map of chicago

The DuSable Museum of African American History Moving Image Collection

The DuSable Museum of African American History Moving Image Collection The DuSable Museum of African American History Moving Image Collection contains over 800 items over a range of formats from VHS to smaller gauge film such as 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm that pertain either to the museum itself (its history and productions) or that were donated and collected for their greater relevance to African American history. In particular, the collection holds several of Dr. Margaret Burroughs's personal home movies, many of which depict her trips to Africa in the 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s. Dr. Burroughs (b. 1917), founder of the DuSable Museum and the South Side Community Arts Center, is a prominent artist, writer, and educator whose many accomplishments include several children's books and international art exhibitions and, most recently, her service as the commissioner of the Chicago Park District.

Selected Artifacts

Shot with a small-gauge film, Dr. Burroughs' home movies depict not only general footage of her trips to Africa, but also local festivals and performances, such as the traditional Kikuyu dancers in Kenya. Dr. Burroughs' home movies also offer rare images of everyday life in Africa in the late 1960s and early 1970s, such as this market in Ivory Coast circa 1970. The collection includes seventeen of Dr. Burroughs' home movies from this period, documenting her travels to Africa and the West Indies. Once a year, on the weekend prior to Independence Day celebrations, a national agriculture show is staged at the Denbigh Agricultural Show Grounds. This home movie displays local celebration captured by Dr. Burroughs' Super 8mm movie camera in the late 1960s.


Image Credits