“ THE OLD SOUTH ” COTTON & TOBACCO PLANTATIONS AFRICAN AMERICANS 1930’S EDUCATIONAL FILM XD52244

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Note: this film was made prior to the Civil Rights movement. It displays plantation life in the American South and may contain stereotypical images of African Americans that are offensive by modern standards.
This silent film "The Old South" was one of a series of educational movies produced by Eastman Classroom films, a division of Kodak that operated in the late 1920’s and early 30’s. It opens with images of the area to be known as ‘the old south’ encompassing the southeastern United States, stretching towards the central plains (:31). The equator is highlighted as well as the longitude and latitude with which the old south squeezes into (:40). Climate in this area is considerably warm and was ideal for growing various crops (1:02). The coastal plain area is highlighted (1:15). An aerial shot of the waters cutting lines through the land follows (1:29). The flood plain is noted (1:39). The highlands are noted on a map as well as in actual footage (2:17). Home living and work about the home is looked to as locals work on a log cabin (2:24). Women are filmed as they cook and conduct domestic tasks around the home (2:41). A man and young boy work to sharpen tools by hand (2:55). Locals are filmed in colonial attire as horse drawn coaches drive past (3:23). A small school classroom is visited with young women sitting as the teacher lectures (3:30). The film notes much of the population settled around the richest areas for soil (3:40). A map displays the population of 1860 (3:47). Farmers hack at crops in the field (4:01). The film notes the old south needed ‘cheap labor’ (4:54). Tobacco was a major crop in this area as tobacco farms are pointed to (5:01). A small family enters a log cabin (5:27). Sugar cane was another major commodity (6:30). Farmers chop down cane stalk (5:34). Rice fields are looked to (6:30) as farmers dig into the marshy grounds (6:43). Water wheel mills were utilized for power (7:03). Black plantation workers pluck at cotton (7:19). The film turns to the timber industry as a large tree comes down in the woods (7:53). A train drags cars of logs through (8:10). Horses were also used to move the timber (8:18). The poor quality of the roads (8:57) forced travel to the waterways (9:49). A long covered boat moves under a bridge (10:16). A large double deck steamboat (10:47) appears as pedestrians wait on the rocky shoreline (10:52). Steamboat "Winfield Scott" (11:28). Stereotypical images of the "happy slaves" follow. An African American man plays a banjo while a young boy dances with delight (12:56). The favorite sport of the plantation owners was generally fox hunting (13:15). Dogs sprint across open ground as the hunt begins (13:19). Horse and rider sprint through the woods in pursuit of the fox (13:29). The white plantation owners are shown having a dinner party. Guests in long gowns and evening attire stroll into the plantation for an evening gathering (13:42). The party dances inside the plantation as pairs of men and women spin in and out while a violin is played (14:27).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...

[@gregbrannon9687]

Thanks for posting this. Say what people will about people between the 19-teens and thirty's producing this, and their perspectives, but there were people still alive who would have remembered and/or advised on that Antebellum era. We are only 3-5 generations removed from that era.

[@valfletcher9285]

Exactly. My grandmother picked cotton as a child. Her parents made a living sharecropping and this agricultural way of life was the norm for the south until fairly recently... I guess the post war era changed economy in the South as it did elsewhere.

[@julianhermanubis6800]

Drags lawn chair along while carrying large tub of popcorn. Unfolds chair and sits down excitedly. "I'm just here for the comments, folks."

[@JudgeJulieLit]

Our cyber era's digital gladiatoral arena ... .

[@thadrobinson8343]

Same here, but the vibes are pretty positive. Pleasant surprise.

[@uralbob1]

These old folks, both black and white, knew more about survival in very primitive conditions than we’ll ever know. Some of these skills we may need to learn again!

[@AbleBodied]

That's what I said,...from here in south Louisiana. Our past may be our new future. I am studying those wheel contraptions real good. Time to learn for sure.

