Directed by

Fraser, Harry L., American, 1889 - 1974

Written by

Hoerl, Arthur, American, 1891 - 1968

Subject of

Louis, Joe, American, 1914 - 1981

Harris, Edna Mae, American, 1910 - 1997

Moreland, Mantan, American, 1902 - 1973

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 65 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1300 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1100 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States, North and Central America

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1938

Caption

"Spirit of You" is a dramatic film based on the life of American heavyweight boxer Joe Louis. The lead character, Joe Thomas, is played by Joe Louis himself.

Description

2015.167.19.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

Jefferson Thomas, a black foundry worker, is seriously injured when a heavy castor falls on his legs. No longer able to support his family, Jefferson's young son, Joe, decides to leave school and take a job. Many years later, Joe, now grown, gives his family all his savings and leaves Birmingham to make something of himself. Joe hitchhikes to Detroit, where he gets a job as a dishwasher and meets Creighton "Crickie" Fitzgibbons. When Crickie and Joe lose their jobs, they find work at a storage and shipping company, but are soon fired from the job when a foreman hits Crickie and Joe knocks him out with one punch. Impressed with his fighting abilities, Crickie encourages Joe to enter the Golden Gloves boxing tournament, and he is soon billed in the newspapers as the 'Dark Destroyer'. After winning the finals, manager Frankie Walburn offers to handle him as a professional. Joe accepts after consulting with his mother Nora, who now lives in the city, and who tells him to be honest and fair. As Joe wins bouts, Flora Bailey, a nightclub singer at the Bluebird Cafe´, who is in cahoots with gambler Duke Emblin, takes an interest in him. Their involvement worries Frankie, whose concern that he is ignoring his training antagonizes Joe. When Mary and Joe's sister Eleanor, visit Flora, they implore her to help get Joe back on track, but because Duke is now betting against Joe, Flora encourages his nightlife and drinking. Joe is knocked out in a match, and as he prepares for the heavyweight championship bout against Jack Stanley, he confesses to Flora that he loves Mary. When Flora sees that he does not have his heart in the fight, she brings Mary, now a schoolteacher, to the ring, and her presence spurs Joe to defeat Stanley in a knockout. Afterwards, he and Mary are guests of honor at a banquet at which Flora sings"

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 12, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=2226)

Consists of: 16mm Flim (a).

Topic

African American

Boxing

Families

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.19.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Written by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Subject of

Green, Cora, American

Produced by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 65 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1100 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1400 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place depicted

Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Date

1938

Caption

Preparing for the premiere of his Broadway show, an aspiring producer experiences a number of setbacks due to his leading star.

Description

2015.167.20.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

As Amanda "Mandy" Jenkins wakes up to go to work as a cook for the white Hewitt family in Birmingham, Alabama, her husband Cornell returns home from a night of gambling. When Ethel and Liza, Mandy's friends, learn that Cornell is having an affair with Eloise Jackson, the wife of Lem, they agree that wives should stick together when men two-time them. Cornell takes Mandy's money to pay for his entertainment and diverts suspicion by telling his wife that he is an automobile salesman. Liza, however, reveals the truth about Cornell when she informs Mandy that her husband is being driven around in Eloise's car. Mandy goes to a nightclub looking for her husband, and when she finds him dancing with Eloise, a fight ensues. Months later, Eloise is living in Harlem, where she is singing under the assumed name Cora Smith. Although Eloise works for producer Ted Gregory, she pushes him around and intimidates him. When Lena Powell, Gregory's secretary, suggests to her boss that her old friend, Mandy, be hired as the wardrobe mistress, he consents to it. After punching Eloise when she is drunk, Lem delves into New York's underworld, where he soon learns that he can go on relief and be paid for not working. Three days before the show's opening, Eloise becomes intoxicated and breaks her leg, and Gregory replaces her with Mandy. Mandy, who has seen Cornell penniless, has a change of heart and takes her husband back. As Cornell soaks Mandy's tired feet, he realizes that he must stray no more. When the show finally opens, it's a huge success.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 12, 2016.

