Directed by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Written by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Subject of

Harris, Edna Mae, American, 1910 - 1997

Produced by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film;

16mm Reel (c): metal;

16mm Reel (d): metal;

35mm Film Canister (e): plastic;

Dimensions

Duration: 56 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1100 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

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

Place depicted

United States, North and Central America

Date

1939

Caption

A nightclub singer is wrongfully convicted of murder. A detective with romantic motivation, sets out to prove her innocence.

Description

2015.167.13.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

2015.167.13.1cd: Original metal, 16mm film reels.

2015.167.13.1e: 35mm Film Canister.

Nightclub singer, Elsie Bellwood, refuses to go out with two Italian customers who want to sponsor a party with some of the showgirls, despite the urgings of her white boss, Farina. Farina decides to call on her black manager, Benjamin Hadnott, to try to convince her, but Ben refuses and quits his job. That evening, Elsie has dinner with Ben, who tells her that he has been studying to become a detective. Believing he is trying to conceal his unemployment, Elsie decides to take care of Ben until he gets a new job. One evening, Elsie is summoned to her Aunt Josie's, only to find that Josie has been killed. When the police arrive, the white police lieutenant decides to arrest Elsie, even though black detective Wanzer believes she is innocent. Desperate, Elsie gives Ben's address to Wanzer, and he and Ben agree to do what they can to help her. Elizabeth Green, Elsie's cousin, suggests a possible motive for the murder when she tells the police that Elsie had taken out a large insurance policy on her aunt. Meanwhile, Elsie's cousins, "John" and "Clyde," who have been hired by Farina to replace Ben, claim they saw Elsie leave the club for a half hour around the time of the murder. Although she denies their statement, Elsie is convicted of the murder. When Ben and Wanzer learn that "Ned" Green, Elizabeth's husband, was in love with Josie, they question Reverend Bryson, a longtime friend of the family, who tells them the story of Ned: Elizabeth forced Ned to marry her by tricking him into believing that she was pregnant. When Ned found out that she had lied, he left her without waiting for an annulment. Elizabeth and her unscrupulous brothers then followed Ned to the north, where he went to be near his true love, Josie. John and Clyde eventually found Ned and forced him to return to Elizabeth. Now, years later, Ned has disappeared again, and to help find him, Ben suggests that he and Wanzer abduct John and tell him they are taking him for a ride to haunted Tolston Manor. When they accuse John of killing Josie, he admits that he lied to shift the blame to Elsie. Ned, it is learned, decided he would kill Josie if she did not run away with him. When the police realize that the frame-up was planned in order to get the insurance money from Elsie, Elsie is released from prison. Once reunited with Ben, Elsie gives him the money, which he puts into a trust fund for their 'children'.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed August 11, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=2284)

Topic

African American

Musicians

Nightlife

Race films

Urban life

Violence

Credit Line

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

Object number

2015.167.13.1ab

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

Harlem Trade Union Council, American, 1949 - 1955

Subject of

Harlem Trade Union Council, American, 1949 - 1955

Smith, Ferdinand Christopher, Jamaican, 1893 - 1961

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 5 Minutes

Length (Film): 300 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

home movies

Place filmed

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

Date

April 2, 1949

Caption

This 16mm silent, black and white film features parts of the Harlem Trade Union Council (HTUC) convention held on April 2, 1949, at the YWCA in Harlem. The footage includes shots of various unidentified speakers on stage as well as the audience. The second to last speaker appears to be Ferdinand Smith, chairman of the HTUC. The National Negro Labor Council consisted of delegates from ten black labor councils throughout the nation, the New York City unit being the Harlem Trade Union Council, which in July 1951 changed its name to the Greater New York Negro Labor Council (Daily Worker, June 3, 1950, May 18, June 4, 1951). In all its manifestations, the FBI labeled it "A Communist Party front organization" (FBI Main 100-12304-255).

