Minneapolis TV station unearths footage of 11-year old Prince supporting a teacher's strike in 1970 because 'they be working extra hours for us'

Advertisement
Minneapolis TV station unearths footage of 11-year old Prince supporting a teacher's strike in 1970 because 'they be working extra hours for us'
Prince performing at the Ritz in New York City in March 1981 on his "Dirty Mind" tour.Gary Gershoff/Getty Images
  • A 52-year-old previously unseen video has emerged showing Prince at a teachers' strike in 1970.
  • A Minneapolis outlet found the video while reporting on ongoing teacher strikes in the same district.
Advertisement

Minneapolis CBS affiliate WCCO unearthed footage on Monday showing the late musical icon Prince at 11 years old, supporting a teacher's strike in his hometown in 1970.

According to the report, as the news station covered a teacher's strike in the same district in March, producers sought archival footage to add historical context to their report. WCCO Production Manager Matt Liddy reviewed 13 minutes of footage from a 1970 teacher's strike once it had been restored, and found a goldmine.

In the footage, a young boy, bundled up in a coat and hat with a toothy smile is approached by the interviewer who asks why he was out supporting the teachers.

"I think they should get a better education, too, cause, um, and I think they should get some more money cause they work, they be working extra hours for us and all that stuff," the boy said.

Once WCCO verified the footage and the audio, it turned out that the young boy was Minneapolis funk legend Prince.

Advertisement

The outlet consulted with childhood friends, reviewed school records and yearbook photos and through a local historian, was able to verify that the boy in the 52-year-old footage was Prince Rogers Nelson, who classmates called "Skipper," according to the report.

{{}}