Explore Black History

May 26, 1959

This 16mm silent, black and white film features footage from a NAACP protest rally at the Siloam Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn. The main speaker is Norman Malachy, and he recalls the events surrounding the Mack Charles Parker lynching that happened on April 25, 1959, near Poplarville, Mississippi. Mack Charles Parker was kidnapped while he was in jail on charges that he raped a white woman on February 24, 1959.

Film footage of a NAACP protest rally. It consists of a single reel of 16mm black-and-white acetate film with optical sound (a). It was shot at the Siloam Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn. The main speaker is Norman Malachy, and he recalls the events surrounding the Mack Charles Parker lynching that happened on April 25, 1959, near Poplarville, Mississippi. Mack Charles Parker was kidnapped while he was in jail on charges that he raped a white woman on February 24, 1959. When Malachy finishes speaking, R. Jess Brown asks him follow up questions at the podium. Brown appears later in the film and speaks about the murder of Al Garrett by a police officer in the Gates Ave. Police Station in Brooklyn on April 17, 1959. An unidentified minister also briefly speaks at the podium.
The film begins with Malachy recounting the police questioning him about the events on the night of February 24, 1959, when he was riding in the same car as Parker. He recalls this story for over six minutes, and then Brown approaches the podium and asks Malachy some direct questions about how long Malachy knew Parker, as well as some follow up questions about answers he provided to the police. This exchange goes on for about 2 minutes. For most of the final minute, Brown talks about the murder of Al Garrett. While there is sound for much of the film, there are some moments when there is no sound, and other moments when the film cuts in and out abruptly. A minister begins to introduce a speaker following the exchange between Malachy and Brown. The film jumps ahead to Brown approaching the podium to speak about Al Garrett. The film cuts out while Brown is speaking.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Pearl Bowser Collection

Time-based Media - Moving Images

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Pearl Bowser

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2012.79.1.103.1a

sound films
black-and-white films (visual works)
16mm (photographic film size)

Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

acetate film

Physical extent (film): 400 ft
Duration: 11 min.

Object Name • Film footage of a NAACP protest rally in Brooklyn, New York

nmaahc_2012.79.1.103.1a

NMAAHC

FILM FOOTAGE OF A NAACP PROTEST RALLY IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1950s

Brown, R. Jess • Garrett, Al • Parker, Mack Charles • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People • Bowser, Pearl • Malachy, Norman

New York City • United States • North and Central America • Brooklyn

Justice • Presbyterian • Violence • Lynching • Civil rights • U.S. History, 1953-1961

Locale • Brooklyn • City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

black-and-white films (visual works) • 16mm (photographic film size) • sound films

Video recordings

Unknown - Restrictions Possible