| 01:00:04 4.49 |
Reel opens to Film Leader Countdown.
|
| 01:00:18 18.38 |
B&W camera pans down on a wall of small stuffed toys then pans up on small Black baby dolls as we hear the song "Silent Night". Narration about the outrage over the murder of six children in Birmingham, Alabama. People have been urged not to buy Christmas gifts as an act of moral protest.
|
| 01:00:44 44.37 |
B&W footage - Actor/Activist Ossie Davis speaking into camera about having to look at what happened in Birmingham and about how the protest (not buying Christmas gifts) over this event is a moral call to arms, not an economic boycott. He emphatically states: "...we must look fully at what happened Birmingham on that Sunday and redirect the hand writing on the wall or maybe there won't be a Christmas next year or the year after for anybody, White, Black children or anybody else"
|
| 01:01:25 85.52 |
Slate: NET Presents ( and picture of two small Black children.)
|
| 01:01:31 91.39 |
Slate: At Issue: (narration: a weekly commentary on events and people in the news)
|
| 01:01:35 95.99 |
Slate: The Christmas Boycott (narration: This week, the Christmas Boycott. The proposal by some of our leaders to achieve civil rights through the pocket book rather than the conscience)
|
| 01:01:53 113.1 |
Exterior B&W shot, and pan down on the First Federal Savings Bank with Christmas lights in the shape of Christmas trees.
|
| 01:01:59 119.34 |
Var Christmas decorations - an angel on a street light pole, large star with lights, a fake Christmas tree with twinkling lights. Narration about the violence in Birmingham which took the lives of six children and the proposal by some civil leaders and artists that no Christmas gifts be bought this year in protest of the horrific event.
|
| 01:02:07 127 |
Exterior window of a toy store, large signs in windows: "Toys" and many toys are seen in the windows, peds walking by.
|
| 01:02:08 128.71 |
Close up on Toy Store window. Huge TOYS sign in window with picture of Santa head next to it, toys in window.
|
| 01:02:16 136.96 |
Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), talking with unseen unknown interviewer does not support the Christmas Boycott. He states "I do not see how I can visit upon a merchant who may be a supporter of the Civil Rights cause, an employer of negros a humanitarian"
|
| 01:03:04 184.95 |
Ossie Davis talking into camera to unseen interviewer responding to Wilkins, that there may be some pain in a Christmas where people reversed their habits and didn't go to the marketplace, but he states moral growth always requires some self-sacrifice and pain to become meaningful.
|
| 01:04:05 245.03 |
Back with Wilkins responding to Davis. He states, "I am to say to a merchant in (var cities) - I hold you responsible for what happened in Birmingham?. Personally, I am unable to come to that point of view". He states he's tried and can't do it honestly, intellectually and emotionally.
|
| 01:04:22 262.34 |
Close up and pan out on Wall Street Journals newspapers stacked over each other, the date partially obscured, Thursday, December 5, 1963.
|
| 01:04:32 272.43 |
Narration introduction of next commentator, the Editor of the Wall Street Journal, Vermont Royster. Royster speaking into camera to unseen interviewer talks about the implications of the boycott. He states that "economic power has been used for many years including our own Revolution (referring to the Boston Tea Party where British tea was dumped into the Harbor). He states he is not surprised about the Christmas Boycott - it's not unprecedented and the Negro people of the US do have economic power."
|
| 01:05:54 354.02 |
Talking head Black man speaking into mic at church in Nashville, TN, applause.
|
| 01:06:12 372.94 |
Cutaway to Woolworth's vertical building sign. Pan down on store front, protesters carrying signs walking by the building (grainy footage)
|
| 01:06:20 380.66 |
Wide shot protesters in the city, carrying handmade signs read: "We protest the policies of this company in the conduct of its Southern stores" and "I march protest of (obscured) ....Jim Crow".
|
| 01:06:22 382.02 |
Long line of boycott marchers in front of Woolworth's store (most likely in Boston), carrying handmade signs - signs are illegible. grainy footage.
|
| 01:06:26 386.68 |
Sign reads: "Freedom Trail Park Street Church Brimstone Corner" - This sign is on the Freedom Trail in Boston, MA
|
| 01:06:30 390.36 |
Zoom over to a snowy corner in Boston MA, Woolworth's retail store, cars parked, peds walking by.
