Chromogenic print of a man in a corner behind a church pew

Photograph by

Unidentified

Subject of

Hodges, Harry

Medium

dye and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W: 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (8.9 × 8.9 cm)

Type

photographs

portraits

Collection title

The Princetta R. Newman Collection of Family Photographs, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Date

1975-1985

Description

A color photograph of a man standing next to a table with memorial mementoes. He is wearing a black suit with a red tie, and he is holding papers in his hands. On the table are papers, boxes and bows. In the foreground of the photograph is a pew, and behind the table there is a painting on the wall depicting Jesus. The room has wood-paneled walls. The man is identified on the back of the photograph as Harry Hodges.

Topic

American South

American West

Business

Communities

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Princetta R. Newman

Object number

2014.75.51

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Camera from the studio of H.C. Anderson

Attributed to

Graflex Inc., 1887 - 1973

Owned by

Rev. Anderson, Henry Clay, American, 1911 - 1998

Medium

metal, plastic, glass, and leather

Dimensions

H x W: 8 x 7 1/4 x 3 1/2 in. (20.3 x 18.4 x 8.9 cm)

Type

cameras

Classification

Tools and Equipment-Crafting-Artistic-Image-making

Exhibition

Power of Place

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 051

Place collected

Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1947 - 1955

Description

A Pacemaker Speed Graphic 4x5 transparency film camera in black and silver. The front cover releases and opens. The text on the front reads, "Super SPEED GRAPHIC" and a leather handle is attached to one side.

Topic

American South

Business

Communities

Photography

Segregation

Credit Line

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

Object number

2007.1.1.1

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Camera filter from the studio of H.C. Anderson

Manufactured by

Eastman Kodak Company, founded 1889

Owned by

Rev. Anderson, Henry Clay, American, 1911 - 1998

Medium

glass in plastic

Dimensions

Diameter: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)

Type

photographic equipment

Classification

Tools and Equipment-Crafting-Artistic-Image-making

Exhibition

Power of Place

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 051

Place collected

Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1950s - 1970s

Description

Round, yellow glass filter in a black plastic rim.

Topic

American South

Business

Communities

Photography

Segregation

Credit Line

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

Object number

2007.1.26.1

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Contact sheet printer from the studio of H.C. Anderson

Manufactured by

Brumberger Camera Incorporated, American, founded 1950s

Owned by

Rev. Anderson, Henry Clay, American, 1911 - 1998

Medium

metal, plastic, foam, and glass

Dimensions

H x W: 9 1/4 x 8 1/4 x 12 1/2 in. (23.5 x 21 x 31.8 cm)

Type

photographic equipment

Classification

Tools and Equipment-Crafting-Artistic-Image-making

Exhibition

Power of Place

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 051

Place collected

Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1950s - 1970s

Description

Rectangular grey metal box; has hinged lid with handle and electrical components, used to make contact sheet prints.

Topic

American South

Business

Communities

Photography

Segregation

Credit Line

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

Object number

2007.1.24

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Case for a camera filter from the studio of H.C. Anderson

Manufactured by

Eastman Kodak Company, founded 1889

Owned by

Rev. Anderson, Henry Clay, American, 1911 - 1998

Medium

plastic

Dimensions

Diameter: 2 1/8 x 5/8 in. (5.4 x 1.6 cm)

Type

photographic equipment

Classification

Tools and Equipment-Crafting-Artistic-Image-making

Exhibition

Power of Place

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 051

Place collected

Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1950s - 1970s

Description

Round, yellow glass filter for use with a camera

Topic

American South

Business

Communities

Photography

Segregation

Credit Line

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

Object number

2007.1.26.2ab

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Johnson's Grocery Store, Hampton, Va.

Photograph by

McNeill, Robert H., American, 1917 - 2005

Subject of

Unidentified Man or Men

Medium

silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W x D (image): 16 × 20 in. (40.6 × 50.8 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

Collection title

Robert McNeill Photographs

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

Hampton, Virginia, United States, North and Central America

Date

ca. 1940

Description

A black and white photograph of customers at Johnson’s Grocery Store in Hampton, Virginia. The customers stand in front of the counter while a man works at the cashier. The store is filled signage advertising the price of goods.

Topic

American South

Business

Communities

Foodways

Photography

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Graham Holdings Company

Object number

2014.276.2.10

Restrictions & Rights

© Estate Robert McNeill. Permission required for use.