[@uralbob1]

My very old mother-in- law taught me tremendous knowledge about survival in the old days. Growing up in Appalachia (Eastern N.C.) in the very early 1900s, she didn’t have a school to go to, survived one winter on dried beans alone after their barrel of pork was ruined by skunks. Their other farm animals had been lost in a flash flood in the fall of the year. She picked berries and took them to a store miles away. There, she put the proceeds towards a pair of shoes, which she did not own. Once, while picking berries, she was driven off by a black bear! Anyway, her father stole the money for booze, and she never got the shoes! One day, while selling her berries to the store, she heard men talking about the sinking of the Titanic. She had no idea about an ocean, or a ship that travelled on one! She eventually married a wonderful WWI veteran, and died with many thousands of $ at the turn of the century. Dear Mary Hamby/ Poarch, I love you to this day. Thank you for everything! The knowledge you passed on to me was priceless!

[@AbleBodied]

@@uralbob1 You were blessed to learn from the best.

[@uralbob1]

@@AbleBodied Yes, I was. Even as a very young boy, I loved and respected all the “old folks” with all their stories. I wish that young people today were interested in the “old days”. There is so much for us to learn!

[@grandmanancy4719]

And worked harder than most people today.

[@Onethirtytwo]

Everyone seemed like they were having a good time singing and dancing!

[@valfletcher9285]

Very interesting as this is how my grandmother's parents and grandparents worked daily as share croppers - picking cotton. I live in Louisiana. The Cypress was over-harvested and now there are strict regulations on the Cypress timbering. Now rice is grown primarily in east Arkansas around Jonesboro/East Memphis. Thank you for posting.

[@botulismcasserole9832]

My dad makes me put rice in my urethra!!

[@rolux4853]

This is very interesting I didn’t know they grow rice their! Is it in flooded fields like in Asia?

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

The wardrobe department had a field day with making this film.

[@mildredrharmon4032]

Born and raised by these hard workin’ people! Proud…🛐🥰🙌🏼🙏🏼❤️✝️🇺🇸

[@adamwolf4041]

Loved the ballroom and breakdancing both!

[@michaelthomas7178]

The good Ole days.

[@Kelly-oi7cn]

Wow awesome film, my granddaddy lived like that and loved it, he told me stories of him growing up poor, and all the work or chores he did daily as a kid, he said the winters were hard and food was short but they somehow made it through,, he said they never starved but he was always hungry, sure looks like some good times though, R.I.P. Kelley B.

[@laserbeam002]

Another treasure. Thank you for posting.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Glad you understand why it's important we posted this. Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.

[@peachstateexplorer8004]

Great video loved it!!!! No matter what negative thoughts are it is all part of our rich history, so many people today takes so much offensively… Thank you so much for sharing this amazing video!!!!! 😊😊😊😊

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Well said! Thanks for being a sub. Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.

[@robertdipaola3447]

A simpler time, but one of long he's and hard work, where everyone pitched in to get the job done, thank you, this history will never be forgotten

[@kennethjohnson9370]

This is educationall showing the old South how the Life style how people worked and lived on the plantation picking tabacco and cotton in the 30s

[@victorkreig6089]

Tobacco and Cotton are two very short parts of this video

[@dLimboStick]

No it's not. This was made in the 30s, and it's an idealized remembrance of the south that completely white washes the slavery, beatings, murder, rape, torture, starvation of a whole race of people.

[@victorkreig6089]

@@dLimboStick lmao, it's funny because you actually believe this. Your victim complex and fetish for abuse is kinda hilarious

[@georgschmidt5281]

The black slaves worked the coal mines in Southern Illinois in junction IL and it still stands the old slave house. At one time the salt mines provided one seventh of the taxes IL collected. Lot of the schools , most churches, hotels restaurants were racially segregated till the late 60s in southern IL. The old slave house and salt mines can be still verified by googling it. Not taught in history.

[@jacobrip8776]

And this is why Jim Crowe laws still exist to this day. The fantasy that this way of life should still exist.

[@misskitty2133]

Great music!

[@peckerwood780]

Looks peaceful

[@Screwby_Jones6200]

If you hear Dueling Banjos while down stream..better start rowing very..very fast🧈🍑

[@johnworkman7262]

seeing the east coast old growth forest cut down before my eyes my stomach dropped at the realization that there were once trees like that everywhere around here

[@luckynedpepper9030]

We can all agree that slavery was a huge mistake. And I'm speaking as a native Southerner.