Description

16mm black and white silent film (a) shows part of a Harlem Trade Union Council (HTUC) convention held on April 2, 1949. The footage includes shots of the speakers on stage as well as the audience. The second to last speaker appears to be Ferdinand Smith, chairman of the HTUC. There are a variety of camera angles that capture the stage from the audience floor, close-ups of audience members, and different shots of the speakers on stage.

2012.79.1.53.1a: 16mm black and white film.

The film opens with a shot of the stage, where a woman is addressing to the audience. A large sign reading "Welcome delegates to HTUC convention \ Build a fighing mass organziation of negor workers" hangs above the speaker. The camera angle/view then shifts from the front of the stage to a position just behind the left side of the speaker, so you can see the audience seated in about 12 horizontal rows extending from the stage to the back of the room. The audience consists of men and women in business attire. The camera alternates with close-up shots of the audience and the speakers. Some of the audience members stand to address the speakers, and then the camera returns to a shot of the stage with a man reading from papers in his hand. A woman seated at a table on the stage listens. Another speaker comes to the microphone as the audience stands and claps. The camera reuturns to a view of the stage, and the woman previously seated at the table in the earlier scene introduces the next speaker. After the speaker finishes, the film continues with a view from the back of the room showing the audience watching a film on a screen. The audience claps, and the the woman on stage returns to the microphone. The final two scenes show two speakers, one of which appears to be Ferdinand C. Smith.

Topic

African American

Labor

Professional organizations

United States--History--1945-1953

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.53.1a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Created by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 750 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

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

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.1a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.63.1a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Edited by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 750 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

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

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.2a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.63.2a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Edited by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Directed by

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 720 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

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

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.3a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.63.3a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Lathan, Stan, American, born 1945

Produced by

Chamba Productions, founded 1971

Edited by

Collins, Kathleen, American, 1942 - 1988

Produced by

Garrett, Kent, American, born 1941

Subject of

Brooklyn Museum, American, founded 1895

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 19 Minutes

Length (Film): 720 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

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

Date

1971

Caption

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions for the Brooklyn Museum about a program to bring children from the local community into the museum to create performance art. Includes footage of children interacting with objects in the museum and creating performances based upon their reaction.

Description

16mm color film directed by Stan Lathan and produced by Chamba Productions about a program to bring children from the local community into the Brooklyn Museum to create performance art.

Consists of: 16mm Print (a).

2012.79.1.63.4a: 16mm Print. The film begins with the camera panning around a room with many cases in the Brooklyn Museum. Children are heard in the voiceover narration describing the statues. The footage also includes close-ups of some of the statues. The next scene shows children and young adults following spoken directions to pretend they are holding various objects in their hands. The narrator describes how the children spent time in the rotunda of the museum for six weeks, and there is footage of the children participating in dance exercises in the rotunda. The narrator describes the idea for the project to bring children together with an object and create a performance around that. The next scene shows an object and children touching the face of another object. Some other children are shown in front of a different museum object and holding the same pose as that object. Children in the voiceover narration describe thinking about the objects and questioning what the people depicted in the objects are doing. As the narrator describes, the children participated in improvisation based on the space and the objects around them. The footage includes a group of students discussing how to put on an improvisation based on an object. The next scene shows the students performing the improvisation in the rotunda that they created. One of the boys reflects on how he did the improvisation. In the next scene, the students perform a dance while a man plays a drum. The next scene shows a man playing the piano and singing and the children sing along with him. The music accompanies a montage of the students doing various activities shown in the film. The final scene shows the students leaving the museum, a bus traveling a city street, one of the students exiting the bus and greeting some friends as the credits appear. The film ends with children playing in a circle on a playground.

