Directed by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Produced by

Greaves, William, American, 1926 - 2014

National Educational Television, American, 1954 - 1970

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Subject of

Bennett, L. Howard

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film): 1,800 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

H? Chí Minh, Thành Ph?, H? Chí Minh, Viet Nam, Asia

Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Asia

Arlington County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place made

5708 Arundel Ave., Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

The Black G.I. is a two-part documentary episode of the television series Black Journal. It focuses on the experiences of African-American soldiers in the Vietnam War. This film features frank and open discussions from soldiers, ranked officers, and politicians about the racism that defined the different experiences black soldiers had in this war.

Description

This preservation 16mm color film is an hour-long documentary segment of Episode No. 22 of the NET (National Educational Television) television program, Black Journal; a weekly public television newsmagazine in the late 1960s/early 1970s that examined the many issues pertinent to the black American experience at the time. It was originally broadcast on March 30, 1970, and is believed to have been filmed over the course of 1969. Episode No. 22 of Black Journal was directed by Stan Lathan, while the "Black G.I." segment was directed by Kent Garrett. Executive Produced by William Greaves.

Contains: 16mm Film (a), Original 1,600 foot Film Reel (b), and Original 1,600 foot Film Canister (c).

2012.79.1.51.1a: 16mm film. This film opens with a narration over images of African American men in the history of the US military. The first moving image section shows African American men fighting during World War II. The narrator discusses the irony of African American men fighting for freedom in Europe while not enjoying the same freedoms in the US. There are multiple shots of the Tuskegee Airmen. Eleanor Roosevelt pins (unknown) medal on African American soldier. Next, newsreel footage of Joe Louis arriving at an airbase and greeting black troops. The narrator then talks about the desegregation of the US military during the Korean War and points out the lack of black soldiers in leadership positions. Color footage marks the transition of the narration to coverage of the Vietnam War. Two African American soldiers in civilian clothing with soul power patches can be seen dapping. Series of brief excerpts from interviews of black soldiers play, each stating their position on being black and in the military during the Vietnam War. The narrator reveals the disproportionate percentage of black men who are killed in action versus their white counterparts. There are multiple shots of combat and post-combat footage in Vietnamese rice fields and footage of riverside villages. Two sailors patrol a river and discuss their experience in Vietnam thus far and what they'll do when they get home. They discuss their mission and how to be black while being in the military. A girl group performs at the USO in Saigon. Tanks and amored personnel carriers patrol suspected enemy locations along border with North Vietnam. Sailors on a patrol boat open fire at the river bank and a confederate flag can be seen flying from a flag pole on board. Black sailors discuss cultural challenges of being in the Navy and the lack entertainment geared towards black musical tastes of the time. One sailor talks about being disciplined for getting into an altercation after a white sailor ripped his tape player from the wall for playing soul music. The narrator reveals that an all white court martial found the sailor, Bobby Jenkins, guilty of assault, demoted him and docked his pay. A sailor relays that he and other African Americans met with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for civil rights to discuss their poor treatment and were promised changes by the Assistant Secretary. The sailors talk about how some local Vietnamese have adopted some of the negative perceptions of African Americans, which some black sailors believe they learned from some white members of the military. The sailors discuss how their hands are tied when it comes to standing up for their rights as sailors on a patrol boat dap and salute the camera with black/soul power fists. Air Force fighter pilot, John Bordeaux, discusses his personal experience of not facing the same discrimination expressed by other African American military personnel. Two black career Army officers, Davis and Rogers, discuss the systematic discrimination they've faced; in particular, they recall incidents of being passed over for promotions despite strong credentials. Brigadier General Frederick E. Davison, the first African American combat general, rejects the assertion that an African American who succeeds in the military is an Uncle Tom and discusses the many actions that the Army has taken to ensure equal treatment and opportunities. A cover of "Sittin' on a Dock in the Bay" plays over a montage of black soldiers in the field. A group of black Marines in a mess hall at Camp Hansen, Okinawa discuss the unfair treatment they've experienced, such as being forced to wear a collared shirt with their dashikis and not being allowed to wear their hair in an afro. One marine relates an incident in which they were violently confronted after returning from a USO show that primarily featured soul music. There is a series of shots of shops in Koza "Four Corners", Okinawa geared towards African American soldiers. Another group of soldiers discuss their dissatisfaction with being drafted to fight in Vietnam despite social and economic discrimination at home, and being harassed and targeted as being "troublesome" if they decide to attend country music night at local clubs. L. Howard Bennett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, discusses how black soldiers complaining about the lack of soul music are expressing grievances beyond simply entertainment selection and dissatisfaction with communcation in the chain of command. He also states his opinion that black soldiers fighting for the US puts them in a better position to demand equal rights at home.

