U-Matic

My Heart Is W/Detroit
Devil's Night Program 1992
10 29 92 #1

U-Matic tape containing a multi-camera recording of the 1992 My Heart Is With Detroit Ceremony at Martin Luther King High School, honoring the winners and participants in the anti-Devil's Night poster, essay, rap, and speech contests. The event is hosted by John Mason of WJLB, and the camera occasionally cuts to a sign language interpreter seated in front of the stage. Behind the interpreter along the wall below the front of the stage, some of the winning entries from the poster competition are displayed.

After an introduction by Mason, a student from Ann Arbor Trail performs a rap about arson in front of the stage. Mason then asks the crowd about the 1992 presidential candidates, and then takes to the podium to talk about the contests. He recognizes the schools and recreation centers which submitted the most entries.in the different categories. Representatives of the institutions then take the stage to pose for photos and to receive plaques.

A video about the campaign is then shown showcasing the winning posters and presenting excerpts from the winning essays. The camera is trained on the screen during this segment, and the lighting makes it difficult to see clearly.

Following the video, Kizzy Pitts Morris, third-place winner in the special education oratorical contest, of the Detroit Day School for the Deaf comes to the stage to sign her speech, accompanied by a reading by the sign language interpreter. She is followed by second-place winner Aztah Aljehaf, and first-place winner Eric James, both also of Detroit Day School for the Deaf.

Mason then introduces Mayor Coleman A. Young who speaks about the efforts to combat arson. He mentions Camden, New Jersey's interest in Detroit's anti-arson efforts, the upcoming election, and Bill Clinton's rallies at Cobo Hall and the Fox Theatre that same day. He explains that he is unable to stay for the remainder of the program because of the Fox fundraiser.

After Young leaves, the elementary school-level oratorical winners begin their presentations. First, third-place winners Jeffrey Garner and Aaron Roberson of the Kronk Recreation Center perform a rap. They are followed by second-place winner
Aureha Gooden of Sanders Elementary, who also performs a rap. First-place winner Elizabeth Hobbs of Lynch Elementary then recites a poem that incorporates the titles of television shows.

In the middle school category, first Joslyn Shannon of Whitney Young Middle School gives her third-place speech. Next, second-place winner Norman O'Daniel of Maheras Recreation Center gives a speech. Then, first-place winner Hassan Woods of Munger Middle School performs his rap.

The high school category begins with the speech from third-place winner Robert Griffie of Martin Luther King High. Robert is tied for third place, with Shannon Shelton of Renaissance High who begins her speech, which is cut off by the end of the tape, and continued on 2015.008.148.

The recording is on a 3M UCA-60 U-Matic tape with a handwritten 3M label on its top. The tape is housed within a black plastic U-Matic case with a matching label on its cover.