Description: Hope Kelly piece on the closing of the Boston office of the US Commission on Civil Rights. Interview with head of the office, Jacob Schlitt. History of the Commission, and discussion of it's current state and future under the Reagan Administration, including Reagan's appointment of ultraconservative Clarence Pendleton. Scenes from the farewell party held for the office, and remarks by many New England civil rights activists on the closing of the office, including long time office worker David Harris. Discussion of the role the office played and the reports it produced.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/19/1986
Description: Deborah Wang reports that the Boston Police Department and the District Attorney's Office keep the money confiscated from drug arrests. Neighborhood groups want the money to go back into the community to fund drug education, drug treatment, and crime watch efforts. Interview with Bill Good of the Boston Police Department. Good says that the Police Department needs the money to keep its "operational edge" over drug traffickers. Interview with City Councilor Charles Yancey, who says that community residents are the most valuable asset in the war against drugs. Press conference at City Hall, where Yancey, Ben Haith (Roxbury Multi-Service Center) and Louis Elisa (NAACP) talk about the need to return confiscated drug money to the community. City Councilor Dapper O'Neil arrives at the press conference. O'Neil and State Rep. Byron Rushing confront each other on the issue. Wang reports that the city budget is tight and various groups are fighting over small amounts of money. Wang's report is accompanied by footage of police officers making a drug arrest.
1:00:01: Visual: Footage of a police cruiser stopped behind a red sports car. A white police officer searches an African American man. Shot of a plastic bag containing drugs. Deborah Wang reports that 7,500 people were arrested by police on drug-related charges last year; that police have confiscated weapons, drugs, and money from drug arrests. V: Footage of Bill Good (Boston Police Department) saying that approximately $990,000 has been forfeited to the Police Department through drug arrests. Shots of police officers searching the trunk of a red sports car. Shot of a police officer searching a handbag. Wang reports that the Boston Police Department has gone to court to obtain the money; that the Police Department has split the money with the District Attorney's office. Wang reports that the Police Department uses the money to pay informants, to buy drugs for deals, and to conduct police investigations. V: Footage of Good saying that the money is essential to the Police Department; that the money represents an "operational edge" for drug investigators. Good says that the money can be used at the discretion of drug investigators. Wang reports that some city officials see other uses for the money. V: Footage of Charles Yancey (Boston City Council) being interviewed by Wang. Yancey says that the city needs to fight an effective war against drugs. Yancey says that community residents are the city's most valuable allies in the war against drugs. Wang reports that neighborhood groups want the money to go back into the community; that the groups want the money to fund drug education, drug treatment, and crime watch efforts. V: Footage of Yancey at a press conference at City Hall. A group of neighborhood activists including Byron Rushing (State Representative) are with Yancey at the press conference. Shot of Ben Haith (Roxbury Multi-Service Center) speaking at the press conference. Footage of Louis Elisa (NAACP) speaking at the press conference. Elisa says that funding is needing to fight the war on drugs; that the confiscated money belongs to the community. Elisa says that the confiscated money comes from Charlestown, South Boston, Roxbury and Dorchester; that the confiscated money should go back to the communities to fund anti-drug initiatives. Footage of Good being interviewed by Wang. Good says that the neighborhood groups have good intentions. Good says that it is a mistake to take the money from the Police Department. Good says that the confiscated money funds the day-to-day operations of the Police Department's anti-drug effort. Shots of three police officers conferring near a police cruiser; of a police officer searching a handbag. Wang reports that the Boston City Council has the support to pass a bill requiring the confiscated money go back to the neighborhoods. Wang notes that Dapper O'Neil (Boston City Council) is opposed to the initiative; that O'Neil "crashed" the press conference at City Hall today. V: Footage of Rushing and O'Neil confronting one another over the issue. O'Neil says that Rushing is trying "to shake people down" for money. Rushing walks away from O'Neil. Yancey and David Scondras (Boston City Council) look on. O'Neil has an exchange with another neighborhood activist. Yancey addresses the media from a microphone. Wang reports that the dispute revolves around a relatively small amount of money; that the money represents less than one percent of the police budget. Wang notes that the city budget is tight; that money is hard to come by.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/01/1989
Description: Christopher Lydon reports on a controversy over the distribution of contraception in schools. Lydon notes that the Adolescent Issues Task Force of the Boston School Department has recommended that birth control be distributed to students as part of a comprehensive adolescent health program in the city's middle schools and high schools. Lydon's report includes footage of an NAACP press conference with Jack E. Robinson (President, Boston chapter of the NAACP), Joseph Casper (member, Boston School Committee), and Grace Romero (NAACP board member). Robinson and Casper condemn the proposal as racist. Robinson says that the initiative targets African American students. Lydon's report includes footage from interviews with Hubie Jones (member, Adolescent Issues Task Force), Dr. Howard Spivak (member Adolescent Issues Task Force) and Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith (Chairwoman, Adolescent Issues Task Force). Jones, Spivak and Prothrow-Stith defend the proposal. Spivak and Prothrow-Stith discuss statistics relating to teen pregnancy. Lydon's report also features interviews with students about teen pregnancy and footage of students in schools.
