Series: Say Brother
Program: Polaroid in South Africa
Episode: 820
Date: 1978-03-03
Subject: African Americans in television broadcasting; South Africa - Apartheid; African American women; Press conferences; Social responsibility of business; Television broadcasting of news

Clip Description
Robert Lenzner uncovers the Polaroid scandal in South Africa Program focuses on Polaroid's decision on November 21, 1977 to cut off all business ties with South Africa, making it the first major American firm to withdraw from the country for political reasons. Host Stephen Curwood speaks with Boston Globe reporter Robert Lenzner, People Against National Identity Cards representative Caroline Hunter (who lost her job with Polaroid in 1970 for protesting the company's policy in South Africa), and African National Congress member Themba Vilakazi about Polaroid's history in South Africa, Lenzner's news article that spurred the withdrawal, the denial of Polaroid management that they knew their agreement with their distributor in South Africa was in violation; and the impact of the withdrawal on Black South Africans. Additional segments include an excerpt of a press conference with Dr. Edwin Land (Polaroid's founder), the "Say Brother News" with reporters Margaret Tarter, Leah Fletcher, and Karen Holmes, and the "Community Calendar." Produced by Barbara Barrow-Murray. Directed by David Atwood.

Program Description
Robert Lenzner uncovers the Polaroid scandal in South Africa Program focuses on Polaroid's decision on November 21, 1977 to cut off all business ties with South Africa, making it the first major American firm to withdraw from the country for political reasons. Host Stephen Curwood speaks with Boston Globe reporter Robert Lenzner, People Against National Identity Cards representative Caroline Hunter (who lost her job with Polaroid in 1970 for protesting the company's policy in South Africa), and African National Congress member Themba Vilakazi about Polaroid's history in South Africa, Lenzner's news article that spurred the withdrawal, the denial of Polaroid management that they knew their agreement with their distributor in South Africa was in violation; and the impact of the withdrawal on Black South Africans. Additional segments include an excerpt of a press conference with Dr. Edwin Land (Polaroid's founder), the "Say Brother News" with reporters Margaret Tarter, Leah Fletcher, and Karen Holmes, and the "Community Calendar." Produced by Barbara Barrow-Murray. Directed by David Atwood.

Series Description
Say Brother is WGBH's longest running public affairs television program by, for and about African Americans, and is now known as Basic Black. Since its inception in 1968, Say Brother has featured the voices of both locally and nationally known African American artists, athletes, performers, politicians, professionals, and writers including: Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Thomas Atkins, Amiri Baraka, Doris Bunte, Julian Bond, Stokely Carmichael, Louis Farrakhan, Nikki Giovanni, Odetta Gordon, Henry Hampton, Benjamin Hooks, Jesse Jackson, Hubie Jones, Mel King, Eartha Kitt, Elma Lewis, Haki Madhubuti, Wallace D. Muhammad, Charles Ogletree, Byron Rushing, Owusu Sadaukai, and Sonia Sanchez.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/saybrother/programs/sb_0820