Directed by
Davenport, Tom, American, born 1939
Subject of
Landis, Bertha M., American, born 1898
Produced by
Davenport Films, American
Subject of
Landis, Claude, American, 1935 - 2019
Landis, John, American
Daniel, Kenneth, American
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Date
1986
Medium
polyester film
Dimensions
Duration: 49 Minutes
Length (Film): 1750 Feet
Caption
This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
Description
A documentary film with the title A Singing Stream: A Black Family Chronicle. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm polyester film with optical sound.
The documentary chronicles the experiences of the Landis family, a religious and musical family based in Granville County, North Carolina. Through interviews, anecdotes, family reunions, church services, family conversations and family photographs, the documentary traces the family's history over the lifetime of family matriarch Bertha Landis.
Mrs. Landis relates experiences such as defying odds and buying her first home with her husband, not being able to vote at some point in her life and teaching her children the importance of voting. Other members of the family also relate their experiences as well: Grandson Kenneth Daniel describes his experience of being one of the first black children at a newly integrated school. In addition to the numerous anecdotes, there are also several scenes in which family members engage in musical performances.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place filmed
Granville County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
DC Public Library Film Collection
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Type
sound films
color films (visual works)
16mm (photographic film size)
Topic
American South
Families
Film
Gospel (Music)
Independent films
Religion
Segregation
Singers (Musicians)
Suffrage
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.100.1a
Restrictions & Rights
Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5b9821d18-ce90-49f5-b12e-9801da31a08d

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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