SUNDAY

Duration: 16 min

Year Published: 1961

Creator: Dan Drasin

Format: 16mm

Color: B&W

Sound: sound

Description: The film "Sunday" (1961) by Emile de Antonio documents a demonstration at Washington Square Park where participants advocate for their right to sing and perform folk music. Protesters argue against police regulations that restrict public singing and claim that their actions are a form of free speech. The film captures the tension between demonstrators and law enforcement, highlighting issues of civil liberties and artistic expression in a public space.,

This film "Sunday" is an Emile de Antonio release directed by Dan Drasin (:08). This film is often cited as the first major social protest film of the Sixties. In that era, Sunday was the big day for “the folkies” to meet up and perform at New York's Washington Square Park. At the time, applying for a permit was required. The Parks Depart. decided the folkies' presence was no longer welcome and denied the permit for Sunday, April 9th, 1961, resulting in the so-called "Beatnik Riot" or "Folk Riot".

00:00 “Sunday” is set in New York and covers the April 9th 1961 “Folk Riot” at Washington Square Park. The riot played a pivotal role in Greenwich Village park’s history. A denial for regular demonstration ignited a major folk music rally. In the 1960’s, Sunday was a prominent day for musicians to meet and demonstrate in the park. City officials decided the folk musician’s presence was no longer welcome and denied their right to demonstrate on Sunday April 9th, 1961. Two weeks following the demonstration, the folk singers won the right to reclaim the space. It shows stunning images around the park leading up to the protest as well as interactions with demonstrators and police officers including footage of Izzy Young. The film opens with chunky notes of American folk; Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.” It continues through the lead up and into the demonstration as the park fills with performers and later police as tensions escalate and the rally is fragmented. Youth play in the park (:19). Men toss a frisbee (:56) on the street. Black capped police officers watch actions in the quiet park (1:15). Pedestrians sit on stone steps encircling the Washington Square Arch (1:17). A city bus passes (1:21). A mounted NYPD police officer (1:24) chats with the camera man. A white ice cream cart carries treats for pedestrians (1:28). Kids pluck cones from the ice cream man (1:33). NBC camera men set up (1:41) for a live broadcast. Shots pass over the infamous Folklore Center opened by folk musician Izzy Young in the late 1950’s off MacDougal Street (1:57). Izzy played a major role in the Folk Riot, spreading word about the denial. His hand-written signs ready pedestrians for the rally to jump off at the fountain in Washington Square Park (2:03). A female guitarist marches (2:14) forward. Other musicians begin to trickle in (2:25). A patrol car drives through the now crowded park (2:33). Musicians buzz outside the Folklore Center (2:40). A protest sign calls out Parks Commissioner of New York; Newbold Morris (3:01). An officer stops a protestor (3:13) as dialog cuts in. Izzy Young arrives (3:42) for defense of the protestors. Dialogue snippets between protestors follow; Young mentions musicians had been demonstrating at the park for 17 years prior to the denial. Demonstrators were allowed to pass through the park silently. Signs beckon for music to continue in the park (4:52). The protest swells around the fountain (6:33). Musicians stand to perform as demonstrators clap along (7:24). Camera views pass through the thicket of the crowd (7:35) as tensions continued to rise. Protestors are pulled off for arrest (7:57) and news cameras follow the action. Izzy (9:10) stands for a song as other protestors are stuffed into patrol cars for processing. The view runs around folks filming the demonstration; a woman snaps photographs with a 1940’s era Kodak Ektra (11:09). Demonstrators begin performance of Guthrie’s folk tune (11:58) and the Star Spangled banner (12:37) as police and demonstrator interactions escalate. Emergency responders (12:54) drive in. More officers flood the demonstration (13:55) pushing back pedestrians. Footge goes shaky as the disgruntled officers grab for demonstrators (14:39). Silent shots pass over officers in the park (16:35). “This Land is Your Land” begins again as kids wander with protest signs stuck on their backs (16:50). Credits (16:59).

Complete Record: The film "Sunday" (1961) by Emile de Antonio documents a demonstration at Washington Square Park where participants advocate for their right to sing and perform folk music. Protesters argue against police regulations that restrict public singing and claim that their actions are a form of free speech. The film captures the tension between demonstrators and law enforcement, highlighting issues of civil liberties and artistic expression in a public space.,

This film "Sunday" is an Emile de Antonio release directed by Dan Drasin (:08). This film is often cited as the first major social protest film of the Sixties. In that era, Sunday was the big day for “the folkies” to meet up and perform at New York's Washington Square Park. At the time, applying for a permit was required. The Parks Depart. decided the folkies' presence was no longer welcome and denied the permit for Sunday, April 9th, 1961, resulting in the so-called "Beatnik Riot" or "Folk Riot".