2012.79.1.51.1b: Original 1,600 foot film reel.

2012.79.1.51.1c: Original 1,600 foot film canister. The metal film canister has two sticker labels; each from a different film services company.

Topic

African American

Film

Gesture

Mass media

Military

Race discrimination

Race relations

Television

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.51.2ab

Restrictions & Rights

© National Educational Television

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Produced by

Greaves, William, American, 1926 - 2014

National Educational Television, American, 1954 - 1970

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Subject of

Bennett, L. Howard

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film): 1,800 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

H? Chí Minh, Thành Ph?, H? Chí Minh, Viet Nam, Asia

Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Asia

Arlington County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place made

5708 Arundel Ave., Rockville, Montgomery County, Marlyland, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

The Black G.I. is a two-part documentary episode of the television series Black Journal. It focuses on the experiences of African-American soldiers in the Vietnam War. This film features frank and open discussions from soldiers, ranked officers, and politicians about the racism that defined the different experiences black soldiers had in this war.

Description

This preservation 16mm color film is an hour-long documentary segment of Episode No. 22 of the NET (National Educational Television) television program, Black Journal; a weekly public television newsmagazine in the late 1960s/early 1970s that examined the many issues pertinent to the black American experience at the time. It was originally broadcast on March 30, 1970, and is believed to have been filmed over the course of 1969. Episode No. 22 of Black Journal was directed by Stan Lathan, while the "Black G.I." segment was directed by Kent Garrett. Executive Produced by William Greaves.

Contains: 16mm Film (a), Original 1,600 foot Film Reel (b), and Original 1,600 foot Film Canister (c).

2012.79.1.51.1a: 16mm film. This film opens with a narration over images of African American men in the history of the US military. The first moving image section shows African American men fighting during World War II. The narrator discusses the irony of African American men fighting for freedom in Europe while not enjoying the same freedoms in the US. There are multiple shots of the Tuskegee Airmen. Eleanor Roosevelt pins (unknown) medal on African American soldier. Next, newsreel footage of Joe Louis arriving at an airbase and greeting black troops. The narrator then talks about the desegregation of the US military during the Korean War and points out the lack of black soldiers in leadership positions. Color footage marks the transition of the narration to coverage of the Vietnam War. Two African American soldiers in civilian clothing with soul power patches can be seen dapping. Series of brief excerpts from interviews of black soldiers play, each stating their position on being black and in the military during the Vietnam War. The narrator reveals the disproportionate percentage of black men who are killed in action versus their white counterparts. There are multiple shots of combat and post-combat footage in Vietnamese rice fields and footage of riverside villages. Two sailors patrol a river and discuss their experience in Vietnam thus far and what they'll do when they get home. They discuss their mission and how to be black while being in the military. A girl group performs at the USO in Saigon. Tanks and amored personnel carriers patrol suspected enemy locations along border with North Vietnam. Sailors on a patrol boat open fire at the river bank and a confederate flag can be seen flying from a flag pole on board. Black sailors discuss cultural challenges of being in the Navy and the lack entertainment geared towards black musical tastes of the time. One sailor talks about being disciplined for getting into an altercation after a white sailor ripped his tape player from the wall for playing soul music. The narrator reveals that an all white court martial found the sailor, Bobby Jenkins, guilty of assault, demoted him and docked his pay. A sailor relays that he and other African Americans met with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for civil rights to discuss their poor treatment and were promised changes by the Assistant Secretary. The sailors talk about how some local Vietnamese have adopted some of the negative perceptions of African Americans, which some black sailors believe they learned from some white members of the military. The sailors discuss how their hands are tied when it comes to standing up for their rights as sailors on a patrol boat dap and salute the camera with black/soul power fists. Air Force fighter pilot, John Bordeaux, discusses his personal experience of not facing the same discrimination expressed by other African American military personnel. Two black career Army officers, Davis and Rogers, discuss the systematic discrimination they've faced; in particular, they recall incidents of being passed over for promotions despite strong credentials. Brigadier General Frederick E. Davison, the first African American combat general, rejects the assertion that an African American who succeeds in the military is an Uncle Tom and discusses the many actions that the Army has taken to ensure equal treatment and opportunities. A cover of "Sittin' on a Dock in the Bay" plays over a montage of black soldiers in the field. A group of black Marines in a mess hall at Camp Hansen, Okinawa discuss the unfair treatment they've experienced, such as being forced to wear a collared shirt with their dashikis and not being allowed to wear their hair in an afro. One marine relates an incident in which they were violently confronted after returning from a USO show that primarily featured soul music. There is a series of shots of shops in Koza "Four Corners", Okinawa geared towards African American soldiers. Another group of soldiers discuss their dissatisfaction with being drafted to fight in Vietnam despite social and economic discrimination at home, and being harassed and targeted as being "troublesome" if they decide to attend country music night at local clubs. L. Howard Bennett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, discusses how black soldiers complaining about the lack of soul music are expressing grievances beyond simply entertainment selection and dissatisfaction with communcation in the chain of command. He also states his opinion that black soldiers fighting for the US puts them in a better position to demand equal rights at home.

