Blacks Britannica: Museum Object and Cultural History
Blacks Britannica: Date: 1978. Directed by: David Koff, American, 1939 - 2014. Subject of: Courtney Hay, British.
The object in the museum catalogue
A documentary film with the title Blacks Britannica. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm polyester film with optical sound.
The documentary opens with alternating clips of a street protest and the band Steel Pulse performing in a studio before cutting to a scene with British sociologist Colin Prescod discussing racial discrimination against black people in England. In his opening statement he says that “Weren’t one weary of talking about conspiracy, one would say that there is clearly a conspiracy against blacks in this country.”
The rest of the film utilizes a combination of interviews and archival footage to discuss racism in England. Some of the topics explored include the ghettoization of black people in England; West Indians migrating to England in search of better economic opportunities; as well as the difference in perspective between first-generation and second-generation West Indian immigrants. Additionally, there is some archival footage of interviews and speeches by British politicians such as Enoch Powell, Margaret Thatcher, Kingsley Reid, and others.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: 1978
- Directed by: David Koff, American, 1939 - 2014
- Subject of: Courtney Hay, British
- Subject of: Darcus Howe, British, 1943 - 2017
- Subject of: Jessica Huntley, British, 1927 - 2013
- Subject of: Claudia Jones, Trinidadian, 1915 - 1964
- Subject of: Ron Phillips, British, 1935 - 1998
- Subject of: Colin Prescod, British, born 1944
- Subject of: Tony Sealy
- Type: sound films
- Type: color films (visual works)
- Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
- Medium: polyester film
- Dimensions: Duration: 50 Minutes
- Dimensions: Length (Film): 1800 Feet
- Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Place filmed: England, United Kingdom, Europe
- Topic: African American
- Topic: African diaspora
- Topic: Documentary films
- Topic: Film
- Topic: Identity
- Topic: Immigration
- Topic: Migrations
- Topic: Politics
- Object number: 2017.55.63.1a
- 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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