Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1982-10-10

Duration: 00:18:56

Subjects: VOTER REGISTRATION | African Americans | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People | Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus | MARCHES | Southern University and A & M College | Fields, Cleo | Jeffers, Ben

Contributors:

• Sexton, Sharon Elizabeth Host
• Jeffers, Ben Interviewee
• Fields, Cleo Interviewee
• Jordan, Eddie Speaker
• Ezeff, Sheryl Interviewee
• Mallary, Louis Interviewee
• Swafford, Greg Interviewee
• Kadar, Donna Interviewee
• Hunter, Donald Interviewee
• Thomas, Sandra Interviewee
• Davis, Tommy Interviewee
• Thyssen, Doris Interviewee

This segment from the October 10, 1982, episode of the series “Folks” features Sharon Elizabeth Sexton’s report on the efforts to register black voters in Louisiana and the apathy towards voting in the African American community. It includes footage of a June 1982 statewide voter registration march from Shreveport to Baton Rouge sponsored by the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus and the Louisiana NAACP. Sexton also visits a poorly attended voter registration rally on the campus of Southern University in Baton Rouge. The rally features speeches by Southern University student Cleo Fields, Ben Jeffers, and Eddie Jordan of the Southern Law School. She also interviews Southern University students Sheryl Ezeff, Louis Mallary, Greg Swafford, and Donna Kadar. Lastly, Sexton interviews several participants in the June voter registration march: Donald Hunter, Ben Jeffers, Sandra Thomas, Tommy Davis, Cleo Fields, and Doris Thyssen. They discuss their ongoing efforts to register black voters and voter apathy.