dc1968

curated project commemorating the 50th anniversary of 1968 in dc

dedicated to bobby r. hale
30 november 1968 & greg morris recruits for police department

30 november 1968 & greg morris recruits for police department

#OTD 30 November 1968 The police department deployed television advertisements and full-page newspaper ads featuring Greg Morris to help them recruit 1,000 men to help them contain and control residents. The 1-minute tv spot is titled “How about You?”

In addition, Ads Audio Visual Productions, Inc was contracted to produce other films including “simulated night time emergency situations” in the 13th precinct where there have been “racial disturbances.” In addition, Arthur J. Lamb, Inc., a Fairfax PR firm, was contracted to produce newspaper ads.

While white police chief John Layton stated that the focus of the recruitment would be in DC, on 11 November seven teams of recruiters were deployed for two weeks to 28 military bases to recruit men.

Your comments are welcome below. Do you, family members or neighbors remember the tv ads and advertisements featuring Morris? Do you have a copy of the tv spot? Do you have a copy of the full-page ad? Do you remember other recruitment films? Do you know of someone who was recruited and hired in 1968 and 1969? What did you think of the plans to drastically increase the police force? You may comment privately here.

Photo source: Courtesy DC Public Library, Evening Star Collection, c1968.

John Fialka, “Actor Helps Recruit Police,” Evening Star 22 November 1968.

1 december 1968 & walter washington on cover of white-owned washingtonian magazine

1 december 1968 & walter washington on cover of white-owned washingtonian magazine

29 november 1968 & woodson jhs students perform original play inspired by 2 nov shooting by white police officer

29 november 1968 & woodson jhs students perform original play inspired by 2 nov shooting by white police officer