The mission of The Department of Afro-American Research Arts and Culture to identify the global significance of the creative contributions pioneered by an international diaspora of Blackness
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Sunday, January 28, 2018

Ain't Misbehaven' (1941, Soundie)










Starring:

Storyline
Musical short featuring Fats Waller.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho (1934)

















Starring:

Storyline
Between swing numbers, Calloway finds time to flirt with the wife of a pullman porter, while her husband is away at work. Orchestra plays "Rail Rhythm" and "The Lady with the Fan."

Black and Tan (1929)
















Starring:

Storyline
This picture was produced primarily to showcase Duke Ellington and His Orchestra. The story deals with a dancer and her man who plays the piano in the orchestra of the show in which she is featured. Terribly ill, the brave dancer dances to her death at the finish of the picture, to the music of the song her sweetheart has written for her. 

Friday, January 26, 2018

Music Hath Harms (1929)














Starring:

Storyline
In Harlem, Bud Peagler's "Barbecue Lunch and Poolroom" (the home of Brunswick Stew), also serves as the meeting place and hangout for many citizens and organizations such as 'The Sons and Daughters of The I Will Arise Society," and also Mosby's Blues Blowers. It is also where Roscoe Driggers hangs out. Roscoe claims to be the world's champion cornet player, although he can't play a note, even a sour one. But when the chance to earn $500 for playing his cornet at the big concert held by the "Over the River Burying Society" arises, Roscoe signs up. Roscoe needs $500 in order to buy a beauty shop for his manicurist-fiancĂ©e, Zenia Sprowl. 

Roscoe makes plans for his buddy Sam Ginn, who can play a cornet, to hide under the stage and play while Roscoe fakes it on the stage. But Sam gets taken out by some dudes who have a bone to pick with Roscoe. No sweat, though, as another of Roscoe's musician friends, Willie Trout, sees this and takes Sam's place under the stage....with his saxophone.