Soda Fountain

Photograph by

McNeill, Robert H., American, 1917 - 2005

Subject of

Unidentified Man or Men

Medium

silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W x D (image): 16 × 20 in. (40.6 × 50.8 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

Collection title

Robert McNeill Photographs

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

12th and U Streets, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Date

1947

Description

A black and white photograph of a soda shop in at 12th and U. Streets, Washington, D.C. The photograph features three men working behind the soda fountain. Two of the men work at the main counter, while the third works at the back counter. The store is filled with signage advertising the prices of food. A Coca-Cola machine can be seen on the counter.

Topic

Business

Foodways

Labor

Local and regional

Photography

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Graham Holdings Company

Object number

2014.276.2.14

Restrictions & Rights

© Robert H. McNeill. Permission required for use.

Photographic print of two women and a man at Jack's Memory Chapel

Photograph by

Unidentified

Subject of

Unidentified Woman or Women

Unidentified Man or Men

Jack's Memory Chapel, American, founded 1948

Medium

photographic gelatin and silver on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W: 4 1/8 × 3 1/2 in. (10.5 × 8.9 cm)

Type

photographs

portraits

Collection title

The Princetta R. Newman Collection of Family Photographs, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Date

after 1948

Description

A black-and-white photograph of two women and a man standing in the yard in front of Jack’s Memory Chapel at 639 E. Marshall Place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. All are wearing light-colored clothing, the women wearing dresses and the man in a polo shirt and trousers. The building is light of color with wooden thick plank siding. This building is the location to which the Jacksons moved their business in 1948.

Topic

American South

American West

Business

Communities

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Princetta R. Newman

Object number

2014.75.47

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Manifest for the ship Fashion listing an enslaved girl, Sally, age 14

Signed by

Torrey, John P.

Fullerton, S. W.

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 8 1/4 × 13 5/8 in. (21 × 34.6 cm)

Type

ships' manifests

Classification

Slavery and Freedom Objects

Documents and Published Materials-Business and Legal Documents

Exhibition

Slavery and Freedom

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 3, C3 053

Place used

Port Pontchartrain, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America

Date

January 27, 1844

Description

This pre-printed and handwritten form is a slave manifest for the ship Fashion with a home port of New York traveling from Port Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Mobile, Alabama, dated January 27, 1844. The document is signed by the ship's owner, John P. Torrey and the ship's master, S. W. Fullerton. One enslaved girl named Sally, aged 14, is listed on the manifest. The reverse of the form has pre-printed and handwritten text granting permission for the ship's travel to Mobile.

Topic

Business

Children

Domestic slave trade

Fancy Girl trade

Slavery

Credit Line

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

Object number

2014.174.4

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Advertisement card for the "Great Negro Mart" in Memphis, Tennessee

Issued by

Hill, Ware, & Chrisp, American, 1859 - 1860

Subject of

Hill, Byrd, American, 1800 - 1872

Chrisp, John W., American

Ware, John D., American, born ca. 1800

Printed by

Unidentified

Medium

ink on cardboard

Dimensions

H x W: 2 7/8 × 4 in. (7.3 × 10.2 cm)

Type

trade cards

Classification

Slavery and Freedom Objects

Memorabilia and Ephemera-Advertisements

Exhibition

Slavery and Freedom

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 3, C3 053

Place printed

Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America

Date

1859-1860

Description

This is a rectangular advertisement card with black type for a slave dealer.

Obverse: Along the top margin the card reads, "GREAT/ NEGRO MART, / No. 87, ADAMS STREET, / MEMPHIS, --- TENN. / The undersigned would announce to the community at large, that they will keep/constantly on hand a/ GENERAL ASSORTMENT OF NEGROES/ AT PRIVATE SALE AND AT AUCTION. / They will also receive on commission (to Board or for Sale) any Negroes consigned/to their care. / All sales warranted as represented. / HILL, WARE & CHRISP."

Reverse: The card is inscribed on the back. In handwritten black ink are the words "Shard [?] G. Jones/ send me a vile of / fine branday (sic)/ Hillman Chrisp." Below in the bottom left corner is the name "R. Griffith" handwritten apparently in pencil.

