A film about achievements of various African American men and women citizens in the United States. A statue of Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee University in Alabama. View of African American scientist and inventor George Washington Carver, as an elderly man, working with another scientist in a laboratory. African American judge of New York city court. African American explorer Matthew Henson is seen looking at a globe (he was with Admiral Peary planting the American flag at the North Pole in 1909), and an unnamed African American surgeon at work in an operating room in New York. Next scene shows famous "father of the blues" musician and composer W.C. Handy (William Christoper Handy) smiling. Next is seen the financier and publisher of the Amsterdam News, Dr. C.B. Powell (Clilan Powell) greeting three uniformed African American women during a World War 2 war bond drive, and handing them a check (close up is shown) for 25,000 dollars, dated January 4, 1942, for the war bond drive. It is from the account of the Victory Mutual Life Insurance Company which Dr. Powell also owned. The check is signed by C.B Powell and Philip M.H. Savory (Dr. Savory was co-owner of the New York Amsterdam News). The next scene shows Elise Johnson McDougald, better known as Gertrude Elise Ayer, who was the first black full-time public school principal after the consolidation of New York City schools in 1898. She was also a noted woman writer during the Harlem Renaissance. She is seated in her office at her desk, likely in P.S. 119 in Harlem, since this is approximately year 1945 and she was at P.S 119 at that time. Her name plaque is visible on the front center of the desk. Principal Ayer smiles as a woman delivers a document to her. Next is seen the African American historian, author, and professor, Lawrence D. Reddick, serving in his role as the curator of the Schomburg Collection of African American Literature. In an art studio is seen the famous "Harlem Renaissance" African American sculptor and painter Charles Alston, at work on a sculpture. Next scene shows the famous African American contralto singer, Marian Anderson, receiving a bouquet of flowers and smiling after a performance. This transitions to a view of African American orchestra conductor Dean Dixon leading an orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Several views of different sections of the orchestra performing under Dixon's direction. Clip closes with brief shots of campuses of several historically black colleges and universities in the United States like Howard University, Hampton, Tuskegee, Fisk, Prairie View. A football game underway in one of the colleges, and view on the field as quarterback throws a pass.
A film about achievements and role of African Americans in the United States. A newspaper headlines about African American athletes at the Berlin Olympics of 1936. Spectators in a stadium. Athletes at a start line for a 100 meter race. Judge fires starting gun and race is underway. African American athletes Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe of the U.S. win gold and silver medals. German and Japanese participants jump over in a High Jump event. African American athlete Cooper Johnson sets a new Olympic record in the event.
A film in the United States about achievements and role of African American soldiers during World War II. A dramatization depicts An African American priest at a church as he addresses people about the outbreak of World War II. Nazi eagle symbol. Past events show German Chancellor Adolf Hitler and Japanese officers conferring at a map. A Japanese flag flies. A building being bombed during World War II. Smoke rises. Civilians being hanged to death by the Nazis in the European Theater. Japanese aircraft bombard areas in Asia. Asian civilians rush as bombs explode. Dead and injured civilians after the bombings. Injured being loaded onto a truck. Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Naval guns being fired at Japanese aircraft in flight during the attack. An African American machine gunner fires at Japanese aircraft.
A film in the United States about achievements and role of African American soldiers during World War II. A dramatization depicts an African American priest at a church as he addresses people about the contribution of African Americans in every branch of army like quartermaster corps, infantry. A woman gets up and says that her son is serving in the infantry. She reads out a letter from her son Robert. Army recruits at a railroad station. Elevated view of men walking in organized lines in the train station. Robert bids goodbye to his mother. A train arrives at an army training camp with snow on the ground and icicles hanging from the train station. Recruits being addressed by an officer. Robert being interviewed about his past life. An officer teaches the recruits the correct manner of saluting. The recruits remove civilian clothing and put on military uniforms. They undergo physical examination by U.S. Army medical staff. They board a train and leave for a replacement center. The recruits arrive at a camp and get off trucks onto snow covered ground. In a barracks area, they learn to make their beds and march. The recruits march across training grounds. Ill soldiers and recruits at a hospital as doctors examine them. The recruits undergo a dental check up. They learn to fire rifles at rifle ranges. The recruits play football, baseball, boxing and ping pong. They listen to poetry. African American women WACs ( Women's Army Corps) march at a training academy. They drive jeeps over a rough terrain. A recruit polishes his shoe. The African American recruits dance with girls at a dance ball. They perform exercises during a drill.
The roles and achievements of African American soldiers during World War 2. United States Army recruits undergo training and running across a field during a maneuver and practice bayonet drills. Recruits attend a Sunday Church service and pray together. An officer reads out a GI report and speaks about the increasing number of African American officers in the army. African American soldiers being commissioned into the army at West Point. An African American woman reads out her son's letter. A black priest addresses people at a church.
A film about achievements and role of African American soldiers during World War II. A dramatization depicts an African American priest addressing people at a church in the United States. At Tuskegee air base, home of the Tuskegee Airmen, an officer pins up wings onto African American airmen. African American pilots in flight gear as they walk towards aircraft. The aircraft in flight. An African American pilot in the cockpit of an airborne aircraft. Military jeeps and trucks advance. Artillery being fired on a snow covered field. African American soldiers at guns. They build a bridge across a river during World War II. Troops loaded in trucks advance. A signalman handles a line on a communication pole. Cavalry units on a patrol. African American soldiers fire anti aircraft guns. Infantrymen crawl across a field amidst firing.
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