Explore Black History

ca. 1953

A 16mm silent, black and white film that shows members of the Drug Employees Union Local 1199 engaged in various activities. Footage includes members attending meetings, working, walking a picket line, signing a petition, attending an art gallery exhibition, and hosting a Christmas party for children.

A 16mm, silent, black-and-white film that shows members of the Drug Employees Union Local 1199 engaged in various activities. Members are shown attending meetings, working, walking a picket line, signing a petition, attending an art gallery exhibition, and hosting a Christmas party for children.
The film begins with the 1199 logo that reads "We the Members of Local 1199" and shows drug store workers engaged in a variety of work-related activities. The first scene shows pharmacists at work mixing drugs and assisting customers. The next two scenes show members lining up at a meeting to pay dues at a window. The next scene shows what appears to be a different meeting with a greater number of people in attendance. The meeting ends, and the members get up to leave. The next scene shows a group of around a dozen people, mostly men, seated around a table. The next scene shows a different meeting. There is a large banner above the stage that has a circle, half of it black, and the numbers 40 and 5 are on either side of the line. There is a table on the stage, where people are seated. The footage shows a second banner that reads Defend & Protect Our Gains...Organize the Unorganized Stores. A picket line is seen later in the film and the striking workers wear signs that read, “This Drug Store is on Strike Please Do Not Patronize.” The 1199 union name is listed below. There is also footage of the picket line that shows the front of the drug store Freistadt's.
The next scene shows men looking at a jobs board and then men lining up at a window to talk to a man behind the counter. The next scene shows an office with mostly women seated at desks using typewriters. In a different office, a man talks to one man, while another man is examined by a doctor with a stethoscope. There is some footage of what appears to be the Local 1199 newsletter Drug News. The next scene shows a room with a lot of beds and men lying on them. Nurses attend to the men on the beds, while some of the men drink out of cups. The next scene shows men with thermometers in their mouths. Following that scene, there is footage of people dancing at a square dance. The footage also shows the band providing the music for the dancers. The next scene shows a man speaking to a large group of people in a room. A different meeting is shown after that, and a man is handed a trophy. The next scene shows the entrance to a Wolf Ubogy art exhibit, and there is footage of the art on the walls and people talking. The next scene shows a large group of children, and many of them are eating ice cream. Some of them are performing on stage. A clown is also shown performing for the children. He balances a small dog in his hand, and there are other dogs on stage. Another clown performs juggling. A man dressed as Santa Claus appears and waves to the children. The scene ends with two children sitting on the lap of Santa Claus and waving to the camera.
The next scene shows a group of men and women signing an oversize telegram to Governor Dewey in Albany, New York. The telegram subject reads Local 1199 demands No Fare or Rent Increase. The footage also shows a close up of people signing the telegram. The next scene appears to be a montage of the entire film with brief clips from many of the different scenes. There is footage of a banner that reads, “21 Years of Local 1199” in the middle of the banner. On the left-hand side is 1932 next to a circle with 66 and 6 inside of the circle. On the right-hand side is the same design, except the date is 1953 and inside of the circle is 40 and 5. The next scene is another montage, this time with footage of various meetings and people speaking at microphones. A small banner reads Ligget Division Retail Drug Employees Union Local 1199 DPOWA. The final scene shows a seated audience clapping and the camera pans the crowd. The same logo from the beginning of the film appears again.

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

2012.79.1.14.1a

silent films
black-and-white films (visual works)
short subjects
16mm (photographic film size)

No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

acetate film

Duration: 11 min.
Physical extent (film): 450 ft

Object Name • Film of Drug Employees Union Local 1199 members engaging in various activities

nmaahc_2012.79.1.14.1a

NMAAHC

FILM OF DRUG EMPLOYEES UNION LOCAL 1199 MEMBERS ENGAGING IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1940s • 1950s

Retail Drug Employees Union Local 1199 • Bowser, Pearl

New York City • United States • North and Central America

Medicine • Art • Labor unions • Professional organizations • Dance • Associations and institutions • Politics • U.S. History, 1953-1961 • Children • Urban life • Business

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

silent films • black-and-white films (visual works) • short subjects • 16mm (photographic film size)

Video recordings

No Known Copyright Restrictions