<I>Conversations with Roy DeCarava</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1984
name: label: Directed by
content: Carroll Parrott Blue, American, 1943 - 2019
label: Subject of
content: Roy DeCarava, American, 1919 - 2009
label: Narrated by
content: Alex Haley, American, 1921 - 1992
label: Subject of
content: Mary Schmidt Campbell, American, born 1947
label: Owned by
content: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
notes: label: Caption
content: Carroll Blue’s 1983 short documentary, Conversations with Roy DeCarava, gives a brief but salient overview of the life and career of 20th century photographer Roy DeCarava. DeCarava is known for his striking images of Black life in Harlem as well as his Jazz Photography, where he captured some of jazz’s most prominent figures like Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Billie Holiday. DeCarava’s photographic images shown throughout the film highlight his extensive portfolio while also providing a visual history of Black life and culture.
label: Caption
content: 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.
label: Description
content: A documentary film with the title Conversations with Roy DeCarava. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm polyester film with optical sound.
label: Description
content: Through the use of DeCarava’s still photography and first-hand interviews with him and his closest friends and family, the documentary examines Roy DeCarava’s life and career as one of the most prominent photographers of the 20th century. Other notable individuals featured in the documentary include photographer Ansel Adams, photography critic A.D. Coleman, and then executive director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place filmed
content: Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Documentary films
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Photography
label: Topic
content: Profile films
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: DC Public Library Film Collection
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Moving Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.55.62.1a
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: color films (visual works)
label: Type
content: short subjects
label: Type
content: 16mm (photographic film size)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: polyester film
label: Dimensions
content: Duration: 24 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 900 Feet