[The 90’s raw: pro-choice demonstration]

Raw footage for the award-winning TV series The 90's. This tape features video of a pro-choice demonstration. Women protest outside Hill and Knowlton, an advertising agency that was representing the Catholic bishops in America in their campaign against legalized abortion. They march and give speeches stating their opposition to Hill and Knowlon's actions and try to pressure the firm to drop the account.

00:09Copy video clip URL A woman explains that “we are here today because Hill and Knowlton is negotiating with the Catholic church for a 3 to 5 million contract to educate people on the Catholic’s view that life begins at conception and therefore abortion is murder. This is in a time where around the country over 200,000 women are dying because of illegal abortions,” and goes on to talk passionately about her opinions on abortion, separation of church and state, and family planning agencies. They stand in front of a building called “Graybar” and the camera pans upward.

01:43Copy video clip URL We see people holding signs, such as, “Keep your laws off our bodies,” and passing out buttons. A woman, Phyllis Landis (?), says “the country is seriously in trouble when we allow things like this to happen,” and says she feels “threatened.” Another woman feels “no religion should be in my body,” and her button says “NOW New York”.

03:53Copy video clip URL The camera cuts to a woman holding a sign that says “This is an illegal abortion,” depicting a neglected child. A man agrees with the women and briefly explains himself.

04:57Copy video clip URL People march in circles on the street with pro-choice posters, and chanting “Hill and Knowlton takes the cash, 5 million dollars, women get bashed!” and “2, 4, 6, 8, separate church and state!”

06:40Copy video clip URL A large banner says, “Defend reproductive freedom for all women!” and shots of a woman putting on an armband.

07:54Copy video clip URL Cut to a reporter inside an office building attempting to use a pay phone, but she is frustrated because it is a rotary. Trying to reach a press office, she asks for John Grerard (?) but is put on hold. She says she is doing a story and wants a balanced view, so she wanted to talk to Grerard (from Hill & Knowlton) on camera.

10:57Copy video clip URL Camera cuts to a woman speaking about the prevention of the spread of disease by using condoms. She emphasizes that the hierarchy of the Catholic church is the problem, not the people themselves. “There is nothing more obscene, it is is fact blasphemy, for anyone to come between a woman and God, a woman and her conscience.” She then goes on to harshly criticize Hill and Knowlton: “I call on Hill and Knowlton to turn down this account. It is dirty money!” The crowd cheers, and then chants “It is dirty money!”

15:42Copy video clip URL Another woman (Carol) speaks, calling on the women to contact Hill and Knowlton directly, and lists corporations associated with Hill and Knowlton. She wants the women to start “direct action” to pressure Hill and Knowlton to drop the account, referring to boycotting. She leads the crowd to chant “Shame!”

19:52Copy video clip URL A third woman introduces a final speaker, Francoise Jacobson (?), who criticizes the Catholic church’s efforts to go beyond their parishioners to the entire American population. “We can’t let religion or bigotry or money contribute to the deaths of women.” She wants money to go to family planning, wants to stop illegal abortions, and encourages the separation of church and state. “We need to protect the children who are already alive and the adults who are already alive.”

25:46Copy video clip URL Cuts to footage of the general crowd, and people buying t-shirts, and signing up to volunteer. A woman explains what volunteers do.

27:15Copy video clip URL Cut to a woman reading a statement from Hill and Knowlton, that merely says that they support the first amendment. She reads it twice.

28:16Copy video clip URL End of tape.