Coffee with a Curator: Silent in Jacksonville

Join Es-pranza Humphrey, curator of Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen, for a discussion over coffee about her research trip to Jacksonville, Florida, and Norman Studios. Es-pranza will discuss the impact this unlikely location had on the history of films with all-Black casts and why studio head Richard Norman was at the vanguard of the “race films” that were important to her research for the exhibition.

In the 1910s, Jacksonville was home to more than 30 silent film studios specializing in a variety of genres for Black and white cinemagoers. Today, Norman Film Studios is the only remaining structure of its kind from this era. It was one of the first studios in the United States to make such race films, providing unique opportunities for Black actors and Black audiences.

After showing you a clip from The Flying Ace (1926), the only Norman Studios film to survive in its entirety, Es-pranza will guide you through the exhibition, focusing on the posters promoting films produced by Richard Norman.

Accessibility Note: Masks and clear masks are available free of charge at the museum. Assistive listening devices and stools are available. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is also available upon request. Please contact access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387 to request interpretation services and to address any other accessibility needs. For other event-related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org.