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Title on Reel (transcribed from original)
Pickets at RPI, 10-20-65, JBF
Date Created
1965-10-20
Reel Format
8 mm
Reel Description
This reel contains footage of a student picket in front of the Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) administration building which took place on October 20, 1965 between 8AM and 9:15AM. Several dozen students picketed with signs supporting three RPI students who had been denied enrollment due to having long hair and beards. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
Timestamp Description
00:00:09 Footage begins. Footage is filmed from the sidewalk, closer to the road. Individuals picket with signs, walking in a narrow oval on the sidewalk in front of a building. On the ledge above the sidewalk, a crowd slowly gathers to look on. Signs read: "Individuality Is Not Only 'Laissez-Faire' Economics", "Why Doesn't The Faculty Practice The Individuality It Preaches?", "Would Shakespeare Get Into RPI?", A drawing of Robert E Lee's head "Could Robert E. Lee get into RPI?", "Is The 'R' In RPI for Redneck?", "Is It Not Lawful For Me To Do What I Will With Mine Own? Is Thine Eye Evil Because I Am Good? [Matthew] 20:15", "Why Is RPI The Only State Supported College That Refuses To [Register] Long Haired And Bearded Students?", "Is R.P.I. A Barber College?", "Do Students Stand To Be Judged Off Appearance or Ability?", "Could Jesus Get Into RPI?", "Will The Administration Cut Out Our Tongues Next?", " Can R.P.I. Afford To Turn Away Students With High Academic Records?", A drawing of Charlie Brown and Lucy from the Peanuts, with Charlie Brown sporting a mustache and beard, and Lucy with a speech bubble reading: "Good Grief Charlie Brown!", "Do Virginia Students Forfeit Their Rights at State Supported Colleges?", "Is RPI a University of a concentration camp?", "'Ye Judge After The Flesh; I Judge No Man' John 8:15", "Does The 'Signpost' Have A Written Rule Against Breads & Long Hair?", "Does The I.B.M. [Machine?] Approve of Beards at RPI?", "Does Dr. Oliver Believe In The Constitution?", "Do Students Have Constitutional Rights?", "The Red Chinese Are Forced To Look Alike. Is RPI Trying to Follow This Policy?", "Is Dr. Oliver a barber or an educator?" with a drawing of scissors and a shaving razor, "Let's make R.P.I. mean Rights Produce Individuality", "What Else Does the Administration Disapprove?".
00:01:16 The angle of the footage changes, now filmed from the sidewalk closer to the ledge. Cars are visible driving down the street on the right side of the frame. Individuals watching from the ledge are visible in the left of the frame. Many repeat individuals in the picket are visible, with some new individuals and signs as well. New signs read: "Judge Not, And Ye Shall Not Be Judged. Condemn Not, And Ye Shall Not Be Condemned. Luke 6:37", "Is This The University of Peking or R.P.I.?", "Are RPI Students Considered U.S. Citizen?", "Could John the Baptist Get Into RPI?", "Could Albert Einstein Get Into R.P.I.?", "Is Christ's Appearance Unacceptable to Dr. Oliver?", "Better Long On Hair Than Short On Brains""
00:02:22 The angle changes back to being filmed from the side of the sidewalk closer to the street. Both the picket and the crowd of onlookers have grown in number.
00:02:40 The angle changes back to being filmed from the side of the sidewalk closer to the building. The picket continues. Some new signs: "Could Stonewall Jackson Get Into RPI?", [Illegible] Should We Choose Liberty Or The [Illegible]". It is too bright to see the writing on some of the signs. It appears some counter-protestors join the picket, with signs reading: "Down With Beards, We Back Dr. Oliver", "Support Doctor Oliver & RPI", "WE Shave and get haircuts. Back Dr. Oliver".
00:03:53 The angle switches, with the camera filming in the opposite direction, now standing on the sidewalk closer to the building but with cars driving by on the left side of the frame. Counter-protestors have interspersed with the original picketers.
00:04:00 The picket has changed location, potentially to Broad Street, walking towards City Hall. It is filmed from across the street, and picketers stand in one line with their signs, waiting to cross the street. Pedestrians are visible to their right.
00:04:09 As picketers cross the street, two individuals walk up to the line with trays of small paper drink cups. Some individuals hold their signs up towards the camera. A new sign: "Are Beards and Long Hair the Real Problem at R.P.I.?"
00:04:19 Footage of individuals walking from right to left in the frame with a building behind them.
00:04:26 Another view of the intersection on what might be Broad Street, approximately ten individuals stand in a small group on the sidewalk.
00:04:35 Footage ends.
Event Description
On September 16, 1965, Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) denied registration to three students--Norman Thomas Marshall, Robert D. Shoffner, and Salvatore Federico--due to their long hair and beards. Shoffner and Federico eventually cut their hair and shaved in order to enroll in classes, but Marshall continued to refuse (Proscript, October 8, 1965). On October 20, 1965, they sought an injunction from the Circuit Court to stop RPI from refusing them admission (Richmond Times-Dispatch, October 21, 1965). Students at RPI held a rally at the First Unitarian Church on October 19 in support of the students, and then picketed the RPI administration building before attending the injunction hearing at City Hall on October 20 (Richmond Times-Dispatch, October 20, 1965). The injunction was denied on December 1, 1965 (Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 2, 1965). The students continued the appeals process, first being denied a hearing by the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, and then by the United States Supreme Court on November 14, 1966. Shoffner and Federico ultimately graduated from RPI in 1966, but Marshall did not return (Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 15, 1966).
Runtime
00:04:47
Corporate Name Subject
Richmond Professional Institute
Topical Subject
Demonstrations; Crowds; Student movements; Student protesters; Students--Political activity; Signs and signboards; Police; Police patrol--Surveillance operations; Electronic surveillance; Video surveillance
City/Location
Richmond (Va.)
Genre
color films (visual works)
Local Genre
moving image
Type
Moving Image
Digital Format
video/mp4
Language
eng
Rights Statement URL
Rights
This material is in the public domain in the United States and thus is free of any copyright restriction. Acknowledgement of Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries as a source is requested.
Collection
Richmond Police Department Surveillance Collection
Source
Richmond Professional Institute (RPI) Student Picket in Richmond Film Reel, 1965 October 20
File Name
VCU_M571_102.mp4