00:00 “Sunday” is set in New York and covers the April 9th 1961 “Folk Riot” at Washington Square Park. The riot played a pivotal role in Greenwich Village park’s history. A denial for regular demonstration ignited a major folk music rally. In the 1960’s, Sunday was a prominent day for musicians to meet and demonstrate in the park. City officials decided the folk musician’s presence was no longer welcome and denied their right to demonstrate on Sunday April 9th, 1961. Two weeks following the demonstration, the folk singers won the right to reclaim the space. It shows stunning images around the park leading up to the protest as well as interactions with demonstrators and police officers including footage of Izzy Young. The film opens with chunky notes of American folk; Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land.” It continues through the lead up and into the demonstration as the park fills with performers and later police as tensions escalate and the rally is fragmented. Youth play in the park (:19). Men toss a frisbee (:56) on the street. Black capped police officers watch actions in the quiet park (1:15). Pedestrians sit on stone steps encircling the Washington Square Arch (1:17). A city bus passes (1:21). A mounted NYPD police officer (1:24) chats with the camera man. A white ice cream cart carries treats for pedestrians (1:28). Kids pluck cones from the ice cream man (1:33). NBC camera men set up (1:41) for a live broadcast. Shots pass over the infamous Folklore Center opened by folk musician Izzy Young in the late 1950’s off MacDougal Street (1:57). Izzy played a major role in the Folk Riot, spreading word about the denial. His hand-written signs ready pedestrians for the rally to jump off at the fountain in Washington Square Park (2:03). A female guitarist marches (2:14) forward. Other musicians begin to trickle in (2:25). A patrol car drives through the now crowded park (2:33). Musicians buzz outside the Folklore Center (2:40). A protest sign calls out Parks Commissioner of New York; Newbold Morris (3:01). An officer stops a protestor (3:13) as dialog cuts in. Izzy Young arrives (3:42) for defense of the protestors. Dialogue snippets between protestors follow; Young mentions musicians had been demonstrating at the park for 17 years prior to the denial. Demonstrators were allowed to pass through the park silently. Signs beckon for music to continue in the park (4:52). The protest swells around the fountain (6:33). Musicians stand to perform as demonstrators clap along (7:24). Camera views pass through the thicket of the crowd (7:35) as tensions continued to rise. Protestors are pulled off for arrest (7:57) and news cameras follow the action. Izzy (9:10) stands for a song as other protestors are stuffed into patrol cars for processing. The view runs around folks filming the demonstration; a woman snaps photographs with a 1940’s era Kodak Ektra (11:09). Demonstrators begin performance of Guthrie’s folk tune (11:58) and the Star Spangled banner (12:37) as police and demonstrator interactions escalate. Emergency responders (12:54) drive in. More officers flood the demonstration (13:55) pushing back pedestrians. Footge goes shaky as the disgruntled officers grab for demonstrators (14:39). Silent shots pass over officers in the park (16:35). “This Land is Your Land” begins again as kids wander with protest signs stuck on their backs (16:50). Credits (16:59).

NOTE: Two (or more) records have been merged together to create this data.