[@meseretgglove8093]

thank you for telling the truth

[@luckynedpepper9030]

@@meseretgglove8093 Yes, I regret it every single day.

[@gw1652]

Why did you say “And I’m a native southerner”? Nearly everyone 99% that I’ve ever met and had a discussion about this with in my entire life living here in the south was opposed. You make it sound like people want slavery back.

[@luckynedpepper9030]

@@gw1652 Calm down, Jethro.

[@mikedevlin_bmx2446]

I think the way they went about it and the racism was the mistake. Not so much the idea of slavery Slaves have been around since the dawn of man kind however what they did to these people was absolutely horrible.

[@kathrynwilliams9675]

What song is this

[@davidrudolph2825]

Great video! Now, lets all dance a jig!

[@Howoldareweanywayyipes]

Great video... i love the music.

[@tikitavi7120]

Fascinating, as usual.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Glad you are a sub and thanks for your comment. Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.

[@joman66]

Too bad the audio track for this film is long gone but it's an interesting watch nevertheless.

[@360decrees2]

It was a silent film.

[@joman66]

@@360decrees2 Ah I didn't realize that it was one. Thank you.

[@AbleBodied]

If they would have played the cotton pickin' blues instead of bluegrass I think I would have cried. Here from south Louisiana.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Donnie Laws also uses this fiddle music. It's great and so is his channel.

[@valfletcher9285]

I love his channel.

[@joshuagibson2520]

@@valfletcher9285 he and I are kinda neighbors. Live a few counties apart in Tn. One day, I'm going to meet the man.

[@chiefofsinners978]

When Americans worked, and were happy at the same time.

[@j.b.4340]

Sweet video.

[@alphaomega8373]

Cotton abd Molasses built this country... not rock and roll.

[@vporta3151]

Agreed. Rock and roll, hip hop Hollywood, corruption destroying it. Back then those people black and white had god and church. Todays kids have drugs and the devil. Sad

[@MrLynch-ei4dc]

Should of kept those ninjas in check. Country would of been in a better spot somewhat.

[@jaysmith4302]

Somebody send this film to Rifftrax. It's begging for narration.

[@dionpeek4339]

That was fun and interesting

[@Melons-vg8dq]

70% of world's cotton grown by slaves. Where did the money go? Banks in New York. Slave owners moved to California.

[@shereesmazik5030]

Interesting information.

[@bluestarindustrialarts7712]

THAT WAS 'STOCK' FOOTAGE FROM 1920-1930 ISH FILMS.

[@glitchnyrmatrix7296]

The little kid eating the watermelon...

[@claudermiller]

Imagine how much fun it would be to put Donald Trump in a fox costume. 😆

[@joshuagibson2520]

Good video.

[@luckynedpepper9030]

Wonderful.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Thank you! Cheers! Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

I didn't know that Pennsylvania was in the Deep South. At 10:05, that's an empty Lehigh Coal & Navigation barge on the Delaware Canal in PA.

[@tomservo56954]

This Old South has more North in it than I expected.

[@henrysokol3466]

It looks like this film was a *lavish* production for an educational short of the time. The production values of those scenes were all pretty high: the makers must have traipsed all over finding the real thing, creating budget-gobbling tableaus, collecting previously-shot footage from goodness knows how many different sources, or a some combination of those. I wouldn't be surprised if some things got away from them, and by the time they noticed they couldn't afford to make changes.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

@@henrysokol3466 - This footage was taken along the Delaware River, over 100 miles east of Gettysburg. The canal parallels the river for 60 miles. Almost all of it is still intact as a state park.

[@henrysokol3466]

@@OldsVistaCruiser I changed my comment after you'd responded, not knowing you'd done so. But the heart of my argument remains the same: The budgets and standard of filmmaking for educational shorts have always seemed rather low to me, and audiences were apparently much more forgiving back then. I'm amazed that things like the barge and incorrectly named area are the worst we saw from something like this, made during the Great Depression.