1:00:11: Visual: Footage of an African American woman saying that she knows "what is going on" with teenagers from listening to them talk. Christopher Lydon reports that teenagers are starting to have sex at an early age. V: Footage of Dr. Howard Spivak (member, Adolescent Issues Task Force) saying that he is alarmed at the numbers of teenagers who are having sex. Spivack says that 25% of teenage girls are sexually active before the age of 15. Footage of Dr. Deborah Prothow-Stith (Chairwoman, Adolescent Issues Task Force) saying that one million girls under the age of nineteen become pregnant each year; that 600,000 of those girls give birth. Prothow-Stith says that teenage pregnancy has become an epidemic. Footage of Spivak quoting a statistic which predicts that 40% of fourteen-year olds will become pregnant before their twentieth birthday. Shot of teenage girls descending a staircase at a school. Lydon reports that the Boston School Department's Adolescent Issues Task Force is recommending the distribution of birth control as part of a comprehensive adolescent health program at Boston's middle schools and high schools. V: Shot of a collection of diaphragms in a health clinic. Shot of a clinic worker and a teenage girl at a school health clinic. Lydon reports that the proposal has been heavily criticized. V: Shot of the street outside of the Boston NAACP office. Footage of Jack E. Robinson (President, Boston chapter of the NAACP) at a press conference. Robinson says that the NAACP is opposed to the distribution of birth control in school health clinics. Joseph Casper (member, Boston School Committee) and Grace Romero (former member, Boston School Committee and NAACP board member) stand beside Robinson at the press conference. Lydon points out that Casper and Romero are unlikely allies for Robinson. V: Footage of Robinson saying that the plan introduces sexual devices into the schools under the guise of a health initiative. Robinson says that African American schools and school districts are the targets of these plans; that the plans are a form of "social engineering." Lydon notes that Robinson believes the proposal to be "insidiously racist." V: Footage of Hubie Jones (member, Adolescent Issues Task Force) saying that the proposal has nothing to do with race. Footage of Casper saying that the proposal targets inner city students; that there are no proposals to distribute birth control among white suburban students. Casper says that "something is afoot." Footage of Jones saying that it is genocidal to allow large numbers of African American teenage girls to become pregnant. Lydon reports that Jones sees the proposal as a "regrettable necessity," needed to combat the incidence of pregnancy in young girls. V: Shots of teenage students in a study hall. Footage of Prothow-Stith saying that the Task Force is concerned about the increase of pregnancies among girls aged ten to fourteen. Footage of a young African American male student saying that a lot of teenage girls are pregnant; of a young Hispanic male student saying that he knows a girl in ninth-grade with a child. Footage of another African American male student saying that he knows a thirteen-year old girl who became pregnant; that the girl has dropped out of school. Footage of a white female student saying that she knows eighth grade girls who are pregnant; that it is wrong for young girls to be pregnant. Shots of students outside of a school. Lydon says that everyone seems to agree that young girls should not be pregnant.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 09/08/1986
Description: Christopher Lydon interviews Vice President Dan Quayle. Quayle talks about his visit to Mission Hill Elementary School and the Carol Stuart murder case. He says that respect among people will bring racial harmony. Quayle talks about his upcoming visit to Latin America and US foreign policy in Panama. He also talks about the Republican Party's position on abortion. Following the edited story is additional footage of the interview, mostly the second camera view of the same content in the edited story.
