Collection:LPB

Genre: News

Place Covered: Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1980-02-06

Duration: 00:09:35

Subjects: Local governments | African Americans | Tarver, Gregory W., Sr.

Contributors:

• Myers, Cheryll Host
• Huckaby, Hilry, III Interviewee
• Hanna, Bill Interviewee
• Tarver, Greg Interviewee
• Gardner, Jim Interviewee
• Pendleton, Louis C. Interviewee

This segment from the February 2, 1980, episode of the series “Of Equal Value” features Cheryll Myers’ report on the change in Shreveport’s city government from a five-person commission to a Mayor and City Council in 1978. Myers reports that a group of African Americans sued the City of Shreveport in 1974 citing that the at-large election system for the five city commissioners did not allow for the equal representation of African Americans. She also reports that three African Americans were elected to the City Council in 1978. Myers interviews: Hilry Huckaby III, the chairman of the Shreveport City Council; Bill Hanna, the mayor of Shreveport; Greg Tarver, a member of the City Council; Jim Gardner, a former mayor and current member of the City Council; and Dr. Louis C. Pendleton, a community leader.