Topic

African American

Art

Children

Communities

Dance

Education

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Museums

Singers (Musicians)

Theatre

Urban life

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.63.4a

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

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

Williams, Spencer, American, 1893-1969

Subject of

Everett, Francine, American, 1915 - 1999

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 60 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1150 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1100 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place depicted

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

Place purchased

Bahamas, Caribbean, North and Central America

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Date

1946

Caption

Gertie, a Harlem nightclub dancer, leaves her boyfriend for a fresh start on the island of Trinidad. Comfortabkle in her own skin, she enjoys using her sex appeal to dazzle and flirt with the local men. A preachy local, Mr. Christian, meddles by making it a point to convert her into the type of woman he believes she should be.

Description

2015.167.6.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

In "Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A.", a two-timing showgirl, on the run, that takes work at an island hotel, winning the heart of the hotel owner, until a vengeful ex-boyfriend catches up with her. Moral dilemmas in the tradition of Rain, with the director in the role of a lady fortune-teller.

When famous Harlem stripper Gertie LaRue arrives on the island of Rinidad, she is given celebrity treatment and taken to the Paradise Hotel, where she and her assistant, Stella Van Johnson, are placed in the posh bridal suite. The hotel's proprietor, Diamond Joe, is smitten with Gertie, but Gertie ignores Stella's suggestion that she take an interest in him. Meanwhile, in their private dormitory room, members of Gertie's troupe discuss Gertie's past relationship with a generous Harlem man named Al, whom Gertie treated poorly and deserted. Also staying at the hotel is the pious Mr. Jonathan Christian and his assistant Ezra Crumm, two missionaries who have come to the island to teach about sin. Having witnessed Gertie's flirtatious behavior on the boat, Mr. Christian tells Ezra that she is a "painted trollop." Gertie remains true to her reputation as a gregarious flirt when she joins a sailor named Tight Pants and a soldier named Big Boy for a drink at the Diamond Palace lounge. There, Larry, the bar's piano player, recognizes Gertie and plays a tune intended to stir memories of her troubled past in Harlem and her relationship with his friend Al. When Gertie returns to the hotel drunk and in the company of the two military men, Mr. Christian watches in horror as she kisses both of them. He also sees Gertie throw a liquor bottle at a hallucination of Al that has suddenly haunted her. Gertie faints when Mr. Christian emerges from the shadows, and when she regains consciousness, she misinterprets his actions and accuses him of trying to take advantage of her. Later that day, Gertie, having been spooked by bad omens since her arrival on the island, goes to a fortune teller, an old woman named Old Hager, who looks into her crystal ball and sees Gertie's misdeeds and has a vision of a man coming after her. However, neither the medium's portents nor Mr. Christian's best efforts to have the Diamond Palace shut down prevent Gertie from taking the stage and performing her striptease. During her act, Mr. Christian, who has been watching the show with interest, takes to the stage and orders an end to the show. A brawl ensues when he grabs Gertie, but Diamond Joe whisks her out of the club and takes her back to the hotel. Alone in her room, Gertie is unhappy with the image she has caught of herself in the mirror, and while she is thinking, Al bursts into the room from the balcony and shoots her. When Stella and the police rush into the room, Al tells them that he killed her because he loved her.

Sources:

AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed April 4, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27623)

WorldCat. Accessed April 4, 2016 (https://www.worldcat.org/title/dirty-gertie-from-harlem-usa/oclc/422866093&referer=brief_results)

Topic

African American

Dance

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

2015.167.6.1ab

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

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, 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

Created by

Studio Films, Inc., American, 1951 - 1956

Produced by

Frye, Ben, American

Subject of

Lionel Hampton, American, 1908 - 2002

Adams, Faye, American, born 1923

Bailey, Bill, American, 1912 - 1978

Jeffries, Herb, American, 1913 - 2014

Milburn, Amos, American, 1927 - 1980

Vaughan, Sarah, American, 1924 - 1990

Basie, Count, American, 1904 - 1984

Big Turner, Joe, American, 1911 - 1985

The Delta Rhythm Boys, American, 1934 - 1987

Davis, Martha, American, 1917 - 1960

Little Buck, American

Cole, Nat King, American, 1919 - 1965

Moreland, Mantan, American, 1902 - 1973

Russell, Nipsey, American, 1918 - 2005

Calloway, Cab, American, 1907 - 1994

Brown, Ruth, American, 1928 - 2006

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

35mm Film (a): acetate film;

35mm Film (b): acetate film;

35mm Film (c): acetate film;

35mm Film (d): acetate film.