Topic

Business

Domestic slave trade

Finance

Slavery

Credit Line

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

Object number

2014.63.17

Restrictions & Rights

Public domain

Grocery Store, 14th & U Streets

Photograph by

McNeill, Robert H., American, 1917 - 2005

Subject of

Unidentified Man or Men

Medium

silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W x D (image): 16 × 20 in. (40.6 × 50.8 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

Collection title

Robert McNeill Photographs

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

14th and U Streets, Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America

Date

ca. 1940

Description

A black and white photograph of a five unidentified male employees standing in a grocery store at 14th and U Streets, Washington, D.C. Four of the employees stand in front of the counter, while the fifth stands behind it at the cash register. The store is filled with canned goods and boxes. Signage adorns the walls of the store.

Topic

Business

Foodways

Labor

Local and regional

Photography

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Graham Holdings Company, © Robert H. McNeill

Object number

2014.276.2.16

Restrictions & Rights

© Robert H. McNeill. Permission required for use.

Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies: Reel 6

16mm motion picture film of Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies: Reel 6

Directed by

Rev. Jones, S. S., American, 1869 - 1936

Subject of

Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company, American, founded 1906

Madame C.J. Walker School of Beauty Culture, American, 1910 - 1985

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Film Reel (b): plastic;

Film Can (c): metal

Dimensions

Duration: 11 Minutes

Length (Film): 300 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Collection title

Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Place filmed

Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Rentiesville, McIntosh County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Place printed

Summit, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Date

1924-1928

Caption

Rev. Solomon Sir Jones was a Baptist minister, businessman, and amateur filmmaker. This collection of home movies by Jones documents African American communities in Oklahoma between 1924 and 1928, depicting residents at work and in their homes, as well as activities at local schools, businesses, and churches. Community social events such as parades and funerals are prominently featured.

Description

A 16mm silent, black and white film (a) with original plastic film reel (b) and original metal can (c) featuring footage taken in Oklahoma during the middle and late 1920s by Solomon Sir Jones, the sixth in a collection of nine films.

Inscribed on the outside of the canister in is [#6] in red and black ink and [S.S. Jones (illegible)] in black ink. Handwritten inscriptions on three white adhesive labels read: [Okla - Jones], [Mme C J Walker / class], and [Summit Parade / 6]. Remnants of a green label with black text are in ther center of an imprinted design.

The film begins with a procession of people dressed in semi-formal clothing walking by the camera before entering what appears to be a brick church building. The next scene shows men exiting a storefront with a Simmons Drug Store sign in the window. A title sign reads Mme C. J. Walker Graduating Class 1927 & Agents By Mme Dora Stephen of Muskogee, Oklahoma. The camera pans over a large group of women from the beauty school dressed in white seated with a man and woman in the center of the group not dressed in white. The crowd moves around and then walks up the front stairs of the building and enters the front door. The next title sign reads South Muskogee District Fair Parade & Board Summit September 17, 1926, L. W. Thomas Manager & J. I. Jones, S. M. Winston, A. C. Calloway. The footage shows a parade of cars in a parade and many of the cars are decorated with streamers. The cars pass in front of the camera. There are also horses pulling decorated wagons. The next scene shows a group of men standing on the stairs in front of a building and the camera pans in front of the building after then men walk down the stairs. The next title sign reads Rentiesville, Oklahoma, Free Fair & Board, W. A. Roberson, S. H. D., A. L. Morris, H. Hill, Professor A. G. McKeney, L. W. Prestly Co. 1926. The footage shows men in a marching band playing instruments and walking out of the front door of Rentiesville High School. A group of men and women follow the band out of the front door and walk by the camera. The camera pans across the front of the building and show the crowd in front. The next scene shows the interior of a business that appears to be a bakery. The scene shows a man and a woman get into a car and then exit the car. The next title sign reads Hugh Vocational Department Professor Prestley And B. T. Roberson, Rentiesville, Oklahoma, 1926. The footage is from an elevated position and shows cars with decoration and horses passing in front of the camera. The horses are being ridden by riders as well as pulling wagons. The next scene shows the exterior of the Home Undertaking Company building. There is also a sign hanging on the outside of the building that says Idlewild Rooms. The next title sign reads One Of Walker's Up Town Buildings in Muskogee, Oklahoma, September 17, 1926. A family walks down the front stairs and out to a building in the backyard and then returns to the house. The family also stands for a portrait. The next scene is filmed from a moving vehicle, probably a train, and shows a body of water and the coastline. Ships are visible in the distance and a road runs parallel to the tracks and cars can be seen driving on the road. There a brief shot from the back of train showing the train tracks and then the camera returns to the side window of the train.

