KQED Collection

A KQED report from San Francisco State College, featuring scenes of students gathered outside chanting "power to the people", "A.F.T.!" and "on strike, shut it down!" President Hayakawa holds a press conference stating that many of the student body's demands are unacceptable. Ends with views of a faculty picket line and further commentary from Hayakawa.

Please note: copyright to ACT Now is held by WNET. All rights reserved. WNET is the premier public media provider of the New York metropolitan area and parent of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21. ACT Now was originally produced by KQED for National Educational Television (NET) - the predecessor of WNET - and first aired in 1970. An unnarrated documentary film made by the KQED Film Unit about the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco. Includes scenes of ACT's Director William Ball, dancer Ed Mock and others training and teaching students at the theater on Geary Street, in downtown San Francisco. They include: Peter Donat; John Schuck; Michael Learned; Ramon Bieri and Paul Shenar. Also features views of dance, mime, elocution and acting classes and opens with members of the company shown walking along Geary Street and into the theater. Cinematography is by Philip Greene and Fred Cohn. It should be noted that there is a significant loss of picture quality in the 16mm film print that was loaned to the TV Archive by Philip Greene, due to chemical decomposition. Thanks to the Pacific Film Archive for confirming they preserve another print of this film.

Views of the San Francisco State College campus and of white and African-American students engaged in classroom debate. Students are seen congregating outside and a ransacked chemistry lab is shown in close up. After more general views around the campus, a member of faculty announces to reporters that an Ad Hoc Group will go on strike if George Murray isn't re-instated and that a collection will be made for Murray's defense fund. They feel the actions of Chancellor Dumke may be unconstitutional. Another member of faculty expresses his misgivings about the Ad Hoc Group's methods and timing.

KQED News report from July 8th 1975 featuring silent scenes from an American Indian Movement (AIM) demonstration in San Francisco.

KQED News report from June 27th 1975 featuring a press conference held by the American Indian Movement (AIM), about yesterday's shooting of Little Joe Killsright Stuntz by the FBI at the Jumping Bull Ranch, in the Lakota Sioux Pine Ridge Reservation, near Oglala (South Dakota). A spokesman refers to the killing of Killsright as "murder" and goes on to declare that: "The history of the United States is one of 200 years of death and destruction of Indian people." Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz describes their perspective on this incident and explains they feel that the FBI approached a private residence: "Very aggressively and people felt they had to defend themselves."

KQED news report on August 25th 1969 from a press conference featuring an architect and a public official, discussing plans for the development of Alcatraz Island. The public official mentions the Federal government has declared buildings on the island to be surplus and if the City of San Francisco doesn’t assume responsibility for them, they will be offered to private bidders. He explains that: “It has been inherent in my proposal … that this property never leave the public domain. It is too unique a position.” Ironically this statement is made just three months before the American Indian occupation of the island begins. The architect details his plans for the island using maps and models, reminding us that Alcatraz is very small and “would fit inside Aquatic Park!” He also declares that: “If San Francisco doesn’t accept this island, then Joe Doakes can buy it!”

KQED news report from Alcatraz on November 24th 1969, featuring views of the occupying Indians and interviews with spokesmen at Fisherman's Wharf. Richard Oakes tells reporters: "There's a dual sense of justice in this country. We'd like an end to this. And I think this here - manning the island of Alcatraz - is a positive step in that direction. If they're gonna treat us separately, then we'll remain separately." Also see KQN 516 for similar scenes shot by camera crews on the same day.

KQED news report from June 14th 1971 featuring a press conference held by Federal authorities, following their removal of American Indian activists from Alcatraz. Attorney for Northern District of California James L. Browning, Jr. claims their intervention was provoked by a statement from the Indian's attorney a few days earlier: "We recieved the word that in the event the government would not immediately present to them some proposal, giving them either use or title to the island, that they were prepared to (quote) 'do something' (unquote), in respect to the island."

KQED News report from February 11th 1975 featuring a press conference in San Francisco with Mayor Joseph Alioto and Supervisor Dianne Feinstein, who are establishing a commission to report on sexual discrimination in employment. Dorothy von Beroldingen can be seen briefly, sat next to Alioto.

