1960 Baton Rouge Sit-Ins | Folks (1985)

This segment from the May 26, 1985, episode of the series “Folks” features Rob Hinton retracing the steps of the Southern University students who participated in the sit-ins at the Kress Department Store, Sitman’s Drug Store, and the Greyhound Bus Station in Baton Rouge in 1960. This report features highlights from the speeches of three participants and the wife of a participant at a 25th anniversary commemorative event at Southern University: Judge Kenneth Johnson and Marvin Robinson from the Kress sit-in; the wife of Vernon Jordan from the Sitman’s sit-in; and Lawrence Hurst from the Greyhound sit-in.
This segment from the May 26, 1985, episode of the series “Folks” features Genevieve Stewart’s report on the history of Louisiana’s Jewish communities. She interviews Dr. Joseph Cohen, the chairman of Tulane University’s Jewish studies program, at the Touro Synagogue in New Orleans. Dr. Cohen discusses: the Black Codes precluding the settlement of Jews in Louisiana; the tolerance of Jews in New Orleans following the Louisiana Purchase; the growing Anti-Semitism following Reconstruction, including the exclusion of Jewish citizens from Carnival organizations; the contributions made by Jewish citizens to civic and cultural projects in New Orleans; and the growing spirit of tolerance in the city. Host: Rob Hinton
This segment from the May 26, 1985, episode of the series “Folks” features Rob Hinton’s visit to the 2nd Annual Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival in Plaisance. This report includes: an interview with Nick Spitzer of the Louisiana Folklife Program on the origins of zydeco music; an interview with Vera Hunt, the festival chairwoman, on the meaning of the word “zydeco”; a speech by Clifton Chenier; an interview with Luke Collins, a zydeco disc jockey, on the impact of Chenier on zydeco music; and a performance by Clifton Chenier and his band.
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