[@allenweston2275]

So it's a black and white move

[@allenweston2275]

I said ,I would like to see a colored version and you tube blocked me, so I'm gonna try again

[@Franaflyby]

God bless all those old souls who have gone before me. Who are in the grave awaiting patiently for the Lord's return reuniting their souls with their new immortal body .

[@dks13827]

Interesting. The school looked just fine, btw.

[@musicom67]

13:02 - Every stereotype imaginable is seen here in glorious sepia tone. The 'planters' (whites) seemed to only plant one type of 'seed' that didn't require dirt *ahem*, but was quite dirty and required minimal effort whilst seeding. What Good Times they y'all had back then! 🤔

[@victorkreig6089]

You are a racist

[@allen480]

What’s a “whilst”? You limeys crack me up. lol!

[@kevinloving3141]

It's hard to believe October 23,1929 This nation was a modern nation and October 23 1930 this country had gone backwards 70 years where people were boiling their clothes to clean them and cooking their food on kerosene stoves

[@silentautisticdragon-kp9sw]

Not the south in "Gone With the Wind" (the movie; the book was really good), but the real, ungarnished south.

[@antonbeloborodov5130]

Even black people were happy

[@luckynedpepper9030]

Not a rapper in sight either. Nice.

[@roscoefoofoo]

I hope that's sarcastic, Anton.....

[@woodwaker1]

Of course, they had jobs

[@dvmartel1]

the white woman seemed to be doing the most work, using axes, mending clothes, cooking, tanning leather and several other things

[@davidmicalizio824]

❤

[@pondersoa8223]

W O W . . . . .

[@Jim-ie6uf]

That was just the way it was. It was a rough life for all. Lots of po white folks. My grand and great grand parents. They were Irish. The film is recreated bs. I want the soundtrack.

[@waynemontpetit8181]

Fairly sure this will be demonetized.

[@me-iq1vb]

Wes a haven a hodown! Yee haw

[@theoldar]

Seriously? The wonders and joys of the Jim Crow south?

[@luckynedpepper9030]

Jim Crow laws existed for a very good reason.

[@dcjc9671]

Ok so the rumor is all the south was into slavery thats not true there is the upland south which grew tobacco without slaves and the deep south which relied purely on slavery

[@dcjc9671]

This the bad side of the history right here

[@Game_Hero]

This in itself tells the perspective of the time, for the worst. If, like me, you think that it was bad, then this prooves that this past we criticize exists in the first place, as seen in the creation of this. We must assume the horrors of the past.

[@paragozar]

This was supposed to be during slave era, was filmed during the Jim Crow era.

[@Capostrophy]

Fun fact: Looking up what families owned the largest and cruelest plantations is antisemitic.

[@luckynedpepper9030]

But only 78% of the time.

[@Capostrophy]

@@Decoy629 I would tell you, but I don't want the ADL and FBI knocking at my door.

[@irocitZ]

Of all the antisemitic things one could do, I'm not so sure researching plantations falls into that category. Just sayin..

[@soulesslemming]

Fun fact teaching that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves is unpatriotic and can get you arrested in Florida.

[@Kelly-oi7cn]

Everyone sure looked fat and happy, Everyone.

[@AMERICA_CARR]

Simpler times

[@ditto1958]

This movie is really weird 🙂

[@glitchnyrmatrix7296]

All those people are dead now.

[@schoolssection]

How do you know?

[@philipinchina]

What's the big deal. They look happy enough.

[@IceManLikeGervin]

This is what a very vocal and active segment of Americans would like the US to return to the days of old...where a certain people knew their place and were subjugated.

[@stevenvanheel3932]

Ok buddy… keep watching that CNN and MSNBC.

[@nancytestani1470]

That’s right..

[@emanuelmifsud6754]

I would hardly call fox-hunting a sport, when several men on horseback with 100 bloodhounds chase a fox. If one man stalked the fox with a bow and arrow, I'd called that sport. Otherwise I'd called it unlucky for the fox as it has no chance against such odds.

[@royreynolds108]

I think the bigger sport was coon hunting.