A KQED report on the SF State College Strike featuring a press conference with Mayor Alioto in which he asserts: "As long as there is violence … on any campus in San Francisco, it will be the obligation of the San Francisco policeman to put down that violence." There are also views of faculty and students picketing and of the riot police in attendance. There are episodic scenes from a press conference by President Hayakawa, during which he calls college Departmental Heads irresponsible for encouraging teachers to strike and declares: "this college is not a rich man's college … it's a college in which the children of working class people and the children of immigrants get their chance at a college education." Alioto states that: "peaceful picketing is not an offence" and confirms that so far the city has spent $186,000 on maintaining a police presence on campus. Ends with Hayakawa claiming that: "a militant minority of the faculty has hitchhiked onto the militant student, violence-ridden strike, for a vicious power grab."

KQED news report from a Nike missile site in San Pablo on June 14th 1971, where American Indian activists have just initiated another occupation of land, following their removal from Alcatraz. Features inteviews with a local law enforcement officer and Indian spokesman John Trudell, who explains: "To put it mildly, we're pretty upset about how the government handled the Alcatraz situation ... We want to be left alone but we want the right to guide our own lives. We don't believe in the Great White Father. It's a myth." Trudell goes on to give his own detailed account of their behind the scenes negotiations with Federal authorities over Alcatraz Island.

KQED News report featuring a demonstration outside the San Jose Courthouse from February 14th 1972, in support of Angela Davis during her trial on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and homicide. Includes scenes of demonstrators making speeches, singing and large crowds chanting: "Free Angela; Jail Nixon!" One spokeswoman takes the press on a guided tour of the Santa Clara county administration buildings, pointing out a security fence they had demanded be torn down. She explains: "This is part of the whole thing of trying to portray the image of Angela as a dangerous woman. As a threat to society, who has to be locked up."

KQED news report from December 23rd 1970 featuring silent views of Angela Davis with her legal team, in the Marin County Courthouse (San Rafael, CA).

KQED News report featuring a press conference with Angela Davis from June 1st 1973, in which she emphasizes the urgent need to address civil liberty cases in the Bay Area, including those of the San Quentin Six and Earl Gibson. The magnetic sound recording for this clip has deteriorated and the audio quality is lower than usual.

KQED News report featuring a brief excerpt from a press conference with Angela Davis on May 27th 1975, in which she considers an effective means to defend civil liberty and explains the need to: "Build a mass movement and develop actions through which any and everybody who is opposed to injustice can add their voices to the outcry."

KQED News report featuring a press conference with Angela Davis from June 12th 1974, in which she considers the Los Angeles police department's treatment of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) and also how the "revolution" will only happen through a mass organization of the general population. She goes on to warn that: "At this particular historical moment in our country we have to be very much concerned with building organizational forms. If we don't we may very well be facing an era of extreme repression. An era of intensified racism and I think that we are beginning to see the beginnings of that now." Also includes Charlene Mitchell reflecting on the implications of the North Carolina Supreme Court's move to reinstate the death penalty. See news film reference number KTVU 1-16 to watch Mitchell speaking about Presidential elections at a press conference from 1968.

KQED News report featuring a press conference with Angela Davis and Reverend Cecil Williams in San Francisco from February 11th 1974, in which Davis articulates her beliefs about freedom of speech and the need to defend it. She states that: "We are building a movement to ensure that Yvonne Golden is not convicted, to ensure she does not become a scapegoat for those who are the real criminals in the city."

KQED News report from outside of Steve Sparacino Bail Bonds in San Jose on February 23rd 1972, featuring the release on bail of Angela Davis. Includes scenes of her supporters being interviewed for their reaction, crowds singing: "Keep your eyes on the prize!" and a press conference with one of Davis's lawyers - Howard Moore, Jr. He explains to reporters the terms and conditions of Davis's release on bail, for the sum of $102,500.

KQED News report featuring crowds gathered outside the San Jose Courthouse from March 16th 1971, in support of Angela Davis during her trial on charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and homicide. Includes scenes of people dancing, singing and chanting: "Free Angela … Free all political prisoners."

