[State of Illinois Center Dedication Ceremony]

Transcript (Download)

The divine power of God, castes of hell, safety, and all the evil spirits who wander throughout the world, singing the Lord of souls, amen.

Will we ever...

This is some calls that I've received.

I thought that our parade was a reaction to the Nazi presence in the park this year.

And that's totally incorrect.

For this entire...

...to a cataclysmic decision.

The only way to get Dorothy back to Kansas is for me to take her there myself.

Oh, will you? Caught you? Oh! Oh, but are you a clever enough wizard to manage it? Child, you cut me to the quick.

I'm an old Kansas man myself.

Born and bred in...

Think to yourself.

There's no place like home.

There's no place like home.

There's no place like home.

There's no place like home.

...very, very proud of Bill Lee today for starting or rejuvenating this parade after 40 years.

The names of Bill Lee, Eddie Brabeck, Tom Mayer...

I don't want to skip anybody once I start.

Our great Teamster leader over there, Louis Pike, have written a history in the city.

And as you look across the city, if it weren't for the great labor movement in Chicago, I don't believe this city would be what it is today.

I hope you'll come over to the Dates of Chicago next.

And once again, one big thank you to Mr.

Let's hear it! We showed you, we tried to show you just what we do and how we do it and so forth.

And to all of you, to Eddie Brabeck, Louis Pike, Tom Mayer, all of the fellows that are in the...

May I assist? ...over the fire center.

Okay, if you want in five minutes, I will...

in clarified Well, we're interested in it because it's Labour Day and because one of the questions we're now facing within the Alliance, it seems quite clear, is where are the jobs going to be kept, for example in steel? Are we going to have jobs in Scotland or are you going to have your jobs here? And that's now developing to the agricultural sector, as far as we perceive it over there.

And we're over here to try and find out how much protectionism America's going to go in for within the Alliance.

Thank you very much.

The first movement for human rights and human dignity at the bargaining table.

We're of course enormously disappointed that the Hunter crushed those high hopes almost a year ago on December the 13th.

We are hopeful that the American continued pressure on Poland will lift the military Hunter and Lech Walesa will go back to his organizing activities because that's the only way to solve the problems at the bargaining table.

And the connection with today's Labour Day in America.

Well, Labour Day in America today is a tribute to solidarity as well as the American working people.

We have one goal in common, that's to give the working people of America, get their greatest share of this wonderful democracy at the bargaining table.

That's what Labour Day means to all of us.

Well I'm here because the members of the America First Committee, which I'm the national chairman, we have a number of people here that are of Polish extraction and other Eastern European elements like this.

And we feel very strongly about this and a lot of these people could not make it.

I've taken time off in my job today to come down here and represent these people in our organization to back up the people of Poland in their fight for freedom against Soviet communist domination.

I just want the government of the state of Illinois to be open and honest and friendly and above all a government that works for and on behalf of its people.

Welcome to the first building of the 21st century.

Uniting men in peace and freedom and helping to fulfill the vision of your inspired seers who proclaimed that justice well up as the waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Governor Thompson, who invited me to write this poem, has a few ideas that are similar to my own, as you will presently know when you hear this poem.

I've chosen for the title of this poem something very exciting.

When I see a brave building straining high and higher.

I think of the hand that put that strength together.

The little soft hand.

Hand coming away from hope to take a challenge and to mold this definition.

Amazingly, men and women work with design and judgment, steel and glass.

Here is Sam to enact this announcement.

Who can construct such miracles? Can enact any consolidation, any fusion.

All little people opening out of themselves.

Forging the human spirit that can outwit the building boasting in the city world.

Lord, he began to cry.

Jesus said what? Jesus spoke the word.

Your faith has made your home.

By the mayors we see the sight.

He praised him for the light.

For Jesus is the light in the darkness.

He'll save your senses though.

With your loving care, those who provide leadership among our people, give them the gifts of an understanding heart, creativity, and prudence.

We come to you for blessing with confidence that you will hear our prayers.

Men shared a dream and let's not forget them and the role they played on this day of celebration.

Among them are the Reverend John Hatchett, President of the Coalition for United Community Labor Force.

Jim Compton, Executive Director of the United Community Labor Force.

Robert Winbush with the Urban Community Department Corporation.

And members of the Coalition for United Community Action.

And the support of the Contractors Association.

And Tom Nate's extraordinary effort by the Burnham Company.

A light atrium that has been covered for years.

Ideas from our past.

Talking about the General Assembly, let me add a personal note of thanks to the support of appropriations as it took shape.

For many who have never seen the interior of this building or the exterior from a different view, thought why are they doing this? And asked questions.

And that was appropriate.

The General Assembly of the State of Illinois in 1985 is a wise leadership and a courageous leadership.

Working with me to move this state forward all across several fronts.

To make Illinois the greatest of the states.

To revitalize our economy.

To build Illinois.

To restore our education.

To provide for the future life of our children and their grandchildren.

And therefore it is not surprising that they would support with vigorous effort.

Something that would be new and good and different for the people of Illinois.

They have my personal thanks.

They ought to have your thanks as well.

Because of his genius, because of his boldness and his daring, it wasn't all that hard to accept something that was extraordinary for the people of Illinois.

But then we in Illinois have a record of being first.

Identifier

F.2005-08-0268

Date Of Production

circa 1978 – 1985

Abstract

Loosely assembled footage includes the following: Televised footage of self-taught artist Lee Godie; Chicago’s Christmas Parade; the Chicago International Art Exposition at Navy Pier; storefronts and pedestrian activity in Lower Manhattan; anti-Nazi protests; televised footage of The Wizard of Oz; Mayor Jane Byrne and Governor James Thompson participate in Chicago’s Labor Day Parade; Thompson, mayoral candidate Bernard Epton, and Lieutenant Governor George Ryan attend the White Sox baseball game at Comiskey Park on April 12, 1983; Ald. Roman Pucinski and neo-Nazi Arthur Jones provide interviews while attending a rally in support of Poland’s Solidarity Movement; Governor Thompson attends the dedication ceremony for Jean DuBuffet’s “Monument with Standing Beast” at the State of Illinois Center’s plaza on November 28, 1984; Governor Thompson, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin speak at the dedication ceremony for the State of Illinois Center, while nearby anti-apartheid activists protest the use of South African steel for the building’s construction.

Format

Super 8

Extent

450 feet

Color

color and B&W

Sound

Mag Stripe

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English

Element

Reversal Positives

Subject

Art
Christmas
Demonstrations
Holidays
Labor unions
Michigan Avenue (Chicago, Ill.)
Marching bands
Neo-Nazism
Parades and processions
Polish Americans
Political Activists
Politicians
Racism

Preservation Sponsor

Related Collections

Subseries II: Footage

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Loop

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Near North Side

North America ➜ United States ➜ New York ➜ New York

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Armour Square

Main Credits

Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers

Byrne, Jane (is participant)

Thompson, James R. (is participant)

Ryan, George H. (is participant)

Epton, Bernard (is participant)

Jones, Art (is participant)

Pucinski, Roman C. (is participant)

Hartigan, Neil F., 1938- (is participant)

Jayne C. Thompson (is participant)

Brooks, Gwendolyn E. (is participant)

Bernardin, Joseph L. (is participant)

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