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James Williams protests lack of minority faculty at MIT
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Program:
[James Williams fasts for diversity at MIT]
Original Airdate: 4/3/1991

Length: 00:03:01
Item Type: newstape - edited story master


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Full Description

0:59:01
Visual: Footage of Dr. James Williams (professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) being interviewed. Williams says that his mother inspired his current protest actions. Williams talks about his mother as a sensitive and caring person.

Carmen Fields reports that Williams will fast and work outside of the office of the president of MIT.

V: Shots of the door of the president's office; of Williams working at a table near the door. Footage of Williams being interviewed. Williams says that minority students must act; that minority students must not be discouraged by institutional intransigence. Williams says that minority students must act decisively to effect change. Shot of Williams working at the table outside of the president's office.

Fields reports that Williams is an MIT graduate; that Williams is dissatisfied with the lack of African American faculty at the school. Fields notes that there are fourteen African American faculty members in a faculty of 900 professors.

V: Shot of a building on the MIT campus. Shot of Williams speaking to a group of students of color.

Fields reports that Williams believes that African American students and all students need African American role models.

V: Footage of Williams being interviewed. Williams says that he is trying to be a role model for minority students through his protest. Williams says that professors are role models even if they do not want to be. Williams says that professor can choose what kinds of role models to be.

Fields reports that MIT believes that Williams has reason to protest.

V: Footage of Ken Campbell (MIT spokesperson) being interviewed. Campbell says that the university agrees with Williams; that there are too few minority faculty members. Campbell says that two more African American faculty members have been hired since Dr. Charles Vest (president, MIT) became president of the university. Campbell says that the school needs to make more progress.

Fields reports that Williams believes that protest is still necessary.

V: Footage of Williams being interviewed. Williams says that people must still act in the face of slow-moving institutions. Williams says that people must not give up in defeat.


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