KQED News report from May 8th 1970 at UC Berkeley's Greek Theater, featuring a series of speeches against America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Also includes views of one member of the audience burning their draft card.

KQED News report from April 27th 1971 featuring interviews with students and administration at Stanford University, in the aftermath of an arson attack on Wilber Hall's Junipero Lounge. Some students point out that the Black Students Union held their meetings in Junipero Lounge and speculate on whether this is merely a coincidence.

KQED News report by Randy Shilts from July 5th 1977, about the issue of physical attacks against the gay community in San Francisco's Castro and Mission districts. Includes scenes of Shilts interviewing a gay man and a priest, who were recently subjected to violent assaults. Also features an interview with Ali Marrero. In his editorial, Shilts comments that: "Gay people are simply afraid to walk the streets at night. Beatings are an everyday occurence here in the Castro neighborhood."

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Includes a group discussion between teachers about racism in school districts and the wider community, street scenes from downtown Fairfax, California and interviews which consider the social trends encouraging certain groups to deny the Jewish Holocaust. Also features a brief segment in which Talbot reports from outside the offices of the Noontide Press and the Institute for Historical Review in Torrance, California, which he identifies as being: "Two secretive racist and anti-semitic organizations."

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Opens with views of Joan Baez singing with crowds at what she refers to as an: "Anti-confrontation gathering." She goes on to state during an interview with Talbot that: "The danger is that we are so floating as a population that people are liable to listen to what the Klan has to say. That's why it's scary having them on the streets." Ends with a montage of black and white still photographs, featuring disturbing and graphic scenes of racial violence inflicted against African Americans in the USA. These include views of public lynching and mutilated corpses.

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Includes scenes of Klan members socialising in their robes, reading and distributing the publication 'Klansman' and enjoying outdoor entertainment. Talbot interviews different Klan leaders and in response to the question "why join the Klan?" one of them explains: "What other white groups is there that stick up for equal rights for white people ... I figure I'm American, I pay taxes. The Klan ought to have a right to march too ... They're the only ones got enough guts to come out front and tell it how it is." Also features Klansmen discussing communism and integration and other members of the community gathering to express opposition to the Klan and their values.

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Opens with brief segment of Talbot interviewing a police officer, followed by extensive street scenes in and around the Mission District in San Francisco. Talbot interviews an African American resident of San Pablo, who describes in detail the 2 years of racial harassment she and her family have endured since moving to the Tara Hills neighborhood. She states: "There were people who came by that hollered 'nigger!' right off the bat you know ... that same night someone wrote 'KKK get out nigger' on the back of my husband's car." She goes on to explain how this racial abuse has had a "devastating" effect on her family, especialy on the children. Ends with a montage of black and white still photographs, featuring images of Klansmen and neo-nazis.

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Features sccenes of Talbot interviewing Lieutenant Robinson and Sargent Poole of the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, about violent racial incidents against African American families and institutionalized racism within the department. He also interviews a Miss Watkins, who serves as Head of the Black Deputy Association of Contra Costa County. She explains they have filed a law suit against the Sheriff's Department because of frustration over delays in addressing racial problems in the Tara Hills neighborhood.

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Talbot interviews a Miss Lionel who identifies the Ku Klux Klan as being symptomatic of a wider reaching racism within American society. In referring to bigotry she argues that: "The problem is deeper and more chronic than the Klan ... until America gets very serious about trying to create a pluralistic society, that has a modicum of goodwill, we're going to continue ... to have groups like the Klan that we can blame it on." She goes onto explain that the hearings in Ceres, California are a form of State and legal affirmative action, encouraging local communities to address racial tensions for themselves. Ends with views of people speaking at one of the hearings in Ceres.

Excerpts of raw, uncut footage from the KQED documentary Bad Moon Rising, produced by Steve Talbot in 1981, which examines a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and racially motivated hate crimes in California. Talbot interviews Contra Costa County's Sheriff Richard Rainey about incidences of racial violence and the Ku Klux Klan activity in his jurisdiction. Also features extended street views in the North Beach and Chinatown neighborhoods of San Francisco.