Thirty Minutes from Harlem: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A documentary short with the title Thirty Minutes from Harlem, created by filmmakers of the Elmcor Production Program of the Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities, Inc., of Corona, NY. The film was created by Bill Moore and directed by Robert Judd. It consists of a single reel of 16mm color acetate film with optical sound (2012.79.1.78.1a) with original plastic reel (2012.79.1.78.1b) and cardboard container (2012.79.1.78.1c).

The film begins with the Elmcor program director, Ottley Brownbill, discussing why investment in the community is a better solution to drug use than simply providing methadone to addicts. This is followed by a title sequence featuring street scenes in Corona/East Elmhurst and a funk music soundtrack. The next scene returns to the interview with Brownbill; the camera zooms out to reveal two colleagues, William Dobie, and Victor McLaughlin, sitting on either side of him. The three men discuss the early drug counseling programs sponsored by Elmcor, and how their current strategies differ by focusing more on larger social programs. As the interview goes on, street scenes around the neighborhood are shown. The conversation shifts to a discussion of the need to take control of local institutions, so that the community can have a say in how it is managed. The film then shifts to an extended montage of street scenes shot in both Harlem and Corona/East Elmhurst backed by funk music.

Following the montage, the film returns to the interview of the three men. The conversation again focuses on how the community needs to have control over local institutions in order to raise itself out of poverty. It is also mentioned that in terms of the conditions that have led to poverty, nothing separates Corona/East Elmhurst from Harlem or Bed-Stuy. Shots taken at a construction site are shown as the three talk about Elmcor's success in building its own facilities. Next, Lucius Benson, another Elmcor employee, is interviewed in an unidentified outdoor location. He talks about how he used to take an aggressive, violent approach to combating drug addiction in the neighborhood, but embraced Elmcor's approach when he met Brownbill. The three men expound on the notion that it is the conditions in which people live that drive them to drugs and crime. Jeff Aubry, Elmcor's educational coordinator, is the next to be interviewed. As he gives an overview of the curriculum, several other educational staff members are shown. The film concludes with Brownbill imploring the viewer to invest in the young people of the community and a montage of children playing in the street and at local playgrounds.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1975
• Produced by: Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities, Inc., American, founded 1965
• Owned by: Pearl Bowser, American, 1931 - 2023
• Type: sound films
• Type: color films (visual works)
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film, plastic and cardboard
• Dimensions: Physical extent (film): 880 ft
• Dimensions: Duration: 24 min.
• Place filmed: Corona, Queens, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place filmed: Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Associations and institutions
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Education
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Mass media
• Object number: 2012.79.1.78.1abc
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser
• 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: Unknown – Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.