George C. Stoney facts for kids

George Cashel Stoney (born July 1, 1916 – died July 12, 2012) was an American filmmaker and teacher. He was known for making documentary films, which are non-fiction films that show real life. He is also called the "father of public-access television," which is TV made by and for the community.

Some of his famous films include Palmour Street, A Study of Family Life (1949), All My Babies (1953), and The Uprising of '34 (1995). His film All My Babies was chosen to be part of the National Film Registry in 2002. This means it was recognized as a very important film to keep safe.

Early Life and Studies

George Cashel Stoney was born in 1916 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He went to the University of North Carolina and finished his studies in 1937. He studied English and History there.

Later, he continued his education at Balliol College in Oxford, England. He also earned a special certificate in Film in Education from the University of London.

In 1938, George Stoney worked at the Henry Street Settlement House in New York City. This was a place that helped people in need. He also helped with a big book called An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy. This book looked at the challenges faced by African Americans.

Before joining the army in 1942, he worked for the Farm Security Administration. His job was to tell stories about farmers who rented land and were struggling. He also wrote articles for many newspapers and magazines, like New York Times. During World War II, he served as an officer who used photos to gather information.

Making Films and Teaching

In 1946, George Stoney started working for the Southern Educational Film Service. Here, he wrote and directed films for the government to help educate people. He made films like Mr. Williams Wakes Up (1944) and Tar Heel Family (1951).

All My Babies: A Midwife's Story

In 1953, Stoney wrote, directed, and produced a very important film called All My Babies: A Midwife's Own Story. This film followed Mary Francis Hill Coley, an African American midwife. It showed how she helped people give birth and how she worked with doctors and nurses to improve healthcare. The film won many awards. In 2002, the Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry.

Teaching and Public-Access TV

In the late 1960s, Stoney started his own film company. He also taught at several universities, including Columbia University and Stanford University. In 1971, he became a professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He taught there until he passed away.

From 1968 to 1970, he led the Challenge for Change project in Canada. This project made documentaries that aimed to create social change. After this, George Stoney and Red Burns started the Alternate Media Center in 1972. This center taught everyday people how to make their own videos for a new kind of TV called Public-access television.

George Stoney believed that everyone should have a voice on TV. He is often called the "father of public-access television" because he worked hard to make it possible for communities to share their stories.

The Uprising of '34

In 1995, Stoney directed The Uprising of '34. This film was about a big textile workers' strike that happened in 1934. For the film, he collected over 300 hours of interviews. He spoke with former factory workers, their families, labor organizers, and factory owners. This helped him tell the full story of the strikes.

Legacy and Passing

George Stoney was an active member of the boards for the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) and the Alliance for Community Media (ACM). These groups support community television.

Every year, the ACM gives out "The George Stoney Award." This award honors a group or person who has done great work to support community communication.

George Stoney passed away peacefully at his home in New York City when he was 96 years old.

Filmography

• Mr. Williams Wakes Up (1944) Writer
• Feeling All Right! (1948) Writer
• Palmour Street, A Study of Family Life (1949) Writer/Director/Producer
• Tar Heel Family (1951) Writer/Director/Producer
• Land and Life (1949) Writer/Director/Producer
• A Concept of Maternal and Neonatal Care (1950) Director/Producer
• Birthright (1951) Writer
• The American Road (1953) Director
• All My Babies: A Midwife's Own Story (1953) Writer/Director/Producer
• Angels with Silver Wings (1953) Director/Producer
• The Invader (1955) Director
• The Secrets of the Heart (1955)
• The Boy Who Saw Through (1956) Director
• Proud Years (1956) Writer/Director
• Second Chance (1956)
• Hail The Hearty (1956) Producer
• Cerebral Vascular Disease: The Challenge of Management (1959)
• Booked for Safekeeping (1960) Writer/Director
• The Cry for Help (1962)
• The Mask (1963)
• The Newcomers (1963)
• Under Pressure (1964)
• How to Live in a City (1964)
• The Man in the Middle (1966)
• You Are on Indian Land (1969) Producer
• VTR St-Jacques (1969) Producer
• Up Against the System (1969) Producer
• These Are My People... (1969) Producer
• The Prince Edward Island Development Plan, Part 1: Ten Days in September (1969) Producer
• The Prince Edward Island Development Plan, Part 2: Four Days in March (1969) Producer
• Mrs Case (1969) Producer
• A Young Social Worker Speaks Her Mind (1969) Producer
• Occupation (1970) Producer
• Introduction to Labrador (1970) Producer
• I Don't Think It's Meant for Us (1971) Producer
• God Help the Man Who Would Part with His Land (1971) Director
• When I Go. That's It! (1972) Director/Producer
• Hudson Shad (1974)
• Planning for Floods (1974)
• The Shepherd of the Night Flock (1975) Director/Producer
• How the Myth Was Made: A Study of Robert Flaherty's Man of Aran (1978) Director/Producer
• Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (1978)
• In China Family Planning is No Private Matter (1978)
• The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time (1981) Producer
• Southern Voices: A Composer's Exploration with Sorrel Doris Hays (1985) Director
• How One Painter Sees (1988)
• We Shall Overcome (1989) Producer
• The Uprising of '34 (1995) Director
• Race or Reason: The Bellport Dilemma (2003) Producer
• Flesh in Ecstasy: Gaston Lachaise and the Woman He Loved (2009) Director w David Bagnall
• What's Organic About Organic? (2010) Consulting Producer