Colored Musicians Club (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Jazz--New York (State)--Buffalo--History and criticism
African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo
Tinney, Al.
African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo--Social conditions
Aging African American musicians reflect on Buffalo's glory days as a great jazz city, highlighting the jam sessions at the Colored Musicians Club. Includes a tribute to the late Al Tinney, one of the founding fathers of modern jazz. The challenges faced by African Americans drawn to Buffalo for job opportunities are examined by Buffalonian Eva Noles, known for breaking the color barrier in the nursing profession.
Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Host)
Vetter, Tom (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Dawkins, Don (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Hairston, Mylous (Producer, Reporter)
Musial, Chris (Executive Producer)
WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.)
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Photographer, Editor)
Mombrea, John (Post-production Editor)
Baxter, Tim (Post-production Editor)
Dady, Kelly (Director)
Clemons, Michael (Tape Operator)
Benzel, Gary (Tape Operator)
Young, Matt (Audio Engineer)
Dawkins, Don (Researcher)
Newberg, Rich (Researcher)
Vetter, Tom (Researcher)
Hairston, Mylous (Researcher)
Musial, Chris (Researcher)
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
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A select group of Buffalo’s most gifted African American musicians reflect on the era when the Colored Musicians Club hosted the nation's greatest jazz artists. Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis were among those who came to the club after their concerts and jammed with Buffalo musicians “until the sun came up.” The musical ties were strong. Buffalo musicians were sometimes invited to join the jazz greats on the road. The club was organized in 1918 and chartered in 1935. The building on Broadway and Michigan Avenue was purchased in 1944. It provided rehearsal space and social opportunities for Buffalo’s Black musicians who belonged to Local 533 of the American Federation of Musicians. Club members recall being denied entry into the white musicians union, Local 43. The two locals merged in 1969 but the Colored Musicians Club is still thriving. The building now features an interactive museum and is scheduled to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation and expansion. The first video is a compilation of segments by Rich Newberg, drawn from the 2003 WIVB-TV documentary, “Buffalo Soul: The Legacy Plays On.” The second piece is a WIVB-TV report by Jordan Williams marking the 80th anniversary of the Colored Musician’s Club. It aired on July 24, 2015.
WIVB (Television Station : Buffalo, N.Y.) Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
A Palace for Buffalo : the History of the Shea's Buffalo Theater
Shea's Buffalo Theatre
Shea, Michael.
A palace for Buffalo: the colorful history of the Shea's Buffalo Theater and its dynamic founder Michael Shea. This television special revisits the magic of the silent movie era, the desperate fight to save the theater from the wrecker's ball, and the Shea's magnificent rebirth as a venue for Broadway shows.
Mombrea Jr., Mike (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Ersing, Rich (Contributing Photographer)
Dee, Joe (Contributing Photographer)
Swan, Ray (Contributing Photographer)
Beauchamp, Steve (Contributing Photographer)
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Arts Director)
Vinciguerra, Jerry (Graphic Artist)
Bray, John (Announcer)
Diavastes, Jim (Post-production Editor)
Schrodt, Roy (Post-production Editor)
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Researcher)
Kocher, Michael (Researcher)
Paige, Lenny
Vaudeville--New York (State)--Buffalo
Entertainers--New York (State)--Buffalo
New York (State)--History
Five part series featuring memories from some of Buffalo's vaudeville and nightclub entertainers of the 1940's and 1950's, including Tony Ode, former master of ceremonies at McVan's nightclub, and Lenny Paige, former MC at the Town Casino. Second portion of video is Rich Newberg's extended interview with Lenny Paige, who was friends with many of the nation's top entertainers.
Newberg, Rich (Producer, Writer, Reporter)
Beauchamp, Steve (Photographer, Editor)
First in Western New York : 50 Golden Years On 4
Jasen, Carol
Walker, Jacquie
Postals, Don
Miller, Van
Paul, Don
WIVB-TV (Television station : Buffalo, N.Y.)--History
Television stations--New York (State)--Buffalo.
Shows the history of Buffalo, N.Y.'s first television station, WBEN-TV (now WIVB-TV) Channel 4, from 1948-1998. Features anchors Rich Newberg, Carol Jasen, Jacquie Walker, Don Postals, Van Miller, and Don Paul. Includes video clips and photographs from some of the station's earliest productions.