Dimensions

Duration: 72 Minutes

Length (Film): 1850 Feet

Length (Film): 1560 Feet

Length (Film): 1650 Feet

Length (Film): 1450 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place depicted

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

Date

1955

Caption

"Rhythm and Blues Revue", is a 1955 feature film compiled by Studio Films, Inc. from previously recorded Snader Telescriptions featuring renowned African American jazz singers and musicians from the 1950s. Performers include Faye Adams, Bill Bailey, Ruth Brown, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Count Basie, Martha Davis, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Freddy and Flo, Lionel Hampton, Herb Jefferies, The Larks, Little Buck, Amos Milburn, Mantan Moreland, Nipsey Russell, Big Joe Turner, Sarah Vaughan and Willie Bryant.

Description

35mm black and white compilation film of a variety of short musical 'Soundie' films made for music-film jukeboxes, and television, by the Snader Telescription and Studio companies in the 1950s.

Consists of: Four 35mm Prints (a-d).

2012.79.1.105.1a-d: 35mm film. The film begins with a title sequence that announces each performer as a firework explodes behind their name. A credit roll then displays the below the line contributors. Next, an announcer introduces the emcee, Willie Bryant, during a shot of a theater audience. Bryant emerges from behind a curtain as the audience applauds. Before he can begin speaking, Bryant is interrupted by the comedian Freddie Lucas (Part of the Freddie & Flo comedy duo), who begs to be on the show. Later in the skit, Florence Hill (Flo) appears as a mind reading librarian. At the conclusion of the skit, Bryant announces the first performer, Lionel Hampton and his orchestra who perform “Jam Session.” After the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant again appears to announce the next performer, Faye Adams who performs “Everyday” in front of the curtain. After the song ends there are multiple shots of the cheering audience and Bryant appears to announce the next performer, Bill Bailey. Bailey performs a tap dancing routine that includes dance moves from his teacher Bill “Bojangles” Robinson and concludes with a moonwalk. At the end of the performance, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant appears to announce the next performer, Herb Jeffries who sings “In My Heart.” When the song ends, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Freddie & Flo rush onto the stage to perform a comedy routine. After their routine there are multiple shots of the cheering audience and Bryant appears to announce the next performer, Amos Milburn, who sings “Bad Bad Whiskey” with backing from the Paul Williams Band. At the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and then reopens so that Milburn can bow. Bryant appears to announce the next performers, The Larks, who sing “The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise.” At the end of the performance, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Bryant brings Freddie & Flo back onto the stage for some comedic banter. Bryant then introduces Lionel Hampton who performs “Bongo Interlude.” Two unnamed women dance during the performance. The curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering. When curtain opens, the stage is set up as a tobacconist and Leonard Reed is behind the counter listening to a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game on the radio. Willie Bryant appears and the two men engage in a brief skit. Bryant then presents the next performer, Sarah Vaughan, who sings “Perdido.” The curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Bryant returns to the stage. Nipsy Russell sneaks onto the stage behind Bryant and the two engage in comedic banter before Bryant presents the next performer, Count Basie who performs “Basie’s Conversation.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces Big Joe Turner who sings “Shake Rattle And Roll.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces the next performers, The Delta Rhythm Boys, who perform the spiritual “Dem Bones.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces the next performers Martha Davis and her husband, Calvin Ponder, who perform “Just Goodbye.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces the next performer, Little Buck, who performs a tap dance routine. The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant brings out Little Buck for more applause. Bryant then introduces the next performer, Nat King Cole, who sings “Calypso Blues.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Nipsy Russell and Mantan Moreland come out for a comedy routine. Moreland leaves the stage and Russell continues on his own. Following Russell’s routine, Bryant introduces Cab Calloway who performs “Minnie The Moocher.” The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant brings out Ruth Brown for some stage banter before she performs “Teardrops From My Eyes” with backing by the Paul Williams Band. The curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the audience cheering, and Bryant introduces Count Basie for the film’s final performance, “One O’Clock Jump.”

