Face To Face With Roberta Byrd

You know I'm a great advocate and today we're face to face before during the tumultuous days of the 60s and 70s as moderator of Face to face. Roberta Byrd shared with us stories no one else told them or dared to tell. Right. That's one man's opinion let's ask another man the. Only because they just don't want you to tear down the city. Sure I never thought I'd be alive 70 Arras own or when I started out with such a shaky beginning in life. My father you know he's been dead fifty years and I still hate his guts.

I was kind of a bandit So you were bad by both your mother not by my mother but she couldn't do anything about it. And as black people have been doing since time immemorial somebody said we will take her. That's how I survive. And it was a thing that black people did you know you didn't let any child buy out of the no man's land your Somebody took you in. I went to elementary school outside of Tacoma. All teachers were white. You couldn't get a job in a school district in the state of Washington cleaning toilets if you were not white. And just the memory of those white

teachers reminds me always that not all white people are horrible. Which would be easy to conclude in the state of Washington. The only things available were prostitution or being someone's housekeeper. I did not wish to do either one so I busied myself in getting a scholarship and get out of here. We're doing attended all black. Wilberforce University in Ohio. Two marriages ended in divorce and with her two teenage sons she moved to Seattle. I was divorced from Dr. Baird and decided to return home because the East has always been a mystery to me I do not understand the eastern people at all. So I came home to live with my mother which I'm sure as as people are now when people

when their sons and daughters return home I say oh man Lord but nevertheless there I was. So I thought well what is it that I really want to do in this city. Soon after becoming a teacher Roberta gained notoriety during the boycott of the schools. She was one of three teachers out of 5000 in the district to join the boycott. It was principal of the Freedom School. The purpose was to point up the need to desegregate the schools. And I don't think they promoted me because I struck the schools. I don't know why they promoted I'd like to think that promoted need because I was pretty good at what I did. And indeed she was good at what she did. Roberta ended up being the first woman in the first black to be principal of a major Seattle high school. She was vice principal of Franklin and then principal of Lincoln High. It was always

interesting to me when this interracial group would come into my office I had an open door. And you always knew when you were about to be manipulated. And if they manipulated you in the direction that you already wanted to go it was just fine. With Roberta's non-judge mental and fair treatment of all students and her wisdom with the teachers she was soon considered to be one of the best principals in Seattle's history. You're despite her challenging jobs in education during the 50s and 60s Roberta found time to make additional contributions to Seattle's cultural and civic awareness. In 1961 she starred in Raisin in the sun and it played the pioneered in opening up jobs for black actors and brought additional attention to the multi talents of Roberta. In review a disclaimer.

Seattle columnist doesn't watch her throat. She has such a beautiful voice. I could listen to her read the telephone book. My name is Roberta bird the name of the program Face to face and that voice and Roberta were soon to be heard across the northwest in a weekly television show followed with face to face was the first and only local TV series in the nation to consistently cover minorities. Many television viewers soon would not Miss Roberta fearless honesty and her empathy with individuals never before seen on television you think this is happening. I think it is that I say big issues so where of course the poverty and the programs initiated to deal with them segregated school and Vietnam. Sargent Shriver the right wing white community and the left wing black community are in bed together against the war on poverty.

What is your attitude toward this. They look upon the war against poverty as an enemy of their own private and personal objectives. I hope that the vast majority of Americans will stand together in support of these programs which have passed the test of the United States Senate for example stand in support of them for the good of our country. Black and white rich and poor north south east and west. Senator Magnussen. As is past of all of these programs are diffuse throughout the various and bureaucracies in Washington. What would happen to them. I would think that it would be the beginning of the end. This is based upon a local initiative local participation community action and I think that would wither on the vine and that would be the end of the program. In so far as successful as we'd like to have the War Against Poverty is a program or a series of programs a number of programs the purpose of which is to motivate people to help themselves.

