Directed by

Quigley, George P., 1940 - 1950

Subject of

Howard, Bob

Markham, Dewey, American, 1904 - 1981

Mitchell, Abbie, American, 1884 - 1960

Sissle, Noble, American, 1889 - 1975

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1000 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Date

1948

Caption

In a quiet town named "Junction 88", a young musician, Buster Jenkins, struggles to find success and fights to win the approval of his sweetheart's father.

Description

2015.167.11.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

In the small town of Junction 88, young black musician Buster Jenkins plays a love song on the piano for his sweetheart, Lolly Simpson. Meanwhile, out on the Simpsons' porch, Lolly's father, "Pop" Simpson, tells "Mom" Simpson and Buster's mother that he will not give his consent for his daughter to marry Buster because he believes that the struggling musician will not be able to make a decent living. Although the mothers defend Buster as a good, God-fearing, churchgoing boy, Pop continues to favor the hard-working, hard-drinking Onnie as his future son-in-law. Miles away from Junction 88, music agent Bob Howard and his colleague Piggy discover in their mail what they believe will be a hit song. Determined to sign the song's composer, "Hewlett Green," Bob and Piggy set out for Junction 88, the town from which the song was sent. When they arrive, Bob and Piggy are amazed to discover that no one in Junction 88 has ever heard of Hewlett Green. Bob and Piggy continue their fruitless search for Hewlett Green and enlist the help of a young boy named Chinka Pin, who spends much of his time singing at the town barber shop. Later, Bob and Piggy meet Lolly, who introduces them to her friend Caroline. Bob falls instantly in love with Caroline, and the four attend a benefit concert that Buster has organized at the church. Before the concert begins, Lolly introduces Bob and Piggy to Buster, and they are granted permission from Buster to perform in the concert. Noble Sissle and his orchestra play after Chinka Pin sings the National Anthem. Bob and Piggy close the concert with three songs. Lolly notices that Buster is upset about something, but he keeps his troubles to himself and tells her that he is not ready to reveal what is upsetting him. Bob and Piggy put the word out that they want to sign Hewlett Green to a long-term contract. The search quickly comes to an end, however, when Buster steps forward in church and reveals that he has been writing songs under the assumed name of Hewlett Green. After signing a contract with Bob and Piggy, Buster takes Lolly's hand in marriage.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 10, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27661)

Topic

African American

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Race films

Rural life

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2015.167.11.1ab

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

Quigley, George P., 1940 - 1950

Subject of

Howard, Bob

Markham, Dewey, American, 1904 - 1981

Mitchell, Abbie, American, 1884 - 1960

Sissle, Noble, American, 1889 - 1975

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film;

16mm Reel (c): metal;

16mm Reel (d): metal;

Film Shipping Container (e): cardboard

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1000 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Date

1948

Caption

In a quiet town named "Junction 88", a young musician, Buster Jenkins, struggles to find success and fights to win the approval of his sweetheart's father.

Description

2015.167.11.2ab: 16mm black and white films.

2015.167.11.2cd: Original metal film reels.

2015.167.11.2e: Original cardboard film shipping box. A label on the side of the film shippping box reads [FOR TRANSFER/ JUNCTION 88].

In the small town of Junction 88, young black musician Buster Jenkins plays a love song on the piano for his sweetheart, Lolly Simpson. Meanwhile, out on the Simpsons' porch, Lolly's father, "Pop" Simpson, tells "Mom" Simpson and Buster's mother that he will not give his consent for his daughter to marry Buster because he believes that the struggling musician will not be able to make a decent living. Although the mothers defend Buster as a good, God-fearing, churchgoing boy, Pop continues to favor the hard-working, hard-drinking Onnie as his future son-in-law. Miles away from Junction 88, music agent Bob Howard and his colleague Piggy discover in their mail what they believe will be a hit song. Determined to sign the song's composer, "Hewlett Green," Bob and Piggy set out for Junction 88, the town from which the song was sent. When they arrive, Bob and Piggy are amazed to discover that no one in Junction 88 has ever heard of Hewlett Green. Bob and Piggy continue their fruitless search for Hewlett Green and enlist the help of a young boy named Chinka Pin, who spends much of his time singing at the town barber shop. Later, Bob and Piggy meet Lolly, who introduces them to her friend Caroline. Bob falls instantly in love with Caroline, and the four attend a benefit concert that Buster has organized at the church. Before the concert begins, Lolly introduces Bob and Piggy to Buster, and they are granted permission from Buster to perform in the concert. Noble Sissle and his orchestra play after Chinka Pin sings the National Anthem. Bob and Piggy close the concert with three songs. Lolly notices that Buster is upset about something, but he keeps his troubles to himself and tells her that he is not ready to reveal what is upsetting him. Bob and Piggy put the word out that they want to sign Hewlett Green to a long-term contract. The search quickly comes to an end, however, when Buster steps forward in church and reveals that he has been writing songs under the assumed name of Hewlett Green. After signing a contract with Bob and Piggy, Buster takes Lolly's hand in marriage.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 10, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27661)

Topic

African American

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Race films

Rural life

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2015.167.11.2abcd

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

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, 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, 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, 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

Created by

Montgomery Improvement Association, American, founded 1955

Printed by

Unidentified

Subject of

King, Coretta Scott, American, 1927 - 2006

Dr. Simpson, Ralph Ricardo, American, born 1933

Holt Street Baptist Church, American, founded 1909

Medium

ink on paper with pressure-sensitive tape

Dimensions

H x W: 14 × 11 in. (35.5 × 27.9 cm)

Type

posters

Place used

Montgomery, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Date

October 6, 1958

Description

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

Topic

African American

American South

Civil rights

Classical (Music)

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2016.90.5.1

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera-Political and Activist Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Created by

Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, American, founded 1877

Subject of

King, Coretta Scott, American, 1927 - 2006

Scott, Minnie Kimbrough, American, died 2012

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

Medium

ink on paper with metal and graphite

Dimensions

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

Type

souvenir programs

Place used

Montgomery, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Date

September 30, 1956

Description

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

Topic

African American

American South

Amusements

Classical (Music)

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Religion

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

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

Object number

2016.90.5.2

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Classification

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Data Source

National Museum of African American History and Culture