Topic

African American

Actors

Comedy

Entertainers

Film

Jazz (Music)

Musicians

Rhythm and blues (Music)

Tap dancing

Variety shows (Television)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.105.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

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

Calloway, Cab, American, 1907 - 1994

Subject of

Presidential Palace

Holy Trinity Cathedral

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Film Reel (b): metal;

Film Box (c): cardboard

Dimensions

Duration: 3 Minutes

Length (Film): 122 Feet

Type

home movies

Place filmed

Port-au-Prince, Ouest, Haiti, Caribbean, Latin America, North and Central America

Date

1951

Caption

16mm silent color film shot by Cab Calloway during his 1951 tour in Haiti. This film features footage of Cab Calloway and his band performing on an outdoor stage, the local townspeople, a local Haitian pottery market, and the Presidential Palace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince.

Description

This 16mm, silent, color, film was shot by Cab Calloway while on a music tour in Haiti in 1951. The footage features Cab Calloway performing and touring the local markets.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a), Original 100 foot Film Reel (b), and Original 100 foot Film Box.

2013.237.20.1a: 16mm film. The film begins with footage of Cab Calloway and his band onstage playing. The band consists of a piano player, a brass section, a bass player, and a drummer in addition to Calloway. They appear to be ending a performance. The next scene shows the same stage, but a different band is playing. This band has a percussion section with maracas, a drum and two other percussion instruments. There is also a guitar player. The next scene is underexposed, making it difficult to make out what is being filmed. The next scene shows three people in front of a stage with a colorful background. The woman in the middle appears to be Nuffie Calloway, Cab Calloway's wife. The camera then pans a seating area and some men setting up tables. The next scene is shot from a mountain overlooking a city, probably Port-au-Prince. There is footage of four children and a man in front of a building, and footage of a marketplace with people selling objects carved from wood. The next scene shows a bust of Toussaint L'Ouverture on a column with another statute below the bust reaching up to it. The next scene shows the exterior of the Presidential Palace in Post-au-Prince as well as a busy street scene. The film concludes with footage of the exterior of Holy Trinity Cathedral, and the sign with the name of the church and schedule of services in English and French.

2013.237.20.1b: Original 100 foot film reel.

2013.237.20.1c: Original 100 foot cardboard film box. The cardboard box has a handwritten address and a postal stamp on the back.

Topic

African American

Actors

Singers (Musicians)

Travel

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam

Object number

2013.237.20.1abc

Restrictions & Rights

© Cabella Calloway Langsam

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

The Cabell “Cab” Calloway III Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Produced by

Marzani, Carl, 1912 - 1994

Union Films, 1946 - 1953

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film.

Dimensions

Duration: 21 minutes

Length (Film): 775 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

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

Date

1947

Caption

A previously thought-to-be-lost Union Film, produced by Carl Marzani. "Made with the collaboration of the Los Angeles-based H. Arthur Klein, this film defended and publicized the circumstances of San Pedro, Calif., fishermen, who were being accused of monopolistic practices and price fixing."

Description

16mm black and white Union Film production, produced by Carl Marzani in association with the International Fisherman and Allied Workers of America (IFAWA) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The film advocates for fishermen in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, who were being accused of price fixing and monopolization.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a).