2012.79.1.51.1b: Original 1,600 foot film reel.

2012.79.1.51.1c: Original 1,600 foot film canister. The metal film canister has two sticker labels; each from a different film services company.

Topic

African American

Film

Gesture

Mass media

Military

Race discrimination

Race relations

Television

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.51.3ab

Restrictions & Rights

© National Educational Television

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Produced by

Greaves, William, American, 1926 - 2014

National Educational Television, American, 1954 - 1970

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Subject of

Bennett, L. Howard

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film): 1,800 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

H? Chí Minh, Thành Ph?, H? Chí Minh, Viet Nam, Asia

Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Asia

Arlington County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place made

5708 Arundel Ave., Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

The Black G.I. is a two-part documentary episode of the television series Black Journal. It focuses on the experiences of African-American soldiers in the Vietnam War. This film features frank and open discussions from soldiers, ranked officers, and politicians about the racism that defined the different experiences black soldiers had in this war.

Description

This preservation 16mm color film is an hour-long documentary segment of Episode No. 22 of the NET (National Educational Television) television program, Black Journal; a weekly public television newsmagazine in the late 1960s/early 1970s that examined the many issues pertinent to the black American experience at the time. It was originally broadcast on March 30, 1970, and is believed to have been filmed over the course of 1969. Episode No. 22 of Black Journal was directed by Stan Lathan, while the "Black G.I." segment was directed by Kent Garrett. Executive Produced by William Greaves.

Contains: 16mm Film (a), Original 1,600 foot Film Reel (b), and Original 1,600 foot Film Canister (c).

2012.79.1.51.1a: 16mm film. This film opens with a narration over images of African American men in the history of the US military. The first moving image section shows African American men fighting during World War II. The narrator discusses the irony of African American men fighting for freedom in Europe while not enjoying the same freedoms in the US. There are multiple shots of the Tuskegee Airmen. Eleanor Roosevelt pins (unknown) medal on African American soldier. Next, newsreel footage of Joe Louis arriving at an airbase and greeting black troops. The narrator then talks about the desegregation of the US military during the Korean War and points out the lack of black soldiers in leadership positions. Color footage marks the transition of the narration to coverage of the Vietnam War. Two African American soldiers in civilian clothing with soul power patches can be seen dapping. Series of brief excerpts from interviews of black soldiers play, each stating their position on being black and in the military during the Vietnam War. The narrator reveals the disproportionate percentage of black men who are killed in action versus their white counterparts. There are multiple shots of combat and post-combat footage in Vietnamese rice fields and footage of riverside villages. Two sailors patrol a river and discuss their experience in Vietnam thus far and what they'll do when they get home. They discuss their mission and how to be black while being in the military. A girl group performs at the USO in Saigon. Tanks and amored personnel carriers patrol suspected enemy locations along border with North Vietnam. Sailors on a patrol boat open fire at the river bank and a confederate flag can be seen flying from a flag pole on board. Black sailors discuss cultural challenges of being in the Navy and the lack entertainment geared towards black musical tastes of the time. One sailor talks about being disciplined for getting into an altercation after a white sailor ripped his tape player from the wall for playing soul music. The narrator reveals that an all white court martial found the sailor, Bobby Jenkins, guilty of assault, demoted him and docked his pay. A sailor relays that he and other African Americans met with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for civil rights to discuss their poor treatment and were promised changes by the Assistant Secretary. The sailors talk about how some local Vietnamese have adopted some of the negative perceptions of African Americans, which some black sailors believe they learned from some white members of the military. The sailors discuss how their hands are tied when it comes to standing up for their rights as sailors on a patrol boat dap and salute the camera with black/soul power fists. Air Force fighter pilot, John Bordeaux, discusses his personal experience of not facing the same discrimination expressed by other African American military personnel. Two black career Army officers, Davis and Rogers, discuss the systematic discrimination they've faced; in particular, they recall incidents of being passed over for promotions despite strong credentials. Brigadier General Frederick E. Davison, the first African American combat general, rejects the assertion that an African American who succeeds in the military is an Uncle Tom and discusses the many actions that the Army has taken to ensure equal treatment and opportunities. A cover of "Sittin' on a Dock in the Bay" plays over a montage of black soldiers in the field. A group of black Marines in a mess hall at Camp Hansen, Okinawa discuss the unfair treatment they've experienced, such as being forced to wear a collared shirt with their dashikis and not being allowed to wear their hair in an afro. One marine relates an incident in which they were violently confronted after returning from a USO show that primarily featured soul music. There is a series of shots of shops in Koza "Four Corners", Okinawa geared towards African American soldiers. Another group of soldiers discuss their dissatisfaction with being drafted to fight in Vietnam despite social and economic discrimination at home, and being harassed and targeted as being "troublesome" if they decide to attend country music night at local clubs. L. Howard Bennett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, discusses how black soldiers complaining about the lack of soul music are expressing grievances beyond simply entertainment selection and dissatisfaction with communcation in the chain of command. He also states his opinion that black soldiers fighting for the US puts them in a better position to demand equal rights at home.

2012.79.1.51.1b: Original 1,600 foot film reel.

2012.79.1.51.1c: Original 1,600 foot film canister. The metal film canister has two sticker labels; each from a different film services company.

Topic

African American

Film

Gesture

Mass media

Military

Race discrimination

Race relations

Television

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.51.4ab

Restrictions & Rights

© National Educational Television

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Manufactured by

Case, Inc., American

Worn by

Whitney Houston, American, 1963 - 2012

Medium

aramid, metal zippers, and Velcro™, with rayon embroidered patches

Dimensions

H x W x D (On form): 62 1/4 × 20 1/2 × 12 1/2 in. (158.1 × 52.1 × 31.8 cm)

Inseam: 29 1/4 in. (74.3 cm)

Type

coveralls

Place used

U.S. Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1991

Description

A green military flight jump suit worn by Whitney Houston in 1991 during a pre-concert interview that aired on the television channel HBO. The sage green jump suit has a rounded collar, full-length sleeves and ankle-length legs, and is a genuine military flight suit code CWU-27/P. It is made from the synthetic fabric aramid.

The jump suit closes at the center front with a sage green zipper that reaches from the front crotch to the neck. The zipper pull tab is sage green aramid. Yellow text is machine-embroidered on the front of jumpsuit on either side of the center zipper, just above the diagonal chest pockets, with the insignia for U.S. Naval Aviators and the text [HOUSTON] on the proper left, and [NAS NORFOLK] on the proper right. A waistband of sage green aramid is covered in the back with an additional length of sage green aramid. The waistband attaches with Velcro™ at each front side of the waist for an adjustable fit. The jump suit arm cuffs have adjustable Velcro™ closures. The legs of the jump suit taper to the ankle, with a ten (10) inch concealed zipper on each front ankle. The back of the jump suit has two deep pleats, one at each back shoulder just inside the armhole seam.

The jumpsuit is adorned with seven (7) embroidered patches related to military service: one (1) on top of the left front side chest pocket; one (1) on top of the right front side chest pocket; three (3) on the right sleeve; and two (2) on the left sleeve. The patches are machine-sewn to the jump suit with dark green thread.

There are eight (8) pockets on the jump suit: one (1) inset pocket on the left front side chest and one (1) inset pocket on the right front side chest, both with concealed diagonal zipper closures and with patches that were sewn through to the interior of the jump suit, making these pockets inoperable; one (1) patch pocket on the proper left arm just above the elbow with a concealed zipper closure on the proper left side; one small (1) cargo pocket attached to the outside of the left arm patch pocket with a top flap Velcro™ closure; one (1) patch pocket on the front proper right knee with a concealed zipper top closure; one (1) patch pocket on the front proper left knee with a concealed zipper proper right side closure; one (1) cargo pocket on the exterior of the left leg above the ankle, and one (1) cargo pocket on the exterior of the right leg above the ankle, both with concealed zipper top closures. Also on the proper left knee is a knife pocket with a snap closure. A length of thin white cord with blue stripes is wound around the snap closure of the knife pocket.

The interior of the jump suit is not lined. A sage green aramid hanging loop is attached at the center back of the interior neck, above a manufacturer's label.

Topic

African American

Actors

Clothing and dress

Costume

Popular music

Singers (Musicians)

Women

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Estate of Whitney Houston

Object number

2014.161.2

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Clothing-Costume

Clothing-Historical

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Lawrence, William R., American, 1922 - 2014

Interviewed by

Cline, David P. Ph. D., American, born 1969

Subject of

Norfolk and Western Railway, American, 1838 - 1997

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 00:45:09

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Roanoke, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Norfolk, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

August 16, 2013

Description

The oral history consists of four digital files: 2011.174.101.1a, 2011.174.101.1b, 2011.174.101.1c, and 2011.174.101.1d.

William Lawrence describes his long career with the Norfolk and Western Railway in Roanoke, Virginia. Lawrence was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1922 but grew up in Roanoke and worked for the railroad most of his adult life. He discusses conditions of labor, race relations at the workplace, and his experience working as a foreman.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0101

Topic

African American

American South

Civil Rights

Labor

Race relations

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.101.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Dr. Hill, Oliver White Jr., American, born 1949

Interviewed by

Cline, David P. Ph. D., American, born 1969

Subject of

Hill, Oliver White Sr., American, 1907 - 2007

Howard University, American, founded 1867

Marshall, Thurgood, American, 1908 - 1993

Houston, Charles Hamilton, American, 1895 - 1950

NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., American, founded 1940

Virginia State University, American, founded 1882

Moses, Robert Parris, American, born 1935

Algebra Project, American, founded 1982

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 01:13:30

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Petersburg, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Roanoke, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

August 17, 2013

Description

The oral history consists of five digital files: 2011.174.102.1a, 2011.174.102.1b, 2011.174.102.1c, 2011.174.102.1d, and 2011.174.102.1e.

Oliver W. Hill, Jr., Ph.D. discusses his father, civil rights lawyer Oliver Hill. He explains his father's childhood and education in Roanoke, Virginia, how he ended up at Howard University in the 1920s, where he was in the same class as Justice Thurgood Marshall and studied law under Charles Hamilton Houston. In the 1930s Oliver Hill, Sr. reunited with both of them to work for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which was focused on challenging segregation laws. Hill, Jr. describes his own experience as a black student integrating a white school in Richmond, Virginia, attending Howard University, becoming a psychology professor at Virginia State University, and working with Bob Moses on the Algebra Project. He also discusses the education of African American children, school reform, and student testing.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0102

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

Associations and institutions

Children

Civil Rights

Education

Law

Political organizations

Segregation

Social reform

United States--History--1919-1933

United States--History--1969-2001

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.102.1a-e

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

George, Virginia Simms, American, born 1940

Interviewed by

Dr. Crosby, Emilye Ph. D., American

Subject of

Virginia Union University, American, founded 1865

Thalhimers, American, founded 1842

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 01:13:12

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Northborough, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Newport News, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

August 24, 2013

Description

The oral history consists of six digital files: 2011.174.105.1a, 2011.174.105.1b, 2011.174.105.1c, 2011.174.105.1d, 2011.174.105.1e, and 2011.174.105.1f.

Virginia Simms George remembers growing up in segregated Newport News, Virginia, attending Virginia Union University, and her desire to become a lawyer. She recalls participating in a protest at Thalhimers department store in Richmond, Virginia. She discusses her work as a teacher, counselor, and volunteering for many organizations. She also discusses the commemoration of the protests in Richmond, and her thoughts on racism and other civil rights issues today.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0105

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

Civil Rights

Education

Law

Segregation

Social reform

United States--History--1953-1961

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.105.1a-f

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Rev. Dr. Walker, Wyatt Tee, American, born 1929

Walker, Theresa Ann E., American

Interviewed by

Cline, David P. Ph. D., American, born 1969

Subject of

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

Southern Christian Leadership Conference, American, founded 1957

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 01:42:12

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

July 9, 2014

Description

The oral history consists of eight digital files: 2011.174.109.1a, 2011.174.109.1b, 2011.174.109.1c, 2011.174.109.1d, 2011.174.109.1e, 2011.174.109.1f, 2011.174.109.1g, and 2011.174.109.1h.

The Reverend Doctor Wyatt Tee Walker reflects on his involvement in the freedom movement, especially his work as Martin Luther King's chief of staff and as the Executive Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC) from 1960-1964. Towards the end of the interview, his wife, Theresa Ann Walker, joins him on camera to talk briefly about her experiences in the movement.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0109

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

Associations and institutions

Civil Rights

Families

Social reform

United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.109.1a-h

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Hopkins, Evans Derrell, American, born 1954

Interviewed by

Mosnier, Joseph Ph. D.

Subject of

Black Panther Party, American, 1966 - 1982

Seale, Bobby, American, born 1936

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 01:58:21

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Danville, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America

Oakland, Alameda County, California, United States, North and Central America

Date

July 7, 2011

Description

The oral history consists of nine digital files: 2011.174.29.1a, 2011.174.29.1b, 2011.174.29.1c, 2011.174.29.1d, 2011.174.29.1e, 2011.174.29.1f, 2011.174.29.1g, 2011.174.29.1h, and 2011.174.29.1i.

Evans Hopkins recalls growing up in Danville, Virginia, and participating in efforts to desegregate public schools and the library. He remembers joining the Black Panther Party in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Oakland, California, and working on Bobby Seale's campaign for Mayor of Oakland. He also discusses his imprisonment for car theft and the high rate of incarceration among African American men.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0029

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

American West

Black power

Civil Rights

Education

Political organizations

Politics (Practical)

Prisons

Segregation

Social reform

United States--History--1969-2001

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.29.1a-i

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

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National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Williams, Junius W. J.D., American, born 1943

Interviewed by

Mosnier, Joseph Ph. D.

