Thanks to all who responded to my request for information about early black cinema and production companies. Your responses were both thoughtful and informative. It's nice to have archivists reading these lists! I'm still interested in hearing how people have used these films in teaching, and how they have been received by students. It would seem important to deal with the cultural history of racism and its representations to understand these self-representations in their historical contexts. Currie's and Stephen's insights are particularly thought-provoking. I've compiled the responses from both H-Film and Screen-L below, for those of you who expressed an interest. I'll be in Boston at the ASA conference for the next week, so if anyone else has any additions, please email me privately. Pam Wilson [log in to unmask] ************************** Poster: Sarah Projansky <[log in to unmask]> I know both Todd Boyd and Jane Gaines are working on this topic, although I don't know what they've published. I'd look for their recent work. Also, Manthia Diawara has a new book on Black American Cinema that should be a good reference. Good luck! Sarah Projansky Middlebury College Middlebury, VT 05753 (802) 388-3711 ****** Poster: "Rick E. Provine" <[log in to unmask]> There is a series available on video from Phoenix Films (800.221.1274) entitled "The Tyler Texas Black Film Collection." This is a collection of 14 films found in a warehouse in Tyler Texas, made by black filmmakers from 1939 to 1956. Directed by (among others) Oscar Micheaux and William Alexander. These run the gammit from comedy to drama. Very nice collection. -- ******************************************************** * Rick E. Provine Media Librarian * * Clemons Library 804/924-7409 * * University of Virginia [log in to unmask] * ******************************************************** ***** Poster: Currie Thompson <[log in to unmask]> When we talk of early black cinema, presumably we have in mind what took place in our own country--in which context I'd like to share a footnote from Argentina. Jose Agustin Ferreyra, also known as "el negro Ferreyra" or "black Ferreyra," was one of the most important directors--perhaps the most important director--in Argentine silent film. He made his first film UNA NOCHE DE GARUFA (PARTY NIGHT), also known as LAS AVENTURAS DE TITO (TITO's ADVENTURES) in 1915, which is the same year, I believe, that Noble Johnson (??) made the first black American film. But there all similarity ends. Johnson and the early black US film makers were outsiders who were trying to make their voice heard--largely or at least partly in response to the blatant racism in US films such as BIRTH OF A NATION. Ferreyra was very much in the inner circle of early Argentine film. He continued to make films through 1941, made a number of important films, worked for Argentina Sono Film, the nation's most important film production company, on several occasions, and virtually every person who became important in later Argentine cinema worked in one or more of Ferreyra's films. But there is a second difference. In the two feature films I have seen by Ferreyra and in the fragments I have seen from some of his other films, there are no blacks. I don't know what to make of this. In part, I think, it reflects a different attitude toward race in Argentina and Hispanic countries in general. Ferreyra himself was a mulatto. His father was a Spanish immigrant, and his mother was the descendant of Africans. Ferreyra married a white woman and, apparently, never ran into any problems for this except when he visited the US (New York). Perhaps what we are dealing with is that there were never a lot of people of African ancestry in Argentina--there were a limited number of slaves in Buenos Aires, which is where the super- wealthy lived--and after slavery ended the Argentines of African descent intermaried with the rest of the population and became absorbed. Perhaps in the context in which Ferreyra lived and worked, one's being of part (or all) African ancestry was simply not important. Perhaps the reason no blacks appear in Ferreyra's films (the limited number I have been able to see) is simply a coincidence. Perhaps there is no exclusion. But I'm not certain. I've tried to see the rest of Ferreyra's films and have not been successful in getting access to them. (The company that once owned them seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. The films must be in someone's hands now, but I can't find whose.) So, as I said, a footnote. And one that, if nothing else, points to the difference between our own and another culture and how that difference is reflected in their films. ***** Poster: Stephen Hart <[log in to unmask]>{ Let me suggest _A Seperate Cinema_ by John Kisch and Edward Mapp. The book is a collection of posters ranging from the early Black Cinema to the late sixties. Though poster art is the book's focus, it provides a forward with an excellent overview of the