Explore Black History

1973

This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.

A documentary film with the title "Oscar Robertson," from the Sports Action Profile television series. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound.
The film was written, directed, and produced by William Edgar and profiles basketball player Oscar Robertson during the time he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. It opens with Robertson driving to the Milwaukee arena in a convertible sports car as he describes the significance of basketball in his life. He comments that, "Basketball has been very good to me emotionally and it's made me very happy, such as going to Africa. Being a black person and being afforded the opportunity to go to Africa to see it for yourself is something I'll never be able to forget." He continues by briefly describing how the sport afforded him the ability to escape poverty.
Much of the rest of the film focuses on a pre-season match between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls. Both the narrator and Robertson provide voiceover narration, with the narrator paying special attention to the game strategies as outlined by the team’s coaches and Robertson's role on the team. Other scenes include Robertson's philanthropic work when he's not playing competitively, such as him teaching black boys how to play basketball. There are also shots with fellow Bucks player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, both on the court and in the locker room. The film closes with Robertson teaching a young boy proper dribbling technique and how to take a jump shot.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

DC Public Library Film Collection

Sports Action Profile

Time-based Media - Moving Images

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2017.55.31.1a

sound films
color films (visual works)
short subjects
16mm (photographic film size)

Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

acetate film

Duration: 22 Minutes
Length (Film): 800 Feet

Title • Sports Action Profile: Oscar Robertson

nmaahc_2017.55.31.1a

NMAAHC

SPORTS ACTION PROFILE: OSCAR ROBERTSON

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1970s

Chicago Bulls • D.C. Public Library • Edgar, William • Robertson, Oscar • Oxford Films Inc. • Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem • Tele-Sports Ltd. • Milwaukee Bucks

District of Columbia • United States • North and Central America • Washington • Wisconsin

Profile films • Athletes • Basketball • Documentary films

City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • State • Wisconsin

color films (visual works) • short subjects • 16mm (photographic film size) • sound films

Restrictions Likely