Topic

African American

American South

Musicians

Nightlife

Race films

Violence

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.20.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Montgomery Improvement Association, American, founded 1955

Printed by

Unidentified

Subject of

King, Coretta Scott, American, 1927 - 2006

Dr. Simpson, Ralph Ricardo, American, born 1933

Holt Street Baptist Church, American, founded 1909

Medium

ink on paper with pressure-sensitive tape

Dimensions

H x W: 14 × 11 in. (35.5 × 27.9 cm)

Type

posters

Place used

Montgomery, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Date

October 6, 1958

Description

A poster advertising a concert for Mrs. Coretta Scott King on October 6, 1958. A black-and-white image of Scott King is featured near the top edge of the poster. She is depicted in bust pose, in three-quarters profile looking towards the left edge of the image. She is wearing sleeveless dark dress with a light colored, ruffled neckline. Above the image is black text that reads, [APPEARING IN CONCERT]. Below the image is more black text that reads, [MRS. CORETTA SCOTT KING / National Famous Soprano / MR. RALPH SIMPSON, Accompanist / Monday, October 6, 1958 – 800 p.m. / Holt Street Baptist Church / Sponsored by The / MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION / Gen. Adm. $1.00]. There are inscriptions in pencil and black ink on the back of the poster as well as a purple sticky note secured with clear tape.

Topic

African American

American South

Civil rights

Classical (Music)

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2016.90.5.1

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera-Political and Activist Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, American, founded 1877

Subject of

King, Coretta Scott, American, 1927 - 2006

Scott, Minnie Kimbrough, American, died 2012

Dr. King, Martin Luther Jr., American, 1929 - 1968

Medium

ink on paper with metal and graphite

Dimensions

H x W: 9 × 6 × 1/16 in. (22.9 × 15.3 × 0.1 cm)

Type

souvenir programs

Place used

Montgomery, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Date

September 30, 1956

Description

A program for a recital for Mrs. Coretta Scott King on September 30, 1956. A black-and-white image of Scott King is centrally featured. She is depicted in bust pose, in three-quarters profile looking towards the left edge of the image. She is wearing sleeveless dark dress with a light colored, ruffled neckline. Above the image is black text that reads, [THE USHER BOARDS / AND THE / YOUNG MATRONS COUNCIL / OF / DEXTER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH / PRESENT]. Below the image is additional black text that reads [CORETTA SCOTT KING / SOPRANO / In Recital / MINNIE KIMBROUGH SCOTT / ACCOMPANIST / MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA / Sunday, September 30, 1956 – 5:30 P.M. / Rev. M. L. King, Jr. ………………….Pastor / Mr. L. W. Smiley ………………….Chairman / Mrs. Norman Walton ………………….Co-Chairman / Mr. R. D. Nesbitt ………………….Advisor]. The program has eight (8) interior pages, a front cover, a back cover, and handwritten notes on some of the interior pages. There is a purple sticky note affixed to the back of the booklet.

Topic

African American

American South

Amusements

Classical (Music)

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Religion

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2016.90.5.2

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Hit Line USA

Owned by

Bob Minor, American, born 1944

Commissioned by

Alabama Film Office

Medium

metal

Dimensions

H x W x D: 2 1/8 × 3 5/16 × 3/4 in. (5.4 × 8.4 × 1.9 cm)

Type

buckles (strap accessories)

Place used

Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Date

1978-1979

Description

A silver belt buckle, rectangular with rounded edges. Decorated like a strip of film (squares along top and bottom like edges of film), with [ALABAMA / FILM COMMISSION / NORMA RAE] in relief in the center. The back is the loop and hook style buckle, silver. Etched into the top back reads [107], and a logo for Hit Line U.S.A. at the bottom, also etched. Handwritten with black ink on reverse reads [BOB MINOR].

Topic

African American

Actors

Clothing and dress

Film

Hollywood (Film)

Labor

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Bob Minor, Stuntman, Stunt Coordinator, 2nd Unit Director, Actor

Object number

2014.303.4

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Clothing-Costume

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture