Directed by
Lomax, Alan, American, 1915 - 2002
Written by
Lomax, Alan, American, 1915 - 2002
Subject of
Brooks, Johnny
Brown, Walter
Southerland, Belton
Pitchford, Lonnie
Strickland, Napolean
Maxwell, Clyde
Smith, Lucius
Owens, Jack
Spires, Bud
Chatmon, Sam
Eugene Powel
Puckett, Wilbert
Tucker, J.T.
Savage, Joe
Hall, James
Maxwell, Beatrice
Johnson, George
Hart, William S.
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Date
1979
Medium
acetate film
Dimensions
Duration (Reel 1): 26 Minutes
Length (Film): 950 Feet
Duration (Reel 2): 29 Minutes
Length (Film): 1075 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 Land Where the Blues Began. It consists of two reels of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound.
The documentary is narrated by filmmaker Alan Lomax and, through a series of interviews with Mississippi residents, it explores the origins of Blues music. In addition to these residents engaging in short musical performances, the narrator also discusses the history of Blues by comparing the musical instruments used by people in the Mississippi delta to the musical instruments that Africans played. There are also demonstrations of how some of the musical instruments are made.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place filmed
Mississippi, 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
Africa
African diaspora
American South
Blues (Music)
Documentary films
Film
Folklife
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.61.1ab
Restrictions & Rights
Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5789b2c28-54be-4eb3-b9ac-cd9712728f53

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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