Produced by
Universal Network Television, American, founded 1950
Salomon, Henry, American, 1917 - 1958
Narrated by
Allen, Fred, American, 1894 - 1956
Subject of
Baker, Josephine, American, 1906 - 1975
Ku Klux Klan, 2nd, American, 1915 - 1944
Cotton Club, American, 1923 - 1940
Calloway, Cab, American, 1907 - 1994
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Date
1956
Medium
acetate film and
Dimensions
Duration (Reel 1): 25 Minutes
Length (Film): 900 Feet
Duration (Reel 2): 28 Minutes
Length (Film): 1000 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 The Jazz Age from the television series Project 20. It consists of two (2) reels of 16mm black-and-white acetate film with optical sound (2017.55.86.1a & 2017.55.86.1b). Two (2) green film cannisters also accompany the film strips. There is a partially removed circular label on the first cannister (2017.55.86.1c) with the following printed on it in ink [America Enters the Twentieth Century Series / THE JAZZ AGE, PART 1 - 1919-1926 / (Black & White) / 26 mins]. The second cannister (2017.55.86.1d) also has a circular green and white Mc-Graw-Hill Book Co. label affixed to it. Text in the lower half of the label reads [The Jazz Age Series / THE JAZZ AGE, PART II / 26 mins]
Through a combination of voiceover narration by Fred Allen and archival footage of major events of the early 20th century, the documentary captures the zeitgeist of post WWI America. Some of the scenes and topics that arise in the film include a Ku Klux Klan initiation (including footage of the 1926 KKK parade in Washington DC); changes in women's rights at the beginning of the century; the proliferation of automobiles; life under Prohibition and the development of speakeasy culture. The second half of the documentary (reel two) focuses on many of the changes in culture and entertainment: there is footage of Josephine Baker performing, a shot of the entrance to the Cotton Club and mention of entertainers such as Cab Calloway.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
DC Public Library Film Collection
Portfolio/Series
Project 20
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Type
documentaries
sound films
black-and-white films (visual works)
16mm (photographic film size)
Topic
Civil rights
Documentary films
Entertainers
Film
Gender
Jazz (Music)
Law
Mass media
Musicians
Nightlife
Public television
U.S. History, 1919-1933
White supremacy movements
Women
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.86.1a-d
Restrictions & Rights
Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5e52ef232-767a-4e4e-a5da-9ca2759a7e04

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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