A Singing Stream: A Black Family Chronicle: Museum Object and Cultural History
A Singing Stream: A Black Family Chronicle: Date: 1986. Directed by: Tom Davenport, American, born 1939. Subject of: Bertha M. Landis, American, born 1898.
The object in the museum catalogue
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.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: 1986
- Directed by: Tom Davenport, American, born 1939
- Subject of: Bertha M. Landis, American, born 1898
- Produced by: Davenport Films, American
- Subject of: Claude Landis, American, 1935 - 2019
- Subject of: John Landis, American
- Subject of: Kenneth Daniel, American
- Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
- Type: sound films
- Type: color films (visual works)
- Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
- Medium: polyester film
- Dimensions: Duration: 49 Minutes
- Dimensions: Length (Film): 1750 Feet
- Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Place filmed: Granville County, North Carolina, United States, North and Central America
- Topic: African American
- Topic: American South
- Topic: Families
- Topic: Film
- Topic: Gospel (Music)
- Topic: Independent films
- Topic: Religion
- Topic: Segregation
- Object number: 2017.55.100.1a
- Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
- Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
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