Black and White in South Africa: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A documentary film with the title Black and White in South Africa. It consists of a single reel of black-and-white 16mm acetate film with sound.

Through the use of contextual narration by Edgar McInnis, archival footage, reenactments and still imagery, the documentary explores the causes and consequences of Apartheid in South Africa. The opening scenes focus on early encounters between the Dutch and native peoples of southern Africa. Other scenes and topics explored include conflicts between the British and the Dutch in the 19th century; the conflict between Dingane, king of the Zulus, and the settlers on December 16, 1938 at Blood River; discovery of natural resources such as diamond and gold; the circumstances that led to the Boer War and the mass death of women and children in concentration camps; the circumstances that led to Apartheid and relations between South Africa's white population and the Bantu people; South Africa's "separate but parallel" doctrine; the arguments used to defend South Africa's racial segregation, such as fears of miscegenation and the economic concerns of poor whites; as well as the rise of anti-Apartheid groups such as the African National Congress, the Black Sash and other protest groups. The documentary ends with the host making an appeal for racial equity in South Africa.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1957
• Directed by: John Howe, Canadian, 1926 - 2008
• Written by: Ronald Dick
• Written by: William Weintraub, Canadian, 1926 - 2017
• Narrated by: Edgar McInnis, Canadian, 1899 - 1973
• Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
• Type: documentaries
• Type: sound films
• Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
• Type: short subjects
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration: 28 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1000 Feet
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: South Africa, Africa
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Africa
• Topic: British colonialism
• Topic: Documentary films
• Topic: Dutch colonialism
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Race relations
• Topic: Segregation
• Object number: 2017.55.77.1a
• 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.