KTLA News: "Student rally in support of Angela Davis held at UCLA" (1971)

Description:

The KTLA newsfilm collection at UCLA consists of cut and unedited stories, outtakes and fill footage, originally shot on 16mm reversal film stock with magnetic soundtrack. Some footage, particularly material not used for broadcast, may be without sound.

Title: "Student rally in support of Angela Davis held at UCLA."
Date: January 26, 1971.

Summary: UCLA students hold a rally in support of Angela Davis, a former assistant professor at UCLA, who was on trial for murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in San Rafael, California. Footage includes students gathered around a speaker while holding signs with text such as "Free Angela," "Hands off Angela" and "Jail Reagan." A black woman addressing the crowd introduces Ted Hayes of the LA Committee to Free Angela Davis. He addresses the crowd, but due to the way the footage is shot, we only get bits of his speech. There are more shots of students as they chant "Free Angela" and later as they sing Happy Birthday. Also included is silent footage of another rally in another area of the school with a white speaker. It is unclear if these are two different gatherings for the same cause, or perhaps opposing viewpoints.

Learn more about this UCLA Film & Television Archive project: ucla.in/1SONCuw

Complete Record: The KTLA newsfilm collection at UCLA consists of cut and unedited stories, outtakes and fill footage, originally shot on 16mm reversal film stock with magnetic soundtrack. Some footage, particularly material not used for broadcast, may be without sound. Title: "Student rally in support of Angela Davis held at UCLA." Date: January 26, 1971. Summary: UCLA students hold a rally in support of Angela Davis, a former assistant professor at UCLA, who was on trial for murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in San Rafael, California. Footage includes students gathered around a speaker while holding signs with text such as "Free Angela," "Hands off Angela" and "Jail Reagan." A black woman addressing the crowd introduces Ted Hayes of the LA Committee to Free Angela Davis. He addresses the crowd, but due to the way the footage is shot, we only get bits of his speech. There are more shots of students as they chant "Free Angela" and later as they sing Happy Birthday. Also included is silent footage of another rally in another area of the school with a white speaker. It is unclear if these are two different gatherings for the same cause, or perhaps opposing viewpoints. Learn more about this UCLA Film & Television Archive project: ucla.in/1SONCuw © 2016 The Regents of the University of California

Transcription

[Ambient crowd noise]. [Woman speaking to crowd] It's really nice to see everybody here. Things have not gone like we would have liked them to go. And I think that can be used as an indication... [Woman speaking to crowd] What we will...we will... what we have... ... she's in jail... [Woman speaking to crowd] Well, right now we want to get ahead... ... you will know him. I'm talking about Ted Hayes. He's gonna speak from the LA Committee to Free Angela Davis. [Ted Hayes] It's because... [Ambient crowd noise]. [Hayes] ...singing down at the office. We want you to come to that office... BSU is together, and we want your BSU to be a little bit more responsible to the office. We've been organized for a little while...you know what I mean? [Hayes] But we have got a job to do...just as...[unintelligible] ...she doesn't go to trial but we've got to make our effectiveness to a point where don't have to...frame-up that... [Crowd chanting] Free Angela...Free Angela...Free Angela...Free Angela...Free Angela. [Ambient crowd noise]. [Hayes] ...beautiful black sister. Bobby Seale isn't very pretty at all. [Person in crowd yells] That's right! [Hayes] But Bobby Seale is in jail... [Person in crowd says] Right on! [Hayes] and the Soledad brothers are in jail. [Person in crowd says] Right on! [Ambient crowd noise]. [Man speaking] Vonia [?] Davis Jordan couldn't be here today... [Crowd singing] Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Angela... [Silence]. [Unidentified man] I feel that the case ought to be dismissed. Now whether there's anybody who's got enough courage to do what's right on behalf of this young, dedicated Black Communist is a different question altogether. And you have to understand the work into the racist judicial system that, that the system is in control of the white people and white people don't take any risk when it comes to Black people. So I don't think that you're going to find a jurist who's going to have the courage to do what's demanded of him. [Hayes] And so when we cry out "Free Angela Davis," what are we talking about? [Person in crowd says] Free all of them. [Person in crowd says] Free all political prisoners. [Hayes] Jerry Lee Amie... is in... prison's grave. In the grave of white racism and police brutality. Eldridge Cleaver has been pushed off into obscurity. Free from the bullets of those who would fill him full of bullets 40 times over. So when we reach our highest emotional pitch and when we cry out "Free Angela Davis," "Free Angela," our cries are only coming and our love is only coming as an extension of ourselves. [Crowd singing] Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Angela, happy birthday to you. [Crowd chanting] Free Angela...Free Angela...Free Angela...Free Angela...Free Angela. [Woman speaking to crowd] This January 26th... ... hopefully if... [Hayes] Is charged with what we call a [unintelligible]. [Crowd clapping]. [Crowd clapping]. [Man speaking to crowd] Some people may not realize why we call Angela Davis... [Woman speaking to crowd] ...me too, she should be out among the people...that we should... [Man speaking to crowd] ... to him... uh, and we can petition the mayor because of what's happened. One thing I want to point out...a few other questions [Silence].

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