Subject of

Amherst College, American, founded 1821

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, American, founded 1963

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, American, 1960 - 1970s

Long, Worth, American, born 1936

Newark Community Union Project, American, founded 1964

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 02:54:49

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Selma, Dallas County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Montgomery, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Date

July 20, 2011

Description

The oral history consists of nine digital files: 2011.174.37.1a, 2011.174.37.1b, 2011.174.37.1c, 2011.174.37.1d, 2011.174.37.1e, 2011.174.37.1f, 2011.174.37.1g, 2011.174.37.1h, and 2011.174.37.1i.

Junius Williams, J.D. recalls growing up in Richmond, Virginia, attending Amherst College, and joining the student group Students for Racial Equality. He remembers attending the March on Washington, organizing a civil rights conference at Mount Holyoke, and joining the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He also discusses traveling with other students to the Selma to Montgomery March, being arrested at the march with Worth Long, working as a community organizer with the Newark Community Union Project, and witnessing the riots in Newark, New Jersey, in 1967.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0037

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

Associations and institutions

Civil Rights

Education

Resistance

Social reform

United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.37.1a-i

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Bassett, Emmett W. Ph. D., American, 1921 - 2013

Tietjen Bassett, Priscilla, American, born 1928

Interviewed by

Mosnier, Joseph Ph. D.

Subject of

Smith College, American, founded 1871

Tuskegee Institute, American, founded 1881

Carver, George Washington, American, 1860s - 1943

Till, Emmett, American, 1941 - 1955

Till-Mobley, Mamie, American, 1921 - 2003

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, American, founded 1963

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 02:10:53

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Grahamsville, Sullivan County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Plainfield, Union County, New Jersey, United States, North and Central America

Henry County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

New York, United States, North and Central America

Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America

Date

July 21, 2011

Description

The oral history consists of ten digital files: 2011.174.38.1a, 2011.174.38.1b, 2011.174.38.1c, 2011.174.38.1d, 2011.174.38.1e, 2011.174.38.1f, 2011.174.38.1g, 2011.174.38.1h, 2011.174.38.1i, and 2011.174.38.1j.

Priscilla Tietjen Bassett recalls growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, and attending Smith College, and Emmett W. Bassett, Ph. D. remembers growing up in Henry County, Virginia, serving in World War II, and attending Tuskegee Institute, where he assisted George Washington Carver with research. They tell how they met at a protest of a segregated restaurant in Massachusetts, raising money for Emmett Till's mother, their involvement in many civil rights groups in New York, and attending the March on Washington. They also discuss Dr. Bassett’s career as a professor of dairy science, Mrs. Bassett's career as a librarian, and their struggles as an interracial married couple.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0038

Topic

African American

Activism

Agriculture

American South

Civil Rights

Domestic life

Education

Families

Labor

Race relations

Science

Segregation

Social reform

United States--History--1953-1961

World War II

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.38.1a-j

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Foreman Cotton, Dorothy, American, born 1930

Interviewed by

Mosnier, Joseph Ph. D.

Subject of

Shaw University, American, founded 1865

Virginia State University, American, founded 1882

Dr. Daniel, Robert Prentiss, American, 1902 - 1968

Cotton, George J., American

Gillfield Baptist Church, American, founded 1797

Rev. Dr. Walker, Wyatt Tee, American, born 1929

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

Southern Christian Leadership Conference, American, founded 1957

Highlander Folk School, American

Clark, Septima Poinsette, American, 1898 - 1987

Jenkins, Esau, American, 1910 - 1972

Citizenship Education Program, American, founded 1954

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 02:12:39

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

North Carolina, United States, North and Central America

Petersburg, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America

Date

July 25, 2011

Description

The oral history consists of eight digital files: 2011.174.40.1a, 2011.174.40.1b, 2011.174.40.1c, 2011.174.40.1d, 2011.174.40.1e, 2011.174.40.1f, 2011.174.40.1g, and 2011.174.40.1h.

