Black women film pioneers facts for kids
| 1890s–1920s | |
| Including | |
|---|---|
Did you know that Black women played a huge role in making movies right from the start? Even though their work is only now getting lots of attention, they were there when American films first began. For example, Maria P. Williams was called the first Black woman filmmaker for her movie The Flames of Wrath (1923). Tressie Souders also got this honor for her film A Woman’s Error (1922). Some people think Madame E. Toussaint Welcome was first with her war movie Doing Their Bit (1916). Others point to Eloyce King Patrick Gist for Hell Bound Train (around 1929-30). What we know for sure is that Black women were busy writing, acting, directing, and producing movies from the very earliest days of cinema.
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Trailblazers in Early Cinema
Many amazing women helped create the first movies. These pioneers include Alice B. Russell, Eslanda Robeson, Eloyce King Patrick Gist, Zora Neale Hurston, Tressie Souders, Madame E. Toussaint Welcome, Mrs. M. Webb, and Birdie Gilmore. They took on important jobs like directing, producing, and writing movie scripts.
Influential women like Dorothy Davenport and Maria P. Williams worked hard to change unfair ideas about women and Black people in movies. They also helped change how women could work in filmmaking. Experts say that women were much more involved in the early film industry than many people realize. For example, editing films was often seen as a job for women.
Other women worked as script writers, producers, directors, camera operators, and even helped add color to films. They also worked as readers for scripts and helped choose actors for roles.
The Silent Film Era: A Hidden History
The Silent film era in the United States lasted from the late 1890s to the mid-1920s. During this time, movies had no spoken dialogue. Only a small part of these early films still exist today. It's hard to know exactly how many silent films are left. Some films only have a few parts, like a title, but are missing other sections.
Out of all American silent movies, only about 25% are still complete. Another 5% exist but are not complete. Because so many early films are lost, we might never know about all the other Black women who helped make movies back then. It's very likely that many more were involved than we currently know about.
Gallery
(Selection was limited by availability.)
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Drusilla Dunjee Houston
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Zora Neale Hurston
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Eslanda Robeson
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Alice B. Russell
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Maria P. Williams
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Madame Sul-Te-Wan
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Anita Bush
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See also
More About Black Women Film Pioneers
- A website about Sisters in Cinema Documentary: A History of African American Women Feature Film Directors
- An article from The Atlantic about When Hollywood's Power Players Were Women
Early Black Film History
