President's Peace Commission

After an introduction by Fr. John Moder, S.M., President of St. Mary's University, and a cultural presentation by Ms. Monica Johnson, a student of St. Mary's University, the Hon. Sylvester Turner, State Representative for the Houston district, speaks on the importance of giving life to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream of racial equality by striving for personal excellence and through voluntarism that contributes to the ability of others to do likewise. In relating anecdotes from his life, Mr. Turner cites the example set by his own father, who did not seek treatment for leukemia in order not to expend the family's limited resources, denying himself to make others' lives better. Mr. Turner concludes by quoting a poem by Maya Angelou. (44 minutes)

After an introduction by Dr. Richard Pressman, President's Peace Commission Member and Professor of English and Communication Studies at St. Mary's University, and a cultural presentation by Ms. Konise Nolden, a student of St. Mary's University, the Rev. Hector Grant, pastor of the Bethel United Methodist Church of San Antonio speaks about the racism. He points out that, historically, acknowledgment of other races' humanity has always preceded the non-acknowledgment, in order to ensure exclusive access to scarce resources, that is racism. (46 minutes)

The introduction by Dr. Janet Dizinno, Professor of Psychology at St. Mary's University and member of the President's Peace Commission, and the cultural presentation by Ms. Esther Epiphane, a student at St. Mary's, unfortunately do not appear on the video. Mr. Jose Roberto Juarez, Professor of Law at St. Mary's University outlines the progression of cases which led to the establishment of civil rights for African Americans and Mexican Americans. Among the cases he discusses are Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), Hernandez v. Texas (1954), and Monroe v. Pape (1961). The latter case was the first to cite 42 USC 1983; this statute is discussed in greater detail by the next speaker, Mr. James Myart, Attorney at Law for Speiser, Krause, Madole & Mendelsohn. Statute 1983 ensures liability of state and local governments in the event of denial of civil rights and interposes the federal court between states and the people in order to ensure federal rights. Mr. Myart draws the distinction between civil rights, rights which the government is obliged to protect, and civil liberties, rights the government is prohibited from enfringing on. Mr. Myart concludes by explaining why civil rights cases are so difficult to prosecute. (39 minutes)

After a cultural presentation by Mr. Donald Walker, a student at St. Mary's University, Mr. Donald Davis, Professor of Sociology at St. Mary's University and Member of the President's Peace Commission, introduces a panel of St. Mary's students: Mr. Michael Boatner, Mr. Rob Wernersbach, Ms. Linda Moye, and Ms. Miwa Nakamura. The panel responds to the questions about: the uniqueness of their respective heritages; positive experiences resulting from St. Mary's multicultural environment; areas of St. Mary's environment that need improvement or change; and method of handling prejudice in others. (59 minutes)

Dr. Colleen Nolan, President's Peace Commission, hosts a discussion of African-Americans in the theatre with guest speakers Dr. Sandra Mayo, Director of Theatre and Fine Arts at St. Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas, and Professor Olga Samples Davis, poet, professor at St. Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas, and a member of the Upwards Bound program at St. Mary's University. 72 minutes.

After a cultural presentation by Ms. Deri Jackson, a student at St. Mary's University, Dr. Alice Kersnowski, Professor of English at St. Mary's University and Member of the President's Peace Commission, introduces a Mrs. Hattie Briscoe, Attorney-at-Law, the first African American graduate of the St. Mary's University Law School, and Ms. John Etta Slaughter, retired Professor of Social Sciences and History at St. Philips's College. Opening with the statement that it is from the past that we get our guidance and inspiration, Prof. Slaughter relates the biographies of three African American women who, though little known, are important to black history: Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Mary Church Terrell, and Mary McLeod Bethune. Mrs. Briscoe then speaks about her life growing up in Louisiana and East Texas, working her way through college and law school. Questions from the audience on affirmative action, the image problem suffered by African American men, the recent surge in interest in the writings of black women, and the sources of inspiration for African American women are responded to by the speakers. 70 minutes.

Dr. Larry Hufford, a Political Science professor at St. Mary's University, introduces Gary Houston, an urban planning consultant to discuss the topic of desegregation. 68 minutes.

After a cultural presentation by Ms. Rosalie Zuniga, a student at St. Mary's University, who performs Philippino folk songs on the piano, Ms. Cecilia Aguilar of the President's Peace Commission, introduces Brad Scott, Intercultural Development and Research Association (IDRA), and Jackie Dansby-Edwards, Director of the Upward Bound program at St. Mary's University. Mr. Scott discusses the concept of race from the anthropological point of view. Ms. Dansby-Edwards discusses the ramifications of Herrnstein and Murray's book The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life; she explains that this book reinterprets social classes as being based on intelligence, such that the role of intelligence determines who is wealthy and that low IQ is the "best explanation" for crime in the inner cities, welfare dependence, and illegitimate children. The book additionally hypothesizes that society is becoming increasingly polarized into an intellectual elite class and a class of "dumb" people. (80 minutes)

After a cultural presentation by Ms. Raquel Jones, a student at St. Mary's University, who sings two gospel songs, Ms. Debbie Cunningham, of the President's Peace Commission, introduces Dr. Elijah Akhahenda, Professor of Communications at St. Mary's University and a native of Kenya, and Michael Andrews, President of Inner-City Broadcasting and is the program director of KSJL Radio, who both speak on the topic of Blacks in the media. 85 minutes.