[Rally for Andres Cordero upon his release from prison]

This tape features footage of a Puerto Rican Nationalist community meeting in Chicago celebrating the release of Andres Cordero, a Puerto Rican Nationalist who had gone to prison for taking part in an attack on the U.S. House of Representatives in 1954.

00:00Copy video clip URL This tape begins with a black screen and static.

00:20Copy video clip URL Open on an ailing Andres Cordero, who was just released from prison due to his poor health. He is welcomed with loud chanting and applause. Television cameras record Cordero as he sits on stage shaking hands and sharing words with supporters.

02:59Copy video clip URL The screen goes black for a few seconds. A committee chairman is introduced and talks about the victory in Cordero being released from prison. He then talks about the other political prisoners still in prison: Lolita Lebron, Oscar Collazo, Irving Flores, and Rafael Cancel Miranda, who were part of attacks in the 1950s. He also talks about the imprisonment of Maria Cueto, Julio Rosado, Luis Rosado, Andres Rosado, Pedro Archuleta, Roberto Caldero, and Jose Lopez, who were recently imprisoned for refusing to cooperate with a grand jury investigation. The speaker says one name that cannot be made out after announcing Maria Cueto’s name. The speaker goes on to say that the group continues to work towards gaining victory against imperialism.

07:42Copy video clip URL A woman takes the podium and reads aloud a letter written in Spanish to Cordero from the community. The ailing Cordero listens as the woman speaks. Civil Rights Attorney Michael Deutsch addresses the crowd afterwards. He talks about the political victory in Andres Cordero’s release. He talks about Cordero’s refusal to sign a document to get out of prison. Deutsch talks about the importance in fighting for the four prisoners who still remain in jail.

11:57Copy video clip URL A lawyer from the Peoples’ Law Office, Dennis Cunningham, addresses the crowd and talks about the legality of Andres Cordero’s imprisonment. He also talks about the need to free other Puerto Rican Nationalists from prison. This lasts for several minutes.

15:10Copy video clip URL A priest takes the podium and begins to address the crowd in Spanish, presumably talking about Cordero’s release. This lasts for several minutes and is followed by chanting.

21:29Copy video clip URL The screen goes black as the videomaker places his/her hand over the camera lens. Cordero is seen slowly addressing the crowd in Spanish. Someone then asks for a translation. “Basically that when people gain consciousness of their right to liberation there’s no empire that can contain the accomplishment of that right… That when empires have no ears to the claims of the people for their freedom, only a bullet to their ears will make them hear.”

24:11Copy video clip URL A woman takes the podium and explains that she lost her speech on the way to the church. She then presents Cordero with a flag from the progressives and Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) in Chicago. This is followed by loud chanting. The woman then asks for donations and for the audience to reach deep into their pockets.

27:20Copy video clip URL Cut to a segment from “Five Day Bicycle Race” by The Image Union, which must have been taped over for this event. Timecode onscreen. Videomaker Skip Blumberg asks various politicians about Jimmy Carter’s presidential platform. The politicians include: Hubert Humphrey, Tip O’Neill, and Robert Byrd. This lasts for the remainder of the tape.

30:08Copy video clip URL Tape ends.

 

1 Comment

  1. Su Cabanas says:

    I can’t view any of the videos.

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