For decades, the seven reels from 1913 lay unexamined in the film archives of the Museum of Modern Art. Now, after years of research, a historic find has emerged: what MoMA curators say is the earliest surviving footage for a feature film with a black cast. It is a rare visual depiction of middle-class black characters from an era when lynchings and stereotyped black images were commonplace. What’s more, the material features Bert Williams, the first black superstar on Broadway. Williams appears in blackface in the untitled silent film along with a roster of actors from the sparsely documented community of black performers in Harlem on the cusp of the Harlem Renaissance. Remarkably, the reels also capture behind-the-scenes interactions between these performers and the directors. MoMA plans an exhibition around the work called “100 Years in Post-Production: Resurrecting a Lost Landmark of Black Film History,” which is to open on Oct. 24 and showcase excerpts and still frames. Sixty … [Read more...] about Coming Soon, a Century Late: A Black Film Gem
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Past Into Present: 4 Journeys That Changed Us
An African-American resort town in Michigan, circa 1970; a raucous family road trip from Kansas City, Mo., to New York state; a bittersweet return to Hyderabad, India; and a college student’s self-discovery in Australia: Four New York Times Travel contributors share their memories of trips that still impart a sense of wonder and hope. Lost in Time on the Shores of Lake Idlewild By Ron Stodghill At some point, even as I began racking up frequent-flier miles, I came to accept a simple truth: I’d find no sleep as peaceful as I found on Lake Idlewild. My slumbers in Michigan’s densely wooded, all-black resort started as a kid. Belly full of fried catfish, Jones Homemade Ice Cream and ZotZ penny candy from Lee-John’s Novelty and Soda Bar, I would curl up on a lounge chair by the lake and snooze for hours to the sound of waves gurgling along the shore, the purring of fishing boats motoring by, the crackling of the Detroit Tigers radio broadcast wafting … [Read more...] about Past Into Present: 4 Journeys That Changed Us
Kamala Harris Says ‘Inequality Persists’ in Home Appraisals
Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday announced a series of new actions designed to root out racial bias from the home appraisal industry, including ensuring the data used in appraisal software doesn’t perpetuate discrimination and making information about home valuations and the race and ethnicity of homeowners available to the broader public. “For generations, many people of color have been prevented from taking full advantage of the benefits of homeownership,” Ms. Harris said in her announcement. “Today that legacy of inequity persists in part in the home appraisal system.” Ninety-seven percent of appraisers are white, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Allegations of lowballed values from Black homeowners have created a firestorm of criticism over the past three years, and the actions announced on Thursday build upon two years of work from the Biden administration to tackle the issue. They include rules that would ensure Automated Valuation Models, the popular … [Read more...] about Kamala Harris Says ‘Inequality Persists’ in Home Appraisals
‘Mourning Lincoln’ and ‘Lincoln’s Body’
Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865, of a gunshot wound to the head. He was 56 years old and 6 feet 4 inches tall: a giant, felled. He was the 16th president of the United States and the first one killed in office. (A madman once tried to shoot Andrew Jackson, but both of his pistols misfired.) An assassination is treason by way of murder. Lincoln’s assassination was more — an act of war. Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9. Lincoln was the last of the Union dead. His death had another meaning, too. It founded a civic religion, dedicated to the memory of Lincoln’s sacrifice and to the proposition that emancipation is redemption. What became of Lincoln began with an act of hatred. On April 11, John Wilkes Booth said, while listening to Lincoln deliver a speech about the terms of the victory, “That means nigger citizenship.” Booth shot Lincoln with a derringer at about 10:15 p.m. on April 14 — Good Friday — in Ford’s Theater, six blocks from the White House. A 23-year-old Army … [Read more...] about ‘Mourning Lincoln’ and ‘Lincoln’s Body’
San Clemente: Dogs, Cats, Pets Up For Adoption Nearby
0 Pets These local pets are searching for their forever homes. Meet Louise, Linda, Pepper and more. Pet News , Patch Staff Posted Reply If you’re hoping to add a four-legged ball of love and affection to your life, start with these San Clemente area shelters for a pet up for adoption. Millions of pets are taken in each year by shelters nationwide, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, only half of all shelter animals — about 3.2 million — are adopted each year, according to ASPCA data. This means millions of animals — some right here in the San Clemente area — are still waiting for their forever homes. Need some help in your search? Patch and Petfinder have you covered. We've created this week’s list of pets available for adoption near you. Whether you’re looking for cuddles or companionship, one of these animals could be the perfect fit for your family. If you're a dog person, … [Read more...] about San Clemente: Dogs, Cats, Pets Up For Adoption Nearby
STAGE: ‘COLORED MUSEUM,’ SATIRE BY GEORGE C. WOLFE
See the article in its original context from November 3, 1986 Section Page Buy Reprints View on timesmachine TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. About the Archive This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. THERE comes a time when a satirical writer, if he's really out for blood, must stop clowning around and move in for the kill. That unmistakable moment of truth arrives about halfway through ''The Colored Museum,'' the wild new evening of black black humor at the Public Theater. In a sketch titled ''The Last Mama-on-the-Couch Play,'' the author, George C. Wolfe, says the unthinkable, … [Read more...] about STAGE: ‘COLORED MUSEUM,’ SATIRE BY GEORGE C. WOLFE