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.
Battle of Corregidor in Philippines during World War II. Japanese flag being hoisted in Corregidor after the surrender by United States forces in 1942. U.S. troops in Japanese prison camp. Wreckage after the battle. A map of Philippines. Allied invasion fleet underway at sea towards Corregidor. Naval guns and aircraft bombard the island. Explosions occur on the island. U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft in flight U.S. 503rd Air Regiment are aboard U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft. Paratroopers jump and descend. Paratroopers advance inland. U.S. Army 24th Division soldiers come ashore in landing crafts. Troops fight against the Japanese. Shells being loaded in artillery. Soldiers fire rifles.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas F. Sullivan of Waterloo, Iowa receive Purple Heart medals from Rear Admiral Clark H. Woodward at Navy Headquarters in Washington, D.C. USA. They receive the Purple Hearts in memory of their five sons who all died together while serving aboard the USS Junea on November 13, 1942. Brief shot of woman rocking in a chair while holding a young boy in her arms. Close up of Purple Heart medal in case. The Sullivans holding all five Purple Hearts together.
The Philippines under Japanese occupation, liberation, and subsequent granting of independence by the United States in World War 2. Bodies of Filipino and United States soldiers killed during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. Captured American, Filipino, and Australian soldiers raise their hands after the Fall of Corregidor. United States General Jonathan M. Wainwright negotiating the surrender of The Phillipines with Japanese General Masaharu Homma in 1942. Brigadier General Lewis C. Beebe and Major Thomas Dooley are seen to Wainwright's left. An American warship firing during the United States Pacific campaign to defeat Japanese occupying forces in the Pacific. United States soldiers get off an amphibious landing craft during the U.S. retaking of the Philippines. United States General Douglas MacArthur arrival in Leyte Gulf with a retinue consisting of Philippine President-in-exile Sergio Osmeña, Lieutenant General Richard Sutherland, Philippine Brigadier General Carlos P. Romulo, Major General Courtney Whitney, Philippine Sergeant Francisco Salveron and CBS Radio correspondent William J. Dunn in Palo, Leyte, the Philippines- a fulfillment of his promise to return to the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur speaking at the Independence Day ceremony in Manila on July 4, 1946. “America never wavered in that purpose. America today redeems that pledge.” Says General MacArthur. United States Senator Millard Tydings, the co-sponsor of the Tydings–McDuffie Act (a law that provides independence to the Philippines after a 10-year transition as a Commonwealth) attends the ceremony. Paul V. McNutt, the United States High Commissioner of the Philippine Commonwealth (later the first United States Ambassador to the Philippines), reads the United States President Harry Truman's official proclamation of Philippine Independence. Filipino elites and United States dignitaries watch the ceremony in the Independence Grandstand (a temporary structure built in front of the Rizal Monument). Manuel Roxas being sworn in as the first President of the Philippines after gaining independence from the United States. The Philippine national anthem, Lupang Hinirang, plays in the background. High Commissioner McNutt lowers the United States flag from the flagpole as President Manuel Roxas raises the flag of the new Republic of the Philippines. A celebratory parade following the Independence ceremony takes place, which includes floats from various provinces in the country. A float with signs reading: "Let's Produce and Rebuild,". "Mountain Province" float with women wearing formal Filipino Baro’t Saya gowns. "The City of Manila" float with soldiers. "The University of the Philippines" (UP) float featuring two women dressed as allegorical figures and sign saying, “The University of the Philippines At the Service of the State”. "The Division of City Schools" float features two Filipinos in traditional attire in front of a Statue of Liberty model. A float, likely belonging to the National Library of the Philippines, with children and a huge book model. The Chamber of Commerce Philippines float contains a machine gear model and small models of an aircraft and a ship. American soldiers marching, carrying the United States flag. A military marching band play. Filipino soldiers marching with the Philippine flag. Military aircraft in flight above the Independence Grandstand in Manila.
The French 501st Combat Tank Regiment (501e Régiment de chars de combat 501e RCC in French) in North Dalton, England during World War II. A French soldier sits on top of an M4 Sherman tank. A pet dog mascot stands near the soldier on top of the tank. Dog is barking and wagging its tail while standing on top of the tank. Side of tank reads “ELALAMEIN” after the Battle of El-Alamein, for which the regiment won battle honors in 1942. The tank moves, with the soldier and pet dog mascot still on top of the tank. Soldier holds on to turret while dog is peeking out of the hatch. A French soldier’s chest wearing insignias. French soldiers smoke cigarettes, eat and relax while seated outside tents. A French soldier offers cigarette to his friends. A French soldier lights a cigarette for another soldier.
Soviet Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers on a grass field with engines running. View of bomb load under wing of one. A crashed German aircraft on the field. A German bomb labelled "Nur gegen handelsshiffe" (only against commercial vessels). Soviet ground crews moving bombs on dollies. Squadron of Pe-2 bombers taking off. View of Soviet crew in cockpit and view of waterway beneath with a ship moving in it. A formation of Soviet YAK fighter aircraft in flight. Formation of Pe-2 bombers and crews in cockpits as they release their bombs. A ship on the water seen from cockpit of low flying Pe-2 with aircraft engine and prop visible. A ship exploding and burning. Soviet navigator in bomber using a slide rule. Formation of Soviet bombers and formation of Soviet fighter planes.