A Tuskegee Pilgrimage -- October 25, 2022

Dallas Express, 21-October-1922

I have mentioned before that I greatly admire John Harris, owner and manager of the Grand Central Theater in Dallas, who had a policy of showing race films. On 15-April-1922, the Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, dedicated a monument, “Lifting the Veil of Ignorance,” to its first principal, educator Booker T Washington. Reol Productions made a short documentary about the ceremonies.

Dallas Express, 28-October-1922

Reol Productions also made The Burden of Race, a feature-length feature film.

Birmingham Reporter, 07-October-1922

This issue of the Birmingham Reporter contained several small ads for the soon-to-open Famous Theater. 

Birmingham Reporter, 07-October-1922

The Champion and Frolic Theaters in Birmingham advertised themselves as the "Best in the South for Colored People." 

Annapolis Evening Capital, 27-October-1922

The Star Theater, "The only up-to-date colored theater in Annapolis, was showing The Crimson Skull, directed by Richard E Norman. The all African-American cast starred Lawrence Chenault and "Anna Bush, the Colored Cowboy Girl." Kid Canfield was a reformed gambler who appeared in two movies and in vaudeville. 

Topeka State Journal, 21-October-1922

On the stage, Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones was successfully touring the country. Star Charles S Gilpin became popular. "Please Don't Mistake This For a Movie." 

Topeka State Journal, 21-October-1922

Gilpin died in 1930 and Paul Robeson played the lead in a 1933 talkie.

Edna Morton, Famous Colored Film Actress -- September 30, 2022

Dallas Express, 02-September-1922

I have mentioned before that I greatly admire John Harris, owner and manager of the Grand Central Theater in Dallas, who had a policy of showing race films. Spitfire was a Reol production. It starred Edna Morton and Lawrence Chenault.

Dallas Express, 30-September-1922

This article about "Famous Film Beauty" Edna Morton's visit to Columbus, Ohio mentions some Reol Productions that I have never heard of. 

Moving Picture World, 16-September-1922

One enterprising Texas distributor "arranged for a tie-up with the local Klan" to promote One Clear Call. 

Moving Picture World, 23-September-1922

This item reports the burning of "The negro picture theater at Arkadelphia," but does not say which Arkadelphia, Arkansas or Alabama. I dug around newspapers and could not find a mention of such a fire.

Moving Picture World, 30-September-1922

Meanwhile in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Olla James, a woman of color, sued the Hippodrome Theater. "She says in the suit that she was admitted to the theater but was denied full and equal enjoyment of accommodations, advantages and facilities because she is of African descent."

Big Colored Picture! -- January 29, 2022

Dallas Express, 28-January-1922

I admire John Harris, owner and manager of the Grand Central Theater in Dallas. His ads were always interesting and always featured a photo of himself. I like to see a man who was proud of his work. In this ad, he mentioned that he was bringing By Right of Birth back by popular demand. We saw an ad for the previous showing in September:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2021/09/race-films-in-dallas-september-30-2021.html

The Lincoln Motion Picture Company, founded in Omaha in 1916 by brothers Noble and George Johnson, is often called the first company to make "race films," independent production with all- or almost-all-African American casts. In 1918, the company moved to Los Angeles, where it remained until it folded in 1922. The Johnsons left the company in about 1920. By Right of Birth, starring Clarence Brooks, was the company's fifth and last production. Actor Clarence Brooks went on to appear in many race films and some mainstream films during his career.

Dallas Express, 14-January-1922

This program consisted of movies not produced by African Americans, but one short comedy, "The Custard Nine," featured black performers. It was based on a story by a white guy, Harris Dickson.

Dallas Express, 28-January-1922

The Dallas Express was African-American owned. 

Evening Capital and Maryland Gazette, 21-January-1922

The bill at the Star Theater in Annapolis included a vaudeville program and a 1916 Biograph comedy, "A Natural Born Gambler." It starred Bahamian-American comedian Bert Williams. Williams appeared in vaudeville and the Ziegfeld Follies. He died tragically young in 1922.

The ad promised a real race film, The Sport of the Gods, based on the novel by poet Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Robert Levy, a Jewish immigrant from Britain, made it through his company, Reol Productions. 

Evening Capital and Maryland Gazette, 23-January-1922

This ad is hard to read, but I thought it was worth including.