Take This Hammer (film) facts for kids

Take This Hammer is a documentary film from 1964. It was made by Richard O. Moore for National Educational Television. The film first aired on February 4, 1964, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The movie follows the famous author and activist James Baldwin. He visits San Francisco in 1963. Baldwin meets with members of the local African American community. He wants to show the true situation of Black people in the city. He felt this was different from the perfect image San Francisco wanted to show.

Exploring Life in San Francisco

What the Film is About

In the film, James Baldwin talks openly with people on the street. He also meets with community leaders. These meetings happen in the Bayview and Western Addition neighborhoods. Baldwin talks about the unfairness that African Americans faced. He tries to encourage a young man. He says he believes there will be a Black president one day.

Restoring the Film

In 2009, a special copy of Take This Hammer was digitally restored. This means it was cleaned up and made to look new again. The San Francisco Bay Area Television Archive did this work. The restored film was shown at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The director, Richard O. Moore, was there to talk about it.

The Director's Original Vision

In 2011, Richard Moore shared something important. He said that about 15 minutes of the film had been cut. These parts showed young people from Hunters Point speaking strongly. Moore deeply regretted having to cut these scenes. The TV station's board felt these parts were too long. They worried the film should not be shown.

Cutting these parts made the film focus more on Baldwin. It moved attention away from the young Black people. Moore agreed to the cuts so the film could be broadcast. This caused problems in his friendship with James Baldwin. Moore was surprised by the anger of the youth. He felt their voices should have been the main part of the film.

In 2013, Moore's original, longer version of the film was found. It was 59 minutes long. This version had the 15 minutes of extra footage. Most of it showed young African Americans talking with Baldwin. They spoke about their lives and the police in San Francisco. This original film was then digitally improved in August 2013.

Film Crew and Connections

Richard Moore also mentioned that the film does not have full credits at the end. Mary Ann Pollard helped connect the filmmakers with James Baldwin. The film crew included Irving Saraf, Phil Greene, and sound engineer Hank McGill. McGill's car was even used for filming while moving!

Celebrating the Film's History

On February 5, 2014, a special screening of the director's cut took place. It was held at the Bayview Opera House in San Francisco. This event celebrated the film's 50th anniversary. Many community groups helped organize this free public showing.

In March and April 2014, the film's sound was also digitally restored. This made the audio quality much better. The improved film was then made available online in April.