This project was created by UCLA students and faculty members to reconstruct and revive the history of early African-American silent race films. The interest for this project was sparked by the Johnson Negro Film Collection at UCLA’s Charles E. Young Research Library. The intention behind this project was to address a too seldom-discussed history, through a structure that would be the most effective for academic research.
To read more about this data, see the project website.
People
Field Name | Data Type | Description |
---|---|---|
LN | Variant Character Field | Last name of person |
FN | Variant Character Field | First name of person |
Full name | Variant Character Field | Full name of person |
AKA | Variant Character Field | “Also known as”; any nicknames or variant spellings of person’s name |
DOB | Date | Person’s date of birth |
DOD | Date | Person’s date of death |
Notes | Variant Character Field | Miscellaneous notes on person at hand, such as significance, relations to other persons in data, connections to films in database, etc. |
Attachments | File Attachment | Primary source attachments, photos, etc. |
Films (Appeared in) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films in the database the person appeared on-screen in |
Films (Directed) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films in the database the person directed |
Films (Produced) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films in the database the person produced |
Films (Camerawork) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films in the database where the person operated the camera |
Source | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Primary or secondary source the person is mentioned in for this dataset |
Films (Otherwise involved) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films in the database ther person had any part of not including acting, directing, producing, or camerawork. |
Productn Comp. assoc. with | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Production companies the person is associated with |
Theatrical Company assoc. with | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Theater companies the person is associated with |
Films | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films in the database the person is associated with |
Films
Field Name | Data Type | Description |
---|---|---|
Title | Variant Character Field | Title of film |
Alternate title | Variant Character Field | Any variant name the film may have been referred to |
Genre | Variant Character Field | Film’s genre |
Primary Source Verification | File Attachment | Primary source in which the film was mentioned, such as ads, articles, pictorials, etc. |
Notes | Variant Character Field | Miscellaneous notes |
Production Company | Variant Character Field | Production company the film is associated with |
Production date | Date | Date the film was produced; most dates only include year of production, which is defaulted as January 1st |
Distribution date | Date | Date the film was distributed; most dates only include year of production, which is defaulted as January 1st |
Length (reels) | Number | Number of reels the film is contained in |
Actors | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of actors associated with the film |
Directors | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of directors associated with the film |
Producers | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of producers associated with the film |
Camerawork | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of camera workers associated with the film |
Attachments | File attachment | Primary or secondary sources, photos, etc. |
Source | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Primary or secondary source where the film was mentioned for this dataset |
Writer | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of writers associated with the film |
Otherwise Involved | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of anyone otherwise associated with the film |
Link to media | Hyperlink | Link to view the film |
Distributor | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Distributor associated with the film |
Producers (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of producers associated with the film |
Actors (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of actors associated with the film |
Directors (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of directors associated with the film |
Otherwise Involved (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of anyone otherwise associated with the film |
Writer (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of writers associated with the film |
Companies
Field Name | Data Type | Description |
---|---|---|
Name | Variant Character Field | Name of theater company, production company, or distribution company |
White or AfAm Owned | Variant Character Field | If the company was white-owned or African-American-owned |
Date founded | Date | Date the company was founded; most dates only include the year founded, which then defaults to January 1st |
Date closed | Date | Date the company was defunct; most dates only include the year founded, which then defaults to January 1st |
Location Founded | Variant Character Field | Location of the company; some entries include exact addresses, while others only include the city and state |
Films (Produced) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films the company produced |
Source | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Primary or secondary source in which the company was mentioned for this dataset |
Notes | Variant Character Field | Miscellaneous notes |
Attachments | File Attachment | Primary or secondary sources, photos, etc. |
Associated People | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | People associated with the company, mentioned in any primary or secondary source for this dataset |
Films (Distributed) | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films the company distributed |
Actors in Theater Company | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Last names of actors associated with the theater company, if applicable |
Associated People (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of anyone associated with the theater company, if applicable |
Actors in Theater Company (Full Name) | Variant Character Field | Full names of actors associated with the theater company, if applicable |
Sources
Field Name | Data Type | Description |
---|---|---|
Title | Variant Character Field | Title of source used in this dataset |
Author LN | Variant Character Field | Last name of author |
Author FN | Variant Character Field | First name of author |
Date of Publication | Date | Date the source was published; if the source only includes the year, the date defaults at January 1^st^ |
Publisher | Variant Character Field | Publisher of source |
Archive | Variant Character Field | Archive where the source can be found |
Location in Archive | Variant Character Field | Location within the Archive in which the source can be found |
Notes | Variant Character Field | Miscellaneous notes about the source |
Attachments | File Attachment | Any attachment relevant to the source |
Films | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Films which the source is associated with i.e. mentions, discusses, pictures, etc. |
Production Company | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | Production companies which the source is associated with i.e. mentions, discusses, pictures, etc. |
People | Variant Character Field; Linked Data Field | People—such as actors, directors, producers, etc.—which the source is associated with i.e. mentions, discusses, pictures, etc. |