Transcription

e [Music] the [Music] this land is your land this land is my land from California to the New York island from the Redwood Forest to the wat this land was made for you and me [Music] the [Music] [Music] as I went walking down the Riven of highway I saw above me that endless Skyway I saw below me that Golden Valley this land was made for you and me this land is your land this land is my land the 4 y to the New York from the Redwood Forest to the gold spring water this plan was made for you and [Music] me i r and rambled and followed my footsteps to the Golden Sands of for Diamond desert and all around me a voice was sounding this land was made for you and me this land is your this is my from violating the law by coming in here what I'm talking to one person okay I'm list you you a leader here not really not well no I just I just Happ to be first uh rules and regulations laid down by get up here you talk are young is Young and who you talking chist he's in the new and what did he tell you he said that we can make a demonstration in the park if we don't make any unnecessary uh disturbance of the P it's it's against the par regulations well we feel cens of America we have a perfect right to S we feel that the we feel we feel the police are illegal in their action we feel like the park is been cous in his AC us inspect M there is a regulation you're aware of that you're aware of it because you f an application we had this permit now for 17 years without any problems wait a minute you filed the application for the perment it was denied that's right but was denied for a pricious reason rather than an illegal Reas we don't know the reason that's up to but it's not up to commissioner Mars to tell the people what kind of music is good or bad he's telling the people that folk music brings uh degenerates and bad people it's not so all right but we are permitted to walk we are permitted to walk around no on the sign then signs make no noise no sticks on the sign this is our god-given right to sing We want to call the attention to all the people of New York City that we want to keep free singing and free playing in this part the prop function of the police chase criminals we are chasing criminals you are not chasing criminals you are here at this moment stopping Free Speech Poli officer you got more Cooks in this prct than you got people who are people work all people want to do think the police action IL legal and not our action minut the police action is to protect people and you walk through the park no singing no instruments some people may sing it's their free choice it's our god-given right to sing extension of speaking the American Revolution people been singing American folk songs and we feel we have a perfect right to sing let's go to the park now you you can appreciate opposition I understand the police don't want even be involved in it I've spoken to a dozen policemen the police are in the middle of well I don't think that it's the police's fault the police is simply doing a job [Music] somebody don't you think that singing is nothing but an extension of speech who stopped you from singing Estates at the bottom of this I think he's willing to tell us why have you made an application to the park department for permission to sing in the park certainly have what is the result of that application we were simply denied the permit we were called disreputable musicians simply because we sing folk music do you live in grench Village no I live in the brown I see does anyone here live in gr Village why why do you live in grich village solution of be isn't this Park part of the public domain right and why isn't the public regulations on it you know they make a regulation no walking on the grass that's to save the grass what is this to sa fine we're staying on the concrete now in the payment save the concrete if you don't know what the law is then why you why you what are you enforcing they're trying to kill a village gu this is a city this is a free gandi is a very big influence impression of [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] our everybody join us join us [Applause] [Music] fighting for our freedom standing I know easy hand him easy keep your hands off him he can walk everybody watch what goes on everybody come in and watch this law keep of everybody card more than uh Learners per I was singing and I didn't stop when they started pushing that way into the got Crow yeah okay thank you very much good luck take them down up Bo that's it congratulations [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] why do why don't they send a representative that don't know something all you're doing is passing a box pass giving someone else a responsibility for something that you should you you I mean you're here and you're talking to us as as an authority and then you're saying that someone else is responsible why don't you uh why doesn't why isn't someone here with respons had your opportunity to file the application you filed it it was denied that's the place where you go and you protest the denial not here so go ahead now MO [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Hing hallu why why must one need a permit to sing That's the Law well well why are they going to get another permit I don't know they're going to make application for it I hope and then find out why they Deni why were the denied the first time I don't know they were denied by the park commissioner well what are you park commission Police Department the police department don't you two work hand in hand no I mean don't you people help each other out to do something no we don't administrate the park Department regulations or you enforce them that's right well I mean when a regulation is going against I mean let's put it this way if the regulation is going against the grain I mean can't you sort of make recommendations we don't have to do that you go when you make your recommendations what what's the city here for I what doesn't the city have a mind of its own don't the city have any ideas you have a mind of your own haven't you got to keep singing he singing going to try and land is Califoria New York High the [Music] [Applause] [Music] Rood have you got your man ass the North and bring them South just move them out of there I've got a great folk song it was written about 250 years ago oh no maybe it wasn't maybe it's a new one but that's [Music] [Applause] [Music] B at the [Applause] T and bright star the [Applause] [Applause] [Music] still [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the out come on let's go [Music] [Applause] I don't want to be all right go over there and please don't leave that woman alone [Applause] CH EXC me [Applause] how about 15 cops pushed around me after we were off the circle they just kept pushing I just asked them to leave me alone so I could make it on my own because I have very high heels and I was tripping and they wouldn't and they kept pushing me and and then he told them to leave me alone and they just kept pushing me and finally I just got kind of hysterical and everybody time I tried to protect her they just grabbed me and knocked me down you ain't going to get no pictures come on come on can I have your number I have a right to get I said outside come on you want to get in come [Applause] [Music] [Applause] on oh my God 92 this is a fre country [Music] huh this is the freedom you're protecting huh I think the police should sing a song for us now night Dees e [Music] n [Music] the [Music]

Metadata Source:Educational film guide. Supplements (1959-62)