Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1989-11-08
Duration: 00:04:28

Subject: African American civil rights
People: Abernathy, Ralph; Dees, Martin; Dorn, Michael; King, Joyce; King, Martin Luther, Jr.; King, Mel; von Mehren, Jan;
Geography: Cambridge (Mass.)|

Clip Description
Jan von Mehren reports that Ralph Abernathy (author and civil rights activist) has written a book about his experiences in the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King, Jr. (civil rights leader). Von Mehren notes that Abernathy signed copies of the book in Cambridge; she adds that the book is called, And The Walls Came Tumbling Down. Von Mehren reports that the book is controversial because Abernathy has revealed King's human side and his faults. Von Mehren's reports includes footage of the book signing in Cambridge. Michael Dorn (Cambridge resident) says that he would rather not know compromising information about his heroes. Von Mehren interviews Abernathy. Abernathy says that King would have wanted him to write this book. Von Mehren notes that Morris Dees (Southern Poverty Law Center) is one of the leading critics of the book. Von Mehren reviews Abernathy's career in the civil rights movement. Von Mehren's reports includes footage of Abernathy speaking at the Cambridge Baptist Church. Von Mehren's report also includes clips of Abernathy and King from the film From Montgomery to Memphis. This tape includes additional footage from the news story and additional black and white footage from From Montgomery to Memphis.

Series Description
A local program aimed at the Boston audience, The Ten O'Clock News debuted on January 15, 1976. Its two immediate predecessors were The Reporters and Evening Compass. A news and public affairs show focusing on neighborhood, local and state issues, The Reporters was produced and broadcast on WGBH from 1970 to 1973. The Reporters was then replaced by Evening Compass, which expanded into a twice-nightly news broadcast during the tense moments of Boston's busing crisis. On the air from 1973 to 1975, Evening Compass found an audience through its in-depth coverage of school desegregation in Boston, which began in 1974. The Ten O'Clock News stood out as an in-depth news program. It strove for a balance between local and national stories, between politics and the Arts. The last The Ten O'Clock News program was broadcast on May 30, 1991.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/ton/programs/6878_01