Printers at the Protest

Printers at the Protest

A steady camera films the respective interviewees looking at the interviewer giving the answers.

Interview with Brian Brizendine and Janie Golightly regarding involvement in the DPN

Zilvinas Paludnevicius

Schuchman Center

2023

American Sign Language

A video featuring ASL interviews with Brian Brizendine, an older white man seated in the Schuchman Deaf Documentary Center, and Janie Golightly, a white older woman seated in a darkened studio. The video begins with a still black and white image of the protesters in front of the Mayflower Hotel with the text "Printers at the Protest."

Brian Brizendine: I remember the first day, it was a Sunday. The announcement was made that the DPN, the president had been appointed. That was by Spilman. I was at work, at The Washington Post. On a Sunday, afternoon- no, evening. We were all there waiting for the announcement to come out. Until the group marched from Gallaudet, they marched past The Washington Post, and one or two of them came rushing in and told us, “Come on! Join us!” I think it was at the Mayflower Hotel? If I remember correctly? Anyway, it was right around the corner from The Washington Post. So, we saw that and around the room, everyone took the time off and joined them. And I was one of them! I joined in the protest.
Yeah, they came in. I forget who it was. One worker, yes. Yes, his name was Chuck Buemi. I remember he, came in- no, he wasn’t working that day- he was off on Saturday and Sundays, but he came in, explained what was going on and told us to come. The supervisor was angry, but we all went. We went down and over to the Mayflower and joined the protest. They were there - I saw Spilman come out, and the others. Wow. I’ll never forget that night. Wow. And it went on all week.

Janie Golightly: Remember, we didn’t have technology back then, no phones to text. Instead we used TTYs. So one deaf person, Chuck Buemi, he was a printer too, he let us know that there was going to be a march from Gallaudet to the Mayflower Hotel. The Mayflower Hotel was right behind The Washington Post. Oh wait, that’s wrong, it was two blocks behind The Post. The Russian Embassy was on the left, and the hotel was to the right. Anyway, it was close to The Post. He said, “come on, please join.” So I talked it over with Tim and Mike. I asked the foreman, his name was Paul Poteat, What if we went during our lunch break?I think it was ten to ten-thirty, so half an hour, 30 minutes. But, keep in mind, this was on a Sunday. So I asked Paul, the foreman, if we could go on our lunch break and he said sure. Ray Harris volunteered his car, he was another printer. So all of us Deaf got in his car and we drove through the alley. The Washington Post was on 15th St and L St, we didn’t go around on the main road, we went back through alley to alley. We passed through the two blocks, and got to the Mayflower. There were people all around. Not at the front, but at the back of the hotel. We joined them. One woman, Spilman, came up in front. She’d borrowed a bellboy’s jacket and it went down to her knees. Remember this was in early March, so it was cold. I saw Phil Bravin behind her. He said nothing, he was powerless. He stood there as the students asked “Why? Why is the President another hearing person, not Deaf? It’s not fair.” They were all throwing out their questions. We realized our time ran out, and we had to get back to work. When we got back we were a little late, we told Paul, but he understood after we explained what had happened. That night, it was printed on the front page. That night, that moment - it was printed.

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