Dorothy Foreman Cotton discusses growing up in rural North Carolina, attending Shaw University and Virginia State College, working as a housekeeper for the president of these colleges, Dr. Robert Prentiss Daniel, and meeting her husband, George Cotton. She discusses attending the Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg, Virginia, working with pastor Wyatt Tee Walker on organizing civil rights protests and meetings, and meeting Martin Luther King, Jr. She moved to Atlanta to assist Walker in his work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where she became Director of Education for the organization. At the Highlander Folk School, she met Septima Clark and Esau Jenkins and led the Citizenship Education Program. She also discusses the impact of King's assassination on the movement and the philosophy of nonviolence.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0040

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

Associations and institutions

Civil Rights

Education

Labor

Religion

Social reform

United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.40.1a-h

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Mulholland, Joan Trumpauer, American, born 1941

Interviewed by

Dittmer, John Ph. D., American, born 1939

Subject of

Duke University, American, founded 1838

Howard University Nonviolent Action Group, American, founded 1960s

Freedom Riders, American, founded 1961

Mississippi State Penitentiary, American, founded 1901

Tougaloo College, American, founded 1869

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 02:06:04

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Arlington, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

March 17, 2013

Description

The oral history consists of eight digital files: 2011.174.79.1a, 2011.174.79.1b, 2011.174.79.1c, 2011.174.79.1d, 2011.174.79.1e, 2011.174.79.1f, 2011.174.79.1g, and 2011.174.79.1h.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland shares how, as a child in Arlington, Virginia, her awareness of racial disparities grew. As a student at Duke University, she began participating in the sit-in movement. She soon moved to Washington, D.C. and joined the Nonviolent Action Group (NAG), which led her to participate in the Freedom Rides of 1961. She describes in detail serving time at Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman Farm) with other civil rights activists. Mulholland also discusses attending Tougaloo College and her involvement in the Jackson sit-in movement.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0079

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

Associations and institutions

Civil Rights

Education

Prisons

Race relations

Resistance

Social reform

United States--History--1961-1969

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.79.1a-h

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009

Interview of

Grinnell, Gloria Claudette, American, born 1939

Interviewed by

Cline, David P. Ph. D., American, born 1969

Subject of

Virginia Union University, American, founded 1865

Los Angeles Unified School Disctrict, American, founded 1961

Medium

digital

Dimensions

Duration: 01:06:45

Type

video recordings

oral histories

Place collected

Ojai, Ventura County, California, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

San Francisco, California, United States, North and Central America

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

Date

April 14, 2013

Description

The oral history consists of four digital files: 2011.174.83.1a, 2011.174.83.1b, 2011.174.83.1c, and 2011.174.83.1d.

Gloria Claudette Grinnell recounts her participation in the sit-in movement in Richmond, Virginia, when she was a student at Virginia Union University. She describes her family's history on the East Coast and explains how she and her mother ended up in San Francisco. She discusses her decision to move from California to attend Virginia Union. She describes the sit-in movement that she joined in 1960. She discusses returning to California and her career with the Los Angeles Unified School District.

LOC ID: afc2010039_crhp0083

Topic

African American

Activism

American South

American West

Civil Rights

Education

Social reform

United States--History--1953-1961

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Object number

2011.174.83.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Civil Rights History Project

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Directed by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Produced by

Greaves, William, American, 1926 - 2014

National Educational Television, American, 1954 - 1970

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Subject of

Bennett, L. Howard

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film): 1,800 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

H? Chí Minh, Thành Ph?, H? Chí Minh, Viet Nam, Asia

Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Asia

Arlington County, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1971

Caption

The Black G.I. is a two-part documentary episode of the television series Black Journal. It focuses on the experiences of African-American soldiers in the Vietnam War. This film features frank and open discussions from soldiers, ranked officers, and politicians about the racism that defined the different experiences black soldiers had in this war.

Description

This 16mm color film is an hour-long documentary segment of Episode No. 22 of the NET (National Educational Television) television program, Black Journal; a weekly public television newsmagazine in the late 1960s/early 1970s that examined the many issues pertinent to the black American experience at the time. It was originally broadcast on March 30, 1970, and is believed to have been filmed over the course of 1969. Episode No. 22 of Black Journal was directed by Stan Lathan, while the "Black G.I." segment was directed by Kent Garrett. Executive Produced by William Greaves.

Contains: 16mm Film (a), Original 1,600 foot Film Reel (b), and Original 1,600 foot Film Canister (c).