Newberg, Rich (Producer, News Anchor, Host)
Baker, Vic (Producer)
Musial, Chris (Producer)
Schlaerth, Joseph (Producer)
Jasen, Carol (News Anchor, Co-host)
Walker, Jacquie (News Anchor)
Postles, Don (News Anchor)
Miller, Van (Sports Director)
Paul, Don (Chief Meteorologist)
Baxter, Tim (Photographer-editor)
Mombrea, John (Photographer-editor)
Schrodt, Roy (Photographer-editor)
Root, Kim (Photographer-editor)
Summerville, Dan (Photographer-editor)
Vetter, Tom (Photographer-editor)
Swan, Ray (Photographer)
Goldschlag, Dave (Photographer)
Beauchamp, Steve (Photographer)
Gabalski, Ron (Photographer)
Mike Van Horn (Graphic Artist)
Kaufman, Ken (Music Composer)
Wolter, Carrol (Researcher)
McCall, Kawanza (Researcher)
Tamutus, Andrew (Researcher)
Woodstock Then & Now : Remembering Woodstock Twenty Years Later
Woodstock Festival
Rock music
Woodstock (N.Y.)
The Woodstock Festival of 1969 is commemorated 20 years later. Shot on location at Bethel and Swan Lake, New York. Featured interview with comic activist Hugh Nanton Romney, better known as "Wavy Gravy," who helped keep the peace during Woodstock.
Root, Kim (Photographer, Editor)
Summerville, Dan (Photographer, Editor)
Behind the Desert Shield : With the 914th Tactical Airlift Group in the Persian Gulf
Operation Desert Shield, 1990-1991
Iraq-Kuwait Crisis, 1990-1991
United States--Armed Forces
In December 1990 a group of journalists from Buffalo were escorted to a remote desert base in the Persian Gulf as Air Force Reservists from Niagara Falls prepared for war. WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and videographer Mike Mombrea Jr. documented the work of the 914th Tactical Airlift Group, which operated the C-130 transport planes. Their series of reports from the desolate air base called Mirage showed how reservists were attempting to keep up their spirits after being told they would not be rotated back to the States. Their performance record was near perfect and the First Gulf War was only weeks away from being launched. The personal vignettes include a father and son who share their concerns for each other's safety, as Operation Desert Shield was about to turn into Desert Storm.
Mombrea, Mike, Jr. (Producer, Photographer, Editor)
Nolf, Neil (Public Affairs Officer -- Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station)
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- United States.
United States -- History -- 1969-
Veterans -- Mental health -- United States.
War -- Psychological aspects.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Psychological aspects.
In the years following the end of the Vietnam War, veterans were shunned by segments of American society that actively demonstrated against the unpopular war. Many vets suffered from recurrent nightmares and from the effects of Agent Orange exposure. The highly toxic chemical was used by the U.S. government to defoliate the jungle and expose enemy positions. In addition, families whose loved ones were missing in action were kept in limbo by the Vietnamese government. These were some of the stories brought to public light by WIVB’s Rich Newberg in his series of reports dealing with the lasting wounds of war. Delayed Stress Syndrome A condition called delayed stress syndrome surfaces as Vietnam War veterans suffer the psychiatric after effects of combat. Five years after the war ended on April 30, 1975, sudden noises can trigger fearful reactions. Some vets have developed a distrust of people, while others cannot tolerate angry responses in a conversation. Outreach centers begin cropping up to deal with these issues. Max Cleland Max Cleland, a severely wounded Vietnam War veteran who headed the Veterans Administration under President Jimmy Carter, expresses concerns that President Ronald Reagan will cut funding for outreach centers. Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam, has written a book called “Strong at the Broken Places.” He believes war veterans need counseling to help them develop positive outlooks toward life. William Duxbury Suffers Without Much Relief or Compensation After Being Exposed to Agent Orange William Duxbury of Wilson, New York was nineteen years old when the Marines assigned him to handle Agent Orange in Vietnam. Now he says his joints are deteriorating and that he has a nervous condition that cost him his job. His wife gave birth to a stillborn child and their five children suffer from bone and muscular disorders. Duxbury says he knows of only one Vietnam veteran in Erie County who is being compensated for his toxic exposure to Agent Orange. He says the veteran is dying of liver cancer. William Duxbury Receives a Surprise Visit from a Marine Buddy He Thought was Killed in Vietnam Mike Metcalf walked into Bill Duxbury’s life eighteen years after each had thought the other was killed during a shelling attack by the enemy in Vietnam. By chance, Metcalf had seen the story of his friend on WIVB-TV. Metcalf had become a trained mental health counselor and was now in a position to help his fellow veteran deal with issues related to his experiences in Vietnam. Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington Gets Mixed Reviews (2 pieces) A national salute to Vietnam Veterans will take place in the nation’s capitol. The names of the 57,939 American soldiers killed in the war will be read. There is concern that the ceremony will conjure up suppressed anxiety and stress for some who lost friends in combat. A black granite wall in Washington DC bearing the names of those killed in the Vietnam War gets mixed reviews. There is “unresolved scar tissue that still remains over Vietnam,” according to Jan Scruggs, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation. The war ended about six years earlier but now is brought back in a way that forces visitors to the memorial to confront their own memories. The faces of spectators reflect minds that are “searching, reflecting, pondering, mourning,' according to this CBS News report. Vietnam Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange Seek Compensation Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange testify about the impact on their health. New York State lawmakers are learning that some veterans are suffering from cancer and painful lumps under their skin. Children of exposed vets are being born with birth defects. Eleven million gallons of the herbicide containing deadly dioxin were used to defoliate the jungles of Vietnam. Three thousand Vietnam veterans have sued five chemical companies claiming they knew Agent Orange could be deadly but failed to warn the government or its troops of the dangers. Exposed veterans say they cannot receive free treatment at VA hospitals because it difficult to prove their ailments were caused by dioxin. Vietnam Ten Years Later (Series) April 29, 30, & May 1, 1985 Ten years after the end of America’s most unpopular war, WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg looks back at the televised conflict that divided the nation. Veterans of the war are still suffering from flashbacks and nightmares. New programs are being created by fellow Vietnam veterans who understand the nature of the lasting wounds of war. Close to 2,500 American soldiers and civilians are still missing in Vietnam. Western New York families of POW’s or those missing in action keep the memories of their loved ones alive. The stories of Col. Robert Dyczkowski and Jimmy Rozo are featured. The Case of Col. Robert Dyczkowski—Missing in Action In 2001 the United States Air Force closed the case of Col. Robert Dyczkowski. His remains, personal artifacts and parts of his fighter plane that crashed near Hanoi in April 1966 during the Vietnam War have been discovered. He was a husband and father of three children. His widow never remarried. Thousands of people had taken on Robert’s cause, wearing his POW-MIA bracelet. Thirty-five years of uncertainty finally came to an end. On April 6, 2001 Robert Dyczkowski’s remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Remains of Col Robert Dyczkowski are Buried in Arlington National Cemetery While one mystery is solved, more than 1,900 families in 2001 were still waiting for answers about their missing loved ones.
Newberg, Rich
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)
Kim Root (Photographer)
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
Veterans -- United States.
Buffalo born Tom Eagles dropped out of high school and became a Catholic Augustinian monk in 1961. He had been a victim of bullying and found refuge in the monastery according to his son Kevin. The Brothers of Mercy assigned Tom to a church in Saigon, Vietnam as a missionary. It was during the early years of the war. Witnessing the ravages of war in Vietnam Tom decided to leave the Brothers of Mercy and join the Navy as a hospital corpsman (medic). He served three tours of duty beginning in 1966. He flew 221 combat missions with Marines and treated their wounds on the front lines of battle. Eagles was wounded twice. While in Vietnam Tom also tended to Vietnamese civilians whose villages had come under attack. During the war he married Karin Tran, a Vietnamese native. They had two sons. On April 29, 1975 Eagles and his family were among the last Americans to be evacuated from the war-torn country. They were airlifted off the roof of the U.S. Embassy. After the war, Tom managed to bring eighteen of Karin’s nineteen family members to the United States. He served in the Navy until 1993 and developed emergency medical equipment still carried in Marine Corps first aid kits. Tom Eagles passed away in 2016 at the age of 71. His family says he had suffered from exposure to the deadly herbicide Agent Orange, used by the United States to clear jungle areas where the enemy in Vietnam was hidden. At the time of his death he was the most decorated enlisted man in the Navy. He medals include The Legion of Merit, a lifetime career award for distinguished service. One retired Marine said of “Doc” Eagles, “We have lost a true American hero...God now has one of the best care givers in the world. A true Lifesaver then and Caregiver always.” The Navy has an award in Eagle’s name given to a corpsman who distinguishes himself in combat. Eagles was once quoted as saying, “I don’t really know how many Marines and sailors I helped save. I do remember everyone one I lost.”
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy
World War, 1939-1945--Regimental histories--United States.
Fifty years after the Allied amphibious invasion of Normandy during World War II, Western New York veterans of D-Day reflect on their roles and experiences as they descended on the northern coast of France. The seven-part series was presented on WIVB-TV as a tribute to all who took part in the invasion, which claimed 16,293 American lives. D-Day, led by U.S., British and Canadian forces on five beachheads, helped liberate Northern France from the Nazis and enabled the allies to launch their drive into Germany.
