Series
Basic Black
Episode Number
2925
Episode
Relations Between Boston's Black and Irish
Producing Organization
WGBH Educational Foundation
Contributing Organization
WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip-15-676t239d
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Description
Episode Description
Since the early days of busing in Boston, the difficult relationships between the city's Irish and African American residents have been well documented. After presenting a brief history of relationships between Boston's Black and Irish communities, BASIC BLACK tells two stories that illustrate how African Americans and Irish are coming together to celebrate their similarities. BASIC BLACK goes to Packy's Pub on Blue Hill Avenue in Roxbury to meet its Irish American owner, Pat "Packy" Connors. For over forty years, African Americans who live in the neighborhood have patronized Packy's, along with Irish Americans and, more recently, other immigrants. Connors describes the Black community's outpouring of support for him when he battled cancer several years ago, and agrees with a headline from a Globe story: "If Packy's can do it, why can't city?" Next, BASIC BLACK shows how the Irish Immigration Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering recent Irish immigrants to become socially aware, is reaching out to Boston's African American community with cross-cultural activities. A drumming class in South Boston pairs traditional African drumming techniques with ancient Celtic rhythms, showcasing the musical traditions of each community. The Center's Black and Green Coming Together in Boston--an annual Black History Month event which brings people from the African American and Irish communities together for lunch and discussion--further promotes understanding between the two communities.
Description
Black Irish
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
00:29:37;13
Embed Code
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Credits
Producing Organization: WGBH Educational Foundation
AAPB Contributor Holdings
WGBH
Identifier: cpb-aacip-c6292d52464 (Filename)
Format: Betacam
Generation: Master
Duration: 00:28:18
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Citations
Chicago: “Basic Black; 2925; Relations Between Boston's Black and Irish,” WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed April 26, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-676t239d.
MLA: “Basic Black; 2925; Relations Between Boston's Black and Irish.” WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. April 26, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-676t239d>.
APA: Basic Black; 2925; Relations Between Boston's Black and Irish. Boston, MA: WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-676t239d