Detroit Historical Society | Nelson Mandela Reception at the Westin Hotel, Raw Footage, Tape 1 (1990) @DetroitHistoricalSociety | Uploaded April 2021 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
2015.009.077
detroithistorical.pastperfectonline.com/archive/CA2A202E-4F46-4AEE-BFC8-489542292787
U-Matic S tape containing footage shot at the reception for Nelson Mandela held at the Renaissance Center's Westin Hotel on June 28th, 1990, as the crowd awaits the arrival of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. The footage, including Mandela's actual appearance, is continued on tape 2015.009.051, and elements of both tapes are edited together onto tape 2015.009.084.
In a series of shots the camera crew travels about the ballroom to show the numerous guests in attendance as they converse, eat, and pose for photographs. After a cut, Arthur Johnson, chair of the event, appears at the podium to announce that he is not sure when exactly Mandela will arrive, eliciting laughter from the crowd. He continues, explaining Mandela's itinerary ahead of the Amandla Mandela Detroit '90 rally at Tiger Stadium that night. He reassures those in attendance that they will be bused to the rally. After another cut, Johnson again is shown at the podium where he announces that Mandela will be appearing at the reception in twenty minutes.
Next, following another cut, the camera finds John Salley and Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons in the crowd. Salley signs autographs, while Thomas converses with several people.
After another cut, a man at a podium in another conference room explains the strict level of security to group of young people who were invited to take part. He also explains the meaning the chants of "amandla" (Nguni for "power") that have become part of the Mandela freedom events, and practices chanting it with the crowd.
Next, the camera moves to a separate meeting area for Winnie Mandela. A "Winnie Mandela" banner is hung behind the podium, a "Molo Winnie" banner is on a side wall, and the crowd predominately consists of women. A woman from Mandela's advance team appears at the podium to explain to the crowd how they will exit to be buses to the rally. As she talks, the camera gets shots of several members of the crowd including former City Councilwoman Erma Henderson, and Representative John Conyers.
Next, a group is shown chanting and dancing while holding an African National Congress flag in the hotel's Cadillac Ballroom. The camera crew then moves out into the hotel's walkways for a shot of the dancers through the room's doors, and of people waiting outside the rooms. Next, the camera moves into one of the rooms for further footage of people talking and waiting. A banner hung on the wall reads, "Detroit Welcomes Mandela and the African Nat'l Congress. Aluta Continua. Ella Baker, Nelson Mandela Center for Anti-Racist Education." The camera crew then finds Nicholas Hood sitting down by himself on a small platform. He jokes with the camera person.
After another cut, for the tape's final shot, the camera is out on the walkway, outside of the Cadillac ballroom where people are again singing and dancing with an ANC flag.
The recordings are on a 3M UCA 30S U-Matic S tape with the title handwritten directly on the tape's shell. The cassette is housed within a black plastic latching UCA 3M 30S U-Matic case with a handwritten 3M label on the front.
2015.009.077
detroithistorical.pastperfectonline.com/archive/CA2A202E-4F46-4AEE-BFC8-489542292787
U-Matic S tape containing footage shot at the reception for Nelson Mandela held at the Renaissance Center's Westin Hotel on June 28th, 1990, as the crowd awaits the arrival of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. The footage, including Mandela's actual appearance, is continued on tape 2015.009.051, and elements of both tapes are edited together onto tape 2015.009.084.
In a series of shots the camera crew travels about the ballroom to show the numerous guests in attendance as they converse, eat, and pose for photographs. After a cut, Arthur Johnson, chair of the event, appears at the podium to announce that he is not sure when exactly Mandela will arrive, eliciting laughter from the crowd. He continues, explaining Mandela's itinerary ahead of the Amandla Mandela Detroit '90 rally at Tiger Stadium that night. He reassures those in attendance that they will be bused to the rally. After another cut, Johnson again is shown at the podium where he announces that Mandela will be appearing at the reception in twenty minutes.
Next, following another cut, the camera finds John Salley and Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons in the crowd. Salley signs autographs, while Thomas converses with several people.
After another cut, a man at a podium in another conference room explains the strict level of security to group of young people who were invited to take part. He also explains the meaning the chants of "amandla" (Nguni for "power") that have become part of the Mandela freedom events, and practices chanting it with the crowd.
Next, the camera moves to a separate meeting area for Winnie Mandela. A "Winnie Mandela" banner is hung behind the podium, a "Molo Winnie" banner is on a side wall, and the crowd predominately consists of women. A woman from Mandela's advance team appears at the podium to explain to the crowd how they will exit to be buses to the rally. As she talks, the camera gets shots of several members of the crowd including former City Councilwoman Erma Henderson, and Representative John Conyers.
Next, a group is shown chanting and dancing while holding an African National Congress flag in the hotel's Cadillac Ballroom. The camera crew then moves out into the hotel's walkways for a shot of the dancers through the room's doors, and of people waiting outside the rooms. Next, the camera moves into one of the rooms for further footage of people talking and waiting. A banner hung on the wall reads, "Detroit Welcomes Mandela and the African Nat'l Congress. Aluta Continua. Ella Baker, Nelson Mandela Center for Anti-Racist Education." The camera crew then finds Nicholas Hood sitting down by himself on a small platform. He jokes with the camera person.
After another cut, for the tape's final shot, the camera is out on the walkway, outside of the Cadillac ballroom where people are again singing and dancing with an ANC flag.
The recordings are on a 3M UCA 30S U-Matic S tape with the title handwritten directly on the tape's shell. The cassette is housed within a black plastic latching UCA 3M 30S U-Matic case with a handwritten 3M label on the front.