Topic

American South

American West

Amusements

Beauty schools

Business

Communities

Families

Social life and customs

Travel

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Naomi Long Madgett

Object number

2011.79.6.1abc

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Photograph of the interior of a restaurant

Photograph by

Rev. Anderson, Henry Clay, American, 1911 - 1998

Medium

photographic gelatin and silver on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W (Sheet): 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place made

Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1948 - 1970s

Description

A black-and-white photograph of a restaurant. There are two long rows of tables with four wooden chairs at each. The table closest to the foreground has skewed chairs and a salt shaker. To the left of the tables is a row of dark columns and more tables visible between these. On the back wall is an image of a man and woman dancing and a building visible between the columns. A palm tree is on the right wall between the two windows. A door is open in the rear of the room.

Topic

Business

Cooking and dining

Photography

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Charles Schwartz and Shawn Wilson

Object number

2012.137.7.25

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

Photograph of the interior of a restaurant

Photograph by

Rev. Anderson, Henry Clay, American, 1911 - 1998

Medium

photographic gelatin and silver on photographic paper

Dimensions

H x W (Sheet): 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm)

Type

gelatin silver prints

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place made

Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, United States, North and Central America

Date

1948 - 1970s

Description

A black-and-white photograph of a counter. The counter in the middle of the picture has a row of stools with no backs. On the counter are napkin holders, salt and pepper shakers and ashtrays. There are three jukeboxes along the counter with "5¢" at the top. The back of the bar has a cash register, coffee machine and cups and various cigarettes and bottles. On the back wall outside of the counter is a display containing "oysters" and "chops".

Topic

Business

Cooking and dining

Photography

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Charles Schwartz and Shawn Wilson

Object number

2012.137.7.26

Restrictions & Rights

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

Management contract for Sam Cooke

Created by

William Morris Agency, American, 1898 - 2009

Subject of

Cooke, Sam, American, 1931 - 1964

Medium

ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W: 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm)

Type

contract documents

Classification

Documents and Published Materials-Business and Legal Documents

Place depicted

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

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California, United States, North and Central America

Date

May 26, 1959

Description

A one-year management contract between Sam Cooke and the William Morris Agency. It is comprised of two sheets of white paper with black printed text and additional typed and stamped information. Stapled to the front of the document is a small sheet of white paper with typed text regarding paragraph 3(b) of the contract. Sam Cooke's initials are signed at the bottom of this page.

Topic

Business

Entertainers

Singers (Musicians)

Soul (Music)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2011.68.6

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies: Reel 3

16mm motion picture film of Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies: Reel 3

Directed by

Rev. Jones, S. S., American, 1869 - 1936

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

Film Reel (b): metal;

Film Can (c): metal

Dimensions

Duration: 14 Minutes

Length (Film): 400 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Collection title

Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Place filmed

Boley, Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Date

1924-1928

Caption

Rev. Solomon Sir Jones was a Baptist minister, businessman, and amateur filmmaker. This collection of home movies by Jones documents African American communities in Oklahoma between 1924 and 1928, depicting residents at work and in their homes, as well as activities at local schools, businesses, and churches. Community social events such as parades and funerals are prominently featured.

Description

A 16mm silent, black and white film (a) with original metal film reel (b) and original metal film can (c) featuring footage taken in Oklahoma during the middle and late 1920s by Solomon Sir Jones, the third in a collection of nine films.

Inscribed on the outside of the canister is, in red ink [#], followed in black ink by [3]. A handwritten inscription on white adhesive label reads: [Boley 1st Natl Bank]. Stamped into the center of the can is the imprint of a logo with stylized letters [EKC].