2012.79.1.10.1a: 16mm black and white film. Film opens with footage of fishing ships in the harbor while the introduction credits appear on the screen. The voiceover narration begins as fishermen are seen working on the deck of a ship. The narration describes the hard working conditions of fishermen as the footage continues to show the fishermen working. Then the footage shows newspaper headlines from August 23, 1946, and a document about allegations the fishermen violated the Sherman Anti-trust Act because the union cannot represent the fishermen since they are classified as independent businessmen and not employees. The document further alleges a price-fixing conspiracy between the fishermen and the fish dealers. The voiceover narration repeats the businessmen allegations as the footage again shows fishermen at work on boats. The voiceover narrator has a sarcastic tone as he compares the fishermen's work to office work. The narrator explains that the government considers the fishermen businessmen because they are paid according to a share of the catch rather than with wages. The footage continues to show workers on the boats. The next scenes show boats being repaired and boats coming in from the ocean and unloading the fish at a dock. The narrator explains that fishermen can only get better prices from the dealers by acting as a group through collective bargaining because the dealers have multiple options for preserving the fish, but fishermen must sell their catch immediately. This attempt by the fishermen to bargain collectively for fish prices before they go fishing is the main issue for the federal government. The footage shows one of the men mentioned in the case, George Knowlton, talking to a dealer on the docks. The next scene shows Knowlton at home with a woman knitting, probably his wife. The next scene shows the exterior of a labor union building while the narrator discusses the CIO. The footage includes CIO General Counsel Lee Pressman, and he explains the problems with the suit against the fisherman, particularly referring to the union as a monopoly. He speaks directly to the camera and also consults books about the definition of a monopoly. The scene cuts to fisherman in boats on the ocean before cutting back to Pressman. A graphic appears on the screen to illustrate the growth of fishermen due to the support of the labor union. After some footage of fishermen on the docks working, the footage shows Pressman again before another graphic appears that shows the growth in fish caught from 1936 to 1946. The next graphic explains that fishermen are not responsible for the eventual price consumers pay because of the involvement of other sectors of the fishing industry. Pressman uses the illustrations to make his point that the fishermen do not have a monopoly, especially when compared with concentration of wealth and control by corporations. A graphic shows how much eight corporations control of the economy, and an illustration of eight shadows of rich men turns an octopus. This represents their control of the economy through monopolies, price-fixing, and restraint of trade. The narrator contrasts this with the fishermen that want a decent standard of living for themselves and their families. To illustrate this, the footage includes several different domestic scenes. The next scene shows a meeting in a union hall, and the narrator explains the tradition of fisherman unions on the west coast and introduces the International Fishermen and Allied Workers of America, Local 33 of the CIO. There is a montage of fishermen engaged in various activities while the narrator discusses important achievements by the union. An illustration shows that more federal aid goes to farmers than fishermen, and the narrator discusses various advantages the farmer has compared to the fisherman. The film ends with a montage of fishermen working on boats while the narrator explains the unfair actions by the attorney general against the fishermen.

Topic

African American

Business

Labor

Professional organizations

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.10.2a

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain

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

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

Studio Films, Inc., American, 1951 - 1956

Directed by

Kohn, Joseph

Produced by

Frye, Ben

Subject of

Apollo Theater, founded 1913

Reed, Leonard, American, 1907 - 2004

Bryant, Willie, American, 1908 - 1964

Vaughan, Sarah, American, 1924 - 1990

Lionel Hampton, American, 1908 - 2002

Adams, Faye, American, born 1923

Jeffries, Herb, American, 1913 - 2014

Calloway, Cab, American, 1907 - 1994

The Clovers, American, founded 1946

Davis, Martha, American, 1917 - 1960

Frank Foster, American, 1928 - 2011

Moreland, Mantan, American, 1902 - 1973

Russell, Nipsey, American, 1918 - 2005

Milburn, Amos, American, 1927 - 1980

Coles & Atkins, American, 1940 - 1959

Williams, Paul Hucklebuck, American, 1915 - 2002

Owned by

Bowser, Pearl, American, born 1931

Medium

35mm Film (a): acetate film;

35mm Film (b): acetate film;