Smith, Doug (Producer, Writer, Host)
WIVB (Television Station: Buffalo, N.Y.)
Panama—History—American Invasion, 1989
Drug control -- Latin America.
Drug control -- United States.
Military assistance, American.
In 1992 crews from the 914 Tactical Airlift Group out of Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station were deployed to Panama for a multipurpose mission. The C-130 cargo crews took Part in a drug interdiction operation, as well as providing aid to an orphanage and helping to build a school. The mission took place about three years after U.S. forces invaded Panama, removing dictator Manuel Noriega from power. Some members of the 914th had participated in the invasion, called Operation Just Cause. Noriega was brought to the U.S. where he was tried and convicted of drug trafficking, racketeering, and money laundering. WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and photographer Paul Woodson accompanied the 914th on the mission and produced a four part series for the station.
Woodson, Paul (Photographer, editor)
Nolf, Neil (Niagara Falls Airbase Public Affairs Officer)
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
Solidarity (Polish labor organization)
Labor unions--Poland
Poland--History
It was 1985, the height of Solidarity's struggle for freedom and democracy in Poland. A popular priest had been assassinated. The Communist regime was tightening its grip on dissidents. Against this backdrop of strife, a delegation from Buffalo, New York, journeyed into the heart of the struggle, meeting first with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa, then with Pope John Paul II in Italy. "Hearts and Minds Together" is a series of vignettes documenting this historic odyssey, further strengthening ties between the people of Poland and Western New York. The documentary shows the triumph of the human spirit over adversity and oppression. The pontiff, at a quiet moment in his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, told program host Rich Newberg: "Without Solidarity, there can be no peace."
Yearke, Don (Photographer, Editor)
Battilana, Tony (Director)
Case, Hal (Technical Crew)
Clemons, Michael (Technical Crew)
Elkan, Mike (Technical Crew)
Foster, Joseph D. (Technical Crew)
Kocic, Mike (Technical Crew)
Rusk, Brian (Trip Organizer)
Solecki, Richard (Trip Organizer)
The People's Pope : Life and Times of Pope John Paul II
John Paul II, Pope, 1920-2005
Popes--Biography
Catholic Church--History
Polish Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo
Documentary on Pope John Paul II's historic 1999 visit to his homeland, Poland. It includes biographical video about the pope's life, his influence on the Catholic Church, and the impact of his papacy on the people of Poland and the many Polish-Americans in Western New York. A special segment focuses on the Pope's relationship with Ann Odre, the Buffalo woman who took a bullet along with John Paul II during a 1981 assassination attempt. Host Rich Newberg also interviews the former president of Poland, Lech Walesa, who he had met fourteen years earlier, during Solidarity's struggle to be free of communism in Poland. Two Buffalo physicians, Dr. Jeffrey Meilman and Dr. Amar Atwal, are also featured, donating their services on their mission of mercy in Poland.
Van Horn, Mike (Graphic Artist)
Mombrea, John (Digital Editor)
Baxter, Tim (Digital Editor, Post-production Editor)
Giovenco, Joe (Director)
Clemens, Michael (Technical Director)
Benzel, Gary (Audio Engineer)
Brown, Dave (Chyron Operator)
Foster, Joseph D. (Videotape Operator)
Masse, Dave (Master Control Operator)
Goldschlag, Dave (Contributing Photographer)
Ayers, Don (Louth System Operator)
Live reports from St. Peter's Square during the funeral of Pope John Paul II, who died on April 2, 2005. WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg and Chief Photographer Mike Mombrea Jr. find Western New York pilgrims among the millions of mourners who flocked to Vatican City to say goodbye to a pope who would later become a saint in the Catholic Church. Interviews also feature Sr. Mary Raymond Kasprzak, a Buffalo native who is head of all 2,200 Felician sisters in the world, as well as New York Governor George Pataki. Newberg and Mombrea devote a report to the deep ties between the late pope and Western New Yorkers, including Ann Odre, who was wounded by the same bullet that struck the pope during an assassination attempt on May 13, 1981. The final report in this series jumps ahead to Buffalo's reaction following the April 27, 2014 declaration by Pope Francis, making John Paul II a saint.
Communism--Cuba--History
Cuba--Economic conditions
Cuba--Social conditions
Thirty-five years after the Cuban Revolution, the island nation fell on exceptionally hard times. The collapse of the Soviet Union, combined with the strength of the U.S. Trade Embargo led to scarcities of food, medicine and other necessities of life. In 1993 two surgeons from Buffalo, New York were invited by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health to exchange medical information with their counterparts in Havana. During his coverage of this medical mission, WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and photographer Don Yearke, provide a rare glimpse into a Cuban society struggling to survive and hungry for news from the outside world.
