This documentary was released by the Center for Mass Communication at the Columbia University Press in 1949. The film portrays an African American family living on Palmour Street in Gainesville, Georgia. It stands apart from most other films from the 1950s, by depicting the everyday life of an African American family, different from the standard narratives of stereotypes and racism otherwise common during this period. The film is presented by the Georgia Department of Public Health in cooperation with The Hall Country Health Department. It is written by George Stoney and photographed by Bill Clifford, with music by Louis Applebaum, sound by Phil Bangs, and commentary by Rev. Wm. Holmes Borders. W. A. Mason, M.D., M.P.H., and E. E. Butler, M.D. were chief technical advisors, and it was directed by George Stoney and Bill Clifford and produced by Southern Educational Film Production Service, Athens Georgia. The film was described this way by the National Film Preservation Foundation: “Neorealist mental health film produced for parents and health care workers. Palmour Street shows the daily life of an African American family and demonstrates how good parenting prepares children for adulthood and nurtures emotional growth.”

The Rogers family of 6 (00:15). Their neighbor, Esther, with her three children (00:36). “Palmour Street (A Study in Family Life)” title banner (01:21). The Rogers family gathered on their porch (02:25). Mrs. Rogers and her oldest son, Kenneth, leave to go a clinic (02:53). Children are playing together on Palmour Street (03:36). Mrs. Rogers and Kenneth arrive home (03:47). She gives her 9-month-old son a bath (03:53). Kenneth fears a dog barking outside his house (04:31). Mr. Rogers encourages Kenneth to pet the dog (04:57). The Rogers’ son Randall is playing in the couch (05:23). Mrs. Rogers and Randall are preparing food together (06:00). Mrs. Rogers is putting her younger children to sleep (06:37). Her daughter enters the room and interrupts her mother (06:41). She leaves saddened after her mother denied her attention (06:49). Mrs. Rogers feels remorseful and then attends to her daughter (07:09). Three girls of different ages are dancing on Esther’s porch (07:22). Esther is angered by the dancing and demands the girls to leave (07:54). The three girls start dancing on the Rogers Family’s porch and Mrs. Rogers begins dancing with them (08:27). Esther walks onto the porch (09:09). Her and Mrs. Rogers are washing clothes together while conversing (09:23). Esther is at the jailhouse to have her son released (09:53). She and Mrs. Rogers continue doing laundry (10:23). Esther is scolding her son in their house (10:36). Mrs. Rogers is playing with her kids (11:06). She and her daughter set the table (11.18). Her husband arrives home, angry (11:37). Mr. and Mrs. Rogers start arguing while their children are listening (11:40). Mr. Rogers plays baseball with his children (12:20). He arrives home and this time he is not angry (12:39). He sits with his children on the porch (13:13). Mrs. Rogers calls her family for dinner (14:15), and they sit down and dine together (14:24). The daughter leaves her house (14:53). A strange man attempts to talk to her, and she and her friends run away (15:10). She is talking to another girl during school-recess (15:20). Mrs. Rogers attend to house chores (15:42). She brings her two youngest sons to Esther’s house, for her to watch them while Mrs. Rogers is out (16:14). Mrs. Rogers comes home (17:41). The family is hosting a gathering at their house (18:25). Esther arrives, and one son runs to hide (18:47). Mr. Rogers finds his son crying and comforts him (19:07). Mr. and Mrs. Rogers discuss what happened with their son during the gathering (19:50). Mrs.Rogers is cleaning while singing with her children (20:26). Esther brings them a cake (20:43). A man knocks on Mrs. Rogers’ door to inform her, that’s Mr. Rogers has been hurt (20:52). She rushes with the man to the hospital, leaving her children with Esther (21:01). Scenes of Mr. Rogers playing with his children (22:05). A nurse tells Mrs. Rogers that that her husband will recover (22:58). She arrives home (23:18). The End (24:53).

Cast: Wes Merritt and Mildred Merritt as Mr/Mrs. Rogers, Shirley Merritt as the daughter, James W. Merritt Jr. as Kenneth, Randall Merritt as Randall, and Vernon Merritt as Vernon Jr. The other actors are unknown.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com