Explore Black History

1964-1965

Silent, color 16mm footage of an event held by the community outreach organization, Bedford Stuyvesant Youth In Action, Inc., circa 1964-65. This footage features documentation of the Brooklyn Junior Olympics, Bedford Stuyvesant Youth In Action parades in Brooklyn, a Christmas party in the basement of a church, various dance and musical performances, footage of attendees dancing together on the dance floor, and an appearance by Jacqueline Kennedy and, then New York State U.S. Senator, Robert F. Kennedy.

Silent, color, 16mm footage of an event held by the community outreach organization, Bedford Stuyvesant Youth in Action, Inc., circa 1964-65. This footage features documentation of the Brooklyn Junior Olympics, Bedford Stuyvesant Youth in Action parades in Brooklyn, a Christmas party in the basement of a church, various dance and musical performances, footage of attendees dancing together on the dance floor, and an appearance by Jacqueline Kennedy and, then New York State U.S. senator, Robert F. Kennedy.
Reel 1 (2012.79.1.104.1a) opens with footage of the 1965 junior Olympics in Brooklyn. It features alternating scenes of youth playing various competitive sports outdoors, such as basketball, baseball, and fencing. At one point, people in formal attire can be seen on a tennis court. Several marching bands, identifiable by their different uniforms also perform on the tennis court. The next scene features a street parade, in which a small area on the street side has been converted to a stage decorated with American flag buntings. Different people give speeches at a podium, including Shirley Chisholm (who makes several other appearances in the film). The ensuing footage features various marching bands parading the street, a motorcade of cars with different signs on them as well as numerous floats on trucks. Some of the floats are decorated with signs like [Poverty…Help us bridge the gap…prosperity], another float’s sign reads [On The Job Training], while another reads [Young Mothers]. The last scene on the reel shows an indoor event with contemporary and African dance performances.
Reel 2 (2012.79.1.104.1b) features a Christmas party. It opens with people handing children blue gift bags as the children walk through a crowded area. When the children exit the building, many of them open their gift bags, revealing toy trucks, toy airplanes etc. The film also features numerous choreographed dance performances as well as footage of audience members dancing. Several scenes show a man dressed as Santa Clause; in one scene, children sit on his lap. In another scene, then-Senator Robert Kennedy and his widowed sister-in-law, Jacqueline Kennedy, can be seeing exiting a car with an entourage. Senator Kennedy addresses the audience, and at one point a band can be seen performing as he does this.

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

2012.79.1.104.1ab

silent films
color films (visual works)
16mm (photographic film size)

© Pearl Bowser
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

acetate film

Physical extent (film) (a): 1290 ft
Duration (a): 35 min., 17 sec.
Physical extent (film) (b): 1290 ft
Duration (b): 36 min.

Object Name • Film footage of Bedford-Stuyvesant Youth in Action community organization

nmaahc_2012.79.1.104.1ab

NMAAHC

FILM FOOTAGE OF BEDFORD-STUYVESANT YOUTH IN ACTION COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1960s

Kennedy Onassis, Jacqueline • Beveridge, Tee • Bedford-Stuyvesant Youth in Action, Inc. • Bowser, Pearl • Kennedy, Robert F. • Chisholm, Shirley Anita

New York City • United States • North and Central America • Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

Amusements • Art • Communities • Dance • Motion pictures • Youth • Associations and institutions • Society • Holidays and festivals • Sports

Locale • Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn • City • New York City • State • New York • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

silent films • color films (visual works) • 16mm (photographic film size)

Video recordings

Limited Use