[@johnnieguitar5724]

I can't believe the positive comments for this film! Really? Just look at WHO was doing all the work! Oh, and those Afro-Americans playing a banjo, grinning, and dancing little jigs was so cute to the filmmakers back then. A good period piece, though, thanks for posting. :(

[@tonyelliott7734]

You do know this film is from over 60 years after slavery was abolished, don't you?

[@teddyhammer2558]

Jim Crow still reared his ugly head. Read a book.

[@laserbeam002]

I really enjoyed the entire post. And this was NOT filmed during slavery days it was filmed around 1910 to 1930. By then EVERYONE had to do the work. Whites included. My family owned a medium size farm during that time period in South Carolina and everyone in the family had hard, back breaking work to do including the women and children.

[@bufordmaddogtannen5164]

Looks like everyone is doing the work to me. You know black people owned land too.

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

@@bufordmaddogtannen5164 They also owned slaves.

[@redbroke1331]

Early break dancing...

[@charletonzimmerman4205]

Now I understand Donald Trump, & MAGA ! Thanks for posting.

[@paragozar]

YOU NAILED IT!!!

[@jeto3557]

Lol 😂 wait is this supposed to be serious? 😮 … lol we are all going to hell in a hand basket . ☮️❤️

[@112chapters3]

Most views and comments in1st12hrs ever

[@schoolssection]

A few generalizations, but overall a fair treatment of the original "special massas"

[@jimferry6539]

When people say don’t bite the hand that feeds you

[@MAMRetro]

1930's? Are you sure? The way these people dressed looked like the 1870's, and the quality of the film looks like a movie maker product. Hmmm....

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

This looks like a reenactment from the 1910s. The Pennsylvania segment was filmed in the 1920s.

[@paragozar]

Those were the happiest slaves in the world. Many people actually believe that in 2022.

[@charletonzimmerman4205]

"I bet it was shown in the Middle schools 1950's" American History.

[@davenc8527]

Yowza.

[@JohnAdorjan]

All these people are dead now.

[@victorkreig6089]

And soon so shall we

[@tomjones3787]

African," from Africa (see Africa). Used of white residents of Africa from 1815.

[@sblack48]

That showed the 1800s but it likely was shot in the 20s or something. A lot of it seems staged. Very odd.

[@BatMan-oe2gh]

It was. Eastman Films did this in the late 1920's to show people what the Old South was like before the Civil War. That is why it is a Silent film.

[@Game_Hero]

What's wrong with historical recreation?

[@sblack48]

@@Game_Hero it show the black people all happy and dancing and enjoying their leisure. I’m sure it was exactly like that…

[@Game_Hero]

@@sblack48 I thought you had a problem with the fact it was a recreation to begin with, it's not like someone filmed it back then in the 19th century. For your point, you are very much right, it's just a misunderstanding of what I thought you were thinking.

[@turinturambar8622]

@@sblack48 to a degree yes, the soulful singing of slaves in the south was the cornerstone for many music genres.

[@mobettajenkem7485]

Back when them JazzBonians knew their PLACE! Yowza!

[@nightspark6187]

The good old days... if you're MAGA.

[@allen480]

BS MAGGOT.

[@bufordmaddogtannen5164]

People working together not giving a shit about color. That is 100% MAGA

[@Islamisthecultofsin]

MAGA has nothing to do with slavery. Why don't you start realizing that everything you are being told is a lie?

[@phillamoore157]

Periscope films I've seen are usually authentic....this looks fake as hell, to me....

[@tomjones3787]

You always have great videos but I would like you to prove that these are African Americans and not aboriginal Americans

[@luckynedpepper9030]

Dey wuz kangz!!!!

[@snowflakemelter1172]

Your brain is broken.

[@robertafierro5592]

Jim Crow Era. No good.

[@ghostdog1454]

That annoying repetitive folk music made people run away.!

[@teddyhammer2558]

No black people commented on this video.

[@hytekrednekbama4400]

most still cant read or write

[@The_Original_forresttrump]

Who were those black people?🤔🤔

[@kingfish4575]

All the COMPLETELY RACIST STUFF aside I learned a few new things in the beginning then it just went big oof...and A LOT of that shit still exists today unfortunately.