Harold M. Anderson Black Wall Street Film Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Anderson, Harold M.
label: Names
content: Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
label: Names
content: Nixon, Pat, 1912-1993
label: Names
content: Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
place: label: Place
content: Oklahoma -- Tulsa
topic: label: Topic
content: African American neighborhoods
label: Topic
content: African American churches
label: Topic
content: Parades -- United States
label: Topic
content: Riots -- 1920-1930 -- Oklahoma -- Tulsa
label: Topic
content: African American businesspeople
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated to the Archives Center by Patricia Sanders on behalf of the heirs of Harold M. Anderson in 2009.
creator: label: Creator
content: Anderson, Harold M.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Harold M. Anderson Black Wall Street Film Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Black Wall Street was a vibrant African American community in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Filmed between 1948 and 1952 Reverend Harold M. Anderson's Black Wall Street Film documents many of the neighborhood's businesses including barber shops, bakers, taxi companies, jewelers, and other stores. Reverend Anderson also captured its citizens in church, at school, participating in parades, and walking around the area.  The film includes footage Richard and Pat Nixon as they campaigned in Black Wall Street, the first vice-presidential candidate to visit the African American neighborhood.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Black Wall Street was a  vibrant African American community that was destroyed during a race riot that broke out in 1921. Its businesses were burned to the ground and the residents were displaced. Against the odds, Black Wall Street was reborn and by the 1940s was once again a center for African American life in Tulsa.

Reverend Harold Mose Anderson's film titled Reverend Harold M. Anderson's Black Wall Street documents evidence of this resurgance. Although Anderson was only a year old when the riots occurred, he grew up hearing stories about life in Black Wall Street before the riot. He was both a witness to and participant in the rebuilding and revival of the community. And, he documented the resulting renewal with his 16mm motion picture camera.

Filmed between 1948 and 1952 Reverend Harold M. Anderson's Black Wall Street does just that. A successful businessman, Anderson managed and then owned two neighborhood movie theaters, a skating rink, bowling alley, and shopping strip, among other enterprises. He also brought the Golden Gloves boxing tournament to the area, making it accessible to African American fans. Anderson felt that it was critical that Black Wall Street sustain independent African American business, ensuring resident dollars would stay in the community and guarantee its vibrancy. 

Almost lost in a devastating house fire, Reverend Anderson's film recognizes the efforts and successes of the community. With his camera he documented many of Black Wall Street's businesses including barber shops, bakers, taxi companies, jewelers, and other stores. He also captured its citizens in church, at school, participating in parades, and walking around the area.  The film includes footage Richard and Pat Nixon as they campaigned in Black Wall Street, the first vice-presidential candidate to visit the African American neighborhood.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Item (1 reel.)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1948-1952
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1197
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Arranged in one series.

Series 1, Harold M. Anderson Black Wall Street Film
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Wendy Shay, audiovisual archivist, 2010.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: A black and white, silent 16mm film documenting the people and businesses of the Black Wall Street section of Tulsa, Oklahoma from 1948-1952.