SIXTIES LEGACY, THE {THE 60'S LEGACY}: BRIGHT COLLEGE YEARS (TV)
Summary
One in this nostalgia series chronicling unique and significant events from the turbulent and politically volatile 1960s. This episode, hosted by Jeff Greenfield, features Peter RosenÕs documentary film concerning the 1970 May Day Yale University demonstrations protesting the New Haven, Connecticut, trial of several members of the Black Panthers Party. Greenfield prefaces the film with comments about the role of student activism in the social movements of the 1960s. The film itself opens with a Yale student-group discussion about the potential role of a privileged class of university students in a black, working class, political struggle. The group members conclude that as upper-middle-class students at an influential school they can pressure Yale and affiliated institutions to take a political stand and show support for the Black Panthers. Interspersed are excerpts of speeches from a general student meeting by the following speakers: Gil Rochon of Black Students at Yale (BSAY); professor of philosophy Kenneth Mills; Ray Nunn, director of Afro America at Yale; and David Hilliard, Black Panther Party Chief of Staff. Panther John Turner also addresses students, asking Yale to issue a statement demanding that charges against the Black Panthers be dropped. Scenes follow of both Black Panther and Yale student demonstrations in front of the New Haven Court House; political discussions among students continue on the subjects of the American power structure, the trial of Charles Manson, FBI monitoring of student radicals, and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. Hank Goodman and William Farley of the Student Strike Steering Committee address student groups about pressuring corporations and closing down the campus with a massive strike. Next, the documentary shows footage from the actual May Day Yale demonstration. Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin call for committed political activism among students, and Tom Hayden relays a list of demands for the U.S. government such as the release of political prisoners and military withdrawal from Southeast Asia. Scenes from the commencement ceremonies on May fifth follow. These include images of conflict between protesting students and Yale faculty, as well as speeches by Ed Wasserman and Tom Walker of the Class of 1970 about both the Black Panther trials and the Vietnam War. The program concludes with footage from the May 1970 alumni weekend, in which members of older generations are confronted by the political movements of the young in the midst of their traditional Yale celebrations.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1999.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
- DATE: November 30, 1978
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:12
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:18470
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Student movements; Yale University, New Haven, Conn.; Black Panthers; Protest movements; Demonstrations - United States; Political activism; African-American Collection - News/Talk
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV, 1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- For "60Õs Legacy" WNET/Thirteen:
- Bonnie Schnapper … Coordinating Producer
- Liz Oliver … Series Producer
- Andrea S. Traubner … Associate Producer
- Mick Colgan … Director
- Jeff Greenfield … Writer
- John Q. Adams … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Supervisor
- For "Bright College Years":
- Peter Rosen … Producer, Director
- Charles Cohen … Music by, Lyrics by
- Mark Zanger … Music by, Lyrics by
- Yale SDS Scuffle Band, The … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Jim Caron … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Laurie Chevalier … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Charles Cohen … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Tom Sarcho … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Matt Simpson … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- GovernorÕs Footguard Band, The … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Larry Elgart Band, The … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Yale University Concert Band, The … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- American Federation of Musicians, The … Music (Misc. Credits), Original Music
- Jeff Greenfield … Host
- William Farley
- Hank Goodman
- Tom Hayden
- David Hilliard
- Abbie Hoffman
- Charles Manson
- Kenneth Mills
- Ray Nunn
- Gil Rochon
- Jerry Rubin
- John Turner
- Tom Walker
- Ed Wasserman