Communism--China--History
China--Economic conditions
China--Social conditions
China--Social life and customs
In 1983, a little more than a decade after President Richard Nixon visited the People's Republic of China, a Buffalo TV news team accompanied a cancer researcher to the Mainland. Dr. Thomas Dougherty, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, had developed a new treatment using laser beams and a special drug, designed to shrink non-bulky tumors. The Chinese had adopted the technique. During the journey, WIVB-TV reporter Rich Newberg and photographer Mike Mombrea Jr. were able to capture a unique inside view of Communist China, as its doors began opening wider to Western travelers, scientists, and companies.
On a Beam of Hope : Journey Through China With a Buffalo Pioneer in Cancer Research
Dougherty, Thomas J. (Thomas John), 1933-2018
Cancer--Research--United States
Cancer--Treatment--United States
Cancer--Research--China
Cancer--Treatment--China
In September 1983, Buffalo pioneer cancer researcher Dr. Thomas Dougherty traveled to the People's Republic of China and Japan to share his discoveries and new treatment techniques. Photodynamic Therapy, now practiced throughout the world, uses laser beams and a special drug to shrink non-bulky tumors. Communist China had launched a campaign battling esophageal cancer, which had reached near epidemic proportions in certain provinces. "On a beam of hope" documents Dr. Dougherty's historic journey as China was rebounding from its brutal Cultural Revolution.
Vandivort, Dave (Director)
Christian, Roger (Music Coordinator)
Cunningham, Mike (Video Production Editor)
Root, Kim (Video Production Editor)
Binis, Mike (Audio Engineer)
Case, Hal (Technical Staff)
Elkan, Mike (Technical Staff)
Novelli, John (Technical Staff)
Pels, Gordon (Technical Staff)
Rozek, Dan (Technical Staff)
Walkowski, Brian (Technical Staff)
Schneider, Lawrence (Historical Consultant)
Nersinger, Janice (Historical Consultant)
Bergman, Randy (CBS News Researcher)
Buffalo's Immigrants : the American Dream
Buffalo (N.Y.)--Emigration and immigration
Immigrants--New York (State)--Buffalo--History
Ellis Island Immigration Station (N.Y. and N.J.) -- History.
A 5-part series hosted by Rich Newberg that traces the lives of European immigrants who passed through Ellis Island in the early 1900s, settling in Buffalo. Common themes of sacrifice and love of country are reflected by local family members of Polish, German, Irish, Italian, and Jewish descent.
Mombrea, Mike Sr. (Photographer, Editor)
Loss of Innocence : the Oklahoma City Bombing and the Execution of Timothy McVeigh
McVeigh, Timothy
Terrorists--United States--Biography
Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing, Oklahoma City, Okla., 1995.
At one time he was our neighbor, raised in rural Niagara County and trusted as a baby-sitter for the children next door. Timothy McVeigh would grow up to become America's most notorious terrorist, taking 168 lives when he bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. This is his life story, including an exclusive interview with his father, Bill McVeigh, shortly before Timothy was executed for his crimes. Hosted by WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg.
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Contributing Photographer)
Carroll, John (Contributing Photographer)
Baxter, Tim (On-line Editor)
Giovenco, Joseph (Director)
Clemons, Michael (Technical Director)
Foster, Joseph D. (Tape Operator)
Brown, David (Font Operator)
Griswold, Jason (Master Control Operator)
September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001.
Victims of terrorism -- United States.
“One Survivor’s Story” Five months after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in Lower Manhattan, Western New Yorkers were still lending support at Ground Zero. One of the environmental cleanup experts, Steve Sherman, had found a wallet in the debris containing the Buffalo driver’s license of Sheri Leach. She had been on the 78th floor of Tower One when one of the wings of the plane that had penetrated the building made contact with her floor. Sheri’s survival and her meeting with Steve Sherman is the basis of the first story in this collection of reports by Rich Newberg. “Western New Yorkers Lend a Hand” In February 2001, bodies were still being recovered from under the debris at Ground Zero. Buffalo Salvation Army workers Barbara Janicki and Maj. June Carlson were among those giving help and encouragement to responders still on the scene. Ron Papa of Buffalo helped assess damages to the Century 21 department store on the site. He recalls barely making his way through the cement dust following the September attack. “Governor Pataki at Ground Zero” In his final report in this series, Rich Newberg meets with New York Governor George Pataki at Ground Zero. The Governor was in Manhattan on 9/11 and shares his feelings after New York City firefighters brought him to the scene of mass destruction.