We're trying to motivate the people who have it to do something beneficial are helpful cooperative with the people who haven't got it. And we're trying to convince them that the people haven't got it. Are good people who would work if they had a chance to do it. I think the Community Action Program as an idea as a concept or new idea is extremely important. I don't play a revolutionary one. We're changing the living conditions of people in this country as brief as the poverty program was I think an awful lot of us felt hopeful that this will make a difference. It did not last long enough to make a difference. It lasted just long enough to raise hopes and then have them vanish things do you think ought to be happening right now in the Negro community. Do you get a

feeling that the rest of the community is happy about your promotion. They just don't want you to tear down the city. That is the most important problem. Well we're getting you know able to go in and apply for jobs. The young black mayor is in massive trouble. In my view but there are an awful lot of terribly put upon abuse poor white kids in this country. And they look at anything that seems to give a nonwhite a leg up and they say why them why not me. I live a horrible life and many do. Oh I know

attempts by Tyree Scott and other blacks to end discrimination in the building trades met with strong opposition that left and I just don't mind the blacks coming in the union. But we want to serve the same amount to serve. I served five years apprenticeship. They serve five minutes if not six months and get the same pay I'm getting. Well I feel I mean that the unions are open I mean for the opportunity for the blacks. I've got a son I mean that went under the same rules and I feel that I mean it's the stage for all of the right if you do well then taxpayers like this amongst will drive the bus. What has to be done. Leave poverty racial discrimination. I am.

Then after meeting with your committee I write what you know as Frederick A. All right I want to hear the answer to where I was what we talked about what program or opportunity to work in this very narrow face to face not only cover blacks who were striving for better jobs but also seldom heard from Mexican-American workers. Mexican Americans 5 millions of them in the United States

expected this summer and the Skagit County to the Canadian border which is worse than any other non-whites including negroes and taken an end around Mexican-Americans our housing market routed and unemployment rate higher their average education level lower their school dropout rate higher than any other group in Washington. The average life expectancy is 30 years 32 years or less. Many think of Mexican-Americans in terms of the border to fester in sacks for miserly wages. Many do but increasingly they are coming to the city and Brad already in the Southwest almost 80 percent are urbanized here in Seattle we have in every single nation

of this minority. Let's meet you on our show today but sometimes face to face programs did not go as planned bloomers delicatessen was to be an example of how well the black community was getting along with the Jewish community. Roberta filmed at the delicatessen but the day before the program was to air she had to change plans. The police raided the delicatessen and found that the brothers were selling marijuana in the bagels and other drugs to students at nearby Garfield High School and then I called my good friend whose name I'm not going to mention. And said What can we do about this. Because he was Jewish and he said what how well they were in a living hell. And then the police his lawyer came and got the film. Do you remember that. And it was never shown. It was a very traumatic experience for

me because that store all told the young man went away to prison. They didn't go away right away. Shut down. Did he did the blacks were boys. I think the black community did get together and try to drive the story out of the community and they obviously succeeded it's been a long time since it's been there. During the height of the civil rights movement we had a few disturbances I don't think you could call them riots as compared to Watts or Cleveland or wherever else. The Black Panthers were here I remember when they came to my school at Franklin and the entire faculty as I recall was frightened but I wasn't. They were just young black men trying to make a statement. I wasn't afraid of

them and I was very put out with all the people who were because they you know they were very intimidating with their uniforms and their guns and all that sort of thing but I knew they were going to shoot me or anybody else. They were playing a role which they felt deeply involved and meant. But they were going to kill anybody. The Black Panthers in Seattle didn't do anything to anybody at any time ever. The thing that makes me unhappy about you and other young men like you is when Leroy Jones poet and playwright whose work was politically charged with black nationalism came to Seattle. Roberta. Oh come on. I see really no difference between the black segregationist and the white segregation and I think of that you in the Grand Kleagle of some Klan in some unknown city have