|
| 01:06:35 395.64 |
Protest marchers carrying signs in front of Woolworth's store in Boston Ma. Sign reads "Woolworth Segregates..."
|
| 01:06:37 397.89 |
Man wearing suit jacket standing in front of retail store, reading book
|
| 01:06:40 400.55 |
Wide shot F.W. Woolworth's (sign on store front) protesters marching past building holding signs, gloomy looking day, snowy sidewalks. Boston, MA
|
| 01:06:44 404.42 |
Closer up on boycotters, mostly white males, holding signs "End Lunch Counter Discrimination", "Support Carolina Students". policeman is seen amidst them.
|
| 01:06:52 412.93 |
Large painted sign on building: "Public Transfer, Phone 3-3497". "Day Monthly Rates" - Montgomery, Alabama
|
| 01:06:53 413.62 |
Grainy footage, group of Black women standing waiting on sidewalk in front of "Elsey Parking Lot"
|
| 01:07:01 421.55 |
Black man assists Black woman getting into vintage car., shuts the door when she's inside. With narration: "Boycotts must be carefully planned, that they must have a moral base, that they must be used only as a last resort after negotiations have failed because they are a dangerous weapon"...also states that "they must be used because the Negroes have been shamefully treated in this country."
|
| 01:07:15 435.48 |
City bus, in Montgomery, Alabama driving by (circa late 1950's) - narrator discusses the Civil Rights first impact in securing a simple equal right, securing the right to sit on a bus wherever there's a seat.
|
| 01:07:24 444.65 |
Bus driving by really close to camera - dark footage.
|
| 01:07:27 447.48 |
Wide shot of bus driving by (late 1950's )
|
| 01:07:28 448.31 |
Group of Black school girls in white blouses and plaid pleated skirts.
|
| 01:07:35 455.56 |
Shots of parked vintage station wagon (circa early '60's) and a group of Black people getting in - as narrator states that until Blacks got the rights to ride on a bus (thanks to Martin Luther King) and sit anywhere they wanted to , they carpooled.
|
| 01:07:40 460.06 |
City Bus and vintage car going by - large clock on building.
|
| 01:07:45 465.69 |
Martin Luther King, Jr. at podium in Montgomery giving speech about the struggle for equal rights (as it pertains to riding on a bus).
|
| 01:07:51 471.88 |
Pan over to wide shot of large African American audience clapping vigorously with hands over heads, cheering
|
| 01:08:01 481.23 |
Wide shot of seated African American audience singing. Group of white men standing over them looking on, some taking notes (could be press).
|
| 01:08:17 497.61 |
Large letters on roof of building spelling out "EBONY".
|
| 01:08:18 498.78 |
Pan down on same building - the monthly magazine Ebony headquarters.
|
| 01:08:23 503.2 |
Interior shots of the Ebony building. Var blown up large posters photos on the wall of entertainers, boxers (fighters), construction workers, Ebony Magazine covers.
|
| 01:08:38 518.76 |
Interview (interviewer is unseen) with Publisher and Editor of Ebony Magazine, John H. Johnson. John Johnson speaks about "the importance of the Negroes spending power."
|
| 01:09:08 548.47 |
Close up of Johnson sitting in front of a huge pile of books. When asked if "the Negro consumer is different from other consumers?", he answers, no, but that due to environmental differences he may sometimes act differently,
|
| 01:10:55 655.58 |
Johnson responds to criticism about using African American models in ads as being condescending. Johnson defends this and states that Ebony's circulation has doubled which is testimonial to any disapproval by readers.
|
| 01:11:14 674.02 |
pan on large blown up ads that have run in Ebony, using both Black and White models.
|
| 01:11:36 696.07 |
Johnson holding an ad from the pages of a national magazine of a beautiful girl and responds to it. He states he has a good reaction to it, the girl exhibits good feeling, life and youth, although she's dark in skin tone he states he doesn't feel it has a negative impact on the ad.
|
| 01:11:56 716.84 |
Cut away to African American man in Deejay booth at WCHB AM/FM Michigan.