1:00:04: Footage of Dan Quayle (US Vice President) being interviewed by Christopher Lydon. Quayle describes his visit to Mission Hill Elementary School. Quayle says that the kids were involved; that the parents were committed to education; that the teachers were respected by the students. Lydon asks who came up with the idea for a visit to Mission Hill Elementary School. Quayle says that his staff asked Bernard Cardinal Law (Archbishop of Boston) for suggestions about which school to visit; that Law recommended Mission Hill Elementary School. Lydon asks Quayle about the Stuart murder case. Quayle says that he talked about the Stuart murder case in a private meeting with parents, administrators, and teachers at the school. Quayle says that people must respect one another. Quayle says that respect will bring racial harmony. Lydon asks about Quayle's upcoming visit to Latin America. Lydon mentions the US invasion of Panama. Quayle says that some Latin American leaders have expressed concerns about the US invasion of Panama. Quayle says that he will meet with Carlos Andres Perez (President of Venezuela); that he will ask Perez and other leaders to help build a democracy in Panama. Quayle says that the public statements of some Latin American leaders do not represent their private sentiments. Quayle says that there is strong support for the US invasion in Panama and across Latin America. Lydon asks if the US should assume some responsibility for the rise of Manuel Noriega (leader of Panama). Quayle says that the US should assume no responsibility for Noriega. Quayle says that Noriega declared war on the US; that Noriega's forces killed and wounded an innocent US marine soldier; that Noriega's forces sexually harassed US women. Quayle says that the US should not assume responsibility for the stolen election in Panama. Lydon asks Quayle about the Republican Party's position on abortion. Quayle says that the party platform advocates the protection of the unborn. Quayle says that many party members disagree with the platform; that the Republican Party is inclusive. Quayle says that people are welcome to disagree with the platform. Quayle says that abortion is a divisive issue. Quayle accuses the Democratic Party of becoming a one-issue party. Quayle says that pro-life supporters are not welcome in the Democratic Party. Quayle says that he does not want pro-choice Republicans to abandon the party.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/22/1990
Description: Dapper O'Neil visits Mapplethorpe exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art, to judge for himself if photos are obscene. David Ross, the museum director, greets him. Dapper takes notes on the pictures, is disgusted, threatens city council action. Interview with Dappy and an argument between Ross and Dapper over whether the city council has authority to censor ICA exhibit, since ICA is owned by BRA. B-roll follows of exteriors of ICA, police and crowds waiting for entrance, opening of the exhibit, chanting, free speech protest outside museum.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 08/01/1990
Description: Hope Kelly reports on a legislative hearing in Boston on alleged redlining practices by Boston banks. Kelly reports that the Federal Reserve Bank released a study finding evidence of redlining practices. Kelly notes that the banking industry reacted strongly to the accusations. Kelly's report includes footage from the legislative hearings. Barney Frank (US Congressman) and Benjamin Hooks (Executive Director, NAACP) condemn redlining practices. Richard Pollard (Chairman, Massachusetts Banking Association) and Richard Syron (President, Federal Reserve Bank) say that they do not believe that the banks are engaged in redlining. Kelly reviews the findings of the study. She adds that the study does not conclude if the findings reflect redlining or discrimination on the part of lenders. Kelly quotes Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston), Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts), and Joseph Kennedy (US Congressman) as saying the redlining practices cannot be tolerated. Kelly interviews Pollard. Pollard says that banks are not engaged in redlining. He adds that banks need to better serve the needs of minority communities. Kelly notes that the legislative hearing addressed solutions to the problem of redlining, but did not talk about the problem of racism. This tape includes additional footage of the legislative hearing, with various speakers both in agreement and disagreement with the study.