history of Black cinema, and other historical and biographical commentary. Another title I remember from many years ago is _From Sambo to Superspade_. I don't know the author and never got into reading the book, but I believe it traces Black Cinema history up to the blackploitation era. In light of Currie's discussion on Ferreyra, I read in _Seperate Cinema_ that many early black filmmakers, especially Micheaux, cast light skinned blacks as the protagonists in dramatic roles and dark skinned blacks as antagonists. Like Hollywood, leading roles for dark skinned blacks were only in comedies. This trend among black filmmakers did not last forever, but Hollywood carried it on. Even at that, light skinned blacks were not often seen in leading or supporting roles--or any black for that matter. Prints that were distributed in the South excluded any scenes where blacks had any non-stereotypical role, even if it was a singer doing a song in a nightclub scene. While Ferreyra's exclusion of blacks may have been coincidental, I'm surprised and a bit disappointed that early black filmmakers cast roles a deliberately. Let me know what you gather. Being African-American and an aspiring filmmaker, I am particularly interested in this subject. Good luck! Stephen Hart, Florida State University (8-0) HARTS2@firnvx ***** Poster: BRIAN TAVES <[log in to unmask]> Regarding Pam Wilson's query on the early tradition of black filmmaking, here are several observations. First, probably the largest collection of such films is here at the Library of Congress. As well, because many of the independently made black films are apparently in the public domain, and are of such outstanding interest, most are available from various video dealers, many of them very small private businesses (consequently, the duping quality is often poor). Second, on the specific matter of the various black filmmaking companies, the closest to a primary source is Henry Sampson's Blacks in Black and White, set to appear in its second edition from Scarecrow Press. Sampson has drawn his information largely from the contemporary black press. I have also written an analysis of the evolution of the black corporations toward a star and genre system in my chapter on 1930's B filmmaking in Tino Balio's volume, Grand Design. Richard Grupenhoff's The Black Valentino provides an invaluable case study of the actor Lorenzo Tucker. In addition, Phyllis Klotman's book is a very useful catalog. Brian Taves Motion Picture Division, Library of Congress 202-707-0023 Tavesmail.loc.gov ***** From: IN%"[log in to unmask]" "(Doug Riblet)" 1-NOV-1993 09:25:39.18 The Library of Congress is the best archive source for the Micheaux films and other early Black films. There is also an archive devoted to the subject at Indiana University (I think). A woman from there gave a presentation and showed a recently restored Black-produced 1920s feature at the LA SCS conference. I'll try to search up the info in my files if you're really interested. I don't think they rent films. ***** Poster: BRIAN TAVES <[log in to unmask]> Regarding Doug Riblet's comment, the presentation at the 1990 SCS conference was of the Norman studio's The Flying Ace, by Gloria Gibson-Hudson, an expert in this field. She is at Indiana University, where Phyllis Klotman is also based. ***** Poster: William Elliott <[log in to unmask]> I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but another place to try is the Black Film Archive at Indiana University. Contact Monique Threatt at "[log in to unmask]" for more information. Bill Elliott [log in to unmask] ***** From: [log in to unmask] 1. Rick Provine has already mentioned the "Tyler Texas, Black Film Collection" available from Phoenix/BFA Films (800-221-1274). I don't have a current catalog of theirs, but I recall vaguely the original brochure from years back; this collection contains some interesting features, mostly from the 1940s, I think. 2. "Birth of a Race": without doing exhaustive checking, I don't know if this never-completed feature is available for rental or purchase. However, a 10- minuter excerpt from the film accompanies the Lumivision laserdisc release of "Birth of a Nation." Since the scope of the 10 reels that were completed was broader than white/black race relations in America, it's probable that the excerpt is the portion most relevant to this subject. Anyway, if you're interested you can check with Lumivision at: 800-776-5864. It may be that the source of their material for the disc release has the complete unfinished feature available, or can direct you elsewhere. Jeff Clark James Madison Univ. [log in to unmask] ***** From: BRIAN TAVES <[log in to unmask]> Per Jeff Clark's posting, a correction should be noted. BIRTH OF A RACE was most decidedly a finished feature film, released on a state rights basis in late 1918, per the AFI catalog. A roughly complete print is held here at the Library. Brian Taves Motion Picture Division, Library of Congress Tavesmail.loc.gov