The film opens with members of the local Masonic lodge walking in a parade down the main commercial street, probably in Boley, Oklahoma. The men are well-dressed and wearing different kinds of hats. The next scene shows men and women leaving what appears to be the front door of a movie theater. They are all dressed in semi-formal clothes. A group of similarly dressed men and women are shown leaving the front door of a building in the next scene. They then pose in the front yard for a group portrait. The next scene shows the First National Bank in Boley, Oklahoma, and a title sign for the scene notes that it was the first bank organized by blacks in America. Men are shown walking out of the front door of the bank and the camera pans to show the front window with the name of the bank on it. There is also a wider shot of the entire bank building. The next title sign states that the footage shows the M.M. Mathonican General Merchandise store, also in Boley. A man and a woman walk out of the front door of the store and then back inside, presumably they are Mr. and Mrs. Mathonican. The next title sign indicates that the footage shows Reverend C. Johnson and his wife's farm and home in Boley. They walk off of the front porch and into the yard. The next title sign notes that the footage shows the Moder Order of Pals Boy Scouts of Oklahoma City at the Boley Fair Grounds. The footage shows tents and other structures at the campground and boys dressed up in scout uniforms marching around the campground. A title sign gives the exact date of the next scene, July 8, 1925, and it is at the Boley Telephone Company owned by M. T. Hunter and his son L. C. Hunter. The footage shoes a woman seated at a telephone exchange board and two other women stand beside her. There is also footage of the outside of the building. The next title sign notes the footage shows the C. L. White Hardware Company in Boley, again on July 8, 1925. Customers are shown exiting with a variety of goods from the store. The next scene shows a parade down the main commercial street with soldiers in uniform followed by boys in uniform. The footage then shows a variety of street scenes with people and a variety of vehicles. The next scene shows a parade, possibly part of the later funeral procession, down the main commercial street. The men are dressed formally and have small white aprons around their waists. Some of the men are wearing medals on their jackets or vests. As the casket is placed into a wagon, soldiers stand on either side. Then they walk in front of the wagon as it goes down a street followed by vehicles and a large number of people walking that pass in front of the camera. A streetcar is also visible in the background. There is again footage of the casket begin placed in the automobile wagon, possibly after the church service before prior to going to the cemetery.

Topic

American South

American West

Amusements

Associations and institutions

Business

Communities

Domestic life

Finance

Freemasonry

Funeral customs and rites

Rural life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Naomi Long Madgett

Object number

2011.79.3.1abc

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Hall table from Shearer Cottage

Created by

Unidentified

Owned by

Shearer Cottage, American, founded 1903

Medium

wood and paint

Dimensions

27 3/4 x 30 x 19 1/4 in. (70.5 x 76.2 x 48.9 cm)

Type

tables (support furniture)

Classification

Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor

Exhibition

Power of Place

On View

NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Community/Third Floor, 3 051

Place used

Oak Bluffs, Duke County, Massachusetts, United States, Martha's Vineyard, North and Central America

Date

mid 20th Century

Description

Small antique hall table painted white with an oval-shaped top attached to carved legs. This table was originally used at Shearer Cottage in Oak Bluffs, MA.

Topic

Business

Domestic life

Recreation

Segregation

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Shearer Cottage

Object number

2012.2.5

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

The Case of the Fishermen

16mm motion picture film of The Case of the Fishermen

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)

Collection title

Pearl Bowser Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

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

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

Beverage service from Wormley's Hotel

Manufactured by

Gorham Manufacturing Company, American, founded 1831

Created by

Linsenmayer, George

Used by

Wormley's Hotel, American, 1871 - 1897

Wormley, James, American, 1819 - 1884

Medium

Pot: silver-plated metal and ivory;

Sugarbowl and lid: silver-plated metal;

Creamer: silver-plated metal

Type

coffee services

tea services

Classification

Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design

Place used

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

Date

ca. 1885

Description

A silver plated beverage service including three (3) unmatched pieces, a pot for tea or coffee (.1), a sugarbowl with lid (.2), and creamer (.3) used at Wormley's Hotel in Washington, DC.

Topic

Business

Cooking and dining

Local and regional

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Charles Thomas Lewis

Object number

2013.104

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

A Woman with Hanging Overalls

Photograph by

Bey, Dawoud, American, born 1953

Printed by

Black Point Editions, American, founded 2004

Subject of

Unidentified Woman or Women

Medium

gelatin and carbon black on rag paper

Dimensions

H x W (Image): 6 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. (16.5 x 24.1 cm)

H x W (Sheet): 16 x 20 in. (40.6 x 50.8 cm)

Type

pigment prints

portraits

Portfolio/Series

Harlem, USA

Classification

Media Arts-Photography

Place depicted

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

Date

1978; printed 2005

Description

This image depicts a woman standing outside a glass shop front. She holds a piece of paper in her left hand and carries a plastic shopping bag over her left arm. She wears a scarf over her hair, a short coat, and pants. In the foreground are four small pairs of overalls hanging from a line tied to a large square pillar, in front of the graffitied shop wall. The light strikes the overalls and casts their shadows against the wall, while the woman is reflected in the shop window.

Topic

Business

Children

Communities

Photography

Women

Credit Line

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

Object number

2013.197.6

Restrictions & Rights

© Dawoud Bey