1:00:05: Visual: Footage of Barney Frank (US Congressman) at a congressional hearing in Boston. Franks says that people of color are being denied their rights because of their skin color. Hope Kelly reports that Frank and other officials said that there is irrefutable evidence showing that Boston banks are engaged in discriminatory lending practices. V: Footage of Benjamin Hooks (Executive Director, NAACP) saying that banks across the nation are engaged in discriminatory lending practices. Kelly reports that the banking industry reacted strongly to the comments. V: Footage of Richard Pollard (Chairman, Massachusetts Banking Association) saying that he does not think that Hooks read the study. Kelly reports that the Federal Reserve Bank issued a study on August 31, 1988. Kelly quotes the study as finding that "the number of mortgage loans. . .is 24% lower in black neighborhoods than in white, even after taking into account economic and other non-racial neighborhood characteristics that might contribute to such disparities." V: Shot of Hooks, Michael Dukakis (Governor of Massachusetts), Richard Syron (President, Federal Reserve Bank), and Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) at the congressional hearing. Shot of Syron speaking. On-screen text and visuals detail the study findings. Kelly notes that the study does not conclude whether the findings reflect redlining or discrimination on the part of lenders. V: Footage of Syron speaking at the hearing. Syron says that he does not believe that Boston banks are engaged in redlining or discriminatory practices. Footage of Hooks saying that the African American community often knows through experience what the white community must find out through studies. Kelly reports that city and state officials were sympathetic to Hooks's viewpoint. Kelly quotes Flynn as saying that the findings are disturbing; that discriminatory practices cannot be tolerated. Kelly quotes Joseph Kennedy (US Congressman) as saying that "there is a serious problem of racially discriminatory lending in this city." Kelly quotes Dukakis as saying that "racial bias in any form is contrary to the very principles upon which this nation and Commonwealth were founded." V: Shot of Flynn, Syron, and Dukakis at the hearing. Quotes by Flynn, Kennedy and Dukakis appear written in text on-screen. Kelly reports that the bankers disagreed with the officials. V: Footage of Pollard being interviewed by Kelly. Pollard says that the study contains no evidence showing that banks are involved in the practice of redlining. Pollard admits that people in disadvantaged neighborhoods are ill-served by the financial community. Pollard says that bankers are part of the larger financial community; that bankers will be part of the solution to the problem. Shots of the congressional hearing; of Kennedy at the congressional hearing. Shots of Kweisi Mfume (State Representative) at the hearing; of attendees at the hearing; of Bruce Bolling (Boston City Council) at the hearing. Kelly reports that speakers at the hearing focused on solutions to the problem; that few talked about the larger issue of racism at the heart of the problem. V: Shots of Flynn; of attendees at the hearing.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 09/29/1989
Description: Christy George reports that a lawsuit has been filed against the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) to protest its discriminatory housing policies. It charges that the BHA has discouraged minorities from moving into all-white housing projects. The city is planning to voluntarily integrate its housing projects by next year. Interview with Tanya Boman and Annie Hailey, who are among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Boman and Hailey talk about their experience with the BHA. Both women were told that their families would be unsafe in white housing projects and that the BHA would not provide them with protection. Interview with Doris Bunte of the BHA, who denies any discriminatory practices on the part of BHA employees. Interview with City Councilor James Kelly, who defends the BHA and denounces public housing integration. Kelly has proposed an alternative public housing integration plan that eliminates preferences for minority families applying for apartments in white housing projects. Interview with Dianne Wilkerson of the NAACP. Wilkerson criticizes the city's record on public housing integration and the slow pace of change. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: David Boeri reports that midwives at Boston City Hospital have been locked out by the hospital administration in a dispute over hospital policy
