interviews a female community worker who discusses Mass Fair Share's voter registration drive, its lawsuit against the Boston Election Department and the importance of voter education in the African American community. The woman says that some city officials do not want to disrupt current voting patterns by registering new voters; that the Boston Election Department started to cooperate only after the lawsuit was filed. She adds that the recent voter registration drives have been successful.
0:59:57: V: An African American man and an African American woman sit behind a table on a sidewalk in front of the Charles Drew Neighborhood Health Center in Roxbury. Handmade signs for voter registration are posted behind the table. The signs read, "Voter registration here today" and "Save your health center. Register and vote." An African American woman stands in front of the table. A young African American man in a blue shirt sits beside the woman at the table. He watches her fill out forms. More young African Americans stand in front of the table. The male community worker fills out a form for another young African American male. He asks the young man questions as he fills out the form. The young man signs the form. Shot of the community worker's hand as he fills out the form.
1:03:29: V: The two community workers sit behind the table. The young man in the blue shirt stands in front of the table. The young man hands his license to the male community worker, who is filling out a form. The young man signs the form and walks away. Three more young African American males stand in line in front of the table. Close up shot of one of the African American males. The male community worker fills out forms for one of the young men. The young man gives his license to the community worker. Shots of the female community worker; of the book and papers she is studying.
1:10:19: V: A middle-aged African American woman stands at the voter registration table. An African American man registers to vote with the male community worker. The young woman in the red skirt passes by the people gathered at the bus stop. She speaks to two men standing on the sidewalk. She turns and walks back to the voter registration table. The young woman in the red skirt directs someone to the voter registration table. A middle-aged African American woman registers to vote at the table. Shot of the exterior of the Charles Drew Building. The young woman in the red skirt speaks to two young African American men on the sidewalk.
1:13:17: V: An African American woman exits an MBTA bus. The young woman in the red skirt directs her to the voter registration table. They young woman continues to approach people on the street and direct them to the table.
1:14:44: V: Christy George interviews the female community worker. The worker says that Mass Fair Share filed a lawsuit concerning voting discrepancies in the primary elections of September,1982. The worker says that the Boston Election Department was not cooperative last year; that the department failed to provide reliable registrars and sites for Mass Fair Share voting registration drives. The worker says that Mass Fair Share fought to set up voting registration tables at MBTA stations. George notes that voting registration tables need to be set up in a "site of principal activity." The worker says that the Boston Election Department determines which sites can be used; that the department has not made it clear which sites are allowed. The worker says that parks are now allowed as voter registration sites; that the Boston Election Department had previously allowed mills, schools, factories; that churches and welfare offices are recent additions to the list. The worker says that the Boston Election Department began to cooperate after Mass Fair Share filed a lawsuit. George notes that Mass Fair Share has organized voter registration drives all week long. The worker says that the turnout has been excellent at the drives; that the Boston Election Department had predicted a low turnout; that Mass Fair Share is trying to create a momentum around voter registration. George asks the worker if the City of Boston was trying to make voter registration difficult. The worker says that the city can predict which areas vote and how they will vote; that the city does not want to disrupt current voter patterns by registering new voters. The worker says that Mass Fair Share wants to educate people on the importance of voting and on the issues; that the organization is not supporting individual candidates. George asks if voter registration is a civil rights issue. The worker says that voter turnout in the African American community was below the city average; that Mass Fair Share would like to encourage voting in the African American community; that voter registration is more of a problem than voter turnout. The worker says that voter education is important in the African American community; that citizens need to know that voting is a basic right; that citizens need to understand why voting is important. The crew takes cutaway shots of George and the worker.
Date Created:
04/28/1983