|
| 01:12:14 734.41 |
Frank Seymour, station manager of Detroit's African American interest radio station, WCHB talks with unseen, unknown interviewer about the station and its listeners. He talks about "the founding of the station and it being an effective means of reaching its vast Negro audience."
|
| 01:14:48 888.8 |
Seymour talks about "status seeking by Negro wage earners, stating they like to have the best available." He believes "the Negroes are finding more outlets for using their income to bring them more ways of living the American way of life, rather than the ostentatious ways of spending."
|
| 01:15:52 952.85 |
African American deejay at radio station in deejay booth with headsets on talking to listeners, doing his show. Narration
|
| 01:15:54 954.23 |
Exterior sign on building: Sumby Hospital (Detroit)
|
| 01:15:57 957.84 |
Exterior vertical signage on building: Listed under the word "Clinic" are the names of Doctors: S.B.Milton, M.D. Physician & Surgeon; R.H. Porter, M.D. Physician and Surgeon; F. W. Johnson, D.D.S. Dentist.
|
| 01:16:04 964.31 |
African American doctor, Dr. S.B.Milton of Detroit, walking down corridor of clinic. with narration stating "most of Dr. Milton's patients are Negroes."
|
| 01:16:09 969.49 |
Dr. Milton at glass door leaving the Clinic.
|
| 01:16:23 982.99 |
Blurry shot of Dr. Milton at a bar with drink in hand looking contemplative. He narrates about the happy times he's had in his life.
|
| 01:16:33 993.89 |
Blurry shot of woman watering the plants inside home.
|
| 01:16:39 999.19 |
Dr. Milton reaching out grabs a large magazine (with narration - he states there have been rewards for the things he's done for his community and at work)
|
| 01:17:00 1020.07 |
Interior shot of beautiful dining room in home (blurry)
|
| 01:17:08 1028.92 |
Pan interior of Dr. Milton and his wife's beautifully decorated home. They are seen sitting in their living room, as Mrs. Milton narrates.
|
| 01:17:47 1067.72 |
Woman housekeeper watering plants interior room of home with a giant watering can.
|
| 01:18:05 1085.22 |
Arm with small bottle watering small plants on side table in home.
|
| 01:18:10 1090.79 |
Blurry shot, house plants on a small side table - narrator introduces Daisy Lucas a housekeeper from Harlem.
|
| 01:18:15 1095.85 |
Mrs. Lucas and her family gathered in her home. Mrs. Lucas narrates as shots of her family talking together she gives the history of how long she's lived in the home and other facts about her life..
|
| 01:18:52 1132.49 |
Older African American woman sitting at table with coffee cup, vintage white stove (burners covered with white lid) in bkgd.
|
| 01:18:57 1137.79 |
Two African American woman, older maybe mid 60's, sitting at kitchen table drinking coffee enjoying each other's company, vintage stove behind them (circa maybe late 50's early 60's)
|
| 01:19:01 1141.39 |
Blurry close up shot of newspaper article.
|
| 01:19:06 1146.1 |
Mrs. Lucas sitting reading newspaper and she narrates how she's still not used to seeing President Kennedy in the papers, she misses him/!
|
| 01:19:15 1155.5 |
Close up shot African American older woman, housekeeper Mrs. Daisy Lucas.
|
| 01:19:24 1164.27 |
African American hands turning pages of newspaper.
|
| 01:19:37 1177.34 |
Cutaway to building in Chicago with "Supreme Life" signage across front.
|
| 01:19:40 1180.05 |
Pan down on building, two African American men standing out front, some peds walking by. Narrator talks about the company, Supreme Life Insurance in Chicago, the largest underwriters for the African American population. He introduces the President of the company as, Earl Dickerson.
|
| 01:19:47 1187.6 |
A white man and woman standing inside a safe (a bank safe). The man walking out toward the camera followed by the woman.
|
| 01:19:57 1197.81 |
Blurry clip of large office interior
|
| 01:20:01 1201.92 |
African American man at large desk with papers strewn all over it.
|
| 01:20:10 1210.72 |
Pan office, women at desks next to man, shelves filled with books, some some empty desks with typewriters, African American women working at their desks. Narrator, Earl Dickerson, states "in order to survive they must employ Negroes and Whites to go into all of the markets"
|
| 01:20:18 1218.8 |
Pan up on book shelves with white document binders neatly lined up.