2012.79.1.51.1a: 16mm film. This film opens with a narration over images of African American men in the history of the US military. The first moving image section shows African American men fighting during World War II. The narrator discusses the irony of African American men fighting for freedom in Europe while not enjoying the same freedoms in the US. There are multiple shots of the Tuskegee Airmen. Eleanor Roosevelt pins (unknown) medal on African American soldier. Next, newsreel footage of Joe Louis arriving at an airbase and greeting black troops. The narrator then talks about the desegregation of the US military during the Korean War and points out the lack of black soldiers in leadership positions. Color footage marks the transition of the narration to coverage of the Vietnam War. Two African American soldiers in civilian clothing with soul power patches can be seen dapping. Series of brief excerpts from interviews of black soldiers play, each stating their position on being black and in the military during the Vietnam War. The narrator reveals the disproportionate percentage of black men who are killed in action versus their white counterparts. There are multiple shots of combat and post-combat footage in Vietnamese rice fields and footage of riverside villages. Two sailors patrol a river and discuss their experience in Vietnam thus far and what they'll do when they get home. They discuss their mission and how to be black while being in the military. A girl group performs at the USO in Saigon. Tanks and amored personnel carriers patrol suspected enemy locations along border with North Vietnam. Sailors on a patrol boat open fire at the river bank and a confederate flag can be seen flying from a flag pole on board. Black sailors discuss cultural challenges of being in the Navy and the lack entertainment geared towards black musical tastes of the time. One sailor talks about being disciplined for getting into an altercation after a white sailor ripped his tape player from the wall for playing soul music. The narrator reveals that an all white court martial found the sailor, Bobby Jenkins, guilty of assault, demoted him and docked his pay. A sailor relays that he and other African Americans met with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for civil rights to discuss their poor treatment and were promised changes by the Assistant Secretary. The sailors talk about how some local Vietnamese have adopted some of the negative perceptions of African Americans, which some black sailors believe they learned from some white members of the military. The sailors discuss how their hands are tied when it comes to standing up for their rights as sailors on a patrol boat dap and salute the camera with black/soul power fists. Air Force fighter pilot, John Bordeaux, discusses his personal experience of not facing the same discrimination expressed by other African American military personnel. Two black career Army officers, Davis and Rogers, discuss the systematic discrimination they've faced; in particular, they recall incidents of being passed over for promotions despite strong credentials. Brigadier General Frederick E. Davison, the first African American combat general, rejects the assertion that an African American who succeeds in the military is an Uncle Tom and discusses the many actions that the Army has taken to ensure equal treatment and opportunities. A cover of "Sittin' on a Dock in the Bay" plays over a montage of black soldiers in the field. A group of black Marines in a mess hall at Camp Hansen, Okinawa discuss the unfair treatment they've experienced, such as being forced to wear a collared shirt with their dashikis and not being allowed to wear their hair in an afro. One marine relates an incident in which they were violently confronted after returning from a USO show that primarily featured soul music. There is a series of shots of shops in Koza "Four Corners", Okinawa geared towards African American soldiers. Another group of soldiers discuss their dissatisfaction with being drafted to fight in Vietnam despite social and economic discrimination at home, and being harassed and targeted as being "troublesome" if they decide to attend country music night at local clubs. L. Howard Bennett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, discusses how black soldiers complaining about the lack of soul music are expressing grievances beyond simply entertainment selection and dissatisfaction with communcation in the chain of command. He also states his opinion that black soldiers fighting for the US puts them in a better position to demand equal rights at home.

2012.79.1.51.1b: Original 1,600 foot film reel.

2012.79.1.51.1c: Original 1,600 foot film canister. The metal film canister has two sticker labels; each from a different film services company.

Topic

African American

Film

Gesture

Mass media

Military

Race discrimination

Race relations

Television

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

Object number

2012.79.1.51.1a

Restrictions & Rights

© National Educational Television

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Ansdell, Richard, English, 1815 - 1885

Subject of

Unidentified Man or Men

Unidentified Woman or Women

Medium

oil paint on canvas

Dimensions

H x W: 36 x 60 in. (91.4 x 152.4 cm)

H x W x D (Framed): 48 3/8 × 72 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (122.9 × 184.2 × 8.9 cm)

Type

oil paintings

Place depicted

Great Dismal Swamp, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America

Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1862

Description

This oil painting depicts a black man and woman beset by three mastiff dogs in a marshy landscape. On the right side of the painting are two human figures who face left across the painting to the dogs.The man stands in a half-crouch between the dogs and the woman, wielding a hatchet in his upraised right hand. Dangling from his clenched left wrist is a pair of manacles, with one cuff broken open. He wears a pair of faintly patterned brown trousers to mid-thigh, and has a red sash around his waist. His body has numerous scars and a round brand or tattoo on his left shoulder. The woman is half-crouched behind him knees bent, both arms raised to shoulder height, palms faced outward as she peers over the man's shoulder. She wears a sleeveless, loosely draped soiled white top, and a brown striped skirt tucked above her knees. Her hair is drawn back and she has small hoop earrings. The dogs are on the left side of the painting, with one of the dogs lying wounded between the two groups of figures. The scene takes place in an area of trampled tall grass with grey water in the background and a livid red horizon. In the bottom right corner there is a striped snake twining up a mossy dead log.

Topic

African American

Antislavery

Art

Slavery

Violence

Credit Line

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

Object number

2009.34ab

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Visual Arts

Slavery and Freedom Objects

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture