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Title on Reel (transcribed from original)
MA, 15 May 70, Capitol Square, Anti-Vietnam, Police ID
Date Created
1970-05-15
Reel Format
16mm
Reel Description
This reel contains footage of individuals gathered at the Bell Tower on the ground of the Virginia State Capitol on May 15, 1970 for a protest against the ongoing war in Vietnam. It features footage of multiple speakers including Loretta F. Johnson, an organizer with the Richmond Welfare Rights Organization. This appears to be a group of majority white participants.
Timestamp Description
00:00:13 Footage begins. Footage of the ground, grass is visible. It appears that the camera was running while it was not being operated.
00:00:15 A large crowd sits on the ground outdoors in front of the Bell Tower on the Virginia State Capitol grounds. In the center of the footage, two Viet Cong/National Liberation Front of South Vietnam flags are visible. More individuals stand around the perimeter of those sitting on the ground.
00:00:18 Zoomed in footage of individuals sitting on the ground. One individual in a yellow shirt reaches their hand up towards another individual wearing a white "Marshal" armband, and the marshal hands them a piece of paper from a stack they hold.
00:00:30 Footage of a large crowd sitting around a speaker, who stands at a podium in front of a brick building, the Bell Tower. A banner reading "Randolph-Macon Strike" with a red fist drawn on it hangs on the building behind individuals sitting in chairs facing the crowd. The speaker wears a pink button up shirt, brown or orange tie, dark gray blazer, and glasses.
00:00:34 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a pink striped button up shirt and gray tie. An individual operating a film camera on a tripod stands to their right. Two flags are held up by the sitting crowd, but the text and symbols on them are obscured.
00:00:38 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a blue t-shirt, jeans, and sunglasses. An individual operating what appears to be a film camera stands in front of them.
00:00:48 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a blue denim button up shirt. An individual operating what appears to be a film camera stands in front of them.
00:00:59 Footage of the crowd, with several rows of individuals sitting on the ground and others standing on the perimeter in the back. An individual operating a film camera on a tripod is on the right side.
00:01:03 Footage of a flag being flown on a pole with the Bell Tower building behind it. The flag is black and appears to have a green cannabis/marijuana leaf on it. The Randolph-Macon banner is also partially visible on the left.
00:01:08 Footage of the crowd sitting on the ground, with a focus on a sign propped against an individual's knee. The sign features a black and white photograph of a statue of what appears to be the Virgin Mary and a white peace symbol beneath it.
00:01:11 Footage of the previous speaker at the podium. They wear a blue denim button up shirt. A film camera on a tripod is visible to their right.
00:01:17 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a brown suit, brown tie, and glasses.
00:01:28 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a green suit and glasses. Between the camera and the speaker, several individuals sit on the ground. A young child holds a flag pole with the previously seen black flag at the top.
00:01:34 Footage of the same speaker filmed from their left. The camera pans right to film individuals sitting in chairs and on the Bell Tower stairs behind the speaker. One of these individuals is Loretta F. Johnson, an organizer with the Richmond Welfare Rights Organization. She wears a purple shirt and pants.
00:01:47 Footage of Johnson speaking at the podium.
00:01:54 Footage of individuals behind and to the right of Johnson, who is still speaking. Footage appears to focus on a sign being held at the back of the crowd, which is illegible in this clip.
00:02:00 Zoomed in footage of what appears to be the same sign, now legible, being held up by an individual wearing a black turtleneck shirt, red armband on their left arm, and sunglasses. The sign reads: "By All Means Stop Amerikan Genocide of Black Panther Comrades And N.L.F. Allies Now!" The individual then lowers the sign, turns it around, and raises it again. The other side reads: "Mao Dow All Amerikan Gestapo Gendarme By All Means Now!"
00:02:16 Footage of Johnson at the podium, the camera follows an individual wearing a gray suit and sunglasses as they walk through the crowd.
00:02:32 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a navy suit, yellow button up shirt, and glasses.
00:02:38 Zoomed in footage of the crowd sitting on the ground.
00:02:47 Multiple clips of zoomed out footage of the crowd sitting on the ground, with others standing behind them.
00:03:15 Footage of another speaker at the podium. They wear a white button up shirt and black pants.
00:03:21 Footage of a car and the sky, it appears that the camera was running while it was not being operated.
00:03:58 Footage ends.
Event Description
On May 15, 1970, several hundred individuals gathered at the Virginia State Capitol Square to protest the ongoing war in Vietnam. The march was organized by the Student Peace Coordinating Committee. Before the gathering, some 300-400 individuals marched from Monroe Park to the capitol. Some carried Viet Cong/National Liberation Front flags, others carried inverted United States of America flags. Two incidents occurred during the march where observers grabbed flags from protestors. At the capitol, the crowd was mostly populated by students from Virginia colleges and universities, estimates put the crowd between 400 and 800 individuals. Many speakers urged the crowd to work "through the political process and peaceful demonstrations to expand opposition to the war". Named speakers included Reverend Curtis Harris, Norm Ornstine, Berry Rundquist, Yippie Mike Smith (member of the Oakland Seven). Ornstine and Rundquist voiced support for the McGovern-Hatfield Amendment (Wikipedia). According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, at the height of the rally, some 200-300 "business and professional men and office workers" encircled the rally, many wearing United States of America flag pins. Two individuals from the Nixon administration--Malcolm Roberts and Dave Fronhmayer--were listed on the program but declined to speak (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 16, 1970).
Runtime
00:04:16
Topical Subject
Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements; Anti-war demonstrations; Demonstrations; Crowds; Student movements; Student protesters; Students--Political activity; Signs and signboards; Public welfare; Welfare rights movement; Anti-poverty movements; 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
National Priorities Day Protest in Richmond Film Reel #03, 1970 May 15
File Name
VCU_M571_005.mp4