R. Mark Desjardins
08-12-2013, 12:59 PM
During the summer of 1968, I had a summer job at Jasper Park Lodge, in Alberta. My mom, bless her heart sent me a subscription to The Ottawa Citizen to keep me from missing home. I recalled reading a review of Diana Ross & The Supremes performance opening a three day appearance at the Ottawa Exhibition. What stuck out in my mind was a separate article about the press conference where the woman were dogged by reporters questions about race relations in the U.S. and how they saw themselves involved in the struggle for civil rights.701470157016701770187019
Upon my recent trip to Ottawa, I decided to dig as deep as I could for any information of that press conference and came up with a wealth of stories, and photos from the two major Ottawa newspapers at the time, "The Ottawa Citizen," and it's rival, the more conservative and now defunct, "Ottawa Journal." I've also included another press photo to give a flavour of the time and why such pointed questions may have been asked.
NOTE:
I just noticed that the most important article is too hard to read. I have transcribed it here for much easier reading:
"Talented girls,not gold, behind the glitter."
What was billed as an after show press conference with the Supremes Monday turned into a battle among local disc jockeys to see who could ask the most knowledgeable questions about music.
Through it all, the three young ladies smiled sweetly and fielded the often-barbed questions with a professionalism nurtured in four years of road trips.
Despite arguments that their type of Motown sound is dying and insinuations that they are not doing all they should in the civil rights movement, the three young singers remained cool and calm.
Only once did their protective shield of professionalism slip to reveal three weary, hard working girls from big city ghettos.
Silent Gaze
When asked if they had any regrets about spending most of their time on the road, Diana Ross spoke wistfully about her parents, brothers and sisters in Detroit who she seldom sees.
The other two, Mary Wilson and Cindy birdsong nodded agreement then gazed silently over the heads of the reporters and disc jockeys.
But they quickly reassumed their roles as troupers and talked mechanically about the benefits of being popular music stars - travelling, meeting people, doing things they never would have been able to to "and the money."
The money isn't too important to them now because they seldom see it. "When you're on the road all the time there isn't much to spend it on," explained Diana, the featured singer and off-stage spokesman for the group.
About all they can do with their money right now is "wear it," said Cindy, pointing to the Afro-stye clothes they favour in private.
For Diana and Mary, the the original members of the trio from Detroit, their success has resulted in one disadvantage - they have lost close contact with what is going on in the "Afro-American areas where they grew up.
"When we came home in 1967, we found we were unaware of conditions there," said Diana. "People had an uneasy feeling. We were back recently and things still haven't changed.
One result of the tension in the United States is that Negroes have a higher respect for their race. "I know I feel very proud to be a Negro," said Diana.
Asked by an Ottawa TV representative why they are not participating in the civil rights movement, all three responded with a shocked silence.
When the question was rephrased to "Are you involved" in the movement? Mary scornfully put her hand to her black, curly hair and brought it down beside her dark-skinned face.
Diana explained that while they participate in shows in aid of the movement, they are not giving up their careers for it.
Personal problem
They do not actively promote a set of belief because they are not sure they have the right answers, she said. They talk about problems among themselves, but not to their audiences.
After a brief reply to a question about the trio's view of racially troubled America's future, the group's manager brought the press conference to a quick end.
It is interesting to note, that one year after Mary and Cindy NOT being part of press conference [[in Montreal in 1967 for their Expo '67) performances, the entire group is now present for questioning and all the members getting a say.
Sandy Gardiner, the teen editor for The Ottawa Journal, who reviewed their Ottawa appearance had written a three part article on the rise of the Motown Sound, which I had just recalled after my initial visit to the Ottawa Public Library. I remember that Florence wasn't able to meet to join Mary and Diana for the interview because her sister had a baby that day. On a future visit to Ottawa, I will dig the files for those articles circa August, 1965.
701170127013
Upon my recent trip to Ottawa, I decided to dig as deep as I could for any information of that press conference and came up with a wealth of stories, and photos from the two major Ottawa newspapers at the time, "The Ottawa Citizen," and it's rival, the more conservative and now defunct, "Ottawa Journal." I've also included another press photo to give a flavour of the time and why such pointed questions may have been asked.
NOTE:
I just noticed that the most important article is too hard to read. I have transcribed it here for much easier reading:
"Talented girls,not gold, behind the glitter."
What was billed as an after show press conference with the Supremes Monday turned into a battle among local disc jockeys to see who could ask the most knowledgeable questions about music.
Through it all, the three young ladies smiled sweetly and fielded the often-barbed questions with a professionalism nurtured in four years of road trips.
Despite arguments that their type of Motown sound is dying and insinuations that they are not doing all they should in the civil rights movement, the three young singers remained cool and calm.
Only once did their protective shield of professionalism slip to reveal three weary, hard working girls from big city ghettos.
Silent Gaze
When asked if they had any regrets about spending most of their time on the road, Diana Ross spoke wistfully about her parents, brothers and sisters in Detroit who she seldom sees.
The other two, Mary Wilson and Cindy birdsong nodded agreement then gazed silently over the heads of the reporters and disc jockeys.
But they quickly reassumed their roles as troupers and talked mechanically about the benefits of being popular music stars - travelling, meeting people, doing things they never would have been able to to "and the money."
The money isn't too important to them now because they seldom see it. "When you're on the road all the time there isn't much to spend it on," explained Diana, the featured singer and off-stage spokesman for the group.
About all they can do with their money right now is "wear it," said Cindy, pointing to the Afro-stye clothes they favour in private.
For Diana and Mary, the the original members of the trio from Detroit, their success has resulted in one disadvantage - they have lost close contact with what is going on in the "Afro-American areas where they grew up.
"When we came home in 1967, we found we were unaware of conditions there," said Diana. "People had an uneasy feeling. We were back recently and things still haven't changed.
One result of the tension in the United States is that Negroes have a higher respect for their race. "I know I feel very proud to be a Negro," said Diana.
Asked by an Ottawa TV representative why they are not participating in the civil rights movement, all three responded with a shocked silence.
When the question was rephrased to "Are you involved" in the movement? Mary scornfully put her hand to her black, curly hair and brought it down beside her dark-skinned face.
Diana explained that while they participate in shows in aid of the movement, they are not giving up their careers for it.
Personal problem
They do not actively promote a set of belief because they are not sure they have the right answers, she said. They talk about problems among themselves, but not to their audiences.
After a brief reply to a question about the trio's view of racially troubled America's future, the group's manager brought the press conference to a quick end.
It is interesting to note, that one year after Mary and Cindy NOT being part of press conference [[in Montreal in 1967 for their Expo '67) performances, the entire group is now present for questioning and all the members getting a say.
Sandy Gardiner, the teen editor for The Ottawa Journal, who reviewed their Ottawa appearance had written a three part article on the rise of the Motown Sound, which I had just recalled after my initial visit to the Ottawa Public Library. I remember that Florence wasn't able to meet to join Mary and Diana for the interview because her sister had a baby that day. On a future visit to Ottawa, I will dig the files for those articles circa August, 1965.
701170127013