|
| 01:20:27 1227.08 |
Pan along rows and rows of shelves loaded with binders. Dickerson narrates that if the whites operating life insurance companies are now employing "colored men" to sell to "colored people", why can't a company run by colored people hire whites to sell to whites.
|
| 01:20:38 1238.84 |
African American women workers clocking out on time clock.
|
| 01:20:44 1244.82 |
Men seated around conference table. Black board in bkgd.
|
| 01:21:24 1284.42 |
Earl Dickerson, President of Supreme Life Insurance Company.
|
| 01:21:40 1300.69 |
Dickerson getting up from desk walking toward open window stops and looks out.
|
| 01:21:45 1305.17 |
Blurry night time wide shot, a huge neon building stands out all lit up
|
| 01:22:08 1328.79 |
Hands semi clasped on white blotter on desk.
|
| 01:22:17 1337.46 |
Mr. Dickerson seated at his desk, with narration.
|
| 01:22:20 1340.81 |
African American professional man in white shirt and tie seated at his desk and surrounded by other colleagues looking on, collaborating.
|
| 01:22:21 1341.44 |
Narrator is heard introduces African American, Herman McRae, Vice President of a NY ad agency, working at his desk with colleagues. McRae narrates about his satisfying 13 year career without ever feeling any discrimination, All the people that working under him are white and they respect him not as a boss but a friend.
|
| 01:23:42 1422.59 |
Mr. McRae walking through his office.
|
| 01:23:46 1426.82 |
B&W poster of a little black boy's face pinned to a wall
|
| 01:23:49 1429.38 |
People coming up out of a subway station in New York, traffic going by
|
| 01:24:00 1440.08 |
Man (Herman McRae)holding newspaper and dressed professionally in overcoat, suit, white shirt, tie and hat crossing street in New York City.
|
| 01:24:07 1447.17 |
Mr. McRae looking in window of retail toy store. He narrates about "the Christmas Boycott and gives his feeling that it's a good idea to demonstrate but seems like the Negro children are always the ones to suffer."
|
| 01:24:30 1470.74 |
Roy Wilkins, Executive Secretary of NAACP, sitting in big chair at his desk, desk covered in papers. He talks with unseen interviewer about the discrimination against African Americans in the workplace . He states that ideally we shouldn't have Boycotts and ideally all people of all races should be treated fairly.
|
| 01:26:49 1609.43 |
Actress Ruby Dee, a member of the Christmas Gift Boycott Committee talking passionately about the Christmas Boycott.
|
| 01:28:33 1713.5 |
Show ends. Slate: The Christmas Boycott
|
| 01:28:55 1735.45 |
Credits over rendering of little Black boy and girl.
|
| 01:29:10 1750.45 |
End Reel.
|
Jump to this Point
Year: 1963
Color: Black & White
Genre: CIVIL RIGHTS
Specialty CollectionGenre: CIVIL RIGHTS
Description: At Issue: Episode #10 A National Educational Television production Title: The Christmas Boycott Guests: Ossie Davis, Actor and Activist; Roy Wilkins, Exec. Sec. NAACP; Vermont Royster, Editor the Wall Street Journal; John Johnson, Publisher Ebony Magazine; Frank Seymour, Station Manager Detroit's African American interest radio station WCHB; Earl Dickerson, President Supreme Life Insurance Company; Herman McRae, VP of a NY Ad agency. Original Broadcast Date: 12/9/63 TRT: 30 min Description: "This program examines the economic power of the American Negro and the use of that power as a weapon in the Negro’s fight to attain equal rights. The view of “equal rights through pocket book rather than conscience” is illustrated by the controversial “Christmas boycott” – which is discussed, along with other selective buying techniques. In addition, there are interviews with Negroes in widely varied economic positions. The program takes place mainly in Detroit, Chicago, and New York. There are also small portions showing boycotts in Montgomery, Philadelphia, Tuskegee, and Nashville." Executive producer: Alvin Perlmutter Producer: Leonard Zweig Writer: Morton Silverstein
Keywords: Economic Power
