Explore Black History

1947

Released in 1947, Ebony Parade was a series of short sketches and numbers originally distributed as musical shorts by the Soundies Distributing Corporation of America.

A large poster for the film Ebony Parade with a blue background and an off-white border. Across the blue background are red musical notes and stars outlined in white. At the top center in red lettering is [20 Great Stars]. Printed in the center in small black type is [Astor Pictures presents] followed by [EBONY PARADE] in large yellow letters over a red background. Surrounding the title are color photographic portraits of the stars of the film. At the top left are the faces of Mantan Moreland, Dorothy Dandridge and Ruby Hill, followed by a full portrait of a seated Mabel Lee and in the bottom left corner is an image of the Mills Brothers gathered around two microphones. On the right side are the faces of Cab Calloway, Vanita Smythe, Francine Everett, and Count Basie. At the bottom right is a yellow box bordered in black with red text that reads [featuring / Cab Calloway * Count Basie / His Band His Band / Mills. Bros. * Vanita Smythe / Mantan Moreland * Mable Lee/ Ruby Hill * Francine Everett / Dorothy Dandridge * Pat Flowers / and / Day, Dawn, and Dusk * Jubilaries]. At the bottom left, in small white text on a red background is [RELEASED THRU ASTOR PICTURES CORP.]. On the back of the poster are two stamps in purple that say [Screen Classics, Inc. / 1632 Central Parkway, Cincinnati 10, Ohio].

Transcribed by digital volunteers

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

A Cinema Apart: The Larry Richards Collection of Early Black Film

Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2013.118.31

posters

Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

ink on paper (fiber product)

H x W (Image): 36 5/8 × 20 7/8 in. (93 × 53 cm)
H x W (Sheet): 41 1/4 × 26 15/16 in. (104.7 × 68.5 cm)

Object Name • Poster for Ebony Parade

nmaahc_2013.118.31

NMAAHC

POSTER FOR EBONY PARADE

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1940s

Day, Dawn, and Dusk • Everett, Francine • Basie, Count • Calloway, Cab • Dandridge, Dorothy • Hill, Ruby • The Jubalaires • Flowers, Pat • Astor Pictures • The Mills Brothers • Lee, Mable • Moreland, Mantan • Smythe, Vanita

United States • North and Central America

Actors and actresses • Conductors (Musicians) • Musical films • Race films • Dance • Motion pictures • Comedy • Entertainers • Instrumentalists (Musicians) • Jazz (Music) • Singers (Musicians)

Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America

Images

No Known Copyright Restrictions