Actor Tim Reid talks about blacks in military film

The Associated Press

Actor, director and producer Tim Reid says his frustration with the lack of black people in the movie "Saving Private Ryan" led him to do a documentary on black veterans.

"I did not see one black face," Reid told an audience Wednesday at Fayetteville State University. "I thought, 'Something is wrong here.' I decided to do something about it."

The first 15 minutes of the film, "Blacks in the Military," were previewed before Reid spoke. That part of the film highlighted the "Red Ball Express," a steady stream of mostly black-driven supply trucks that were the lifeblood to Gen. George Patton's troops in France following the invasion of Normandy.

Reid pointed out that every soldier he interviewed for that segment has since died, highlighting the importance of recording such stories.

Reid is best known for his role as Venus Flytrap on "WKRP in Cincinnati," which aired on CBS from from 1978 to 1982. He said the legacy of their forefathers is something black youth won't find in hip-hop.

"I don't fear much, but one thing I do fear is the loss of culture," he said. "We need to know these stories. We need to pass them on. That is my quest. That is my mission."

Reid encouraged those in the audience to tell their stories and seek out the stories of others. He also warned of the portrayal the black community has in many media, including those outlets run by blacks themselves.

Music and movies, Reid said, attack the integrity of young black women "more than the Klan ever did."

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Information from: The Fayetteville Observer, http://www.fayobserver.com">http://www.fayobserver.com