far more in common than either of you have with the great mass of the American people. I've been writing quite a while one a lot of award you know I've taught writing. I'm an accomplished writer. I can write very well. I think a lot of people say that even crackers will tell you I can write for people who want to produce. You know that you cannot put on the kind of plate you've been writing on television you well why not go. That's what I want. Well I do I think that they are free. The idea of what part one played as a moderate get earned or won some very unpleasant names like Uncle Tom and Thomas Sina or oreo and all that sort of thing to see. The program he had working when I was in

the South you know I was right thing you know one thing is going to go next and try to figure out how we can make it look like he's withdrawing troops actually thanking anybody or more just simply wait around. Being outnumbered is hardly new to police but condition for Seattle police and other Seattle streets to protest an unpopular war

and the death count University in Ohio. Early the policemen were cast for the role. It's one thing to rob a burglar alone or in groups and draw the offender is clearly breaking the law against property and the public does not condone such actions. Police were now facing a situation which had no public support. How could they keep order when some students were clearly breaking the law. If students want the freedom to demonstrate Do they still have to respect the ground and under these conditions the ground rules and if a person resists a policeman whose job it is to keep order then is not that person against the law to a policeman. I just don't understand the whole thing. We're expected to do a jab at every brutality when we take action. It just doesn't figure out what the public want.

I'm a bird of bird and today we are face to face with Seattle police and university student. Is it too much to ask a policeman to keep his cool when pelleted with wastebaskets and this is where a policeman was overheard to say as they keep in line is no problem. Then a couple of militants get them name calling in that you've ever been hit with when you're not expecting it. We don't like to use our sticks and when we do criticize to protect. But three weeks ago use their sticks they did at the end of the stations and an evening of rock throwing in a window breaking on May 7. Many of the police were out of control and using inexcusable has received many affidavits from before that day on May 7. We're not radicals

but we're trying to reach or attempting to keep the peace. These are not bad. I have a right there or the right but I don't approve of the people I think realize it or not or want to realize that I think we're in the midst of a revolution and the women's liberation was possibly harm and revolutionary in the anti war. Take a stereotype women

women and the women's movement has taken our country in the 1960s. Women have been active participants in civil rights demonstrations people of campaign of 1968 and the protests. In the ante draft and anti-war activities such as this Red Cross worker who climbed over a protester to bring daffodils to gentle her she this young woman who chose a flower as her weapon. It's quite logical that out of such activism women would begin questioning their own plight particularly younger women part of a rebellious generation who are fertile ground for seeds of discontent. Concerned with

overpopulation they are having fewer babies. Looking ahead to living longer they are thinking more about careers which add more action and dimension than their mothers had. Roberta went on to explore many facets of the Women's Liberation Movement face to face putting sex on campus and abortion. I don't think there's a more sex on campus and it's just the people I've been reading in the magazines about how it is only a quarter percent of the girls that are inventions that may be true but the more that used to be more open they talk about it openly now as well and I imagine this practice more widely on campus a combination of people being here you're pregnant now you have a decision to make to have a baby or do I not have a baby. How did you come to that conclusion. Well I think it was

probably 75 his decision when he decided to have for you I told you there's the potential of young black women was one of the weirdest thing for a and I am. Women

women and the women of Earth. WOMAN IN AMERICA a woman thanks to television on an

acceptable ninety seven makes the point in your life. However during the past few years when I like you have become the default. And even with that has come a long way in both of my conflicts with the natural have a darker skin and yet the new blue black discovery for hair that looks completely natural. I hope that the women's movement and Hispanic and Native American all the rest of them are doing better than we are because we're really not doing well except

as individuals. There are many individuals black individuals who are doing well and they would not be doing well if it hadn't been for the sixties. The subject of nursing home depressed. We don't like to be reminded of our own mortality. We'd like to forget how indiscriminately will help strike damn early light. The question we must ask God felt by the crash

of the old people that felt that first hour. We don't want to. We are all and hearty to help us to realize and be I'm living my belly and helplessly in the present. Part of being human to be tenderness. But they all have gone away where we are in the vigils makes the difference. And as we have seen it. Oh.