35mm Film (c): acetate film;

35mm Film (d): acetate film;

Dimensions

Duration: 61 minutes

Length (Film) - Reel 1: 1520 Feet

Length (Film) - Reel 2: 1320 Feet

Length (Film) - Reel 3: 1290 Feet

Length (Film) - Reel 4: 1370 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place depicted

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

Date

1956

Caption

"Basin Street Revue is a 1956 feature film compiled by Studio Films, Inc. from previously recorded Snader Telescriptions featuring renowned African American jazz singers and musicians from the 1950s. Performers include Willie Bryant, Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton, Paul Williams, Jimmy Brown, Amos Milbur, Faye Adams, Coles and Atkins, Herb Jefferies, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, The Clovers, Nat King Cole, Martha Davis, Frank Foster, Mantan Moreland, Nipsey Russell, and Marie Bryant.

Description

35mm black and white compilation film of a variety of short musical 'Soundie' films made for music-film jukeboxes, and television, by the Snader Telescription and Studio companies in the 1950s.

Consists of: Four 35mm Prints (a-d)

2012.79.1.85.1a-d: 35mm film. The film begins with a title sequence that announces each performer as a firework explodes behind their name. This is followed by a shot of a theater marquee with the title Basin Street Revue. A credit roll then displays the below the line contributors. Next, an announcer introduces the emcee, Willie Bryant, during a shot of a theater audience. Bryant emerges from behind a curtain as the audience applauds. As Bryant begins to speak, Nipsy Russell walks across the stage and interrupts Bryant with a joke about his mother in law. Bryant then begins his introduction of the show’s proceedings; he refers to the show as the “Harlem Variety Revue.” Bryant then introduces the first performer, Lionel Hampton and his orchestra. The curtain parts and Hampton and his orchestra perform “Ding Dong Baby.” An unknown woman joins Hampton on the stage as he sings, but does not sing herself; he gives her a kiss on the cheek before she exits. After the conclusion of the song, the curtain closes and there are multiple shots of the audience cheering as Willie Bryant again appears to announce the next performer, Sarah Vaughan, who performs “You’re Not The Kind.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce the next performers, Jimmy Brown, the saxophonist from the Apollo Theater’s house band, the Paul Williams Band. Bryant and Brown engage in some stage banter before the performance of “My Love Is True.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce the next performer, Martha Davis, who performs “We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye.” Bryant mentions that Davis is performing with her spouse, bassist, Calvin Ponder. There are multiple insert shots of the audience during the performance. The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Nipsy Russell and Mantan Moreland enter the stage. They perform a short comedy routine together before Bryant introduces the next performer, Amos Milburn. He performs “Bewildered.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and Bryant has the curtain reopened so Milburn can take a bow. The curtain again closes and Bryant invites Faye Adams onto the stage. The engage in some brief stage banter before she performs “Somebody, Somewhere” in front of the curtain. Jimmy Brown emerges from behind the curtain to perform a solo. The song concludes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces the next performers, The Clovers, who perform “Lovey Dovey.” The song concludes, the curtain closes, and there are multiple shots of the cheering audience as Bryant emerges to introduce Sarah Vaughan for a performance of “These Things I Offer You (For A Lifetime).” The song concludes, the curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces Coles & Atkins. The duo sing and them perform a tap dance routine. Their performance concludes, they bow and Bryant introduces Herb Jeffries by way of a brief skit. Jeffries performs “A Woman Is A Worrisome Thing” from the balcony of a fire escape. The song concludes, the curtain closes, there are multiple shots of the cheering audience, and Bryant introduces Cab Calloway, who performs “Calloway Boogie.” Calloway dances with an unknown female dancer. A “The End” title card appears as the song and the film conclude.

Topic

African American

Actors

Comedy

Dance

Entertainers

Film

Jazz (Music)

Variety shows (Television)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2012.79.1.85.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights

© Studio Films, Inc. Permission required for use.

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