1:00:19: Visual: Footage of Tanya Boman (plaintiff) sitting with her children. Boman says that people should have the right to live wherever they want to live. Christy George reports that Boman applied for public housing in 1985; that she was told to apply for an apartment in Charlestown or South Boston because the city would give preference to minorities requesting apartments in white housing projects. V: Shots of parochial school students walking toward a public housing project; of white residents in front of a housing project in South Boston. Footage of Boman saying that she asked the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) if they would provide protection for her family if they moved to a white housing project. Boman says that she was told that she would need to call the Boston Police Department if she ran into any problems. Boman says that she was told that she would be moved to the bottom of the waiting list if she moved out of the apartment for a "racial reason." George reports that a discrimination suit has been filed against the BHA on behalf of Boman, Annie Hailey (plaintiff), and unnamed parties. V: Footage of Hailey saying that she applied for an apartment in the McCormack Housing Development in 1987. Hailey says that the BHA told her that she would need to see the Civil Rights Board before she could move into the project. Hailey says that the BHA told her that the project would be unsafe for her teenage son. Footage of Doris Bunte (BHA) saying that the situation needs to be examined. Bunte says that she will not tolerate employees of the BHA who discourage minorities from living in white housing developments. George reports that the city is planning to voluntarily integrate its public housing projects. V: Shots of a broken-down wall near a housing project in South Boston; of parochial school students walking toward the housing project. George reports that African Americans may be the victims of harassment and violence when they move into white housing projects. V: Footage of Bunte saying that BHA employees can tell the truth; that BHA employees cannot use tactics designed to discourage African American families from moving to white housing projects. Footage of James Kelly (Boston City Council) in his office. Kelly says that people in private housing call the police for protection; that the BHA did not discriminate by telling an African American family to call the police for protection. George reports that Kelly has proposed a plan to integrate public housing in Boston very slowly; that Kelly's proposal eliminates minority preference. George says that Kelly believes that reverse discrimination causes racial hostility. V: Shots of a white woman looking out of a window of a project apartment; of a white woman and children in front of a project building in South Boston. Footage of Kelly being interviewed by George. Kelly says that there are South Boston residents who have been on the waiting list for years; that those residents are not being treated fairly. George reports that the suit suggests that many of Boston's housing projects are still segregated. George notes that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) has been praised for his efforts to integrate the public housing projects in Charlestown. V: Footage of Dianne Wilkerson (NAACP) saying that there were 200 vacancies open in Charlestown; that over 600 African American families had requested apartments in Charlestown; that the BHA actively recruited white families to fill the vacancies in the Charlestown projects. Shot of housing project buildings in Charlestown. George reports that there are only six African American families in Charlestown; that Flynn has announced plans to integrate the housing projects in South Boston. V: Shots of signs for the Old Colony Housing Project and the Mary Ellen McCormack Housing Development. Shots of a white female resident standing at the entrance to a housing project in South Boston. Footage of Bunte saying that the mayor and the BHA want to move forward with integration. Bunte says that she hopes that the lawsuit does not hold back plans for integration.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/17/1988
Description: Former Boston Redevelopment Authority director Ed Logue tours and comments on development downtown and in Charlestown and Cambridge. He talks about housing prices, the vitality of different neighborhoods, and urban design. He decries prominent glass towers as insensitive to surrounding historical buildings. International Place, Exchange Place, Rowes Wharf, waterfront, Athenaeum. Audio goes out at the very end.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/26/1986
Description: Edward Kennedy Fundraiser at Park Plaza. Exteriors of Park Plaza lit up at night. Interiors of Park Plaza ballroom. Cocktail party to raise money for Kennedy's campaign. Kennedy enters the room, and addresses the crowd about the Iran Hostage Crisis. Joan Kennedy stands on stage with him.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/12/1979
Description: Arthur Fiedler obituary. History of the Boston Pops bringing symphony music to all people. Clips from interview with Fielder on starting the Pops and the original Shell performance space. Footage from Pop Fourth of July performance.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 07/10/1979