At start, film shows crowd (mainly men) gathered on sidewalks in New York City during World War II. Focus shifts to myriad newspapers on a stand, all showing headlines about Allied D-Day invasion of Normandy in Nazi German-occupied France. Men purchase the papers. Glimpse of men moving shoulder to shoulder. The New York Times building at Times Square is seen with latest news being displayed in lights. News messages seen include: "President Roosevelt in Radio talk..." "Rome declares victory at time when Allies invade Europe." "American British and Canadian troops swarm ashore on Northern coast..." American paratroops land behind the Atlantic Wall to deal first invasion blow to Nazi communications." "...The Allies will accept nothing but full victory." View of passengers in a bus reading the Times news as their bus passes the building.
Camera pans vertically from top to bottom over the bow of the USS Iowa (BB-61) as she is ready for launching at the Brooklyn Navy yard in New York City, on August 22, 1942. Sponsor of the ship, Ilo Browne Wallace, wife of Vice President Henry A. Wallace, Christens the Iowa by breaking a bottle of champagne over her bow, and the ship moves down the ways toward the East River. The Williamsburg Bridge is seen dimly in the background, as the Iowa plunges into the water. Camera focuses, next, on the USS New Jersey (BB-62) ready for launching at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on December 7, 1942. Men knock supports from below the New Jersey, in preparation for her launching. Next, she is seen moving down the ways. Closeups of some shipyard workers smiling as the New Jersey is launched. The New Jersey is seen well out into the Delaware River, with some smoke rising from one of her funnels. (World War 2, WWII, WW2)
News about the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. is announced to the audience at Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Avenue (at 57th Street) New York City United States) in New York. Scene from the stage during a gala event with Duke Ellington performing excerpts from his second "Sacred Concert" together with the Tougaloo College Concert Choir. Concert sponsor Robert Moses gives the news of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- African American clergyman, activist and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement -- in Tennessee. Gasps of shock and awe are heard from the people gathered in the hall hearing the news.
Thousands of New York residents gather on streets to celebrate New Year's eve of 1941. Scenes of neon lights and traffic of Times Square. Many lit signs including a Automat sign. Close up view of lit marquee for George White's Gay White Way. Women Dancers present a wonderful show. Views of Chorus Girls in costume during the show. Many men and women gathered at night club to eat,drink and dance. Quaint and colorful faces can be seen. An overhead view of city streets flooded with merrymakers. More neon lights and signs including one for Vaudeville. Marquee scrolls on New York Times Building with message wishing everyone a happy new year.
Aerial view of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island in Upper New York Bay. Aerial view of ships in New York Harbor. An airplane in flight. Airplane is flying over the New York Bay and the skyscrapers and tall buildings of the Manhattan skyline. Aerial view of New York harbor. 'Police' can be seen written on the aircraft.
Elevated views and busy street views of automobile and pedestrian traffic on streets of New York City in the late 1930s. A streetcar stopped in the street. A roadside news stand. Men in suits and women in dresses walking on sidewalks near office buildings and stores in New York City. Children of late primary school or middle school age walking to school. Children exiting a school bus to go to school Two boys wrestle as a group of boys gathers around and encourages them. Girls play a game like "London Bridge is falling down." Scene changes to a farm field with a farmer plowing a field with his tractor. A farmer cuts crops with a sickle. Brief view of the main street in a small town somewhere in the United States, likely east. Scene changes again to a neighborhood with nice homes and two girls play skipping rope at a house. A woman prepares toast in a electric toaster. Vegetables and food items seen on shelves of an open refrigerator in a home. Scene changes to dense urban tenements and scenes of relative poverty in New York City. Elevated view looking out over dense tenements and apartment homes. Two young women sit on sleeping cots on a rooftop 1930s cars parked on a narrow street among crowded city dwellings, and and people sit outside their houses. Kids playing "stoop ball" throwing a ball against steps of their dwelling on the lower east side of Manhattan. A movie promotion poster advertises "Yellow Jack" playing at the Loews Commodore Theatre . Children play.
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