WTAR-TV Historic Film Collection 

WTAR-TV Historic Film Collection 

Creator WTAR-TV
Description The collection consists of films used by WTAR, a television station in Norfolk Virginia. The entire collection is 4,600 reels of predominately acetate 16mm black and white film dated 1940s – 1980s. About 20 of the films relate to civil rights and school desegregation. These reels include a 1955 portrait of the Supreme Court for a story on Brown v. Board of Education; civil rights protests in North Carolina; and the Special Session of the Virginia Legislature in 1956 when “Massive Resistance” laws were passed to circumvent the Brown decision. Norfolk became a national beacon for resisting integration so films on local school desegregation have broad implications. In addition the collection contains films related to international relations, the military, oceanography and science. A small number of films have been digitized.
Call number MG 112
Date from 1955
Date to 1971
Geographic school Virginia; Norfolk, VA
Size 20 films
Access restrictions yes/no N
Access restrictions Open to researchers without restrictions. Questions on literary property rights should be directed to the Special Collections Librarian.
Part Of larger collection yes/no N
Larger collection title
URL
Repository Old Dominion University, Special Collections and University Archives
Repository address Patricia W. & J. Douglas Perry Library, Norfolk, VA 23529-0256
Repository contact name
Repository contact title Special Collections Librarian and University Archivist
Repository contact email libspecialcollections@odu.edu
Repository contact phone (757) 683-4483
DoveRegion region3
Subjects o    African American students

o    African Americans–Civil rights

o    Almond, J. Lindsay (James Lindsay), 1898-1986

o    Public schools

o    Race relations

o    School children

o    School closings

o    School integration

o    School integration–Massive resistance movement

Types o    Interviews

o    Manuscripts

o    Sound recordings

o    Transcripts